the windows

Anonymous wrote:I hope the trend of 5,500 sq ft monstrosities will one day be a thing of the past, and people will start wanting houses that merely meet their needs and have much less of an environmental impact. I'm probably delusional, though.

I was thinking the same thing on both counts.

I've said before that I think the studio apt version of open kitchen (with no room definition at all) goes too far.

I really love my Craftsman-style house. It may be considered outdated in 2030, but it's gone up about $350K in value in just a few years. I was bored with center-hall colonials, and it's nice knowing that this house is big enough that no one will ever need to slap on some sloppy addition like you find on so many older Colonials or Cape Cods.

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of craftmens now loot like BIG boxes. DH keeps saying they look like beach houses but I don't see that.

I love colonials the most and think they fit in best with this area (VA).

I like colonials, but I wish the builders would stick to the true colonial look.

Anonymous wrote:I hope the trend of 5,500 sq ft monstrosities will one day be a thing of the past, and people will start wanting houses that merely meet their needs and have much less of an environmental impact. I'm probably delusional, though.

Yes you are

I hope the trend of 5,500 sq ft monstrosities will one day be a thing of the past, and people will start wanting houses that merely meet their needs and have much less of an environmental impact. I'm probably delusional, though.

I think a lot of craftmens now loot like BIG boxes. DH keeps saying they look like beach houses but I don't see that.

I love colonials the most and think they fit in best with this area (VA).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great rooms. Seriously. No one really wants to see their kitchen mess while they have company for dinner.

Thats stupid we have gone over this time and time again. If your house is large enough and laid out properly you won't see a kitchen mess. No one wants closed of quarters for servents anymore.javascript:void(0);

Even if your house isn't large, no one wants a tiny kitchen where they are isolated. Frankly this is less for dinner parties which most people only have every once in a while and more for the day to day living with a family and having people congregate in the kitchen. I like being able to cook with DH or have kids hang out and do homework during dinner prep.

The current colors on the craftsmans are likely to get outdated.

Flooring that doesn't work for owning pets.

In general, materials so fussy and expensive that the home is not conducive to children or pets.

I grew up in an old house in CA with a detached garage. It was positioned behind the garage. It also had doors that opened to the sides, folding in on themselves. Now THAT'S impractical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hardiplank

good one. The two-tone/style hardiplank is a dead giveaway ... colored flat hardi on bottom, wood shingle hardi on top.

street facing double garage.

Street facing garage is the most convenient way to enter with a car and most lots in desirable areas are too narrow cannot have side load garage.

In the list of what home buyers want the majority want a front loading garage.

Another stupid comment

Agreed that front-facing garages are sometimes necessary for narrower lots, but they certainly are NOT desirable. There is a difference between aesthetics and practicability.

Front facing garage was a must for us when we were house hunting.

Prior to moving to VA I didn't even realize a non-front facing garage was a possibility (absent like a real mansion). But I come from the land of ranches. They are all front facing garages.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally feel like brick or stone front is the best. Consumers got played here because hardiplank is a savings to the builder.

I thought Hardiplank was kind of expensive? And isn't a whole house of Hardiplank more expensive than a brick or stone front with alumninum or vinyl sides and back?

lets say hardiplank is 1
Brick cost 5 times more than hardiplank
Vinyl siding costs 60% of hardiplank

If you do the math on a house that is 2 times the length of the width:

brick front / vinyl sides
1 front = 1 x 5 = 5
4 sides = 4 x .6 = 2.4
1 rear = .1 x .6 = .6
--------------
8

all hardiplank
1 front = 1 x 1 = 1
4 sides = 4 x 1 = 4
1 rear = 1 x 1 = 1
--------------
6

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hardiplank

good one. The two-tone/style hardiplank is a dead giveaway ... colored flat hardi on bottom, wood shingle hardi on top.

street facing double garage.

Street facing garage is the most convenient way to enter with a car and most lots in desirable areas are too narrow cannot have side load garage.

In the list of what home buyers want the majority want a front loading garage.

Another stupid comment

Agreed that front-facing garages are sometimes necessary for narrower lots, but they certainly are NOT desirable. There is a difference between aesthetics and practicability.

Front facing garage was a must for us when we were house hunting.

Nothing wrong with being practical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hardiplank

good one. The two-tone/style hardiplank is a dead giveaway ... colored flat hardi on bottom, wood shingle hardi on top.

street facing double garage.

Street facing garage is the most convenient way to enter with a car and most lots in desirable areas are too narrow cannot have side load garage.

In the list of what home buyers want the majority want a front loading garage.

Another stupid comment

Agreed that front-facing garages are sometimes necessary for narrower lots, but they certainly are NOT desirable. There is a difference between aesthetics and practicability.

Front facing garage was a must for us when we were house hunting.