McMansion Hell

[peterb]

It's interesting to consider how much the physical environment had an effect on how houses were designed back in the days before A/C and effective heating systems. Which led to some very interesting and cool regional styles.

For instance, in various hot climates, houses would be designed to maximize passive cooling. So, you'd get steep roof pitches and high ceilings (gives the hot air somewhere to rise to), big porch areas (keeps the sun off the walls, and gives a cool place to hang out), large windows (more airflow), tin roofs (reflects a lot of sunlight), and so on. All of which are pretty terrible in cold weather, but nice in the heat.

With artificial climate control, you can pretty much do anything you want, within reason. Which has sadly led to a lot of the kitch in house design, often in places where it doesn't really fit.

I noticed that the first time I visited Las Vegas and other rapidly growing cities in the southwest. Most of the new homes had regional styling cues — stucco, tile roofs, etc. — but the designs had none of the features that made the native architecture work in that climate: big overhangs, recessed windows, thermal mass, passive ventilation, oriented towards shade, etc. They were generic boxes with stucco instead of clapboards.

[HeavyDuty]

I noticed that the first time I visited Las Vegas and other rapidly growing cities in the southwest. Most of the new homes had regional styling cues — stucco, tile roofs, etc. — but the designs had none of the features that made the native architecture work in that climate: big overhangs, recessed windows, thermal mass, passive ventilation, oriented towards shade, etc. They were generic boxes with stucco instead of clapboards.

I’ve been casually looking at houses in Austin, and that stands out - some of the slightly older places are designed that way with overhangs and engineered shade. I know what I’d want if I ever decide to move there.

[BehindBlueI's]

It’s funny, I hear “family rooms” are making a comeback. Probably due to people figuring out that open floor plans are shit and super annoying with an entire family living in them, and people want a place to get away again.

My personal “living with kids” dream house would be master, office, and guest room downstairs and 2-3 bedrooms and a “loft” upstairs.

I’d be ok with an open ground floor plan of we had an upstairs for “kid land”.

Our house is perfect in that it's essentially two houses connected by a sunroom. Parent-land consists of a very large bedroom and then a "hammerhead" bathroom with a big walk-in closet on one side of the sink area and the actual bathroom on the other. It's absolute dog shit for HVAC efficiency and air flow, but it's really quiet. You could quiet it even more by hanging another door in the sunroom entrance.

My only real bitch is our kitchen is too small. Not nearly enough counter space for small appliances and food prep. A bigger kitchen, and maybe a fireplace, would be the only changes I'd make.

[peterb]

I’ve been casually looking at houses in Austin, and that stands out - some of the slightly older places are designed that way with overhangs and engineered shade. I know what I’d want if I ever decide to move there.

You see places with no overhangs and huge expanses of south-facing glass — with all the curtains closed — and you have to wonder if any thought at all went into the design.

Figuring seasonal sun angles and building for summer shade and winter sunlight is not difficult.

[jc000]

Interesting but very subjective….

Not at all. Just because an outlet (visual art, music, architecture, etc.) is creative doesn't mean there aren't principles. There are many hard and fast rules to design. If you are a master you can get away with breaking them. Think playing classical (very theory focused) to experimental jazz (pushing the boundaries of musical theory).

In that analogy McMansions are Kenny Chesney.

Question: How many of the people here criticizing mcmansions can afford them?

We could've gotten a lot closer to a McMansion than what we currently live in but deliberately chose to a) stay well within a defined and restricted budget and b) avoid what we perceive as the waste of space in McMansions. Caveat: our home exterior is pretty horrendous looking, IMO.

I like a floorplan that has separation between living spaces, and I find that generally older designs do that better. I also really like lodges and cabins. What I hate are ginormous rooms that are just stacked on one another with no breathing space between them.

I would agree with those who feel that McMansion hate is an extension of class warfare. Plenty on nice people live in McMansions. it's not like there are a lot of options out there.

[TGS]

Not at all. Just because an outlet (visual art, music, architecture, etc.) is creative doesn't mean there aren't principles. There are many hard and fast rules to design. If you are a master you can get away with breaking them. Think playing classical (very theory focused) to experimental jazz (pushing the boundaries of musical theory).

In that analogy McMansions are Kenny Chesney.



We could've gotten a lot closer to a McMansion than what we currently live in but deliberately chose to a) stay well within a defined and restricted budget and b) avoid what we perceive as the waste of space in McMansions. Caveat: our home exterior is pretty horrendous looking, IMO.

I like a floorplan that has separation between living spaces, and I find that generally older designs do that better. I also really like lodges and cabins. What I hate are ginormous rooms that are just stacked on one another with no breathing space between them.

I would agree with those who feel that McMansion hate is an extension of class warfare. Plenty on nice people live in McMansions. it's not like there are a lot of options out there.

I'd sure as shit rather live in a McMansion than any of the split-level colonials that infest this area. All the annoyance and cramped living of a Trinity House without any of the charm or live action show out your window (Trinity's being unique to the the Philly area, and generally for poor Micks and WOPs until the hipsters started buying them up and paying $8 for a can of schlitz at the corner bars).

Personally, I think right now if I could have anything it'd be a garage. Not a garage attached to a house, just a garage. Airport hanger, old firehouse, commercial garage converted to partial living space/loft, etc.

[Darth_Uno]

I'd sure as shit rather live in a McMansion than any of the split-level colonials that infest this area. All the annoyance and cramped living of a Trinity House without any of the charm or live action show out your window (Trinity's being unique to the the Philly area, and generally for poor Micks and WOPs until the hipsters started buying them up and paying $8 for a can of schlitz at the corner bars).

Personally, I think right now if I could have anything it'd be a garage. Not a garage attached to a house, just a garage. Airport hanger, old firehouse, commercial garage converted to partial living space/loft, etc.

My shop has a 2800 ft² garage and 1200 ft² office area. We built this for way less than a 2800 ft² home and 1200 ft² garage. Heck, we built this for less than a 1500 ft² home with 2 car garage. If it had a shower and oven I could easily live here.

My wife, maybe not so much.

[Lex Luthier]

Just out of curiosity, @TGS, what is the price range for a McMansion (as defined by the web site, say) in your area, and as compared to an older home of the same size range in a similar area?

[TGS]

Just out of curiosity, @TGS, what is the price range for a McMansion (as defined by the web site, say) in your area, and as compared to an older home of the same size range in a similar area?

There's not really McMansions in my immediate area....gotta go somewhere like McLean, where you're talking big money (some of the richest people in the country). So, anywhere from $2-to-5 million, but it doesn't stop there.

A 3-4 BR standalone house in a generic area could be $700k-$1m where I am. Out where @jc000 is, you could get the same for roughly two-hundred thousand less. Get out towards Warrenton, and you can get it for about half that.

I currently live 1 mile from the southern route of the metro line, and am looking at getting a ~900-1200sqft 2BR condo within walking distance of the metro at the farthest west stop for about $350k. Move 15 minutes away from the metro (without traffic) and you drop about $50k off the price tag.

It's pricy, but of course the salaries are also higher (Fairfax is one of the richest, if not richest county in the US). We're so well funded we even have our own USAR Task Force.....just for the county...when not even every state has one. Compared to living in NJ where your money just gets set on fire in the name of unions and liberal policies, I find it right pleasant.

Northern Virginia is an area where you pay with your money, or you pay with your time....and if you pay with your time, you're still paying with your money because of the tolls on 66 east once you hit the beltway, or the other option of paying for parking at a metro and using rail to get inside the beltway instead.

[Kommander`]

I have read that site for some time as well. If you can get past her occasional politics (no one NEEDS that much space, etc...) its a fun site.

The issue with McManshions isn't so much that they are big and expensive, it's that they are ugly, poorly made, and inefficient. The author goes into some detail about on her site, showing what (in her opinion) good big houses look like compared to poor ones. In addition to just tackiness she points out where builders clearly made mistakes and even in some cases where the house is starting to decay due to poor building. That being said if you want a giant, ugly, expensive, inefficient, poorly build house that is you business (though the sites author might not agree).