I went to school for art, architecture, and design; I am with y'all on all this analysis , but I have come to believe through my own business's and my industry experience in this marketplace, that most people/customers don't know and therefore don't care. I say this as someone who owns and runs a custom cabinet business. Maybe its a problem with my own customer base but every type of customer we have ever encountered is always looking for a deal. Money is 9 times out of 10 the factor that limits design options.
Hey Brent, I showed your video to my dad who is a seasoned Landscape Architect... His response was... "That is an ugly house!" Me "What would you do to fix it" Him "You see that horrible tree in the front of the house" Me "Yeah" Him "Go find more of them and plant them all over the yard until the house is completely buried in a forest. Then no one has to know there was even a house there!" But seriously he looked at your 'fix' and he was like "Honestly that's probably the best you could do for something as awful looking as that. That is a challenge. However now that he has fixed it, I probably could fix it up with landscape architecture." The two problems with the house according to him is. #1 The garage wall is way too flat and tall and draws all the attention. #2 No emphases on the front door. How he said he would fix it. He gave a bunch of ways and I printed out your design for the house and he drew some quick sketches on them. He said your design was probably as good as you were going to get, but landscape architecture could help fix the rest of the problems that you couldn't fix. Idea 1. Put a trellis across the top of the garage between the window and the top of the garage doors to make a horizontal line (He said the trellis must extend past the sides of the walls on both sides or else it will not create the desired effect), then have it go down on both sides of the garage wall and plant a vine on either side to climb up the trellis and across. This would create a horizontal line and the vines would make a texture to hide the fact the garage wall is so flat. Then he said to put a weeping tree on the left side of the front door. This would draw attention to the front door. The issue he said is based on code they may not allow you to put a trellis across the front of the house. (Rip out the tree in the front for this one.) Idea 2. He said If you want to be bold and brave put a portcullis in front of the front door. That helps the entrance stand out and would match your arch design. Plus it would fill the space in front of the front door. He drew it like a pavilion-like structure in front of the front door. Idea 3. Japanese arched fence. He said you could run that near the sidewalk and on both sides of the walkway to the door. A short arched fence would help tie the arches on the lower floor on the front of the house to the fence, and the fence would help break up the house behind it. Giving the house a sense of depth. Idea 4. Plant trees on both sides of the walkway to the entrance, and make the entrance walkway run straight to the road. Idea 5. (best one) This one he thought would be the easiest to do and would produce the best result. Plant a bushy tree on both sides of the garage, so the tree is proportional to the house, but the bushy part of the tree covers the smooth sides of the wall on either side of the window on top of the garage, the trees would give depth, but also de-emphasise the garage. Then run the front walkway straight out to the sidewalk and put a fountain in the middle of it with a round circle path around the fountain that also has a path that connects to the driveway. Put a row of bushes along the sidewalk in front of the house. I took a picture of the sketches, but I can't send them to you in a youtube comment. So there you go, hope that helps and gives you some ideas.
Yes, there is improvement. That said, one minor quibble: I’m not crazy about the front door pediment because there is no echoing form in the design to lead the eye around the composition. The front of the house now appears much more balanced by restructuring the relationship between the windows and the roofline, which at the same time makes the pedimented arch a visual odd man out. My two cents.
Absolutely an improvement. It's tough to get it "perfect" because the massing (primarily with the garage) is off. To your point, only so much can be done without blowing things up. I'd be curious to see how you handle the other elevations (if the client cares) too. That usually seems to mess with the interior significantly though. These houses are built from the inside out. Great job and I think more and more need to think this way. We hy can't all our homes and neighborhoods have thoughtful design? We should drive and walk through a beautiful built environment! Technology and building process improved to allow for some of these terrible designs. But just because we can doesn't mean we should .. Keep fighting the good fight!
Not an architect but what doesn’t look right to me is the negative space between the garage doors and upper windows versus the two sets of windows on the right. The garage doors are obviously set right on the ground and seem to drag that side down and make it seem like there is too much space between them and the upper windows. Maybe an arbor or something in that space to bring the eye up? Not sure if I’m making sense.
I have always found the brick facade with wood panel siding. Confusing. It's like some of those weird Lincoln suvs where the side profile is a hearse look.
Brent, I would love to see the end result of this project if the client goes through with it regardless if they took all of your ideas or some and perhaps others not arrived at in your video. If not this one then others where you’ve provided the analysis and ideas. And yes this is such a vast improvement! Thank you for sharing your process and suggestions.
Your proposed changes are absolutely an improvement. You could maybe consider some additional embellishments. Guttering? Maybe some planters below the windows. Good job!!
Really good. Heck yeah it's an improvement! I'd add a terra cotta plaque above the door and frame the garage doors in some way to make them appear taller. Maybe a big stone-looking beam above them? Regardless, what you've done will make it the best looking and most talked about house in the neighborhood. Bravo!
I think it's a lot more beautiful! I would love a window above the entrance. Also, the roof is still so prominent. I think classic dormers for a usable attic space would really add to it.
Another house solely built around inside features. Tough assignment, but I think your changes make sense with what you were asked to do. Not that we will get to see but it would be interesting to know if the client can live with what those changes mean internally…
DRAMATIC improvement IMO. I think this new hipped roof, Normandy French style is so much better. Although I'm not a fan of asymetrical arrangements, its fine but I'd add some cut stone surrounds to the windows with lintel/keystone/sills and another window above the pedimented entablature you've added to the doorway.
Brent, to be honest, I am not fascinated with each and every project shown on your channel. But this one I really love❤️. It a real success! Congratulations 🤝 In general this renovation business is really hard and tricky In most cases its easier to demolish the existing building and start construction from basement level. That what people usually do, although it costs a lot .😢 You manage to achieve reasonable cost solutions in most cases avoiding dramatic expenses.👍 Look forward for your new interesting and successful projects ! P.S. in my opinion there should be a narrow gap between the roof line and windows. Otherwise it looks as if the roof hangs upon them and screens them slightly😅
Looks great, developers make the mistake of trying to build something different and newer with the hopes that it will look good but honestly, home design styles were mastered many many decades ago and in Europe centuries ago. These architects didn’t have all the modern distractions that we have nowadays. People put many many hours of thought into every detail. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with building homes that replicate older styles. Of course, I’m not including the modern contemporary homes you see in California and Florida, those are one of a kind, but they don’t offer that sense of coziness older Style homes have. The new housing industry needs more design oversight, it’s terrible to see all the effort it takes to build a home that will eventually be considered a year down in a couple decades.
Hi Brent! An interesting project! I think the change in the roof makes the house look more French but the arch topped windows make it look more Italian. Could you add some stone quoining at the corners and a timber porch over the front door instead of the classical columns and pediment?
Hey Brent. Great job on this, as usual. Your ideas always improve these houses and i want to better understand how you do that. You always just seem to know what to. Can you try, as you explain what you've done, to verbalize your thoughts? In other words, on this one, you decided to remove the gables. Why? Explain the reasoning behind that. Why did you make that choice? You decided the door and windows should be arched. Why? Id love to know what you are thinking as you make your choices. You have a real talent and i want to learn more from you. If enough of us can learn how to do that the world will get more beautiful more quickly. God knows there's plenty of work to do.
Your design is more cohesive. If it were my house, I would request additional design ideas to help the garage doors integrate better with the new windows.
Massive improvement! Setting aside the design-by-builder, what is the quality of the structure? That’s one of the bigger problems I hear about with “builder grade” - shoddy this, shoddy that, minimum code compliance.
Definitely a massive improvement, but there's something about it that still doesn't look quite right to me. Perhaps it's the massing, or maybe it's the placement of the ground floor windows that's a bit off. It almost seems like the garage and the upper storey are going in one style direction (more informal, rustic, kind of Arts and Craftsy) and the front door, porch, and lower windows are going in a different more formal, neoclassical direction. I think the more rustic style works better with the current massing of the house and its asymmetry but that would mean ditching the classical detailing on the front door and going with something else, which doesn't sound like what your client wants. A dilemma for sure!
Don’t mind me starring at your nose, lol! It def looks better Brent, de-emphasizing the area above garage is a huge improvement. The entry could be better though. BTW, Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers Kirk
The changes are certainly an improvement. The two items which trigger negative subconscious reactions for me are; 1) the top of the pilasters seem to open-ended and in support of nothing, and 2) the lack of (additional) exposed siding above the top two windows connotes a rushed, jammed-in design.
I kinda wondered if you could echo the roof from the left over the garage onto the right. Couldn't quite tell if that was possible, but it would give it some badly needed symmetry. But no doubt you improved it greatly. Would it have worked to add a 3rd arched window in between the two on the right? The garage is a mess being such a focal point, anything you can do to de-emphasise it will be a great improvement. I like the door treatment and changes to the upstairs windows. One thing, if they can successfully make that house look better, maybe some other homeowners will consider doing it to their homes, and eventually getting the entire neighbourhood looking better, and improve the value of everything there. That looks so much like the houses in the Dallas area (I have family in that area), seems like millions of those homes that are a pastiche of semi-styles that the builders don't understand to begin with. Sorta like taking branches of different species of trees, grafting them together and pretending they've come up with a wonderful new species, instead of something that's dead as soon as it's together.
Good improvements but I feel the arch windows to the lower right look a bit random and off to one side. I would let the arch door way speak for itself and just be consistent with the rectangle windows.
Unfortunately, most buyers purchase square footage, cabinets, countertops, color, etc. and don't know anything about traditional design or true quality. That is an expensive makeover and it looks much better. However, that being said, would they be able to recover the investment? Thanks for sharing. 😁👍
Better? Of course. The challenge is that it is not what a classasist would want relative to a house that was designed with a style, and 'gluing' a style to a house is a tough ask. You can improve it, but can you make it good? Is good, good enough? If so, then you may have discovered a whole new remodeling segment for people that want more classic elements in their spec homes.
This is definitely an improvement, but I still do not know what house style this is meant to convey. The bottom windows convey spanish, but the door has more classical cues. It also appears you rendered the exterior walls.
Love the roof line simplifications. Do not like the two arched windows and front door arched window. Lose the arched windows. Do classical pedimented front door surround and it will be perfect.
I'm no fan of those fanlights either, but I suspect those are non-negotiables with the client because they probably bring much needed light into the interior...but if he's doing it with the front door, any windows on the bottom rank must also have them as well for consistency.
This is why I think I've lost my sanity in the home we've lived in for one year now. Nothing makes sense and now we have all been diagnosed with CIRS from Mold Toxicity. It was funny to me when you said "I don't know, is this better?" 😅 Everything I try to do here in this convoluted craftsman 90s 4400 sq ft death maze feels the same. Is it better? I honestly don't know 😅
Clean out the garage and park the minivan inside would make a great improvement. Also cut down the tree in front of the front door and add a sidewalk from the front of the house all the way to the street.
Improved by a lot but to me the front portico would look better as more of a spanish style with an arch, rather than so overtly classical which isn’t carried through elsewhere on the facade. Depends on where the house is obviously because there are plenty of locations in the US where a Spanish style wouldn’t make sense.
Fixing some of these houses is all good and well but in my mind appears to be extremely expensive. Changing roof lines, replacing windows, changing entries, etc. will require altering the bones or structural elements of the house not to mention what happens to the interior regarding window/door trim, drywall, flooring, etc. Rather than blowing it up, I would start from scratch with a fresh sheet of paper and build new.
Yeah, I think double doors, or at least faux double doors with some rustic-looking hardware could work, here. It would make it look less like a track house.
Smart people notice what other people are blind to. America has normalized the garage as part of the facade. Back alleys and detached garages would use basically the same space, improve aesthetics, and make streets safer for cyclists and sidewalk pedestrians. OK,I will grant you that unloading groceries becomes more convenient. Ever hear of a mini-cart? Stewart Hicks did a whole segment on the residential alleys of Chicago, which predominate. I love Frank Lloyd Wright, but he and many others promoted this idiotic problem. In fact he was intoxicated by cars, so apparently he decided to make them a focal point of life, front and center. He imagined the day when people would have their own Jetson's style gyro copters and showed them in renderings. America is still stuck with the unintended consequences of mid-century 50's "progress". How many generations will it take to break free?
I think it's the best you can do considering cost restraints. You can't exactly de-emphasize the garage without a very large bill making a remodel pointless from building new. Redoing the roofline and entry way while expensive, isn't so expensive it's impractical. With a new roof/attic, it's possible for the customer to use the attic. In these 90s houses, the attic is typically trusses. The different directions the roof faces are usually separated by sheathing with a small cutout in the attic to access that space, and the areas with the half circle windows will have a bump up in the attic. If children ever got access to these attics they would love them, but they are unusable and unmaintainable. I remember having to crawl through three of these attic sections and over a raised portion to access what I needed to run a cable. It takes 20 minutes just to travel for a job that typically takes 20 minutes. I think getting rid of that tree blocking the view of the front door, and having a path from the front door to the sidewalk would also be good. I hate when houses make you walk down the driveway to access the front door.
I respect the effort, and can identify with the client. Basically trying to do the same in our house. Can definitely see an improvement, especially if there’s a narrative that follows inside
Pull down attic stairs; why do they exist? I grew up in an American foursquare that had a regular staircase up to the attic. The upstairs hallway had a door that led to an actual staircase they led up to the attic. The staircase had actual walls made from lath and plaster. The interesting thing to me was the uppermost lath was uncovered so I think they plastered these walls last and used whatever plaster was left over. Why do no modern houses have actual staircases to the attic????
This house equates to a totaled car after an accident. Unlikely the neighborhood would support the increased price of the home to cover the cost to renovate. The changes help, no doubt and if this client intends to die in this home, it is likely worth it to them but not an advisable investment in that home. Sometimes the advice has to be, I wouldn't do that. 😬
I respect what you are doing, meaning the improvements you design are make something vastly better than what exists. However, are you not merely putting lipstick on a pig? I wonder if the shabby materials with which it is constructed will always mark it for what it is, a macmansion constructed with cheap materials.
I'm assuming this is like some sort of suburb, could be anywhere. What do the historic houses in the major areas this suburb is attached to look like? What sets them apart from other houses in other towns? To me, this revision is screaming "I'm a 1930s house, my Architect loves the modern Art Deco stuff being built, but my architect's client wants something more conservative." I think by de-emphasizing the 1990s out of it, you brought out this really blocky Deco influenced shape. Especially with the boxy, rectangular windows on the upper floors. If you're looking for precedent, that might be something that works with this house.
You will never recoup the cost of "improving" this house with your recommendations. Yes, it's a more tasteful design, but what's it going to cost? 200k easy I'm thinking. This is an emotional decision, not a financially wise one.
@@BrentHull Fair enough, and it is location dependent. Either way, you did about as much magic as one could reasonably do with the pallet that was given to you. Appreciate the content!
While I don't like the philosophy of the original piece I also don't like the philosophy here: beauty is secondary to function. I can be annoyed by the earlier house because windows weren't given proper overhangs and such but you didn't bring up function at all in this video. Sure if a client wants and is paying for aesthetic remodels do it. But just remodeling for aesthetics is a luxury and I don't think it admirable to post such when you haven't covered the practical gains. Form without Function is vain and empty. Functional and also beautiful is true art. Don't get it twisted which primary and which secondary
I disagree that remodeling for aesthetic is a luxury. Beauty in our environment is vital and can improve lives and our very souls more than function can "solve" problems.
@@BrentHull I've been in this business for 45 years, I may have not seen it all, done is all, but most of it. From genuine opulence to Gatlinburg cabins and treehouses. The lack of imagination and creativity underwhelmed me in the moment. Great vids, I'm watching them all now. Sorry for the comment, just tired of looking at mediocre boxes.
De builder grading, I love it. That should be a whole new industry.
True. Thx.
So expensive to fix bad design.
Once again our hero, Designer Hull, slays another Builder Monstrosity.
Making the world more beautiful, one home at a time.
Nice. Thanks so much.
I went to school for art, architecture, and design; I am with y'all on all this analysis , but I have come to believe through my own business's and my industry experience in this marketplace, that most people/customers don't know and therefore don't care. I say this as someone who owns and runs a custom cabinet business. Maybe its a problem with my own customer base but every type of customer we have ever encountered is always looking for a deal. Money is 9 times out of 10 the factor that limits design options.
@@GregNanney-p9e You, sir or madam, are correct.
But this is the free-market and therefore there is room for excellence. Cater to that market.
Hey Brent, I showed your video to my dad who is a seasoned Landscape Architect...
His response was... "That is an ugly house!"
Me "What would you do to fix it"
Him "You see that horrible tree in the front of the house"
Me "Yeah"
Him "Go find more of them and plant them all over the yard until the house is completely buried in a forest. Then no one has to know there was even a house there!"
But seriously he looked at your 'fix' and he was like "Honestly that's probably the best you could do for something as awful looking as that. That is a challenge. However now that he has fixed it, I probably could fix it up with landscape architecture."
The two problems with the house according to him is.
#1 The garage wall is way too flat and tall and draws all the attention.
#2 No emphases on the front door.
How he said he would fix it. He gave a bunch of ways and I printed out your design for the house and he drew some quick sketches on them. He said your design was probably as good as you were going to get, but landscape architecture could help fix the rest of the problems that you couldn't fix.
Idea 1.
Put a trellis across the top of the garage between the window and the top of the garage doors to make a horizontal line (He said the trellis must extend past the sides of the walls on both sides or else it will not create the desired effect), then have it go down on both sides of the garage wall and plant a vine on either side to climb up the trellis and across. This would create a horizontal line and the vines would make a texture to hide the fact the garage wall is so flat. Then he said to put a weeping tree on the left side of the front door. This would draw attention to the front door. The issue he said is based on code they may not allow you to put a trellis across the front of the house. (Rip out the tree in the front for this one.)
Idea 2.
He said If you want to be bold and brave put a portcullis in front of the front door. That helps the entrance stand out and would match your arch design. Plus it would fill the space in front of the front door. He drew it like a pavilion-like structure in front of the front door.
Idea 3.
Japanese arched fence. He said you could run that near the sidewalk and on both sides of the walkway to the door. A short arched fence would help tie the arches on the lower floor on the front of the house to the fence, and the fence would help break up the house behind it. Giving the house a sense of depth.
Idea 4.
Plant trees on both sides of the walkway to the entrance, and make the entrance walkway run straight to the road.
Idea 5. (best one)
This one he thought would be the easiest to do and would produce the best result. Plant a bushy tree on both sides of the garage, so the tree is proportional to the house, but the bushy part of the tree covers the smooth sides of the wall on either side of the window on top of the garage, the trees would give depth, but also de-emphasise the garage. Then run the front walkway straight out to the sidewalk and put a fountain in the middle of it with a round circle path around the fountain that also has a path that connects to the driveway. Put a row of bushes along the sidewalk in front of the house.
I took a picture of the sketches, but I can't send them to you in a youtube comment.
So there you go, hope that helps and gives you some ideas.
Wow!!! Thanks so much. Those are great ideas. I agree, landscaping could make a huge difference. Cheers.
Yes, there is improvement. That said, one minor quibble: I’m not crazy about the front door pediment because there is no echoing form in the design to lead the eye around the composition. The front of the house now appears much more balanced by restructuring the relationship between the windows and the roofline, which at the same time makes the pedimented arch a visual odd man out. My two cents.
Thanks for watching and sharing.
Not too much that can be done with that house, but you definitely improved it.
Thanks!
Brent , You are a brave man and a saint to take on a project like this . The house looks better !
Thanks!!
Oh man we need more of this!
Ok. Thx.
Wow! That front door is pretty. I like it. What an upgrade.
I think so too!
Amazing how changing the roofline made such a difference. Of course the inside will have to be changed also but that would be worth it. Charles
Agreed. Thx!
Absolutely an improvement. It's tough to get it "perfect" because the massing (primarily with the garage) is off. To your point, only so much can be done without blowing things up.
I'd be curious to see how you handle the other elevations (if the client cares) too. That usually seems to mess with the interior significantly though. These houses are built from the inside out.
Great job and I think more and more need to think this way. We hy can't all our homes and neighborhoods have thoughtful design? We should drive and walk through a beautiful built environment!
Technology and building process improved to allow for some of these terrible designs. But just because we can doesn't mean we should ..
Keep fighting the good fight!
Word. Gotta keep fighting. Thx.
Not an architect but what doesn’t look right to me is the negative space between the garage doors and upper windows versus the two sets of windows on the right. The garage doors are obviously set right on the ground and seem to drag that side down and make it seem like there is too much space between them and the upper windows. Maybe an arbor or something in that space to bring the eye up? Not sure if I’m making sense.
Good points. Thanks.
Yes! It almost looks Spanish Revival now! Beautiful!
Nice. THx.
I have always found the brick facade with wood panel siding. Confusing. It's like some of those weird Lincoln suvs where the side profile is a hearse look.
Agreed. thx.
Brent, I would love to see the end result of this project if the client goes through with it regardless if they took all of your ideas or some and perhaps others not arrived at in your video. If not this one then others where you’ve provided the analysis and ideas. And yes this is such a vast improvement! Thank you for sharing your process and suggestions.
I'll try. Thanks
Your proposed changes are absolutely an improvement. You could maybe consider some additional embellishments. Guttering? Maybe some planters below the windows. Good job!!
agreed. THanks.
Really good. Heck yeah it's an improvement!
I'd add a terra cotta plaque above the door and frame the garage doors in some way to make them appear taller. Maybe a big stone-looking beam above them? Regardless, what you've done will make it the best looking and most talked about house in the neighborhood. Bravo!
Thanks for the tips!
Change the Garage doors to carriage style. I think it would help to age it. Otherwise changing the entry door and windows dated the home nicely
Ok. thanks.
I think it's a lot more beautiful! I would love a window above the entrance. Also, the roof is still so prominent. I think classic dormers for a usable attic space would really add to it.
Noted. Thx.
Brilliant improvement!
So nice. Thx.
Another house solely built around inside features. Tough assignment, but I think your changes make sense with what you were asked to do. Not that we will get to see but it would be interesting to know if the client can live with what those changes mean internally…
I'll keep you posted. Thx.
Fantastic changes.
Glad you think so!
DRAMATIC improvement IMO. I think this new hipped roof, Normandy French style is so much better. Although I'm not a fan of asymetrical arrangements, its fine but I'd add some cut stone surrounds to the windows with lintel/keystone/sills and another window above the pedimented entablature you've added to the doorway.
Ok. Thanks!
Better. Much better. I would love to see you redo this house in the Tudor style. Can you pull that off?
Many of my Wednesday videos are tudors. CHeck it out.
Brent, to be honest, I am not fascinated with each and every project shown on your channel.
But this one I really love❤️.
It a real success! Congratulations 🤝
In general this renovation business is really hard and tricky
In most cases its easier to demolish the existing building and start construction from basement level. That what people usually do, although it costs a lot .😢
You manage to achieve reasonable cost solutions in most cases avoiding dramatic expenses.👍
Look forward for your new interesting and successful projects !
P.S. in my opinion there should be a narrow gap between the roof line and windows.
Otherwise it looks as if the roof hangs upon them and screens them slightly😅
Noted. Thanks for sharing.
Looks great, developers make the mistake of trying to build something different and newer with the hopes that it will look good but honestly, home design styles were mastered many many decades ago and in Europe centuries ago. These architects didn’t have all the modern distractions that we have nowadays. People put many many hours of thought into every detail. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with building homes that replicate older styles. Of course, I’m not including the modern contemporary homes you see in California and Florida, those are one of a kind, but they don’t offer that sense of coziness older Style homes have. The new housing industry needs more design oversight, it’s terrible to see all the effort it takes to build a home that will eventually be considered a year down in a couple decades.
I agree 100%. Thanks
Absolutely a huge improvement. Could some sort of decorative/functional awning over the garage doors make them a little less blah?
Great idea! Thx.
Hi Brent! An interesting project! I think the change in the roof makes the house look more French but the arch topped windows make it look more Italian. Could you add some stone quoining at the corners and a timber porch over the front door instead of the classical columns and pediment?
Noted. Thanks.
I would explore a change in materials to break up the brick and introduce a little more hierarchy. Maybe that would help the issue with massing?
Good idea. Thanks.
Hey Brent. Great job on this, as usual. Your ideas always improve these houses and i want to better understand how you do that. You always just seem to know what to. Can you try, as you explain what you've done, to verbalize your thoughts? In other words, on this one, you decided to remove the gables. Why? Explain the reasoning behind that. Why did you make that choice? You decided the door and windows should be arched. Why? Id love to know what you are thinking as you make your choices. You have a real talent and i want to learn more from you. If enough of us can learn how to do that the world will get more beautiful more quickly. God knows there's plenty of work to do.
Ok, will do. Thanks.
Success! Love it. Did your client actually make those changes?
Not yet! Still in design stages.
Your design is more cohesive. If it were my house, I would request additional design ideas to help the garage doors integrate better with the new windows.
ok. Thx.
I might have added a large front porch to de-emphasize the kicked-forward garage lump.
Ok, good idea.
Would the client consider including a door surround and scalled pediments over the two garage doors, matching the main entry way?
Good question. Thx.
Massive improvement! Setting aside the design-by-builder, what is the quality of the structure? That’s one of the bigger problems I hear about with “builder grade” - shoddy this, shoddy that, minimum code compliance.
Good question. The owner has been improving many of those faults.
Definitely a massive improvement, but there's something about it that still doesn't look quite right to me. Perhaps it's the massing, or maybe it's the placement of the ground floor windows that's a bit off. It almost seems like the garage and the upper storey are going in one style direction (more informal, rustic, kind of Arts and Craftsy) and the front door, porch, and lower windows are going in a different more formal, neoclassical direction.
I think the more rustic style works better with the current massing of the house and its asymmetry but that would mean ditching the classical detailing on the front door and going with something else, which doesn't sound like what your client wants. A dilemma for sure!
Yes, it is. I think I was trying to balance the spend as well.
Don’t mind me starring at your nose, lol!
It def looks better Brent, de-emphasizing the area above garage is a huge improvement. The entry could be better though. BTW, Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers Kirk
Thanks for sharing.
Just curious would arched garage doors help? Echo the shape of the doors and windows on the first floor?
Good idea. THx.
The changes are certainly an improvement. The two items which trigger negative subconscious reactions for me are; 1) the top of the pilasters seem to open-ended and in support of nothing, and 2) the lack of (additional) exposed siding above the top two windows connotes a rushed, jammed-in design.
Ok. Noted. Thx.
I kinda wondered if you could echo the roof from the left over the garage onto the right. Couldn't quite tell if that was possible, but it would give it some badly needed symmetry. But no doubt you improved it greatly. Would it have worked to add a 3rd arched window in between the two on the right? The garage is a mess being such a focal point, anything you can do to de-emphasise it will be a great improvement. I like the door treatment and changes to the upstairs windows. One thing, if they can successfully make that house look better, maybe some other homeowners will consider doing it to their homes, and eventually getting the entire neighbourhood looking better, and improve the value of everything there. That looks so much like the houses in the Dallas area (I have family in that area), seems like millions of those homes that are a pastiche of semi-styles that the builders don't understand to begin with. Sorta like taking branches of different species of trees, grafting them together and pretending they've come up with a wonderful new species, instead of something that's dead as soon as it's together.
Agreed. Thx.
Good improvements but I feel the arch windows to the lower right look a bit random and off to one side. I would let the arch door way speak for itself and just be consistent with the rectangle windows.
Ok. Thanks for sharing.
Much better, like 🎉
JIM ❤
Thanks!!
Unfortunately, most buyers purchase square footage, cabinets, countertops, color, etc. and don't know anything about traditional design or true quality. That is an expensive makeover and it looks much better. However, that being said, would they be able to recover the investment? Thanks for sharing. 😁👍
I think the homeowner is committed to the home. Thx.
Can you make videos on hardscaping that is period accurate?
There’s a book review on that on his Patreon
Good idea. Thanks.
You are the best
Nice. Thx,
Huge improvement. If you could find a way to hide those garage doors, it would be a winner.
Noted. Thx.
Definitely an improvement but need to do something with the garage doors. They are an eyesore.
Noted. Thx.
Hey Brent, what about your book? Is it ready yet?
THe latest from the publisher was Jan of 2025. I suspect it will be out in the first quarter of next year. Thx.
@@BrentHull Thanks! I look forward to getting one.
It’s better because of the improved symmetry, but can you do something with the squared off garage doors?
Ok. thanks.
Doctors can bury their mistakes; architects can only advise to plant ivy.
Haha, yes.
Better? Of course. The challenge is that it is not what a classasist would want relative to a house that was designed with a style, and 'gluing' a style to a house is a tough ask. You can improve it, but can you make it good? Is good, good enough? If so, then you may have discovered a whole new remodeling segment for people that want more classic elements in their spec homes.
ok. thx.
This is definitely an improvement, but I still do not know what house style this is meant to convey. The bottom windows convey spanish, but the door has more classical cues. It also appears you rendered the exterior walls.
ok. Thanks.
Love the roof line simplifications. Do not like the two arched windows and front door arched window. Lose the arched windows. Do classical pedimented front door surround and it will be perfect.
I'm no fan of those fanlights either, but I suspect those are non-negotiables with the client because they probably bring much needed light into the interior...but if he's doing it with the front door, any windows on the bottom rank must also have them as well for consistency.
Thanks for sharing.
This is why I think I've lost my sanity in the home we've lived in for one year now.
Nothing makes sense and now we have all been diagnosed with CIRS from Mold Toxicity.
It was funny to me when you said "I don't know, is this better?" 😅
Everything I try to do here in this convoluted craftsman 90s 4400 sq ft death maze feels the same. Is it better? I honestly don't know 😅
Wow, ok. I would find a good historic house. You at least won't be living in a death maze. Thx.
Ahh, the ol' "Let's hide the front door with a tree!"
lol.
Clean out the garage and park the minivan inside would make a great improvement. Also cut down the tree in front of the front door and add a sidewalk from the front of the house all the way to the street.
Thanks, cheers.
Trees do great job.
Noted. Thx.
Improved by a lot but to me the front portico would look better as more of a spanish style with an arch, rather than so overtly classical which isn’t carried through elsewhere on the facade. Depends on where the house is obviously because there are plenty of locations in the US where a Spanish style wouldn’t make sense.
Ok, thanks for sharing.
Fixing some of these houses is all good and well but in my mind appears to be
extremely expensive. Changing roof lines, replacing windows, changing entries,
etc. will require altering the bones or structural elements of the house not to mention
what happens to the interior regarding window/door trim, drywall, flooring, etc.
Rather than blowing it up, I would start from scratch with a fresh sheet of paper and
build new.
Noted, I tried to be sensitive to price on this. The homeowner is sincere in his desire to improve. FYI.
I would arch and change the garage doors. Beautiful project love your work
Yeah, I think double doors, or at least faux double doors with some rustic-looking hardware could work, here. It would make it look less like a track house.
Good idea. THx.
Smart people notice what other people are blind to. America has normalized the garage as part of the facade. Back alleys and detached garages would use basically the same space, improve aesthetics, and make streets safer for cyclists and sidewalk pedestrians. OK,I will grant you that unloading groceries becomes more convenient. Ever hear of a mini-cart? Stewart Hicks did a whole segment on the residential alleys of Chicago, which predominate. I love Frank Lloyd Wright, but he and many others promoted this idiotic problem. In fact he was intoxicated by cars, so apparently he decided to make them a focal point of life, front and center. He imagined the day when people would have their own Jetson's style gyro copters and showed them in renderings. America is still stuck with the unintended consequences of mid-century 50's "progress". How many generations will it take to break free?
Good rant. Thanks.
I think it's the best you can do considering cost restraints. You can't exactly de-emphasize the garage without a very large bill making a remodel pointless from building new. Redoing the roofline and entry way while expensive, isn't so expensive it's impractical.
With a new roof/attic, it's possible for the customer to use the attic. In these 90s houses, the attic is typically trusses. The different directions the roof faces are usually separated by sheathing with a small cutout in the attic to access that space, and the areas with the half circle windows will have a bump up in the attic. If children ever got access to these attics they would love them, but they are unusable and unmaintainable. I remember having to crawl through three of these attic sections and over a raised portion to access what I needed to run a cable. It takes 20 minutes just to travel for a job that typically takes 20 minutes.
I think getting rid of that tree blocking the view of the front door, and having a path from the front door to the sidewalk would also be good. I hate when houses make you walk down the driveway to access the front door.
Great thoughts. Thanks.
sometimes things just need to be torn down. but good luck with that :D
ok.
I respect the effort, and can identify with the client. Basically trying to do the same in our house.
Can definitely see an improvement, especially if there’s a narrative that follows inside
Thanks!
Pull down attic stairs; why do they exist? I grew up in an American foursquare that had a regular staircase up to the attic. The upstairs hallway had a door that led to an actual staircase they led up to the attic. The staircase had actual walls made from lath and plaster. The interesting thing to me was the uppermost lath was uncovered so I think they plastered these walls last and used whatever plaster was left over.
Why do no modern houses have actual staircases to the attic????
Good question. THx.
You surely did 'fix' this house.
Thx.
It’s much better.
Thank you.
This house equates to a totaled car after an accident. Unlikely the neighborhood would support the increased price of the home to cover the cost to renovate. The changes help, no doubt and if this client intends to die in this home, it is likely worth it to them but not an advisable investment in that home. Sometimes the advice has to be, I wouldn't do that. 😬
Noted. thx.
You made it into a farmhouse
ok. THx.
I feel like I would still want the front door to be more pronounced.
Noted. Thx.
Just a fantastic eye to revise mistakes. Until you point out the design flaws, the average person,.(me included) dose not see it.
Thanks!
De cluttering a poor excuse of architecture makes a big difference!
Thanks!
I'd just say it's different.
ok
Yeah, you can fix it with a match
Ok. Thx.
I respect what you are doing, meaning the improvements you design are make something vastly better than what exists. However, are you not merely putting lipstick on a pig? I wonder if the shabby materials with which it is constructed will always mark it for what it is, a macmansion constructed with cheap materials.
Yep. good question.
I hope the owners follow your advice. So much better! Theses builder homes are so ugly and cheep looking.
Thanks.
The downside is that after the improvements, it will be surrounded by ugly homes!
Noted. Thx.
I'm assuming this is like some sort of suburb, could be anywhere. What do the historic houses in the major areas this suburb is attached to look like? What sets them apart from other houses in other towns? To me, this revision is screaming "I'm a 1930s house, my Architect loves the modern Art Deco stuff being built, but my architect's client wants something more conservative." I think by de-emphasizing the 1990s out of it, you brought out this really blocky Deco influenced shape. Especially with the boxy, rectangular windows on the upper floors. If you're looking for precedent, that might be something that works with this house.
Ok. good thought. Thx.
You will never recoup the cost of "improving" this house with your recommendations. Yes, it's a more tasteful design, but what's it going to cost? 200k easy I'm thinking. This is an emotional decision, not a financially wise one.
I don't think your numbers are right. But point is valid.
@@BrentHull Fair enough, and it is location dependent. Either way, you did about as much magic as one could reasonably do with the pallet that was given to you. Appreciate the content!
While I don't like the philosophy of the original piece I also don't like the philosophy here: beauty is secondary to function. I can be annoyed by the earlier house because windows weren't given proper overhangs and such but you didn't bring up function at all in this video. Sure if a client wants and is paying for aesthetic remodels do it. But just remodeling for aesthetics is a luxury and I don't think it admirable to post such when you haven't covered the practical gains.
Form without Function is vain and empty. Functional and also beautiful is true art. Don't get it twisted which primary and which secondary
I disagree that remodeling for aesthetic is a luxury. Beauty in our environment is vital and can improve lives and our very souls more than function can "solve" problems.
Beauty IS a function.
Shit-box.
ok.
@@BrentHull I've been in this business for 45 years, I may have not seen it all, done is all, but most of it. From genuine opulence to Gatlinburg cabins and treehouses. The lack of imagination and creativity underwhelmed me in the moment. Great vids, I'm watching them all now. Sorry for the comment, just tired of looking at mediocre boxes.