Tag: ventura

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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

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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

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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

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Heavy Timber Exposed Trusses – OBC

I love the look and added dimension of open ceilings with timber trusses. They aren’t typically used for structure in California due to strict earthquake structure requirements, but they look great and we can still use them.

Here you see a set of heavy timber trusses – Douglas Fir in this case – being installed in a ICF or insulated concrete form house.

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Say Goodbye Guest House –  Hello ADU

ADU – Isn’t that a horrible name – so institutional?

Accessory Dwelling Unit – not so warm and fuzzy as a cute little guest house nestled in the oak trees … but that’s where we are. You can call it a “guest house” but the city and the county will call it an ADU.

WANTED! – Your cities and towns are heavily promoting ADUs but are they easy to permit and cheap to build?

A baffling variety of ADU’s exist. 
You can have an attached ADU, 
a detached ADU, 
a junior ADU 
or an ADU within an existing accessory structure. 

The states (not only California but all over the US) have put pressure on cities and counties to create more “dwelling units” and they think ADU’s will help.

Additionally, many cities and counties are willing to look the other way from past discretions.  Illegal units can be converted into “legal” units with “Compliance Programs”.  This bizarre challenge has not been successful.  Many previously built “dwellings” are significantly different than current required building codes causing havoc in the “approval process.”  Think about everything from a “Yurt” to a shack that might have been converted….

Building an ADU

Ventura County

With the exception of using the Ventura County pre-approved plans, building an ADU requires all the same steps as building a new house for the most part. Although, I believe the state promotes the idea that they are doing everything to reduce requirements and speed up permitting time, from my experience it isn’t any different. 

Ventura County actually has 3 “pre approved” plans which you can use. 

You can access them here 

Ojai 

Requirements in the city of Ojai are pretty much the same as the County.  You can build a new 1200 SF ADU (1800 SF if you have over 10 acres).  Previously Ojai limited the size of a second “residence’” to 640 SF.

Interestingly, parking requirements change if you build an ADU.  

You can find the Ojai requirements here

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Building a New House in Ojai and Ventura County

Building in the City of Ojai is a fairly straightforward process.  The town itself is quite small, only 4.4 miles, beyond those boundaries you are in the unincorporated area of  Ventura County – a bit more challenging building process.  Call us to help you navigate the building process.

Geography

City of Ojai California

Ojai is located at 34°26′57″N 119°14′48″W

The city is generally at 745 feet (227 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11 km2), of which only 0.35% is water, and the rest is land.

Ojai is situated in a small east-west valley, north of Ventura and east of Santa Barbara. It is approximately 15 miles (24 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean coast.

Since Ojai is lined up with an east-west mountain range, it is one of few towns in the world to have a “Pink Moment” occur as the sun is setting. The fading sunlight creates a brilliant shade of pink for several minutes on the Topatopa Bluffs, over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above sea level at the east end of the Ojai Valley. Nordhoff Ridge, the western extension of the Topatopa Mountains, towers over the north side of the town and valley at more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Sulphur Mountain creates the southern ranges bounding the Ojai Valley, a little under 3,000 feet (910 m) in elevation. The Sulphur and Topatopa Mountains are part of the Transverse Ranges system.

The Ventura River flows through the Ventura River Valley, draining the mountains surrounding Ojai to the north and east and emptying into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Ventura. The Ventura River was once known for its steelhead fishing before Matilija Dam and Lake Casitas were constructed, eliminating habitat for this trout species.

The climate of Ojai is Mediterranean, characterized by hot, dry summers, sometimes exceeding 100 °F (38 °C), and mild winters, with lows at night sometimes below freezing. As is typical for much of coastal southern California, most precipitation falls in the form of rain between the months of October and April, with intervening dry summers.

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Ojai Remodel – 1950’s Ranch Style Home

Proposed color scheme

Open up walls and ceiling

Before

Ojai kitchen remodel

 

Initial planning:

This is the existing plan – note the setback lines

Ojai_remodel_asbuiltplan_2016_0515

Addition Analysis – how and where we can add space

Here are the areas where we might build – possibly moving garage forward to allow additional space behind the garage and space on the south end. This might work out nicely allowing us to keep the existing kitchen where it is – Savings ! – create a better flow.

Ojai_remodel_proposedplan_2016_0524

Existing 3D models

Ojai_remodel_SW_2016_0515

Ojai_remodel_NW_2016_0515

Ojai_remodel_SE_2016_0515