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Commercial windows and doors give this modern farmhouse an industrial flair. Photo by Corey Miller.
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Bradley Walker and Arthur Lang grew up working for Walker Homes and learning the trade from Bradley’s father, Johnnie. Photo used courtesy of the Walker Family.
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Relationships matter. “Bradley and Arthur were here every day, like they were building this house for themselves,” homeowner Alice Riviere recalls. Photo by Ashley Peterson.
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Working with a local builder is important in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. Fine builders such as Walker Homes understand that water views, sunsets and sunrises, Chesapeake Bay Act regulations and more are essential considerations when choosing a site location and orientation. Photo by Ashley Peterson.
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The modern farmhouse design combines a nod to Northern Neck culture with sleek industrial functionality and touches of homespun warmth. Photo by Ashley Peterson.
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Because Walker Homes has been around for decades, they’ve assembled a top-notch crew of employees and subcontractors who are responsive and reliably do quality work for them. Photo by Ashley Peterson.
The late Johnnie Walker of Walker Homes was, at heart, an educator. He’d get up early to drink multiple cups of coffee and prepare detailed instructions for the projects he wanted his teenaged helpers to complete that day. Son Bradley Walker recalls the lists as incredibly detailed—right down to where to nail—even when they were written on napkins or scraps of paper.
When his assignment was to build a short wall, his father instructed him to frame it like a ladder. Young Walker did as directed, building it like a ladder, with the 2x4s placed horizontally. “My Dad said it was called ladder framing, but it wasn’t supposed to be built like a ladder,” he says, chuckling at the memory. “He’d explain what to do, you’d do it and if you did it correctly, nothing was said. But if it was wrong, first you had to hear about it, and then you had to do it over again. It was trial by fire.”
Bradley Walker and Arthur Lang grew up working for Walker Homes and learning the trade under Bradley’s father, Johnnie. Bradley started helping his father around age 12, as soon as he could throw things in a dumpster. Arthur joined them when he was 16 years old, and over time, Johnnie became like a father to him. “Johnnie was the reason we gained knowledge, working after school, summers and even at their house, because something was always under construction,” Arthur recalls. “Because he had a playful attitude and could talk to anyone, he was a good teacher.”
Over the years, Bradley and Arthur observed Johnnie managing Walker Homes, witnessing the level of honesty and integrity with which he led the business. The lessons stuck. By 2018, Johnnie was about to retire, only to have his home catch fire in the middle of the night. And, although technically retired, Johnnie wasted no time in designing and, with Bradley’s and Arthur’s help, building a new home on the site of the fire.
Johnnie passed away unexpectedly in February 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began and the demand for construction and renovation soared. By that time, both Bradley and Arthur were itching to get back to building full time. “There was a huge demand suddenly, at a level we hadn’t seen since the ’80s when my dad started the business,” Bradley says. “It made sense on a personal and a business level to continue Walker Homes as Dad’s legacy.” His mother, Lucy, gave her wholehearted support. Johnnie had been the fifth generation of his family in the construction business and now Bradley would be the sixth.
If they had any second thoughts about their decision, several new and repeat clients, including Rick and Alice Riviere, ensured that the new generation of the company had contracts right away. Johnnie and Bradley had previously built a carriage house for the Rivieres, who’d come away from the experience impressed by their workmanship, enthusiasm and timeliness. The couple knew with certainty that if they ever built a house, they wanted Walker Homes to build it.
Now they’d purchased a lot and wanted Bradley and Arthur to take the reins. The project’s potential was just what the men were looking for, despite the property’s crescent shape, which hugged the waterline and presented various challenges in designing the footprint of the buildings. “Those kinds of constraints force us to be more creative, resulting in a more unique finished product,” Bradley says with a smile.
For the Rivieres, who had such fond memories of working with Johnnie, benefiting from his legacy felt like a gift. “Bradley and Arthur were here every day, like they were building this house for themselves,” Alice Riviere recalls. “Not only are they good at what they do, they also referenced things Johnnie had taught them. The personal aspect of their relationship with each other is the legacy of Johnnie Walker and that made it a unique experience. We so enjoyed the process.”
Because Bradley and Arthur had been designing plans, doing estimates and bidding jobs long before they took over, Walker Homes version 2.0 was immediately off and running and has been ever since. With jobs in Lancaster, Northumberland and Middlesex Counties, it’s been the novelty of each project along with the interaction with clients that’s fueled their passion. “The more we get to know clients, the better we can tailor their house to them,” Bradley says of the extended time they spend getting to know clients, their wishes and how they live. “As we get to know our clients, their personality begins to take shape in the form of their house.”
The focus on early bonding with clients is a direct offshoot of Johnnie Walker’s business philosophy. Both Arthur and Bradley recall Johnnie preaching that “in order to have a good ending to a job, you have to have a good beginning.” With Walker Homes being a 50/50 partnership, both men are involved in every aspect of the business, trading off responsibilities as needed. Bradley describes his dad as a “boots in the mud kind of builder” and his successors are the same.
Building in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula is not like building just anywhere.
Clients want their houses designed to take advantage of water views, sunsets and sunrises, and the shape of unique lots, but other factors—the Chesapeake Bay Act, waterfront erosion, peninsula siting—must also be considered. Arthur likens custom building to a short-term marriage. “We want to find out our clients’ likes and dislikes and lay out everything in the beginning,” he says. “That way, we’re less likely to have miscommunications later and there are fewer surprises for everyone. The goal is for everybody to be happy.”
With each new project, the two men try to push themselves and, when they can, one-up themselves. When complications arose for an unusual house Norm and Ryan Faulkner were having built, Walker Homes stepped in and finished the project. Using shipping containers, they completed the innovative, eco-friendly house that had originally been designed for Costa Rica. It’s the first container house built in Lancaster County and its bright blue color and striking facade make for a distinctive Airbnb. “Not only were they able to finish what needed to be done, but they added some artistic touches,” Norm Faulkner says. “That artistic sense comes directly from Johnnie.”
When John O’Shaughnessy wanted a new garage built, he chose Walker Homes because as Bradley’s uncle, he’d seen how much Johnnie had influenced Bradley’s and Arthur’s work ethic. “They were extremely responsive and one or the other would be over right away when I had questions,” O’Shaughnessy says, clearly impressed that they hadn’t taken the family relationship for granted. “I’ve recommended them to several people since then.”
Because Walker Homes has been around for decades, they’ve assembled a top-notch crew of employees and subcontractors who are responsive and reliably do quality work for them. “It’s a select group and we have great relationships with all of them,” Arthur says. “If an opportunity to expand came up, we’d have to find additional reliable subcontractors and that can be difficult. Also, the demand in our community has been so great that we haven’t considered territory growth. But for the right project, we’d happily travel.”
That demand means that potential clients continue to come into their White Stone offices looking for help designing their dream house, some with no idea where to start and others bringing pictures of houses with elements that speak to them. At other times, a real estate agent will sell a lot and refer customers to them.
Either way, given the “short-term marriage” aspect of the relationship, the first order of business is determining how well-suited Bradley and Arthur are to their clients and their needs. “We can tell early on if we’re a good fit with them personality-wise,” Arthur explains. “Building a house for someone is just a small piece of the puzzle. The relationship and communication are the most important factors in the construction process. At the end of the day, that’s more important than anything else.”
Given the number of repeat clients they’ve had, it’s a winning formula, one instilled by Johnnie Walker many years ago. “He gave us responsibility at an early age, which gave us the chance to make mistakes. We’re not afraid to take chances and look into new and innovative construction methods,” Bradley says. “We’ll always strive to exceed our own expectations. There’s no greater compliment than repeat business from a happy client.”
Sitting in the Walker Homes offices with a massive antique Scandinavian workbench behind them and a vintage saw hanging on the wall, Bradley and Arthur make it clear how lucky they feel. Combining their experience and talents to reopen Walker Homes in honor and in memory of Johnnie allows them to be part of a continuum while doing something they’ve both enjoyed since childhood.
Fittingly, the birth of Johnnie Walker VI in late December adds one more layer to the legacy of the man who made it all possible.
Walker Homes I 607 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone I 804-435-0050 I walkerhomesva.com