One thing I really like about Long Island...it seems to be relatively free of McMansions, at least in parts I've seen. (Bath: hardwood floor)

[monkeygorilla]

Originally Posted by KellyFG

what is gross about LI is the renovation of a typical mid century home into a plastic faux-victorian-post modern mess. The architects that draw for contractors & home owners on LI need their heads examined. They draw these disgusting monsters with the same half moon window & covered front porch....bleech. And then there is the vinyl-the siding, the windows, the fences, the railings. Barf, barf, barf.
At least areas in the south build with brick or stone.

And they usually look sooooo out of place in the neighborhood.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Originally Posted by KellyFG

what is gross about LI is the renovation of a typical mid century home into a plastic faux-victorian-post modern mess. The architects that draw for contractors & home owners on LI need their heads examined. They draw these disgusting monsters with the same half moon window & covered front porch....bleech. And then there is the vinyl-the siding, the windows, the fences, the railings. Barf, barf, barf.
At least areas in the south build with brick or stone.

That's because the builders don't user architects, but buy the plans. While I love the interior of my home I'm not thrilled with the outside.

I do have vinyl siding, windows and doors and they really are easier to maintain than the wood counterparts. Painting the window and door frames every year or two just got old.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by KellyFG

what is gross about LI is the renovation of a typical mid century home into a plastic faux-victorian-post modern mess. The architects that draw for contractors & home owners on LI need their heads examined. They draw these disgusting monsters with the same half moon window & covered front porch....bleech. And then there is the vinyl-the siding, the windows, the fences, the railings. Barf, barf, barf.
At least areas in the south build with brick or stone.

Yet again, they are drawing what the people want.

I look at these places and can hear Mrs. KeepingUpWithTheJoneses say,
"I need a palladian window here and 2 reverse gables but I have to have a wrap around porch and those little turretty things are so cute and I have to have one because my sister-in-law didn't build one and can I get some Roman columns to support the porch roof, I liked the ones my uncle had on his house in Massapequa and I need a trellis over here for entertaining and it has to have a special brick walk that doesn't face and "
inhales once and continues,
"I want that thick white trim that matches the fence and the columns and oh, shutters, I have to have shutters and I want easy maintenance how about some nice stucco to go with the columns?"

Mrs. KUWTJ fails to mention that she wants this all done to a modest cape on a 40x100 lot, thereby destroying the look of her neighborhood.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

That's because the builders don't user architects, but buy the plans. While I love the interior of my home I'm not thrilled with the outside.

I do have vinyl siding, windows and doors and they really are easier to maintain than the wood counterparts. Painting the window and door frames every year or two just got old.

You need to submit architects plans to the bldg dept if you intend to build or alter your home over a certain number of sq feet.

[monkeygorilla]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

Yet again, they are drawing what the people want.

I look at these places and can hear Mrs. KeepingUpWithTheJoneses say,
"I need a palladian window here and 2 reverse gables but I have to have a wrap around porch and those little turretty things are so cute and I have to have one because my sister-in-law didn't build one and can I get some Roman columns to support the porch roof, I liked the ones my uncle had on his house in Massapequa and I need a trellis over here for entertaining and it has to have a special brick walk that doesn't face and "
inhales once and continues,
"I want that thick white trim that matches the fence and the columns and oh, shutters, I have to have shutters and I want easy maintenance how about some nice stucco to go with the columns?"

Mrs. KUWTJ fails to mention that she wants this all done to a modest cape on a 40x100 lot, thereby destroying the look of her neighborhood.

OMG, that made me laugh so hard!!!

[Chrisk327]

Hey those are the nicer of the houses with columns, turrets etc. There are plenty out here that just put a big box and two reverse gables with no transition between stories and no shutters, or detail.

[Rachael84]

What's the difference between a McMansion and a mansion? I thought McMansion was just a negative word for any kind of mansion.

[TeaJay]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

LI was the originator of the McHome. Don't forget that Levittown was the original cookie cutter neighborhood and was criticized for it. And good old Tulip Acres where Clark Street is located is 98% cape cods all with the same floor plan and exteriors with one slight exception, one house had a two car garage.

I won't bring up the architectural genius of the Splanch.

And now Levittown is the home of the McLevitt. Some of those houses look ridiculously out of place- they really dwarf the houses around them.

[HockeyMom72]

Originally Posted by TeaJay

And now Levittown is the home of the McLevitt. Some of those houses look ridiculously out of place- they really dwarf the houses around them.

you should see Florida and all the gated community homes.

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by TeaJay

And now Levittown is the home of the McLevitt. Some of those houses look ridiculously out of place- they really dwarf the houses around them.

McLevitt indeed. We sold our house in Levittown in 2000. Simple basic Levitt Cape, the only thing we really did to it was turn the carport into a Dining Room and Utility Room.

Within two years, the new owners turned the house into this obnoxiously huge center hall colonial. Yes, a center hall colonial. In Levittown. It overshadows almost every house on the block.

Can we say "one of these things is not like the other"...