How to Design and Build a Great Home.

[@cognitor900]

GREAT BOOK CONCEPT. And that’s where I was 6 years ago before the builder went bust…… no one other than 20 academics in my state of 2 million people could follow and conceptualise a neo-Georgian design. No architect, nor builder nor tradesman had a clue about proportions and entablatures or pediments or fascias etc. And the more I learn the less I realise I know. Sigh. Enjoying the channel enormously. Cheers

[@BrentHull]

Thanks so much. I love an educated viewer.

[@rolio222]

Was this state Utah? This is how I am feeling right now as well. Love seeing some people try to bring back the lost art of quality

[@saulflores8050]

You definitely hit the nail on the head by stating forming a team and details on building a quality, beautiful home that will last. I’m glad I have found you and your friends on The Build Show. I’ve taken notes on what to look for and ask for as well on building a quality home.. We are considering retiring in Texas and building our forever home that will last for generations. As a consumer looking for a lot and builder is and can be very stressful because you want to build it right day one. You don’t want to have any regrets especially after the large investment on a custom home. For my self I can see architectural plans and see it, unfortunately my wife can’t so to have renderings and mock ups helps those to make decisions and sometimes changes. So as you stated having an architect, builder and designer to assist you is huge. Many fear building a custom home because of not being able to afford one but if you design and build a reasonable size within your budget is very doable vs buying a mass produce home.

[@BrentHull]

Agreed! Thanks for your comments

[@maryellenrollins4642]

I completely agree. Every detail has to be planned from the start. The creation process is meant for those details. Then just follow the plans and build it.

[@BrentHull]

Agreed. Thx.

[@kevinprociw3168]

100%

[@micahdavis4314]

This is great advice on the details to look out for to build a better house. The changes you show in the entry columns make a big difference in making it feel correct.

[@BrentHull]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching

[@markdavis6875]

You are so right . Too bad there aren’t a thousand of you . If I’m lucky enough to build again . I’m calling you .

[@BrentHull]

Ok, I'll look forward to it.

[@JoshPiland]

This video and your book still holds up over time-kind of like… classical architecture.

[@BrentHull]

Nice! Thx.

[@Mike-dy8bq]

I saw your video on Finish Carpentry TV and I am hooked on your channel now. I bought your book too.

[@BrentHull]

So cool. I'd love to sign it for you. Let me know what else you'd like to see.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

An entire video on cornice design and construction would be something I would love to see. I drive through neighborhoods with multimillion homes and see them done wrong and those hideous “porkchop” returns should be banned.

[@mikeholman4284]

Thanks Brent! Really appreciate this video.

[@BrentHull]

Glad it was helpful!

[@artisanhome8980]

Thanks for sharing!

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching!

[@theofarmmanager267]

Extremely interesting. The 1st consideration, which is allied to the 2nd, was “what do I want?” I would perhaps disagree with another commentator in that I believe the 2nd consideration is “do I have enough money to build what I want?”. Because if you can’t afford what you want, are you going to be happy settling for compromises? Knowing what you want can be extremely difficult - surprisingly difficult for me. It encompasses both rooms and spaces (I want a pantry, I want an office, I want a dressing room etc.) and styles (I want Georgian, I want neo classical, I want English stately home etc.). Sometimes, perhaps quite often, getting the rooms that you want might mean crossing styles; is that wise? Is that even possible? I’ve been watching another of Brent’s videos, he shows us a house that he and his team built and used the word eclectic. To bring that off is probably the most difficult thing to my mind. It could easily tip over into a mess. Much easier would be to stick to 1 known style - but where does that advance architecture? If architecture is to evolve, then it does mean balancing old ideas with new ideas; if you don’t do that, then architecture stays still and we would all be living in Anglo-Saxon round houses or Roman villas. My mantra as we are converting an old barn into our house, is to buy nothing that’s in fashion. If it’s in fashion; that’s means it will be in demand and therefore expensive. If it’s in fashion, that means that one day, it will be out of fashion. If you really do want something very…..startling like a canary yellow kitchen, perhaps just have the doors and drawers in that colour; easily changed when (if?) canary yellow ever goes out of fashion. Finding out how much the house that you want will cost you means, over here, talking to architects and builders. In my experience, and I can only speak of that, residential and commercial architects always underestimate costs and want to drive through a design that they like and/or gets gasps of admiration from their peers. My company worked for a long time with an American company here in the UK. They wanted to set up a new, small office in that part of London around the centre of many established property businesses (a rough boundary encompassing, Hanover Square, Portman Square, Cavendish Square). It was to be high design in the client areas. The fabrics and finishes specified may have looked stunning for a day or 2; they might appear in Harpers Bizarre; but they have no place in a commercial building. Shag pile carpet in meeting rooms? In 2012? So, 3rd consideration is an architect who listens to you, advises you and works with you to sort out what or what is not going to work and to your taste. 4th are the people who are going to turn drawings into reality. In the UK, there appears to be an old boy network between some architects and some builders; I don’t suggest anything deceitful but perhaps it is just wanting to work with people you know. From the Masons; from the Golf Club etc. We were/are very much in the compromise portion. We have had a long battle with our local Council which has cost us about £250,000 in totally unexpected legal costs. It was originally our fault in that we took the advice of the (RIBA) architects but it could and should been resolved by the local Council in a few weeks; not 5 years. Anyway, that hole in our finances does mean that we are compromising. Some areas that I would liked to have quartersawn European oak panelling, are now going to be painted MDF; linenfold detail, Tudor Rose motifs, strap carving and all. The oak now has to be reserved for the entrance hall. Lots of details that we wanted included now have to wait; some require a (long)temporary, cheaper solution. I’m finished now; please stop those cheers from the back. I’ve got to go back into the workshop and continue with the internal 2nd fix woodwork. Soon, one of our sons will be working with me on this - a good move for his business and he can lift the 8x4 sheets of 18mm MRMDF.

[@BrentHull]

Nice, thanks for your insights.

[@heartwormskillcats8357]

Brent Hull carpentry school; hopefully coming to a place near you!

[@BrentHull]

Some day.

[@stevemiller7949]

As good as I think FL Wright was he was not the most helpful to builders. His plans could be sketchy and hard to decipher. He under-engineered far too much. He used ideas like glass tubing for fenestration?? because he loved the look of it. His roofs leaked. He was cavalier about budgets. His later homes turned their back on the neighborhood and approaching guests. And despite it all he created magical places. What a guy!

[@BrentHull]

What a guy is right.

[@carmencolon3520]

I will never be able to look at a house the same way with a naked eye. I always thought that was put into a house was correct . I have so many costly mistakes in this house. I guess the team figured out as they hammered 🔨 🤷 🤔. Brent I think you should market to weddings seminars. This way you could help tons of people avoid mistakes and save money.

[@BrentHull]

Hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@rolfselvig335]

Brent. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy your classical series of your yputube videos. A born and raised Classicist, I applaud your push to build on a national footprint. I look forward to your success, but in much of Northern California, regrettably the market is enthralled with a more "modern sensibility", lacking both the taste and learned knowledge of what this work is all about.

[@BrentHull]

Wow, thanks! I agree. My hope is that the market will soon realize what modernist realized early on, that Less is a bore. The magic of a well down classical home or building is a skill well worth learning.

[@youtubeaccount69420]

When referring to highland park style is this a reference to the style of homes built in Highland park chicago...?!

[@BrentHull]

Sorry, no. Highland Park in Dallas.

[@ryananthony4840]

Lol that's what I thought too, I'm from the Region myself

[@kingkinyon]

Where can I buy this book? I’m assuming it’s no longer being printed since it’s $180 on Amazon

[@BrentHull]

email us [e-mail] and we'll send you info on how to get it. Thanks!

[@nonamuss9991]

@@BrentHullI ended up here because I was looking for the book as well. It’s not $180 right now … it’s simply unavailable. (I’ve gone down the rabbit hole from seeing you on “Build” to now checking out all of your vids. Love it!)

[@achillesbuchanan2095]

Inspiring as always. Thank you. It appears your book is sold out and only the ebook is available. Is this correct?

[@BrentHull]

Send an email to [e-mail] We have more! Thanks for watching.

[@MrWookie1981]

Got to love Amazon. Your book in Canada is $394 for hardback and $3.98 for kindle.

[@BrentHull]

LOL, we can get you a copy here. Just email [e-mail]. I think we sell it for $30 bucks...

[@PeeedaPan]

that's great that you build all over the country! Does that mean you usually create the doors, windows, columns in your own mill/studio and then ship your pieces to other parts of the country to be installed by a local builder or do you just advise builders on how to make the pieces?

[@BrentHull]

We build and ship. Thanks.

[@christhompson-q4n]

Brent, I have a 23 year old center hall colonial that needs to have the front porch redone. Are there any design books you would recommend for front entryways. The current porch over the front door is functional but lacks any style.If I am going to have it re-done i would like to improve it.

[@BrentHull]

Be a student of historic architecture. I would be looking for historic precedent. That is where you will find the best designs. I think there is a book New England doorways. You can probably find it on ebay. Good luck.

[@blackrebelradio9879]

Like a food critic, the story starts at the store front.

[@BrentHull]

Agreed!

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

My biggest pet peeve with new home construction is cornice/eve returns. I have not seen a single home built in the last 30 years that comes even close to getting it correct. Pork chop returns are absolutely hideous on anything but a production/tract house. Every time I see a new build with an attempt at constructing a cornice return they make the angle of the little roof part of the return( the part that sheds water from the wall)way too steep so it looks like a little hip roof. That part should be no steeper than 3:12 and should not be visible from the ground. I can’t find a single video about this and would love to get your thoughts on this.

[@BrentHull]

PREACH!!! I couldn't agree more. I have a video coming out in a week or so where I talk about this exact thing. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. Thanks.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

@@BrentHull I would love to hear where things went wrong. Was it the architects, or the builders? There must be a reason everyone, I mean everyone does it wrong, and they basically all do it wrong the same way. I look forward to your video. Fascinating topic.

[@gusfavoreto2966]

I can't find your book, hardcover, only digital

[@BrentHull]

Email us at [e-mail], we can get you a copy. Thanks.

[@glennb5099]

Are these simple points not the foundational "Laws" for beautiful buildings Brent? Nothing else matters if you (or your advisors) don't fully understand what "Beautiful" and "Utility for Humans" looks like. Or, you haven't the team to execute it. I need to watch and think on this until its points are seared into my brain. Thanks, Glenn

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for your comment. We are relearning how to build beautiful. It doesn't come naturally.

[@factsNcomments-imho]

Nice, but almost got a vertigo just listening to your ideas. Of course, its early in the morning, but Everyone want all those details. But who can afford paying the architect-designer for all that time. And not to mention the added cost to building an intricate design like that. I propose that you integrate those old classical ideas. And create a modern or current design scheme that gives the feel of the old with the practicality of today. Now that would be something people would not roll their eyes at when just listening to your ideas. Plus, it would show that you have such a tremendous understanding of classical architecture that you could bring it into today. But if money is no object, then why did they not design it correctly from the beginning. Sincerely

[@BrentHull]

ok, thanks.

[@blackrebelradio9879]

I was going to try and work for Brent before I left Dallas, I've seen a couple upper scale homes Perfect craftsperson

[@BrentHull]

Thank you!!!

[@rolfselvig335]

OOOps hit the wrong From my last comment, I'd like to thank you and let me know if I can help you/us out here. The niche is slight, but the tiny market is well paid and some are really interested and participate along the way and are really enjoyable clients. Please keep me posted

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for that! Yes, we should find a way to work together. We do work all over the country and would look forward to collaborating. You can reach me at [e-mail] if you'd like to discuss a specific project. Kindly.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

Absolutely amazing. I see multi-million dollar homes 6000+ square feet that get the very basics incorrect (columns, cornice returns, dormers, pent roofs, etc., etc.) why can't anyone do it correctly. Is it that people simply don't care any more? If it's not worth doing correctly why do it????

[@BrentHull]

Couldn't agree more!

[@ryananthony4840]

To me the difference between good and great is a thousandth of an inch lol...... People generally don't like working for me 😂😂

[@BrentHull]

LOL, well I bet your work is great! Thanks

[@AsHellBored]

everytime i run into an architect trying to run a project its fucking choas. They want to act like they know what they are doing, hire other people to do the work, pressure you to cut corners and not follow code, and when shit goes wrong they will say its your fault. Archs draw pretty pictures, that's it. Give me or the engineer the picture and F' off. But i also want to say. i ran into a guy that wanted a bathroom that was built wrong, remade into a Japanize style bathroom. And I kept trying to ask him, show me examples of what you want. And he just couldnt do it. Ultimately he hired someone else. Not sure what that guy did different except bid lower. But im sure in the end he is gonna ask for more money. So while I wish everyone I talked to was qualified to try to go down this road, im not their in my business.

[@BrentHull]

Understood. Thanks for sharing.

[@satanking35]

Fix the audio first

[@BrentHull]

ok

[@satanking35]

@@BrentHull Thanks Brent