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So I'm starting to wonder then about something that seems to be a common thread and that is the mention of the neighborhood or homes looking very much alike, using the same few floor plans. So what I am hearing is the ingrained American mentality of individualism. We all want to stand out in one way or another and want our home to reflect our individual tendencies. So one of the reasons why many people are against Mcmansions is because it kills our sense of individualism?
What if the home is unique looking and every house in the neighborhood is unique in its own way but made out of the same materials that Mcmansions are made out of,mainly, wood, shingle roof, brick facade/stone with some siding on one or two sides; in other words, the materials are the same but the actual look and size (lets say 3k sq. ft or more) are unique, is that still a Mcmansion or not?
I disagree, people like to think that they're individualistic, but realistically, they aren't, they all generally most seem to want the same mass marketed things. they may say they want a slightly different color or configuration, but there are still these social norms in each area that people play within.
I don't think the lack of individualism makes a McMansion. my area was built up in the 50s ad 60s. 90% of the houses on my street started off with the same floorplan. the "area" that I'm in really only had 2 styles of houses, the floorplans didn't change except some were flipped left to right. some had an attached garage, and some were behind the house. There were options, but lets not kid ourselves, tract building has been alive and well in the suburbs for at least the past 60 years since WWII.
everyone wants a custom built different house exactly as they want it, but that costs a lot of money to have all those differnet plans made/built etc. Lots of houses in my area get expanded with "custom" plans. 50-75% of them look like crap. they're unimaginative, no sense of symetry, no real integration between the new and the old. windows off center, not lined up between upper and lower floors, random floorplans etc. Custom ain't all its cracked up to be.
I disagree, people like to think that they're individualistic, but realistically, they aren't, they all generally most seem to want the same mass marketed things. they may say they want a slightly different color or configuration, but there are still these social norms in each area that people play within.
Yep. How many of those "custom" houses have cherry cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, the big screeen hanging over the fireplace and "open" floor plans? I'm guessing a lot. (which I personally have no issue with - go with what you like regardless of how many other people have or don't have it).
But god forbid the outside of your house looks like all the others.
My brother's house is an awesome 1910 victorian style home in the city (was the outskits of the city 100 years ago), really an amazing house. And his next door neighbor has the mirror version of his house on the inside. There are a few more down the street. Since they were built 100 years ago they all look different now...greens, peaches, purples, differing renovations, sidings, etc...but after reading this threasd, I guess by some definition they would be the McMansions of 100 years ago. Hilarious.
yes.. but now they're 100 years old, and some of them were torn down - so the ones that are left are "unique" and "special"...
And - for what its worth - I'd love an old house, with solid plaster walls and a carved bannister. But, again - couldn't do that right now. And I recognize that old house is only special because it survived.. not because it was some unique floorplan that made it worthy of saving.
There was a great episode on "This Old House" a long time ago - and they visited Marshall, MI -- which at the time was recognized as having a ridiculously high percentage of original historic homes (mainly Victorians). They interviewed some one from the city and were generally wondrous as they asked "How did the Marshall planners have the foresight to preserve all these wonderful homes??"
The person they interviewed looked at them like they were a little touched in the head and answered to the effect that the only reason Marshall had preserved the homes was inadvertent and because of the fact that the town had suffered great economic misfortunes after the 20's and the residents of the town were too economically disadvantaged to tear down a house and build anything new!!!
Now - that's not to say that Marshall isn't lovely. It is. And its made itself a nice little tourist industry capitalizing on its loveliness - and that's great.
But the houses are still standing because the people were too poor to replace them, and too poor too modify them. The only thing people could afford to do was patch them up, best as they could.
In 150 years, the land where my house stands may still hold my house (with maintenance, it should last) - or my house could be torn down in 30 years to make room for a geodesic dome house - or in 75 years it could be sacrificed for a landing site for a floating RV.
And as far as everyone wanting individuality, but not.... exactly - there are very few people who go live in the forest in a Yurt. That would be unusual and "counterculture".
Jumping on the "McMansions are tacky, I'm a design maven and know so much more about it" bandwagon is *yawn* about 15 years old at this point...
In another 20 years the next equivalent of the McMansions will strike.
Humans are pack animals - always have been. Most comfortable when part of a group. Even if that group is "iconoclasts who make their own way in the world and do everything in a unique way"...
I'm comfy in my faux-lonial. Someday, someone else may be - or it could be torn down for a new interstate. I'd also be comfortable in a rowhouse in a city. I don't really identify with my house - it is my living quarters and not a statement about my personal ethos. I make it comfortable, and try to make guests in it comfortable too. But that's about it.
The people who love their McMansion and don't see any humor in the term wear it as a "I've arrived" status symbol. The people in their eco-homes, and *this is important* judging everyone who is not like them ... are just as obnoxious as the McMansion owners just in a self-righteous (as opposed to vainly clueless) sort of way.
What annoys me about a lot of the McMansion developments is that they mow down every damn tree in a previously forested area, or reroute a lovely stream through a big metal drain, or fill in the pond and kill off all the wildlife, and then rename these developments "ABC Woods", or "Clear Stream", or "Turtle Pond" after obliterating all of the natural features.
Usually McMansions are not only pretentious and use cheap materials, but they also have the unnatural lawns drenched in pesticides and corporate-looking landscaping with weird plants that aren't native to the area.
I don't blame the owners of the homes--as someone said, they've likely come into money and this is their "I've arrived" moment. If they want a fancy house, that's their choice and it's their money to spend. I blame the greedy zoning boards who allow places to be destroyed for dollars.
Also, only the front tends to have the brick/stone facade, while the sides and back will be plain siding. Like this one from Wikipedia, which I think looks rather silly:
A McMansion is kind of like the castle at Disney World. Pretending to be something it really isn't. OK to look at, until you view the real thing.
Ok, so I keep reading, several mentions on this, that a Mcmansion is made out of cheap materials. What are those cheap materials. On the Dallas forum, for example, someone came on there listing all the things they want in a house when they move here. One of those was the red tile roof. Long time residents of this area kinda brought him down to earth by teaching him that tile roof is not the best material to be used here because of the potential for hail storms.
What is the alternative to cheap materials?
So I'm starting to wonder then about something that seems to be a common thread and that is the mention of the neighborhood or homes looking very much alike, using the same few floor plans. So what I am hearing is the ingrained American mentality of individualism. We all want to stand out in one way or another and want our home to reflect our individual tendencies. So one of the reasons why many people are against Mcmansions is because it kills our sense of individualism?
What if the home is unique looking and every house in the neighborhood is unique in its own way but made out of the same materials that Mcmansions are made out of,mainly, wood, shingle roof, brick facade/stone with some siding on one or two sides; in other words, the materials are the same but the actual look and size (lets say 3k sq. ft or more) are unique, is that still a Mcmansion or not?
Again, think of the Mc in McMansion as in McDonalds. Its a burger, and it can taste pretty good, but its the same patties that most places use. There's nothing special about the cheese or pickles. The ingredients are common and very generic. More factory and regimented. There are a few burgers there. The actual mansion, if you're in Dallas is a Twisted Root Burger or a Stoneleigh P. Fresher ingredients, made to your order, higher quality meats. Just not made to serve billions.
What you describe is fine as someone took the time to create each layout. They still become Mc if the materials aren't of the highest quality. Yes, they meet code and yes, when new, they are nice, but its not like the high quality materials of an actual Mansion. If you ever get the chance, go watch a mansion get built vs a large subdivision home, and look at the care that goes into the mansion and how long it takes. I used to inspect pours, and it was amazing to me how they could put up homes. Very regimented. Stacks of materials. Like a factory. I did some estate homes in Preston Hollow as well. Totally different experience.
The thing is, I don't associate McMansion as a bad home to live in. Just making a distinction and as to why they are called McMansion.
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