Fixing a house that wants to be traditional but misses.

[@texasred2702]

Double gables just shout Modern Subdivision

[@DrMJJr]

Agreed. It just screams “try hard mode” (like the kids these days say, lol)!!

[@BrentHull]

Agreed. thx.

[@artbybard]

agreed. i don't know what kind of delusion is required to design smtng like that double gable, it looks like some photoshop copy-paste mistake... visually and practically - unfathomable choice.

[@ckm-mkc]

Great improvements as always. What I would like to see - probably too much work and beyond the brief - is several options based on budget, say, low, medium & high. I would imagine changing the roof pitch or putting in different size windows is expensive vs moving a column.....

[@DrWarBear]

I like this idea. Sort of like “low hanging fruit” vs major renovations, and gives us without the budget to do all to know what even a few small changes look like

[@BrentHull]

House hasn't been built yet. But yes, your suggestion is good. Thx.

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

I like the 3 instead of the 5 because of the windows on the first floor.

[@BrentHull]

Noted. Thx.

[@cborecky]

I tend to think small houses with one central body are inherently more graceful than mansions with wings and layered rooflines. Proportion gets tricky when dealing with houses that are big enough for 3-4 families to live in.

[@BrentHull]

Noted. Thx.

[@plumbthumbs9584]

You always create thoughtful content, thank you.

[@BrentHull]

I appreciate that!

[@flybyav8tor]

I’m redoing my front porch as we speak. 1850s farmhouse. Part of the story I’m trying to tell is that each generation made the simple farmhouse nicer to where it’s now become more of an estate house. We are emphasizing the Greek revival accents like the pilaster on the front porch, corner boards and a proper entablature. It’s starting to take shape and a rich historical story.

[@BrentHull]

Wonderful. Glad to hear it.

[@renuing]

Huge improvement!! This is such a great teaching series, it's amazing to see the transformation but to witness the process of getting there is gold!! Thanks as always.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching.

[@ryansoo4000]

Hi, Brent, great project! I can certainly understand your confusion as to why the main body of the house is covered in wood siding while the “additions” are covered in stone - usually it would be the other way around. To me this house looks like a rural farmhouse and while I do like your changes I prefer the flat topped front door transom over the arched one. As to the front dormers, as soon as I saw the version with five of them and you said that the reason you did that was because the owners wanted two windows in the upstairs bedroom I thought “why not do two wider shed dormers with a window on each of the corners with a panel in-between them”? That would give you a much less cluttered looking roof.

[@BrentHull]

Thx, that would push it too far into the 1920's vibe. In my opinion.

[@bestpilot98]

Brent, your Wednesday design videos are the best! Keep 'em coming!

[@BrentHull]

THx. Will do!

[@Greg_Gatsby]

That’s a lot of modifications. Improved, yes. Massive undertaking to accomplish. 👍

[@BrentHull]

It's not built yet.

[@rogerhodges7656]

Great improvements! I look forward to these installments.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks so much.

[@KenYamaguchi-sg5zr]

Brent, congrats on another successful consultation. You had a lot to address. You transformed it from modern farmhouse to traditional farmhouse. I like your changes, although in the original architect's defense, I must say that the modern farmhouse style is extremely popular today, even ubiquitous. I see it in all regions and in all price ranges from production to custom. It's a valid style all its own, I think. So it seems like the client may eventually tone down some of the historical touches you added in favor of retaining some of the modern attributes, like larger windows here and there but retaining the improved proportions, massing and the column spacing that you deftly contributed. If you just do that, improve the modern farmhouse, you have succeeded again. Great Job.

[@BrentHull]

Nice. Thx.

[@aaronwoodall8384]

Great update! It actually gave me a great idea for my own house! Thanks for your content.

[@BrentHull]

Great to hear!

[@jaredskeen6986]

This is a project consultation and I believe the house is not yet built. I think they have the plans and blueprints and are trying to fix details before construction. I could tell a lot of the comments thought (like myself at first) that this house was already built and they were changing roofs, windows, dormers, etc.

[@BrentHull]

Correct, sorry. It's not built yet.

[@tc9148]

So much better. Love to learn about all the subtle elements you added.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching.

[@andy4717]

What a transformation! Much better

[@BrentHull]

Thanks!!

[@KCKingdomCreateGreatTrekAgain]

I like both the 3 and the 5. I lean more to the 3 but if wall space isn’t as important as light than the 5 is good still.

[@BrentHull]

Agreed. Thx.

[@dennisdean3925]

Much better, hopefully they engaged your services BEFORE they started building. Obviously, making change on paper before ordering materials, windows, etc. is much more palatable.

[@BrentHull]

Yes, it's not built yet.

[@alb2620]

These are all very fascinating. Thanks for sharing the process.

[@BrentHull]

You are so welcome!

[@pcatful]

Yes, very good!

[@BrentHull]

THx!

[@kevinbezat6417]

Looks much better, great video!

[@BrentHull]

Thank you.

[@Captain-KTS]

Good comment mentioned, budget. Clearly you always make the house look better but how much of a price increase does that come at, Brent? Cheers Kirk

[@BrentHull]

House is not built yet. i don't think it increases the cost. It might save money.

[@rightaway8551]

Well done.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks1

[@piggly-wiggly]

You were being kind in not pointing out the ridiculous nonfunctional shutters that had no hope of ever shutting over the windows they flanked. What are builders thinking in sticking those things on virtually every house that gets built today? It's like every hat must have a hat band with a feather in it. It's just silly.

[@BrentHull]

Haha, word.

[@lauramiller6702]

I love watching your videos; I’m a huge fan. Can you explain the difference between a “good” gable end return and a “bad” one? Watching some of your older videos I was under the impression that all gable end returns were undesirable. Thanks for your time.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

Bad gable end returns=“pork chop return” If you google it you will see pics. Classic gable end return is desirable and acceptable. There are a few other incorrect ones in between. Biggest problem with gable end returns other than “pork chop returns” is that the “roof part” is too steep and builders try to match the pitch of the roof. The roof part of an eave return should be no steeper than 3:12.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks. A bad one is usually built as cheaply and quickly as possible. A good one follows historic precedent, is nearly flat on the return, is flashed with metal. etc. etc. Watch my video on gable end returns.

[@danielstover3029]

Yes! 👍

[@BrentHull]

Thx!

[@jelsner5077]

Love your changes. I really hate those weird "double gable" things. I wonder if you could lower the ceiling height of the garage to reduce its impact?

[@BrentHull]

Noted. Thx.

[@mab49696]

Your comments would be easier to follow if you put the two veiws above and below each other Like when you want to partition the screen in excel for two different spreadsheets My brain cant remember what the other veiw looked like Great videos!!

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for the tip

[@jameswright8866]

strongly dislike the garage element, should have a connector between the house and the garage so it isn't one long huge mass. This would eliminate the awful hip that exceeds the front roof ridge

[@BrentHull]

Noted. THx.

[@debluetailfly]

I like most everything you did to it. Still would like to see the garage roof tip go away completely. Looks out of place to me.

[@BrentHull]

Noted. thx.

[@hmtrimworks7148]

What’s the deal with the garage walls being so much higher than the house walls, as seen in the side view. If you could lower those walls it would take care of that annoying roof project in the front view.

[@BrentHull]

There is living above the garage. FYI. Thx

[@hmtrimworks7148]

Yes, I am aware there is live in space above the garage, but if you measure down from the top of the shed roof dormers (where the collar ties would be claiming the ceiling height) down 8 foot, then an extra foot for joist and deck (I’m assuming you’re using 12” TGI joist), it looks like you would have 10’+ ceiling height in the garage. • So, if you could shave the garage ceiling height down to around 8 foot, it would help with that roof projection. • You could also steepen the roof(s) on the main house, which would also help • And you could always add a step up in the foundation to the main house from the garage. Combine all three these things together and it would take care of that annoying roof projection. Yes, that’s how bad I dislike stuff like that, it makes it look like a poorly executed addition / afterthought.

[@getrational9195]

First time that the improvement is not dramatic. It still looks like three houses stuck together. I would do a total redesign and make the middle wider and even more prominent. The back is much better than it was though!

[@BrentHull]

THx.

[@bruceclodfelter93]

Wouldn’t it be more cost effective to sell the house then hire you to design something from scratch?

[@debluetailfly]

Don't think it is built yet.

[@BrentHull]

Yep, not built yet. Thx.

[@leozmaxwelljilliumz3360]

The double gables not only do not look good, but theyre a mess for keeping water out. From a carpenter to whoever design then, please Stop it. The changes you made, I like except the 3 dormers on the front main house being changed to 5. That looks pretty busy to me.

[@BrentHull]

Noted. Thx.

[@timothyjones9804]

Multiple gables are an absolute abomination that has invaded the Australian architectural scene too. It’s the old story of spec home builders wanting to show more “design” for minimal effort, maximum return. I recently saw a house being built with four offset gables in front of each other, hideous. On the other hand, maybe builders buying old homes and ripping the character out for cheap renovations is worse, better they ruin the new builds.

[@BrentHull]

Good point. Thanks for sharing.

[@Hugo25920]

Clearly education in architecture is lacking. Hopefully some of these architects watch your videos and future disasters will be prevented...

[@BrentHull]

Word.