Primitive Construction LLC

The concept behind our name Primitive Construction has a myriad of meanings, but at its root it is a nod to the builders of the past who accomplished monumental building talks with simple tools. Above is a video of master carpenters building a traditional Finnish log home that showcases the knowledge and skills we revere, and that led us to choose our name.

Some people might think that “primitive construction” must be archaic and crude. This build is anything but crude. It is a beautiful, natural home crafted from materials found in the forrest nearby. It is built stoutly and incorporates sophisticated building techniques with insulation, ventilation, cold storage, foundation rot prevention and expansion joints. It will last for a long time and when it goes it will decompose into the forrest floor. It is actually incredibly sophisticated.

Most buildings today are not built to last for a long time. They are made out of materials that are often toxic and originate from all corners of the globe. When these houses are worn out and get torn down they make a lot of waste that is not good for the environment.

So what is more primitive, the wood house that has been built since 1600, and has origins back 5,ooo years in Northern Europe, or a modern American home? For us the wood house is a lot more advanced in many respects. It’s Primitive in ways we admire- it’s simple, locally sourced and it’s built of healthy natural materials, in a tried and true way.

The Primitive concept is not saying we should go back to living in traditional homes. If you can more power to you, but for the masses its not practical or what most people want. However we can all learn from traditional homes, and we can surely praise them for their craftsmanship, and sustainability. Perhaps we should question the assumption that newer is better and accept that primitive cultures built structures that were in some ways more sophisticated than what we are building now. Everyone laments that “they don’t build em’ like they used to”. At Primitive Construction we are focused on identifying why that is and asking the questions: What materials and methodologies did that use in the past that were so successful? And how can we incorporate those into our building practice today with modern materials in a practical way? We feel that asking these questions will help us to create future structures built as good as they did it in the past.

Larry Hahn is a legendary framer. He is best known for his book “The Very Efficient Carpenter,” and for being able to drive 16 penny nails in two licks. His philosophy was never waste time or energy on a job. He was methodical and eliminated any unnecessary motions or steps.

He must have been onto something because he and his brother were framing two and three bedroom houses with a helper in a week or two. A lot of the time without nail guns. Check out the framing videos that accompany his book, and his memoir “A Carpenters Life as Told by Houses,” which goes back to his childhood in Nebraska during the Great Depression. It chronicles his start with a one clawed hammer and nails he would reclaim from orange crates.

Fred Dibnah started out as was a legendary steeplejack. In 1978 the BBC made a series about him called “The Fred Dibnah Story.” He became a folk hero in Britain and instilled a sense of pride at a time when the workers were experiencing factory closings and high unemployment.

There are some terrifying videos in which he shows how to affix ladders and climb towering chimney stacks. As more and more chimneys became obsolete, Fred became know for his chimney demolitions. After he slowed down with chimneys, he spent much of his time restoring this beloved steam engine tractor and took it on an epic tour around England. In his later years he did another show “Fred Dibnah’s The Building of Britain” that focused on the splendor of the Victorian age, but reached back even further to castle and cathedral building. If you were ever curious how they built 12’ thick walls or hauled massive timbers up to frame cathedral ceilings old Fred will tell you how. His last big project was digging a mine shaft in his back yard which is amazing and bizarre.

Joseph Jenkins is author of the authority on slate roofs, “The Slate Roof Bible.”, as well as the head of Slate Roof Contractors Association of America. He is a seminal figure in preserving slate roofs and preserving the craft of installing and caring for the worlds greatest roofs.

Tom Silva can build anything. As the General Contractor and lead carpenter on This Old House for the last 40 years he has done rubber roofs, plaster crown, cedar shingles, cabinets, additions, windows and doors. The list goes on and on, Tom has done it all and may have written a book about it at one point. On top of that he is interested in preserving the craft and passing it onto the next generation. He is an inspiration for carpenters to achieve proficiency in the wide array of tasks they are presented with on a job.

Master Builder, blacksmith and all around fountain of knowledge Scott Wadsworth is serious about being a craftsman. His youtube channel Essential Craftsman has many videos about all phases of construction that are very thorough and informative. A.real gem is his Spec House build in which he takes you through the entire process of building a home from surveying the site to the final finishes.

Don Justo is on a mission to build a cathedral in his ultimate act of faith. He will not be held back by things like plans, or permits. He will just work and work and laugh at the rest of us for not being able to keep up.

Antoni Gaudi said the straight line was the line of man and the curved line the line of God. The curved natural line is on full display in his masterpiece La Sagrada Familia which is still being worked on today almost 100 years after he died.

Mike Guertin is the carpenter you would want to build or renovate your house. He has seen it all and like any great carpenter approaches any job looking for a better, smarter, faster way to get it done. Look for his many brilliant articles in JLC and Fine Homebuilding, and for him on the lecture circuit educating builders.

Architect, energy efficiency home designer Emily Mottram is an architect I really respect for her practicality. Her uncomplicated approach is laid out in the book she co-wrote called “A Pretty Good House, A Guide to Creating Better Homes.” In it she lays out the parameters for building a “Pretty Good House” which is all about designing well built, efficient homes that don’t break the bank and use materials and methods that deliver high value for dollars spent.