Build Stratford Blog

We Love Your House - Hibernia St. Stratford

1/25/2016

Ed Grundenberger, a furniture refinisher, built this house in 1899, where he lived with his wife and daughter. This Ontario Gothic Cottage has simple arched windows and a lovely rounded gable decoration. The elaborate portico is particularly nice with its double columns and turned balusters.

The one and a half storey cottages allowed for two levels at a lower tax rate which made them quite popular in Stratford and St. Marys. The symmetrical layout was also efficient and easy to build. This particular cottage is so tidy and pretty, one can not help but be charmed by it.

Catherine Cassidy is a Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom homes and renovations.

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Really disappointing - an out building in Philipsburg

1/24/2016

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Before: Outbuilding with traditional faux brick siding.

After: Half finished, bland board and batten, detail lost.

I think we can all agree that the before photo shows a great old building in Philipsburg, Ontario with well thought out and executed detailing. The trim board above the windows connects them visually and the red faux brick siding lends old time character to the simple barn shape.

The second photo shows a "ruining" in progress. The bland grey board and batten as an improvement is truly puzzling. I have admired this building for many years and so it is sad to see such an interesting example of the carpenter's craft being spoiled.

Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom homes and renovations.

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We Love Your House - Norman St. Stratford

1/4/2016

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David Scrimgeour built this house in 1896 where he lived with his wife Sarah, and six children. He and his older brother formed Scrimgeour Brothers Avon Planing Mill manufacturing building details. They were also contractors who did construction for businesses and residences in Stratford. He spent many years in public service and was city tax collector until his death in 1906.

This popular Queen Anne Revival style features an asymmetrical facade with a traditional sunburst patterned pediment over the front entry and beautifully detailed porch pillars. Another feature of note is the decorative yellow brick over Romanesque windows, as well as the two-storey bay.

Catherine Cassidy is a Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom homes and renovations.

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Rory McDonnell

I am a licensed carpenter,
an experienced general contractor, and a qualified architectural designer. My expertise is in building, restoring, and renovating new custom homes and heritage homes with respect for their inherent details.

I want to share with you my impressions of the good, the bad and the ugly in the construction and renovation industry.

We Love Your House - Hibernia St. Stratford

Really disappointing - an out building in Philipsburg

We Love Your House - Norman St. Stratford

Rory McDonnell

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