Massive home addition causes confusion in Fairfax County neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So according to the permits Mike is his own general contractor, which would mean when he said in the interviews that the contractor used the fence as the property line that means him. He used the fence as the property line. It’s his fault.

Mike is not the owner.

[Anonymous]

In an article today about the White House Ballroom addition, the architect is arguing with Trump about the size. He is quoted as saying that it is a general architecture principal/rule that the addition should never be bigger than the host-structure.

In the Fairfax house, the addition is obviously too big for the host structure. Any architecture (or fool) would know that. Makes me think they didn't use a real architect to design it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So according to the permits Mike is his own general contractor, which would mean when he said in the interviews that the contractor used the fence as the property line that means him. He used the fence as the property line. It’s his fault.

Mike is not the owner.

That's correct, his parents own it, even though he says on interviews he owns it. He also claims in interviews a general contractor messed up the property line, but the permit says he is the general contractor. So all roads lead to Mike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an article today about the White House Ballroom addition, the architect is arguing with Trump about the size. He is quoted as saying that it is a general architecture principal/rule that the addition should never be bigger than the host-structure.

In the Fairfax house, the addition is obviously too big for the host structure. Any architecture (or fool) would know that. Makes me think they didn't use a real architect to design it.

Of course they did not use a licensed architect but not sure if that would have mattered. Fairfax county does not require an architect to seal plans for homeowner projects so as long as the codes are followed. The county is not the curb appeal police. This will be modified and/or torn down to comply with the setback fiasco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In an article today about the White House Ballroom addition, the architect is arguing with Trump about the size. He is quoted as saying that it is a general architecture principal/rule that the addition should never be bigger than the host-structure.

In the Fairfax house, the addition is obviously too big for the host structure. Any architecture (or fool) would know that. Makes me think they didn't use a real architect to design it.

Of course they did not use a licensed architect but not sure if that would have mattered. Fairfax county does not require an architect to seal plans for homeowner projects so as long as the codes are followed. The county is not the curb appeal police. This will be modified and/or torn down to comply with the setback fiasco.

I suspect the county will give him a variance for the 6" violation of the setback: "practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship"

Remember, when you break the rules, make sure it's hard to unring the bell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the issue in this. They basically took the house and added two stories onto the side part of the house. If you look at the drone images they all have that long side, including the complaining neighbor. Our neighbors did horrible remodels that impacted us but their property and their right to do it.

Did your neighbor's remodel reduce your property value by 25%? Just because something is legal and you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should.

People greatly overestimate the impact a neighboring property has on their home value. 5% max. Probably less.

[Anonymous]

If I am reading this right, they met the setback cert.

Administrative Review
Setback cert required prior to next inspection - See Nicole M or Colin G// Removed Admin Hold to Result Wind Bracing Inspection from 11/20
Met | | 11/21/2025

Now there's a different stop work for a wind bracing issue:

Stop Work
Stop Work Order
Wind Bracing Inspection Failed 11/20/25. List of Deficiencies Sent. Stop Work Order Issued 11/24/2025
Applied | Lock | 11/21/2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the issue in this. They basically took the house and added two stories onto the side part of the house. If you look at the drone images they all have that long side, including the complaining neighbor. Our neighbors did horrible remodels that impacted us but their property and their right to do it.

Did your neighbor's remodel reduce your property value by 25%? Just because something is legal and you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should.

People greatly overestimate the impact a neighboring property has on their home value. 5% max. Probably less.

No way. The neighbors on either side of that house will see significantly lower value of their homes if and when they try to sell. That monstrosity is awful and truly should never have been allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the issue in this. They basically took the house and added two stories onto the side part of the house. If you look at the drone images they all have that long side, including the complaining neighbor. Our neighbors did horrible remodels that impacted us but their property and their right to do it.

Did your neighbor's remodel reduce your property value by 25%? Just because something is legal and you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should.

People greatly overestimate the impact a neighboring property has on their home value. 5% max. Probably less.

No way. The neighbors on either side of that house will see significantly lower value of their homes if and when they try to sell. That monstrosity is awful and truly should never have been allowed.

No, because most people don't care. Even in that case, most neighbors don't care.

Sounds like you need to live somewhere with an HOA that allows you to boss everyone else around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I am reading this right, they met the setback cert.

Administrative Review
Setback cert required prior to next inspection - See Nicole M or Colin G// Removed Admin Hold to Result Wind Bracing Inspection from 11/20
Met | | 11/21/2025

Now there's a different stop work for a wind bracing issue:

Stop Work
Stop Work Order
Wind Bracing Inspection Failed 11/20/25. List of Deficiencies Sent. Stop Work Order Issued 11/24/2025
Applied | Lock | 11/21/2025

The family adding on to their house has lived there a lot longer than the Karen next door. Whether or not she was involved in this, people in that neighborhood will assume she was. She's not going to have any friends left after this. Yet the addition will still be built.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the issue in this. They basically took the house and added two stories onto the side part of the house. If you look at the drone images they all have that long side, including the complaining neighbor. Our neighbors did horrible remodels that impacted us but their property and their right to do it.

Did your neighbor's remodel reduce your property value by 25%? Just because something is legal and you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should.

People greatly overestimate the impact a neighboring property has on their home value. 5% max. Probably less.

No way. The neighbors on either side of that house will see significantly lower value of their homes if and when they try to sell. That monstrosity is awful and truly should never have been allowed.

No, because most people don't care. Even in that case, most neighbors don't care.

Sounds like you need to live somewhere with an HOA that allows you to boss everyone else around.

No sane person would believe this nonsense, just as no sane person would want to live next to a structure as poorly conceived as this one and, by extension, no sane buyer will be interested in living nearby and certainly not next door. You rugged individualists types would be much happier in a shack in the woods far from civilization, like the Unabomber.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I am reading this right, they met the setback cert.

Administrative Review
Setback cert required prior to next inspection - See Nicole M or Colin G// Removed Admin Hold to Result Wind Bracing Inspection from 11/20
Met | | 11/21/2025

Now there's a different stop work for a wind bracing issue:

Stop Work
Stop Work Order
Wind Bracing Inspection Failed 11/20/25. List of Deficiencies Sent. Stop Work Order Issued 11/24/2025
Applied | Lock | 11/21/2025

The family adding on to their house has lived there a lot longer than the Karen next door. Whether or not she was involved in this, people in that neighborhood will assume she was. She's not going to have any friends left after this. Yet the addition will still be built.

Hi Mike! Hate to tell you but much of the neighborhood wants to see it come down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I am reading this right, they met the setback cert.

Administrative Review
Setback cert required prior to next inspection - See Nicole M or Colin G// Removed Admin Hold to Result Wind Bracing Inspection from 11/20
Met | | 11/21/2025

Now there's a different stop work for a wind bracing issue:

Stop Work
Stop Work Order
Wind Bracing Inspection Failed 11/20/25. List of Deficiencies Sent. Stop Work Order Issued 11/24/2025
Applied | Lock | 11/21/2025

The family adding on to their house has lived there a lot longer than the Karen next door. Whether or not she was involved in this, people in that neighborhood will assume she was. She's not going to have any friends left after this. Yet the addition will still be built.

Hmm, somebody is defensive...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the issue in this. They basically took the house and added two stories onto the side part of the house. If you look at the drone images they all have that long side, including the complaining neighbor. Our neighbors did horrible remodels that impacted us but their property and their right to do it.

Did your neighbor's remodel reduce your property value by 25%? Just because something is legal and you CAN do it, doesn't mean you should.

People greatly overestimate the impact a neighboring property has on their home value. 5% max. Probably less.

Are you like RFK, just making up data? Just making things up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I am reading this right, they met the setback cert.

Administrative Review
Setback cert required prior to next inspection - See Nicole M or Colin G// Removed Admin Hold to Result Wind Bracing Inspection from 11/20
Met | | 11/21/2025

Now there's a different stop work for a wind bracing issue:

Stop Work
Stop Work Order
Wind Bracing Inspection Failed 11/20/25. List of Deficiencies Sent. Stop Work Order Issued 11/24/2025
Applied | Lock | 11/21/2025

The family adding on to their house has lived there a lot longer than the Karen next door. Whether or not she was involved in this, people in that neighborhood will assume she was. She's not going to have any friends left after this. Yet the addition will still be built.

Actually most of the neighborhood supports the neighbor and would like to help any way that they can. We feel terrible for the family that is stuck with this monstrosity next door to them, and even for the other families on the same street.