Saddle

Q: How did Hatch Works first get involved with the “Ramshackle House”?

A: This was truly a neighborly collaboration. Homeowner Adam Morgan purchased a circa-1883 cottage in Austin that many believed too far gone to save. Hatch Works principals Adam Talianchich and Ashley Menger happened to live next door and saw its potential. Together with their project manager, Dan Taylor, they persuaded Morgan to restore the structure instead of tearing it down.

Hatch Works: “Living right beside this property meant we knew the home and neighborhood intimately. We could envision how to keep its historic identity while adding modern functionality.”

Q: What exactly makes this house “Ramshackle”?

A: From the outside, the cottage looked worn and vinyl-clad, prompting the affectionate nickname. But underneath, it had strong 19th-century bones—the perfect candidate for a modern revival. To accommodate new spaces like a basement bar, the team physically relocated the cottage toward the rear of the lot, leaving room for a sunken garden and pool up front.

Hatch Works: “We like to surprise visitors. They see a small, quaint façade from the street, then step inside to find a layered, expansive interior that unfolds from front to back.”

Homeowner Adam Morgan: “It’s fascinating to watch friends walk through. They assume they’ve seen the whole house—then realize there’s a basement with a recording studio, and a new wing with five bedrooms and four full baths.”

Reflections on this project now that it’s complete:

Hatch Works: The Ramshackle House exemplifies what’s possible when neighbors unite over a shared passion for saving history.

CRAFT Floors: “Whenever century-old wood finds a new life in a space this significant, we’re reminded why we do what we do. It’s history evolving, and it’s beautiful.”