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This is probably true, but I think it's the cheap "look" that proclaims it is trying to appear to be something it's not that is the issue. Like the facade of fake brick on the front in the one photo, for example. That doesn't necessarily mean the house is going to fall down. There are building codes in place. It just the overall look of imitation of a real mansion that gave them the nickname.
I'm not exactly asking you this question but you brought up a point I'd like to see what people say. Because I think there has been a mention already of fake brick. But the brick that I've seen used on these type of homes are real, in my opinion. I mean, they have the shape of a brick, they are from ACME, they feel like a brick, they are as heavy as a brick should be, they are brought unto the property and made to stay there to acclamate. So I don't think I've seen a fake brick or is there such a thing?
This doesn't mean that faux products are automatically inferior, but that they exist for the perception of being the real thing. And it's this concept of being a fake that makes a McMansion a McMansion.
Real bricks and stone takes someone with skills to install. Faux ... not so much. Apply this to other aspects of the house, and you can start seeing where the "cheapness" comes into play.
Last edited by Narfcake; 04-14-2011 at 03:11 PM..
Reason: Add'l comment.
I'm not exactly asking you this question but you brought up a point I'd like to see what people say. Because I think there has been a mention already of fake brick. But the brick that I've seen used on these type of homes are real, in my opinion. I mean, they have the shape of a brick, they are from ACME, they feel like a brick, they are as heavy as a brick should be, they are brought unto the property and made to stay there to acclamate. So I don't think I've seen a fake brick or is there such a thing?
I think people are missing the point. While faux materials do nothing to help a McMansion be "classy", it's the design and porportioning that REALLY cause the problem.
Look at this "Federal Style" house (click the pic for a bigger one; it's on wikipedia). Sure it has a "real" brick facade, but because the sides are vinyl it tooks tacked on and superficial. The garage is nearly the same size of the house and dominates the facade. The windows are grouped oddly and the window over the front entrance is an entirely different size'design and does not relate with the other windows or elements of the house at all. The hipped roof is too big over the garage, too small on the house and it clashes with the style as well. The whole thing looks (and probably was) built out of Home Depot standard parts.
Here is a random REAL Federal style house. It is symetrical, the bricks are painted but they actually ARE the walls, making the home look as sturdy and rooted in the landscape as a rock. The shutters actually function as shutters and the focal point is a lovely, well-porportioned front entry, not a huge blank white garage door. The "golden ratio" is at work here and the roof/front facade correspond to the basic porportions of the human body, making it look "right" to our eyes.
House #2 just feels feels better to look at than #1, even though it is smaller and far simpler in design than #1 (another McMansion problem, which is "overdoing it" with tack-on decor, usually as a cheap attempt to make the house seem fancier).
Let's assume for a second that the quality of the materials is indeed something that is part of the definition of a McMansion. I'm going to guess that 95% of the people that use that term have no clue at all what the quality of materials was in those houses.
Absolutely. Which is why the homes have a market in the first place.
McDonalds provides large portions of edible food at an inexpensive price. Those who are concerned with the quality and purity of ingredients, and the way that the ingredients are prepared, and the environment in which the food is served, don't eat at McDonalds. But a lot of people eat at McDonalds.
It's not just homes or fast food either. Cars, boats, you name it. A Hinckley 51 yacht costs almost double what a Hunter 50 costs, and that cost can probably be extended well beyond double. There is nothing wrong with the Hunter, it's still a 50 foot yacht that will cruise happily for a long time. But there are people who appreciate not only the size, but the fit, finish, custom joinery, custom build process, options, and experience of building and owning something that is unique only to them. These examples represent different ends of the yacht market, and represent two entirely different buyers. Similar to homes, there are many options that represent different combinations of build quality and value in between.
This doesn't mean that faux products are automatically inferior, but that they exist for the perception of being the real thing. And it's this concept of being a fake that makes a McMansion a McMansion.
Real bricks and stone takes someone with skills to install. Faux ... not so much. Apply this to other aspects of the house, and you can start seeing where the "cheapness" comes into play.
Wow, no I had no idea there was such a thing. I see that they are made out of polyurethane-they look quite real.
Ok, so I keep reading, several mentions on this, that a Mcmansion is made out of cheap materials. What are those cheap materials.
Walk down the aisle at Home Depot or Lowes and you'll see a range of price and quality in tiles, faucets, carpets, light fixtures, etc, etc, etc. Some would say anything in either of these stores is cheap and mass produced-- there are specific stores just for tile, bathroom fixtures, light fixtures, etc, where the price and quality often go up. (Check out this website for tile that costs more than most people make in a year: http://www.motawi.com/?module=Tilewo...&selectedID=18).
Some would also say if you get the studs at Home Depot, they'll be warped. Or the Chinese drywall. Or the "stucco" which is actually Dryvit, which is so hard to properly install that class action lawsuits have been filed and corporate relo programs won't cover houses that use it.
My own "cheap" pet peeve is "contractor grade" 9x9 tile that everyone slaps into their kitchen, in both McMansions and flipped foreclosures. When I see that tile in a house that's been remodeled, I run the other way. It tells me they bought the cheapest option available for something visible-- sooooo, what did they do in areas you can't see?
Stock bathroom light fixtures and ultra low pile beige carpet are also red flags that things were done on the cheap.
Beyond materials, craftsmanship can also be cheap. Is the sub who did the cabinet work the licensed $100 an hour guy or is he the illegal immigrant on an illegal wage guy? (No offense, but it happens.) How are the seams on those doors? Hung right? Are the corners square? All that eye for detail and careful construction are what will make or break your house when it comes to weathering the wear and tear of the years.
That said, the best stone work I ever saw was by a contractor and his family from Tibet. Not sure if they were legal immigrants or not, but they were astonishing craftsmen.
McMansions are detested on this forum because most young, single twenty-somethings detest them, and that is the primary demographic on this forum. However, when people start to have families, that 600 sq foot studio downtown doesn't do it anymore. McMansions start to be much more appealing due to the larger space, better quality of life for the children, and the better schools.
After reading all the posts it's pretty clear a "McMansion" is identifiable and unanimously disliked. So, now what about the older existing housing stock i.e. the 50’s style split-level, 60’s ranch, 1800’s Victorian or early 1900’s farmhouse – are they easy targets as well – or are they in-demand and well liked categories of housing?
While some will disagree and depending on which side of the fence you’re on, it’s unlikely that some of these housing types can withstand remodel after remodel, like the McMansion, many were built with low-grade pre and post war materials and will eventually become functionally obsolete. What happens then?
If you are a millennial you are going to dislike all suburban dwellings. High rise apartments near downtown, brownstones, duplexes, and older pre 1950 homes are the "in" thing with this generation. Pretty much anything built after the dominance of the automobile is a no-go.
McMansions are detested on this forum because most young, single twenty-somethings detest them, and that is the primary demographic on this forum. However, when people start to have families, that 600 sq foot studio downtown doesn't do it anymore. McMansions start to be much more appealing due to the larger space, better quality of life for the children, and the better schools.
GenX here, with a family. Got 2,200 sf in a top school district. It's still more space than we need. As long as there's a basement big enough to hold a tv and a couch, that's all the separation we need. As for better quality of life for the kids--
This doesn't mean that faux products are automatically inferior, but that they exist for the perception of being the real thing. And it's this concept of being a fake that makes a McMansion a McMansion.
Real bricks and stone takes someone with skills to install. Faux ... not so much. Apply this to other aspects of the house, and you can start seeing where the "cheapness" comes into play.
And I think that's part of it. Cranky older people like myself who remember when toy Tonka trucks were made out of metal never quite accepted the plasticization of our world.
I still hate fake siding and always will, but it's part of life now. No one uses wood anymore.
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