 Years ago, while managing the construction of a major residential project in Los Angeles, I was standing in the backyard talking with an acoustical engineer. “The bigger the job, the more consultants,” he said. So true! For many years I worked with Fort Hill Construction in Los Angeles. We built for the “who’s who” — Hollywood royalty and Wall Street wizards. Big, expensive, complicated projects. This particular project was a good example. One of the country’s top interior designers brought in a big-name architect from New York, who worked with a local architect, structural engineer, soils engineer, energy consultant, landscape designer, acoustical engineer and others. We’d meet at the job every week—the owner, interior designer, myself, and a rotating cast of architects, engineers, consultants and subcontractors. What most people never see is what happens after someone says: “What if we changed this?” On a project of this complexity, a seemingly simple design decision could travel from the interior designer to the New York architect, then to the local architect, then to the structural engineer, and eventually back to me. Now I had to figure out how we were actually going to build it. Drawings might need to be revised. Engineering changed. The building department might need to approve it. Costs had to be calculated and a change order prepared. Meanwhile, construction didn’t stop. That experience taught me something I’ve carried through my entire career: Great homes aren’t created by one brilliant designer. They’re created by a team—and someone has to understand how to bring all the pieces together. Today, my projects may range from a remodel or addition to a complicated custom home, but the thinking is the same. Design. Structure. Budget. Permits. Construction. Clients. Consultants. They’re all interconnected. Understanding how they work together is the Mind of a Builder. — Otis Otis Bradley Company, Inc. Residential Design for Custom Homes & Major Remodels If you’re considering a custom home or a major remodel, I’d be happy to walk your property with you and explore the possibilities before the design begins. Otis Bradley Company, Inc. OtisBradley.com 310-963-7900 !  Mazatlan Inspirations Mazatlan Mexico This is my fourth visit to Mazatlán, and each time I come away with a greater appreciation for its history, architecture, and culture. Unlike many resort destinations, Mazatlán is a real working city with a remarkable history. It’s one of the few colonial seaports on Mexico’s Pacific coast, and much of its historic center was built during the mid-1800s, when trade flourished along the Pacific. During that period, German and other European immigrants helped shape the city’s architecture, commerce, and culture. Their influence can still be seen today. Mazatlán’s famous Pacífico Brewery was founded in 1900 by German entrepreneurs, and the lively brass sound of banda music traces many of its roots to German military and folk bands brought to the region. I hope you enjoy this short tour of one of my favorite cities on the Pacific. Tour of Mazatlan Mexico CLICK HERE  Small Building. Big Possibilities – ADUs Thinking about an ADU? Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) can create flexible space for family, guests, rental income, or a future home office — but they also involve layers of zoning, utilities, access, parking, grading, and permitting that are not always obvious at first glance. I’ve created simple local ADU reports for both Ojai and Ventura County to help homeowners better understand the opportunities, constraints, and process before getting too far down the road. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON ADU’S Please share this letter ! Kitchens … See It Before You Build It    |
| Otis Bradley Company, Inc. Residential design for custom homes and major remodels |
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Ok – You’ve remodeled …Are you ready to build a new home????
You’ve done a remodel or two … now it’s time for a new home right?
“What would it take to build a new home?”
Sometimes I look at it this way:
A remodel is like editing an existing book.
A new home is writing one from scratch.
With a remodel, the structure, layout, and site already exist.
A new home begins with a blank canvas:
• The site
• Orientation to sun and views
• Grading roads / driveways
• Structural systems and soils conditions
• Energy requirements
• Fire and zoning regulations
• Septic, utilities, and access
Every decision affects the next.
And in areas like Ojai and Ventura County, hillside conditions, scenic resource review, fire zones, and permitting can add additional layers to the process.
The advantage of a custom home is that everything can be designed intentionally — around the way you actually live.
Part of my role is helping homeowners organize those layers early through design, 3D visualization, and navigating the permitting process before construction begins.
If you’ve been thinking about building a new home — even casually — I’m always happy to talk it through.
Thanks,
Otis Bradley
Otis Bradley Company, Inc.
OtisBradley.com
310-963-7900
3D Printing
This Starbucks was 3D printed in 2025 In Brownsville Texas
Approximately 90% of the homes built in the United States are made out of wood. We’ve been building this way for 200 years
But this kind of 3D printing creates a concrete wall which has many advantages such as faster construction, less labor, earthquake resistant, fire resistant, pest resistant, energy efficient. a technology like this might be really good for fire prone areas in the West Coast
I have built 2 homes in Ojai out of concrete.
Call me to talk house! Otis Bradley
Otis Bradley Company, Inc.
OtisBradley.com
Big Toys for Big Boys
Big toys for big boys… Do you need this on your job maybe maybe not but if you bought a chunk of land in Ojai you definitely will
Otis Bradley
Otis Bradley Company, Inc.
New homes • Complex Remodels • Permits • Consultation
OtisBradley.com
Teardown … almost level to the ground!
Casa Bel Aire
Check out the build of this beautiful contemporary, Spanish style home. This is new construction from the ground up. The old small house was removed to build this one.
Cabinet Design 101
Cabinets – always an important, significant and detail filled area of home building. An architect friend of mine once did 12 pages – full size 24 x 36 inch old school hand drawn – on cabinets for one project. Some designers only supply the simplest line drawings with almost no detail – other provide a great deal. Furthermore, the cabinet maker should provide detailed drawings prior to construction.
Learn how to get what you want.
Ojai Ranch Remodel
Revised Kitchen
- move range to opposite wall
- wrap corner to breakfast nook
- center sink at windows
- keep existing openings to Dining Room
- View from entry hall
Through breakfast nook to kitchen
Looking towards entry hall and passthrough to dining room
Looking towards breakfast nook
Other side
From Breakfast nook
Master Suite Revision of Option # 2
Plan
- added double door at bedroom entry
- moved tub and shower to south wall
Skinny, Tiny, Pre-Fab, Eco House
The “Skinny House” is an idea taken from looking at various pre-fab homes, in particular the high concept, prefabricated Glide House, designed by Michelle Kaufmann. Working with clients over the years, many had seen interesting prefabricated homes in Dwell Magazine and other online architectural place. The idea of having a home built in a factory – better working conditions – better quality – cheaper prices etc – is a hot appeal.
The Glide House
The plan below is an idea that uses many of the concepts of a prefabricated home but a bit bigger and using the garage as a “flex space.” Many people prefer using their garage as a studio, office or other use.
One of the ideas of the “Skinny House” is to incorporate outdoors living space.
Keep construction simple to keep costs down … simple but elegant!
Incorporate solar power …
Often times, after researching the true costs with infrastructure, foundations etc, the actual costs of prefabricated homes are the same or more than building the home on site. A site built home design has much more freedom to be “tweaked” to fit the site. Many options, levels of quality and design exist, but most prefabricated homes are based on components – usually 16 feet wide – that can be transported by truck.
Below – some additional ideas for floor plans.
Prefabricated home companies have been around for years. You mostly know them as trailer park homes. Many of these companies have not evolved past the ugly boxy designs you have seen. A bunch of new companies have come and gone such as Michelle Kaufmann’s Glidehouse. It seems to be – so far – a serious challenge to create the “iHouse” design for homes. A design that works everywhere – works well – is priced well and deliverable everywhere.
A bold objective …
Hygge – a friend of mine recently built this home in Long Island, New York
https://hyggesupply.com/supply/models/
Method Homes
https://methodhomes.net/homes/
Stillwater – in the state of Washington is an interesting company
https://www.stillwaterdwellings.com/designs
Cool House – Fred Fisher Ojai Studio
Architect: Fred Fisher
Location: Ojai, California
Details
- Industrial style
- New construction – completed approx 2008
- Wood frame with partial concrete walls at garage
- Garage /studio space on first floor
- Metal cladding on entire building
- Lots of glass Continue reading “Cool House – Fred Fisher Ojai Studio”