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How would you feel about a woman (or man) who wore heaps and heaps of what was obviously costume jewelry? Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets. Absolutely loaded down with obviously fake gold and diamonds. It just make you want to roll your eyes in dismissal. That's how people view the McMansion. There's such a contrast between trying to be showy and clearly inferior materials. It's not even about interior finishes. Nobody but the owner sees those. It's about the godawful exteriors.
The thing is that finishings are temporary. You can always upgrade things inside a house. I don't understand why that would bother anyone.
I owned a home that was concrete block and concrete under stucco and it suffered earth quake damage during the Loma Prieta earthquake... non wood framed residential construction poses additional problems here in earthquake country...
Each method of construction has benefits...
With all due respect concrete is better in every way and more earthquake proof by far than wood, which doesn't only crack but could collapse entirely. Damage can happen either way for sure but cracked concrete leaves you still alive lol. Reinforced with a steel structure would probably be ideal though expensive
How would you feel about a woman (or man) who wore heaps and heaps of what was obviously costume jewelry? Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets. Absolutely loaded down with obviously fake gold and diamonds. It just make you want to roll your eyes in dismissal. That's how people view the McMansion. There's such a contrast between trying to be showy and clearly inferior materials. It's not even about interior finishes. Nobody but the owner sees those. It's about the godawful exteriors.
Would you consider Andy1369's example a "McMansion"?
BTW, how would you feel about a woman (or man) who wore heaps and heaps of real jewelry? Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets. Absolutely loaded down with real gold and diamonds?
I've seen a lot of "McMansions" in my life (outside only), although it's actually hard for me to tell the difference between a real mansion and a McMansion. When driving by Mc/mansions, I've always been impressed at how nice they look, how shiny the windows look, etc. The same goes for nice, affulent-looking suburbs.
So, when I read online that many McMansions are in bad shape/poorly built, it shocked me a bit. I have a few questions; sorry in advance if there's so many questions!
a) Are ALL McMansions poorly built? I find that hard to believe, especially if those cost $500k-2m.
b) How can you tell it's actually a McMansion vs. a real mansion/larger suburb house?
c) How can you tell if the inside of a McMansion was poorly made/built? My distant cousin's house was arguably a McMansion (built in the early 90s), but it was very nice inside and didn't feel "weak" or fragile at all.
d) Speaking of which, I've seen so many complaints about suburb/McMansion houses being so poorly built that they feel like "dollhouses", ready to collapse at the slightest odd movement... is it really that bad? I'm not sure I've ever been inside an actual McMansion, with the possible exception of my cousin's house, and it was fine. I didn't pay much attention, but it felt like a normal house.
It's just so weird that such nice-looking suburbs like: 1) link, 2) link are possibly poorly built. Again, is there a way to tell?
e) Are those McMansions? 1) link, 2) link, 3) link, 4) link? It's hard to believe that those really nice-looking houses won't last 20-30 years; I've always thought houses, especially expensive/nice-looking ones, were built to last 50+ years.
Sorry for the "heavy" post, but I hope you can answer all my questions!
Everyone has a different definition, but IMO, the difference between a nice house and a McMansion is that McMansions have little to no yard, are sparsely landscaped, and use poorer quality materials (builder grade windows and doors).
They should not be compared to mansions, but rather "custom" homes, which as the name describes are custom built (not from a set of approved drawings), have higher quality/ custom workmanship, use upgraded appliances, windows, & doors, have a lot of land (for the area) and are well landscaped (patios, decks, plants...).
Everyone has a different definition, but IMO, the difference between a nice house and a McMansion is that McMansions have little to no yard, are sparsely landscaped, and use poorer quality materials (builder grade windows and doors).
They should not be compared to mansions, but rather "custom" homes, which as the name describes are custom built (not from a set of approved drawings), have higher quality/ custom workmanship, use upgraded appliances, windows, & doors, have a lot of land (for the area) and are well landscaped (patios, decks, plants...).
Yup- if you see Silverline windows or even Pella or Anderson low grade vinyl windows its a McMansion. If the front is brick and the sides are vinyl. Lots of fake embellishments that serve no purpose but look fancy, lots of roof hips/gables, columns galore, commercial low grade Chinese granite abounds.
IF you see the same crappy underplanted and neglected cypress or laurels - thats a sign. Also cheap thin quick sprouting grass that gets worse as you go esp since its planted in construction fill. A 5K sq ft home on a 6K sq ft lot. IF all the other houses on your street look like this too, it's a sign.
I never quite got the hate. Apparently the definition of a "McMansion" seems to be a larger house built in the last decade or so. I really don't see what's wrong with that.
New houses need to be built, the market wants them larger. I personally like like newer homes and large homes.
New construction, in general, has sunken to a new low, IMO. I makes no difference if its a huge house or a small house. I call them vast vinyl sided ghettos. I other parts of the country they're stucco.
It happens when a builder takes the features of a big house, and squeezes them into a small house. This is why we see front load garages, and open floor plans in which the kitchen is visible from the front door. Or a 4 bedroom house that is 1500 sq ft.
Yup- if you see Silverline windows or even Pella or Anderson low grade vinyl windows its a McMansion. If the front is brick and the sides are vinyl. Lots of fake embellishments that serve no purpose but look fancy, lots of roof hips/gables, columns galore, commercial low grade Chinese granite abounds.
IF you see the same crappy underplanted and neglected cypress or laurels - thats a sign. Also cheap thin quick sprouting grass that gets worse as you go esp since its planted in construction fill. A 5K sq ft home on a 6K sq ft lot. IF all the other houses on your street look like this too, it's a sign.
This sounds like a rather snobbish definition. Our house was custom built by a local developer. Real wood floors throughout and nice heavy doors. However, we do have a front brick facade with vinyl siding on the sides and back. Andersen windows (I think most houses around here do). I guess we live in a "McMansion" and didn't even know it!
I've only skimmed through this thread. I personally don't like McMansions because they are so big... way too big. My fear would be trying to sell it in a few years (especially with family sizes getting smaller). That and I'd hate to pend the money to maintain it. But that's just my personal view and why I would never want one--if other people want to buy them, so be it. And someone must be buying them if they are building.
This sounds like a rather snobbish definition. Our house was custom built by a local developer. Real wood floors throughout and nice heavy doors. However, we do have a front brick facade with vinyl siding on the sides and back. Andersen windows (I think most houses around here do). I guess we live in a "McMansion" and didn't even know it!
I'm an Andersen windows fan, but those Silverline windows are total junk. You are correct that windows are very telling about whether the builder cut corners or not.
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