Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

We saw it. DW turns to me and informs me that she needs more closets and a bigger bathroom. Since my house would fit in the "gathering room", she is correct, of course. I'm going to look more closely at the subject matter of these news programs; they could cost me money. :LOL:
 
Eagle43 said:
I'm going to look more closely at the subject matter of these news programs; they could cost me money.  :LOL:
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You'd better delete HGTV from the channel playlist NOW...
 
I always wanted a red billard room with a stuffed camel. And a lawn with some S shaped hedges. :LOL:
 
Dh and I watched it too, our house could fit in one of the master bedrooms with room to spare. As I was watching it I kept thinking to myself, what the heck can the heating/ac bill be? Or the electric bill? And both Dh and I were surprised to see the town putting a stop to the teardowns, we just wondered how long they would be succesfull in stopping people. We both thought it was an interesting segment and agreed most of the houses were vulgar.
 
Just curious - did they use the term "McMansion" on 60 minutes?

I am just fascinated by the people who think they need a house that big.  I honestly don't get it!!  :confused: In the late 80's we bought a 2500 sf house that we thought was enormous.  We had rooms we never used.  The heating bill was high (to us) even then.  After about 8 years, we thought, this is ridiculous, and we now live in an 1800 sf house, which is plenty for the 2 of us.  So when we see the 5000-10000+ homes, we just don't get it!!!  And we just ask each other, who ARE these people?  And how can they even afford the mortgage?  (OK, maybe they can't afford the mortgage...)

Give me smaller & simpler any day.

CJ
 
It's another dimension of conspicuous consumption. These houses look ridiculous too. Like a bad case of architectural acne. :D I was appauled when I saw what happened to El Dorado Hills (outside of Sacramento). What a hideous sight! Sprawl! sprawl! sprawl! Bloated houses with faux castle like torrets on teeny lots.
 
Outtahere said:
Dh and I watched it too, our house could fit in one of the master bedrooms with room to spare.   As I was watching it I kept thinking to myself, what the heck can the heating/ac bill be? Or the electric bill?  And both Dh and I were surprised to see the town putting a stop to the teardowns, we just wondered how long they would be succesfull in stopping people.  We both thought it was an interesting segment and agreed most of the houses were vulgar. 
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I agree with the "vulgar" comment.  But, I think putting a "stop to the teardowns" is going too far.  If someone can buy the property and the new house meets local rules, then let 'em build it.  Of course, I believe the government
should mostly stay out of the way generally and let the "market" handle this stuff.  Big and vulgar should be okay.  There is no accounting for taste.

JG
 
MRGALT2U said:
I agree with the "vulgar" comment.  But, I think putting a "stop to the teardowns" is going too far.  If someone can buy the property and the new house meets local rules, then let 'em build it.  Of course, I believe the government
should mostly stay out of the way generally and let the "market" handle this stuff.  Big and vulgar should be okay.  There is no accounting for taste.

JG
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Letting the "market" handle it...take a drive down US192 in Kissimmee Florida someday and look how "letting the market handle it" did to that town...what a god awful cesspool that place is...I am sure there are 100's if not thousands of other examples of towns that decided they really didn't need any proactive zoning regulations or land use laws...and see what they got.
 
Cube-rat.....are you near EDH?  I'm in Folsom....just on the backside of EDH.  

My neighborhood has houses from 3000 sq feet, down to 1670 which is my house.  I wouldn't want to clean anything larger than that.  My largest house was 1980 sq feet with a pool which was more than large enough for the 3 of us since I did all the cleaning my self.  Not my favorite pass time.
 
KB said:
Cube-rat.....are you near EDH?  I'm in Folsom....just on the backside of EDH.  
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I'm actually on the coast, 15 minutes south of SF. I visited my new MIL last Christmas when she lived in a Mc Mansion in El Dorado Hills. :p
 
I watched 60 Minutes also. I second the request for a puke emoticon.

OTOH we hoped that by building pouring money into these outrageous edifices the owners are at least supplying decent construction wages to an army of laborers and craftspeople.

As to the no-teardown rule, I think its up to the individual community to legislate what it wants and believes is best for it's own wellbeing.
 
Sheryl said:
As to the no-teardown rule, I think its up to the individual community to legislate what it wants and believes is best for it's own wellbeing.
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Agreed. If you want to build a large home, build it near other like-minded people or as far away from people as possible.

I believe the saying is: "A man's home is his castle." It is most assuredly not: "A man's castle is his home".
 
Or perhaps a mother-in-law house for the backyard?
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Jay -

I was think more along the lines of... :-X

large%20dog%20house%20tuff%20and%20rugged.jpg
 
TargaDave said:
Speaking of pottery and big homes.  Here is a 5500 sq ft contract job on 9 acres big bro and I did back in 1988 not too far from  NYC.  The 1000 sq ft barrel roofed wing (can't even see it from the other side) was the sculpting studio for the owner; obviously not his real job. The RE taxes on this home in 1989 => $21k.  Kinda mish-mosh looking but it was his dream.  :)  Seems quite modest  compared to the monsters out there today.   
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TargaDave: Taxes in 1989 of $21,000?

What would you guesstimate they would be today.?
 
cube_rat said:
Reiterating my puke emoticon in my previous post...

El Dorado Hills -- Oh but these houses are ONLY 5000 sq ft  ::)

http://www.tollbrothers.com/homesearch/servlet/HomeSearch?app=community_models&comm_num=5326
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Cube: The real estate folks up here "love" the Bay Area &
So. Calif. ;)

According to the Real Estate Board, (and common sense), 85% of the "upscale" homes sold are "refugees" from those two areas. (The locals can barely afford a starter home). ;)

When you have lived for 20 years or so in a modest 3 bedroom home (l800 sq. feet or so), in a so, so, neighborhood in the Bay Area, or So. Calif., and it is valued at close to a $1,000,000, the temptation is apparantly too great to resist buying a huge home with acreage, and money left over, after the dust has cleared ;)
 
SteveR said:
Here is one with 28,000 sq. ft. on 16 acres near the city going for a measly $29,000,000.

http://www.utahrealestate.com/515311
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Does that come with those bug-zapper lights for the back porch and a cement lawn jockey? I didn't see them listed and I'd hate to plop down $29M only to find the house didn't have all the features I need. :) :D :LOL:
 
And a hydroponic closet...  ;)

Damn, think of the expense of keeping that place: utilities, housecleaning, lawn maintenance, pool cleaning; hell, changing the HVAC filters would be a part-time job!!??
 
cj said:
ELEVEN bathrooms? Who is cleaning all those toilets?? :-\
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This gives McMansion buyers excuses to hire out services. I think Cut-Throat or REW (?)had a good thread on the growing trend for "hired help" a while back.
 
My daughter lives in the mid-West and has a huge home - over 4,000 sq. ft., 12 rooms, 5 bathrooms, tri-level home. Personally, I would not want to live in a house that large. Their utility bill just to heat is $500 a month. My husband keeps saying they will never see retirement!!
 
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