The multiple randomly placed decorative gables look like a little village built on the roof. There should to be some logical reason for them. Decoration is only good up to a point.

I have been unable to find a way to respond to messages on Houzz Pro.

I assume the model you are asking for is the third one with the high gables on the right removed. I could show that but I can't find that model.

Is this it?

The stuck on center tower is the culprit not that the other gables couldn't be tuned up a bit..

I mean this design but with some kind of lift to show the front door area

but with some kind of lift to show the front door area

This was a work in progress and I'm only wanting to show the left side of the house.

PPF and RES

Thank you so much for those drawings.

Let me ask this simply:

Can this design below have a portico like the photo below this one?

And, Does this home below have a poor architectural design:

That entry has no relation designwise to the rest of the house. And that second floor window has no relation to the rest of the windows. It looks like an afterthought and a poor one at that.

The design of the existing home does not work with the changes you want to make. Or, said another way, the changes you want to make do not work with the existing home.

I'm not sure you said, but I imagine the proposed 2nd floor structure over the front door is simply to create a 2 story entrance. Maybe you could do away with that feature.

Consider having the porch run from the garage over to the front doors, but not continue on across to the left side.

Put the money saved into the odd 2nd floor windows and closet bump out. I noticed most of the other houses had a matching one on the left and had different windows.

The formal two story entrance element and a more casual entrance porch create an architectural contradiction. Choose the desired nature of the house before adding popular elements from the neighborhood.

RES:
Wow!! That’s. Lot of work creating this design for me. I can even see my Christmas tree in the window!! We will also want to center the front doors so that the overhang is centered above them also.

My husband and I are calling our contractor to discuss changes with the architect. If we are not happy we will have to let him go after we already paid him. Then we will start again maybe next year

Thanks so much for your consideration and time and, mostly, your professionalism.

Xoxo

PPF

LOVE THIS!

So many ways to approach this.

Deleting both the 2 story entrance element and the tall Christmas tree window is even better.

A portico needs to be centered on a front door but a porch doesn't.

Thanks again PPF and RES,

I’m bringing all these ideas to contractor. But it’s difficult for my husband and me to like the design that eliminates the things that we asked for in the first place. I’ve been hoping for a full porch with a metal roof and the portico above the doors. Let see what they come up with.

Oh yeah - my Christmas tree 🎄 window too. 😕

"The biggest difference between a porch and a portico is that a porch is more of an additional ... living space at the front of your house, while a portico is mainly a roofed structure held up by columns at the entrance of your property."

A portico is therefore directly in front of a front door essentially providing weather protection at the door. It doesn't extend very far to the sides of the front door.

A porch extends a substantial distance to one or both sides of a front door. There is no reason for the door to align with any gable or cricket on the roof of the porch. The primary purpose of that roof element is to shed water to either side of an access stair

Don't get hung up on aligning things especially since your house is not symmetrical and if you plan to use the porch, it's best not to put the front door in the middle of it.

I like both! LOL

I just wanted to say good luck and keep us updated on your project! I do like the drawings that RES2 did above.

Thoughts??

Do the remodel as your architect has designed. Do not concern yourself with our opinions, or what your neighbors have done.

The concept fills all your wants and you are clearly happy with it, and that's what is important.

After all the advice and your architect gives you essentially the same design again.

Who designed the houses in the inspiration pics?

RES:

The architect was not the same as mine on the ones I posted. I cannot tell what is wrong anywhere - i don't have a designer eye

Your husband's favorite is a McMansion. (You can tell him I said so. ;) )

Go find one of the architects of the inspiration ones you like. They are so superior to what your "architect" is designing. (Me thinks someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class.)

Sorry for being blunt, but again after the excellent job you did on the interior, you should want better on the exterior.

What your architect gave you has no cohesiveness. It's a bunch of chopped up cliches.

The porkchop eaves (how the eaves are finished at the ends. Look at your inspiration to see how they should be finished)

The board and batten and shakes.

The massive second floor on top of the front door so it looks like it's going to crush the first floor.

The four gables and now leaving the dormer which has no relation at all to the other elements.

RES gave you a beautiful rendering of what your house could be. One that would stand the test of time, versus this mashup of discordant styles.

Tomorrow I will ring the bells of the 2 homes I posted that were my inspiration pics. I will ask who their architect was and see what happens.

RES

You said to choose the desired nature of the house before adding elements. I have no idea what that means. I’m sorry - but I don’t understand that no matter how many times I read it.

CPARTIST. Can I call you. It’s too much to type. I’m afraid that if I tell the next architect what I want, I will get the same exact drawing. I don’t know pork chop eaves or how they should be finished. All I see is a final product that looks pretty to me or doesn’t. I don’t like a plain flat straight roofline. I like those peaks so I’m not a good judge of a bad design I also don’t know what you mean by “four gables and now leaving dormer”. I need the height over the front door so that I can straighten out my ceiling on the inside. Right now it’s sloped and ugly.

I don’t care what my house looks like now from the outside. I don’t like it, and I don’t want to keep any elements from it.

I cannot tell if the design makes no sense —. Are you able to tell if my inspiration homes make sense. If so, I will call on those architects to see what they cost and cut my losses. I’m worried I’ll be in the same boat with someone else. The few you referred to me cannot come here to help. But thanks for the referrals

Yes you can call me on Friday. :)

Yes your inspiration, especially #3 make more sense.

Here is what the terms refer to.

This looks like your same plan. They added on to the right side, completely transformed the 2nd floor, and maybe added a 3rd floor space.

These changes hide the original house and change the scale. It's now a much larger house. Most people will not see the old house, only the new.

Your concepts show elements like the various new gables that appear tacked on and not integrated into the design. You said above "I don’t care what my house looks like now from the outside. I don’t like it, and I don’t want to keep any elements from it.", yet the existing house is obvious. The basic structure and the things that make it unique (the low roof over the garage, the dormer and odd closet bump out for example) remain unchanged.

The Shingle Style uses strong asymmetrical forms seemingly carved from a larger block rather than an assemblage of seemingly unrelated parts. And it uses shingle siding with no cornerboards and sometimes rustic field stone on a lower level. Here again it's not an assemblage of disperate parts. It uses strong classical detailing. Like Palladio visits the middle ages.

"But it’s difficult for my husband and me to like the design that eliminates the things that we asked for in the first place."

Is there a way to implement ALL the things OP wants and still have it be a good design? She has repeatedly come back to peaks (she likes them!), full porch across the front of the house, including an unobstructed view of a tall Christmas tree window under the roof of that porch, and 2nd story large window above the front door. Her architect keeps coming back with the same design because OP doesn't want to budge on the things she likes and wants.

Thank you, Cee Why

Maybe you put the question more clearly than I’ve been trying.

I’d love to know this answer. I don’t want a plain house. I like all the details, etc. especially the things I keep repeating

Thanks so much!!!

What RES just did is the best version so far. Stunning and elegant.

You can get everything you want but then it will look to quote RES, like " an assemblage of seemingly unrelated parts."

Good and great design is give and take. Res just gave you your gables, (2 instead of gable city), the porch, the second floor window over the front entry and even though you don't believe it, a triple window which from your street will showcase your tree. You don't need a 10' window to showcase the tree as when you're in your driveway or on the street and look up, you'll see it very clearly.

What your untalented architect gave you (although I still think he palmed it off onto his assistant) is a mish mosh of 90's builder cliches.

CPARTIST:

You mean this:

Are these porkchop returns?????

I don't care about the Christmas tree as much as the other stuff. The reason I say I cannot put the tree in the living room window as is - is that the ceiling on the inside is only 8' unless I raise it. You told me to find the architect for House #3 . The McMansion?? I'm so confused.

JP L

I've wanted to live on this block for years and finally moved here. I never liked the house - only the neighborhood and the block . My daughter and her fam moved in across the street and I'm not leaving. I'm only working on the facade at this time. My contractor does not think I have to move out at all even though I can easily go across the street if I had to. My big family is also close by (within 10 minutes each way) and I'm not moving anywhere else until I'm ready to downsize in 10 years -- maybe

Scenario:

1 - I lose the money I already paid for my architect

2- I hire another architect and pay him

3- I tell him what I like and he draws me a similar design

4 - I post here and you all tell me that I'm gable-happy

SO,

I need to find an architect that I will pay and keep next time! I need recommendations even though I got 2 for this one!! I am going to ring the bells of the inspiration homes down the block even though you all told me that those arched windows are outdated. UGH

Just backing this discussion up a bit to level set - the scope of work required to get your existing home to the future versions being shared will be significant - you will most likely need to relocate for a year or longer and you will also face the discussion with your contractor/architect of just demo'ing your existing house (or a large part of it) and rebuilding (on the same foundation/footprint, or expanding it), as that option may end up being more cost effective. If you are financing any part of this project, you will risk being upside down for a period of time after the renovation is completed (depending on your market and other aspects of the situation - but in most scenarios, this is likely). Not trying to be discouraging - just giving you a head's up (as someone who also is doing major renovations on an existing house, we've faced all of the above - it can be a huge shocker if you're not prepared).

Your existing house is quite quirky - I know you dislike it, but there could be folks who would absolutely love it in its current form. Is there some strong reason for you guys to stay in this exact home and do this extensive work (i.e. it's already paid off, your neighborhood is amazing and impossible to replicate elsewhere, etc.)? There are tons of homes out there that allow for large windows for Christmas tree viewing and have wrap around porches. Granted, it's a pretty terrible time to buy right now (unless you have all cash), but it won't always be.

What’s wrong with decorative gables? I honestly don’t know

When you're designing a home everything you create should have a legitimate purpose. If you need to lift the roof with a gable because you want a volume ceiling in the room, that's legitimate. If you add a gable to the outside of the house in a gratuitous manner for decoration, it's not considered legitimate because it serves no real purpose.

Builders often do it. Good architects don't.

“Your existing house is quite quirky - I know you dislike it, but there could be folks who would absolutely love it in its current form.”

I absolutely love the current form and haven’t seen a single proposal in the thread that, in my mind, is an improvement on what is there now. However, it is not my money or my home. The OP likes what they like and if their architect gave them what they want then I think they should move forward with it.

Thank you, Marie J

My small neighborhood of homes all started out in the 80s looking the way mine is currently. Only a few remain in their original form, as many have added on, updated, extended, etc. I dislike the sight of my entire sloped roof from the street. And from where I am standing, so do the majority of people here. Trust me - I wish I thought it was so pretty - But I like the other styles that people have created and have been planning this update for a while now. I like my architect's drawing, but I don't have the ability to discern the problems all of you see here. So my only hope now is to trust another architect whose work I still won't be able to gauge.

The OP likes what they like and if their architect gave them what they want then I think they should move forward with it.

This wasn't my point at all - of course the OP is entitled to have his/her property the way that they want. My only objective was to share that these proposals represent an extensive scope of work - they aren't for the faint of heart. And comparatively, selling this home and buying one that is more in line with their vision, or even demolishing this home altogether and rebuilding a new home on the same lot or footprint might present a better choice vs. investing a boatload into this home and still landing on compromises. I admittedly know literally nothing about OP's financial position or comfort with risk, and as these plans keep progressing, I just wanted to shine a light on the reality of actually completing a project of this size.

"I like my architect's drawing, but I don't have the ability to discern the problems all of you see here."

If you like what your architect came up with then go with it. The only "problem" is that people have a different opinion of what they think you should like vs what you DO like. Getting a new architect isn't going to change your mind about what you like. You said that you like all the details. It is okay to like what you like!

"Scenario:

1 - I lose the money I already paid for my architect

2- I hire another architect and pay him

3- I tell him what I like and he draws me a similar design

4 - I post here and you all tell me that I'm gable-happy"

Do yourself a favor and don't come back and ask for more opinions, it is confusing you. You don't have to appease anyone here and you don't need approval from anyone to like what you like!

My apologies. Not the McMansion. #1 but without the two fake gables above the garage and above the left wing. I was looking at the closeup of #1 and thinking it was a different house.

#2 and #3 are not really any better than what you have.

No there are no pork chops on RES's drawing. Did you see the drawing where I labeled what a pork chop is? Below I circled what are the pork chops.

Why don't you take RES's drawing as it is to an architect?

Brief explanation of "CORNICE RETURNS" and "PORK CHOPS"

Older traditional (Colonial, Colonial Revival, etc.) houses that we copy repeatedly today (in and out of context) with "boxed cornices" (bottom of rafter overhang enclosed with a soffit) without gutters had roof eave/cornices that emulated Greek & Roman temples like this:

The roof rake and eave/cornice is made of 2 parts: the upper is what we call a "crown" and the lower is a short vertical trim board called a "fillet". When the diagonal rake trim meets the eave/cornice trim, the full detail (crown and fillet) continue along the eave/cornice and the fillet turns and runs horizontally across the face of the gable. This detail is called a "Classical Cornice Return" typical of Colonial and Colonial Revival style houses.

This detail becomes more complicated when a gutter is added. The 3 most common gutters are the integral wood or metal gutter, the hanging half-round gutter and the applied metal "K style" gutter.

Here is an "integral gutter" with a true Classical return:

Here is a modern interpreation of a cornice return with a K style gutter (it's a bit heavy handed IMO):

Here is a modern cornice return in copper:

A "Pork Chop" cornice return is not really a cornice return since the eave/cornice stops when it reaches the corner of the house and the diagonal gable rake trim continues, covering the eave/cornice and the K style gutter.

This is an informal "bungalow" style detail but builders like to apply it to larger more formal multi-gable houses because it doesn't require a high level of carpentry skill or expense. It's often considered inappropriate by architects and IMO can be an indication of who is in charge of the detailing: the designer or the builder.

There are other ways to detail it:

It's often considered inappropriate by architects and IMO can be an indication of who is in charge of the detailing: the designer or the builder.

Or an inexperienced and unlicensed assistant.

In a firm drafters are rarely expected to design buildings. A firm that designs houses will have worked out these kinds of details and the boss would only need to tell the drafter what he/she wants. Nothing leaves the office without review and approval.
I suspect it might be a matter of a firm working closely with builders who are understandably concerned with speed and cost or perhaps there are no skilled carpenters left which is a big problem in New England.
But what happened to the wonderful shingle siding? The new facade looks like a patchwork quilt.

Hi Guys:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well -- We did it-- We told the contractor that we need a new architect. He asked what we didn't like, and it was hard for me to explain considering I was just repeating what you guys said without understanding things fully. I mentioned the porkchop returns - (I'm sure very incorrectly), but whatever -- I told him I wasn't feeling comfortable spending a lot of money on this job and being unsure of the quality of the architect.

So now we are at square-1 looking for someone else. I did ask the neighbors who they used so I have a few phone numbers. I'll call them on Monday. I hope it won't be a crap shoot to find someone good. Cross your fingers for me!!!

I got the architect phone numbers from these 3 homes:

#1

#2

#3

Thanks to all of you for your input!!!

xoxo

I totally understand that you want to redesign and add to your current house. If I had the financial means, I think I would do it also. There are multiple reasons, but the most important is that you are not happy with it is as is. You have the opportunity to design a better house than your neighbors'. I really like Res2's drawing that cpartist reposted. Can you bring that to your architect? Maybe just tell him a close friend drew it up? Or you found it online? I hope you keep posting and let us know how it goes. And I'm sorry for the people posting rude comments. You are here seeking advice which is what this forum is for and are being very nice about it too!

Hello Everyone -- We are about to sign with a new architect. We have to pay him before he draws - just like last time. He also does not do 3D rendering unless we pay an extra 3K for it. I've called a few architects and none of them include the 3D plan.

Again, how will I know if after he draws the design, it's worth using? And then I will be out another few grand like I am now?! He designed this house in my neighborhood.

Thoughts??

Unless it has changed, I believe private messaging is turned off by default. To turn it on you need to go to your home page Profile, click on Advanced Settings and allow private messaging.

RES2
Let me see…