What is wrong here?

This photo is of new construction. Is there anything here that catches your eye?

The door isn't centered with the steps. I'm not sure that off to the right is even a door? Large window maybe?

Hi Joan, I am not sure if many watch the HGTV program "Curb Appeal". A very educational show limited to what homes look like from the front. The program starts out with homeowners who want to 'spruce' up their home, but don't know how. Usually the entrance is considered first. Should the door be changed? Maybe the color? What about the lighting? Porch furniture? Color of the house? Existing landscaping? And so on. The final result is always exciting; the owners are always happy. This photo is a home in Ohio of a cement contractor and what his/her family thought would be 'grand'. Yes the door is no where to be seen. Also (unseen) the house is built right on the street. Meaning the neighbors have no view from their porch since the new home went in. I think many towns need to have codes dealing with this construction (especially building to the curb). Anyhow, I am glad I am not their neighbor.

I've watched curb appeal a few times. The house is built right up to the road? So, in front of the orange construction cone is road? Ugg! I can see the house off to the right and it does appear to be set back farther.

It also appears that the porch, which I'm assuming is a wrap-around porch, was added as an afterthought. Hence, there's no door welcoming you from the entrance steps.

So, if I'm looking at this right, there's steps leading to a brick wall, and coming in basically off the street?

I don't see any way of fixing this problem without knocking out exterior walls, and I don't know what the inside floor plan looks like. It might not even accomodate that.

I'm glad I'm not their neighbors either, and I'm really hoping that our new, underway house construction doesn't end up this way.

This is really the talk of the town. Yes a wrap-around porch. This is the father's house, the son and daughter (near by) are also on the curb. The problem is, they don't consider any of this a 'problem.' I don't think an architect would ever come up with this plan. They must of planned it themselves, and built it themselves.

Maybe they didn't want it to look inviting....

Mary, if that's the effect they were looking for, they certainly accomplished it. It's not inviting at all. You'd have a hard time figuring out how to get in!

They've obviously spent a ton of money on this construction. I wonder why they would design it this way on purpose? The only thing I can think of is if they have a beautiful garden area planned off to either side of the house that would invite you to navigate that direction and find a door. Then plant a gorgeous vine that you see when you go up the steps?

Not going to add to the resale value of this house at all I don't think. I wouldn't buy a house that's designed like that. Especially for the amount of money that I *think* I can see that went into this. Looks pretty first class to me except for the door/porch problem.

Beside the fact, that it appears to be sliding downhill, the main problem is it's lack of land!!!

"eyes"

eyes, my camera was sliding down hill.

Looks like the front of the house could be to the left of the picture where that peek is and this main part here looks like it could be one end of the house and they might put a porch swing centered with the steps and the 'door' area might be coming out from a den or family room or maybe a game room.

There's no doubt a team of us could do wonders for this 'mistake'.

If they could make this big of a "goof" on the outside, I shudder to think what the inside is like!

I wonder if they plan to have some sort of off-centered container garden out front. I mean, I suppose the weirdness of the layout might be remedied by a defined path leading from the top of the steps to the door. I get the feeling no such idea is in the works, however! Keep us posted on what they do - and if they get sick of it and put it up for sale, take pictures at the open house! ;)

Well, I'm all for doing something a little different than everyone else, but I wouldn't want to do it to the point of being an eyesore or an obstruction. And sometimes, the most rewarding projects DO require taking some rather BOLD steps. ( But to the curb? ) =P

Weird house.... you see the window or door on right.. I went and looked at close. It is two doors.. WHy not put that door in middle instead on right?? Even that doors is not really pretty...

The top step made of concrete is slanted sideways too. Improper construction of the steps?

Rapid City has a requirement of 25 foot front yard set backs for residential neighborhoods....now I see why :)

Maybe they set it off-center so folks wouldn't drive by, slow down, and snoop directly into their house.

:)

It reminds me of the Winchester house in San Jose, Ca. Stairways and doors leading no where....

Ok, now everyone, please show the front of YOUR house!!

It HAS to be better than this!

'scuse me while I go out and buy a camera.

Or it could be they have a unique sense of humor!! :-)

We had to build our home back 75', from the road, as all the other houses were this far back. Where were the building code inspectors when they are needed? Do not know how they could get away with it.

In this town the codes are written after the miscues occur.

This has obviously been built by what are known in Germany as the 'Neureich', or in France, the 'Niveau Riche', the people from the lower classes (excuse me, but I am from there also), and thinking they have class to build such monuments of ludicrousy as this... and think it 'cool'

Run up the stairs, and you crack your head on the wall..... but why even such an opulent stairway???

The 'new rich' are good fun to watch when you are on holiday in the South of Europe.... you see the man from the back .... broad .. tall.. long curly hair.. silk dragon design on the shiny black beach 'robe'... then when he turns round.. a belly on him that looks as if he's already 16 months pregnant, and awaiting the wee elephant baby any minute now..... OH SORRY.... that's him.... oh!! but she is much worse.

Don't get me started ..... PLEASE!!

Wintermoor

Wintermoor, in this case you are right on the money. The family, a family of bricklayers. All respectable, nice people. But must live in a wealthy town to rub shoulders with the elite. Their problem is that of wanting to create something with their own hands, anything built with brick and concrete. "And please, no, we know how to design, build, and landscape our own properties, thank you." I could show a couple of other homes by the same 'family', but I don't think it would be constructive.

Aren't they funny though???

I have a couple of pals in the building trade, and they have built their own homes both in Scotland, as well as here in Germany, and I'm serious when I say that I wouldn't even take one of the houses as a present.

1) The Scottish House:
A beautiful house was built with all mod-cons, only they forgot, that after the fabulous new kitchen was built, that it needed running water .... er.... none in the toilet either... oooer!! At least the house was dry, and as you say . they claimed..... "Naw, we don't need any help at all.... we're building a palace here, so you poor folks can just sit bye, and watch us spend our money" ... this, by the way was actually said in a nearby pub during the building of this 'palace', after the builder had been asked if he had enough sanitary system in the building.
Needless to say, they had forgotten the toilets, and water systems generally, which meant that on the day of the 'Grand Opening', the woman of the house, having seen the place for the first time, wanted to go for a pee, and realised that the toilet didn't work. On asking her man,'the builder' how one turns the water on, she recieved a severe crack on the kisser, and told not to be so stupid, and that you just turn the tap on, and water comes out.
After realising that his wife may have uncovered some sort of sabotage attempt by his competition, who owned the house across the field, and reckoning that his wife must have a 'wee thing' with the neighbour... he quickly set about burning his neighbour's house down.... on seeing this, the friendly neighbour, wanting to share this wonderful experience with him, duly torched the new house.... the neighbour had water.... he did not. The neighbour was able to stop the flames engulfing the entire house, but our new rich friend, after smacking his wife on the mouthpiece, couldn't find any water, since he had forgotten to connect it to the system, and therefore had dry taps, toilet and anything else which required water to work properly.

The court case came up, and he had not only to pay for his own damages, but to repair, and rebuild the neighbour's house, to whom he had, in the meantime, lost his wife.

2) The German House:
This house was built without planning permission, which is difficult to get anyway, but was buit nevertheless, by the same guy who built the Scottish house, only having to pull it down again, and rebuild the part of the ground, on which he built to its original self, causing himself debts of over € 500,000.....

This New Rich prune, lost over e 1,000,000 within 12 months just on stupidity.

*loving it*

Wintermoor

Wintermoor, I certainly understand where your bitterness comes from after reading that.But we might be wise not to throw everyone into an automatic category.
Golddog, maybe they ARE ickey people and maybe even IN that category... but they pay their mortgage like we all do and I believe everyone has the right to make their "castle" whatever it is that brings THEM happiness. As long as it doesn't bring down property values and spirits! I also believe very strongly that "good taste" isn't a pre-decided and obvious standard.Taste is measured by each person's own senses. What might taste good to you, might taste really bad to me. Well, it's the same deal. I'm one who does NOT like to be told "what goes with what" on anything.I have common sense and two eyes and that's good enough for me. I can't tell you how many times I've seen featured articles in magazines that caused me to gaze in disbelief that someone would actually wear that outfit or do a room a certain way... Maybe because they are "designers" so we are afraid to challenge it. ? ( Emporer's new clothes type of thing) Maybe I'm just low rent... and don't realize it ! LOL =) Oh well.... when my hubby gets back in town, if he has the company camera, I'll take a few shots of my house. Then I can get some feedback... ( Be gentle with me ! ) =D

>>As long as it doesn't bring down property values and spirits

I understand what you are saying Lil_Pipsqueak, but, it appears that the house on the right is set back farther than this one, therefore blocking their view. I don't know about the house on the other side. But, if that is the case, then it will certainly bring down property values and the spirits of those who live in the houses next to it.

These are just my thoughts.

I'll just finish by saying this neighborhood will never be the same again. Lil_Pipsqueak, you are right. It is their property; it should be respected. I questioned myself as to weather I should show this photo. I probably shouldn't have. This is something I do with a bunch of fellow landscape buffs on the net. A follow-over from landscape design classes.

Lil_Pipsqueak is right. I hope that, when it comes time for me to have a home of my own, I can pick a place where I'll be comfortable, and not a "cookie cutter house" that looks just the same as the rest. Just because the other houses are "sitting a certain way" and "are a certain distance from the road" doesn't mean this one has to be.

Often, the world is prone to attack and disagree with things that are different from what they're used to. It's happened through the history of science that I'm familiar with.

-Jennifer

golddog I for one am glad you showed it. I certainly am glad I don't live there. I have such a long driveway that in the winter I often wonder what we were thinking......This makes me realize that I would choose the long driveway anytime over something like this house with its impossible porch and entryway.

I don't think the opulence of the staircase matters, remember when we bemoaned the ranch style with no porches and tiny little windows set high in the walls? But otherwise I agree that the house is uninviting or we are looking at the side of the house. why would anyone want to be so close to the road that the traffic would be disturbing? A large truck will even vibrate the house and could cause foundation cracking. Wouldn't that be a lovely advertisment for his business? Cracking brick walls in a brick mason's house? I can't believe there is NO setback law at all. I live near a small, very red-necked, backward town and even they have a 15-foot setback......

JoanJ, I absolutely agree with you about blocking the view.They did not consider their neighbors' loss of view. Their neighbors might investigate as to what city codes WERE in place when they got approval for their plans.
Golddog, please don't feel regretful on posting the pic. I guess I just saw an opportunity arise after all the different things were said, to give another perspective.Now you know why even I call myself ( Lil-Pipsqueak ) LOL
I enjoy all of you on this site- I won't ever mean anything rude directed at a one of you. I hope you won't ever feel like that. And Wintermoore, you make me laugh all the time with your jokes ! < hug > =)

I didn't mention the porch extends for 3 sides of the house. Not on the back alley. A very small lot.