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Invest in Design

4/25/2016

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A rather important element in the construction of a new house is the very first step - design. In the not too distant past home design followed set rules of form and proportion, and the result was homes that made sense to the eye and were pleasing in form. The plans may have come from an architect, an experienced builder or even a catalogue or pattern book. Certainly there were designers who thought outside the box so to speak, but they did so in logical and thoughtful ways. More recently we have the "I can design my own house" mentality - and we certainly are not richer for it!
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Bizarre mix of details add up to a poor design.
The result is homes like this - designed by builders where the bottom line is key and a draftsperson is paid minimally to design something "unique". With five different exterior wall finishes, a column holding up nothing but a stuccoed beam, and a walk out roof deck above the double car garage. How bizarre. 
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Oddly sized windows, does not equal "modern" styling.
Another in the same development, oddly jutting forms, a collection of mismatched window styles and sizes, and this use of cheaper vinyl siding on side walls has to stop - we can see it from the front and it just screams "I was built on a budget". 
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And right around the corner, as if to emphasize that this development can indeed have "oh so many" poorly designed houses, sits this garage with an entry way tacked on the side. I could not determine why the roofline above the garage is so high, no windows indicating living space above it - and that is another design rule - if it doesn't make visual sense to the casual observer, it cannot appeal. This one certainly does not!
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Simple traditional designs that make sense.
We are drawn to houses such as these for very basic reasons - they make sense - the porch is for sitting on, the front door is prominent and logically used to enter and be greeted, the large window is a sitting room, the upper gable windows are bedrooms, etc. The detailing is pleasing and shows that these homes were built by craftsmen who were proud of their work and took care with the construction. We have so many examples of how to do it right, that our insistence on doing it poorly by reinventing the home and "improving" it is a real head shaker.

Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom home builds and renovations.
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Designing a New Old House - Part Two

4/15/2016

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Build's design philosophy is complimented by those of Architect Russell Versaci in his Eight Pillars of Traditional Design. The first four pillars were covered in a previous post, Designing a New Old House and Pillars 5 through 8 follow with examples from our portfolio:

Pillar Five: Detail for Authenticity
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A house’s character can be defined with authentic details, it’s okay to borrow from the past and use familiar forms. Details such as type of roof, windows and moulding profiles look best in historic patterns.
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Kitchen mouldings influenced by home's existing trim.

Pillar Six: Craft with Natural Materials

Fine craftsmanship and natural materials are timeless and are meant to endure. Less likely to be replaced by wear or trends, contributes to saving money and a healthy environment.
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A traditional ceramic tile pattern, with vintage tub and sink.

Pillar Seven: Create the Patina of Age

The popularity of salvaged materials is proof that people enjoy the beauty of well aged and natural. New materials have a more convincing antiqued appearance if aged by natural weathering processes.
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Reclaimed fir island with natural marble top and cast iron sink.

Pillar Eight: Incorporate Modern Conveniences

We don’t expect you to live as if it were the early 1900s! You will need your modern conveniences and there are many ways to integrate and hide them to maintain the illusion of a vintage house.
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Modern conveniences are integrated into a traditional kitchen.
Our interest in architectural design is a large part of our work and lifestyle. We have spent years traveling and visiting heritage homes because we truly love them. If you love new old houses, our local library has a copy of Versaci’s Creating a New Old House or you can purchase it online.

Catherine Cassidy is a Designer with Build in Stratford, Ontario.
Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom home builds and renovations.
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St. James Anglican Church door restoration

4/11/2016

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Dillon and Glenn taking down the doors at St. James Church.
The doors at St. James Anglican Church in Stratford are coming down for restoration today. The church built in the late 1860s was designed in the Decorated Gothic Revival style by Toronto architect's Gundry and Langley. The exterior of the building is protected by an Ontario Heritage Trust conservation easement (1985) and is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. 
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The doors ready to be restored with new ash boards in our shop.
The wooden double doors are being restored to protect from further damage by replacing the wood boards with durable ash, and repainting the cast iron scroll work. This will increase the longevity of these beautiful doors for many years to come. We are delighted to have this little piece of history in our shop!

Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom home builds and renovations.
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Designing a New Old House

4/8/2016

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Get the details right when designing a new old house.
A new "old" house is a new home tailored for modern living but designed within the style and proportions of a traditional house. Designing and building a new home steeped in tradition is high on Build's builder bucket list. The majority of new houses lack the care and thoughtful design attributed to master craftsman of the past and instead rely on imbalanced design and cheap materials. Education and intuition is important when designing a home but there are also rules which can be applied to the process. 

Architect Russell Versaci’s Eight Pillars of Traditional Design are a helpful guide and compliment Build’s philosophy of Modern & Traditional Heritage Builders which we incorporate into all of our design projects. The following are the first four pillars and examples from our own portfolio:
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Pillar One: Invent Within the Rules​
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Stay within the rules of a style of architecture. Invent using this traditional language, especially with additions and restorations, follow the cues of the style and proportions of the existing house.

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The original Tudor Revival details (left) are seamlessly integrated onto the new garage addition (right).

Pillar Two: Respect the Character of Place

Every geographical area has local building traditions often based on the land, climate and history of the people who migrated there, the design and materials should reflect this history.
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This new build Ontario Cottage integrates perfectly into an older, established neighbourhood.

Pillar Three: Tell a Story Over Time

​Many older homes have alterations and additions that have expanded it’s size over decades. Done properly with a new build, a fabricated history can add a lot of interest to a home.
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The original brick house's new board and batton addition feels like it has its own history.

Pillar Four: Build for the Ages

​We live in a transient society but there are many good reasons to “build to last” with durable materials and tested construction techniques. It saves money in the long run and is better for our environment.
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Natural wood, stone, and cast iron, durable materials which stand the test of time.

​Stay tuned for the Versaci's final four pillars in our next post.

Catherine Cassidy is a Designer with Build in Stratford, Ontario.
Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom home builds and renovations.
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We Love Your House - again on Church St. Stratford 

4/5/2016

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Cheers to the lovely red brick homes on Church Street! This one built in 1889 by James Corcoran, a Stratford business man, has a charmingly irregular design. A great example of late Victorian architecture; decorative bargeboards with a sunburst motif, detailed chimneys and brickwork, interesting rooflines and plenty of stained glass. The unique double front doors with bevelled glass were added in 1900. Our favourite standout heritage feature is the circular porch and veranda, a nice place to sit if spring decides to arrive this year!

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

1 Comment

    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.

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