define McMansion (Arlington, Reston, Manassas: cul-de-sac, how much, big house)

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

Actually, I heard differently. If the market value of a house is determined and/or influenced by the neighborhood it is in, then a giant house amidst shacks will not bring the same value as one sitting amongst its peers.

I think it's possible to add square footage and still fit into the architecture of the neighborhood - especially when the existing (smaller) homes have a certain amount of charm to them.

[dod236]

Time Out, people are toooooooooo sensitive. I thought this was a forum, and opinions are opinions

[VA Yankee]

A home that is too large for the lot or out of place for the surrounding homes. Also used to describe similar oversized homes in a subdivision one after the other after....

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by PaperTrail

I think of them as having houses that look like this (often with little to no landscaping and any trees being very young)...
McMansion No. 1

McMansion No. 2

...in neighborhoods as jam packed as this:
McMansion sardines (http://www.treehugger.com/mcmansion-subdivision.jpg - broken link)

My guess is that they have more than the 2,500 sq ft that was described earlier -- probably more in the 3,500-4,000 range, or more.

These look just like my home. Mine is 4700sq feet including the finished basement.

[adolpho]

Originally Posted by springfieldva

I think it's possible to add square footage and still fit into the architecture of the neighborhood - especially when the existing (smaller) homes have a certain amount of charm to them.

But springfield, you should know from Springfield, even 10 years before the Mcmansions; 9 out of 10 of the additions look like crap, especially the converted carports.

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by adolpho

But springfield, you should know from Springfield, even 10 years before the Mcmansions; 9 out of 10 of the additions look like crap, especially the converted carports.

Yah, there are some pretty cheesy looking ones out there, I can't deny that. But...

Look at Vienna - there are some really pretty add ons in that area. Springfield has some nice ones, too - especially within the last 10 years.

[FindingZen]

Thank you for returning the the original topic of NOVA McMansions.

[springfieldva]

In older neighborhoods, I think a true McMansion is a home that is not only huge in comparison with the other homes in the neighborhood, but it is also architecturally much different than the neighboring houses.

[StandBack-DoorsClosing]

Denton56 your house sounds pretty decent, several good features, but I wouldn't put you up to McMansion level yet. Most McMansion owners have incomes that are probably a bit higher than your husband's, and thus tend to have a bit more extras added to their interior. Not saying your house doesn't sound perfectly acceptable for an older couple on a fixed income but most McMansion'ers are young or middle-aged working professionals.

Originally Posted by Denton56

Yup, that's exactly what we did. Once we were no longer tied to schools we could finally buy the exact home we wanted and invite lots of friends and families for long weekends, or longer. We have 7 thousand square feet, 5 bathrooms, 5 bedrooms, a HUGE media room, red with gold wall sconces. Next to that is a fabulous bar with 2 tiers of green granite, cherry cabinets, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator. The downstairs family room has a wall of televisions, built in. Sound is built in too, throughout the house, including the deck. This was not our design, we bought a model home that came with all the bells and whistles. We just enjoy it. We have 4.25 acres, one of the smaller lots on our court of 5 houses. The oldest house was built in 1750 and the original barn still stands too. He also has a pool and a pond, 15 acres, and 3 beautiful horses. I LOVE his house and he wants to live in my house! I'm working on getting hubby to agree to a swap! Next to him is a newer house, somewhat larger than ours with 13 acres. The other two houses on our court are large too, both have pools and one has 4 out buildings on their 7 acres. And one is installing a tennis court. No houses in our neighborhood look the same although nearly all were built over a 3 year period from 2003 to 2006. Every house was designed differently, with square footage from 3,800 to 10,000 square feet. Lots range from 4 acres to 18 acres (there may be a few that are larger). Some are all brick, some are hardiplank and some are combination. Our's is stone and hardiplank with a fairly large front porch with columns. Some people don't have any front porch, or not big enough to sit out on. All have three car garages. Only one house on our court has kids, the rest are empty nesters. But the street behind us has several houses with children, ranging from baby age to college age. The total neighborhood is 25 to 30 houses with NO HOA! People who want to build barns, or stables, or a garden, are free to do so!

Let me know! Do I count?!

Originally Posted by Denton56

Not true! ALL of our doors are wood, with 6 panels or more. Our molding has molding on top of molding and it's 12" to 16" all over the main floor, our suite, and the basement and even the bathrooms. We have wood wainscotting in 4 rooms and chair rails in many rooms. My bedroom has chair railing, and three more layers of molding around the tray ceiling and massive molding around the bedroom fireplace. The guest room has bead board wainscotting about half way up the wall. The sun room has a bead board ceiling. Very cool, reminds me of the beach. The family room fireplace is all REALlaid stone, from floor to ceiling and a stone hearth and mantel. We have large, ornate, chandeliers, in nearly every room with two massive ones in the dining room. We also have three zone heating with a furnace, AC, and a heat pump. A bar with a kitchen and REAL granite there, on two levels. and in all the bathrooms. The main Kitchen has quartz, on a 7' x 6' island and all the counter tops, and across the kitchen breakfast bar. We like the quartz, it's easier to take care of and it's more durable. We also have that for our bathroom vanities. Cherry cabinets with rope trim and inlays in the kitchen and the downstairs bar and the two vanities in the master bathroom. Two separate toilet closets in that room too. HUGE shower with dual heads and a gigantic jazuzzi tub. Four windows in the bathroom, including one that runs across the top of the shower. very cool windows. All of the master bath is done in large travertine tiles with inset stones and patterns on the floor that look like rugs. Every room wired for sound and surround sound in the family room and the media room with big subwoofers. A REAL laid stone front porch with pilars and stone continuing up the two stories. All three floors in the house are hardwoods, sanded in place on the main floor and upstairs (not prefinished but laid and then finished). All in all, not a cheaply made house, although the double pane windows could be a bit tighter.

So tell me, is our little shack that we love so much, a McMansion? We're keeping our fingers crossed.

[dansuz1]

I think most of you got the McMansion definition wrong. McMansions are homes that are not quite tract housing (regardless of lot size/home size ratios) and not quite real mansions that billionaires live in. They're attempts by higher income folks to punch above their weight. All of this discussion about quality of homes and relative size to their neighbors is beside the point. McMansions fill the gap between middle-class neighborhoods and the homes of the super-rich.