Dormers gone bad . . .

[Bonster]

Continuing in the other direction from the 2nd story addition/ dormer thread, I'd like to post some pics of dormers/additions/subtractions I notice around town that make me cringe.  Or just wince.  Or just catch my eye. 
If anyone else has some pics, post away.

Some of the dormers are very clean, but just look out of place to me.  Others are just baaaaaad (the classic double-wide dropped on top), obliterating the integrity of the house. 
I think a lot of dormers could probably be improved by better matching the siding used with the original brickwork below.

I'm also not a fan of certain replacement windows (particularly in front).  Most really old windows can be reglazed and refinished to a rather efficient state.  I'd rather see someone do that and purchase a high end storm, keeping the original split glass windows if those the house came with are such.

Sorry if I offend anyone, or post their house.   Too bad. 
In its present state, my house ("UGH") is like one big bad dormer, so I don't really care if anyone gives it right back to me. 
This is just my opinion, and I'm sure there's quite a few dormers I'd love inside.

[Bonster]

no

[Bonster]

The dormer on this ain't so bad, but there's something about the white siding that gets me.
Such a pretty brick gingerbread house, and the white siding on top just doesn't look right to me. 
If not brick, maybe some kind of natural wood siding would go nicer with this...

[Bonster]

The other houses on this block had these cute li'l windows with stained glass on the sides.  At some point an owner had another idea...I'd be curious to see just what. Added/removed a fireplace?  Note the three bircks set vertically in between.

[Bonster]

This is one I had in mind to get; found it in the pictures archive at Liberty Suburban, though.
Ilk.

1615 Wenonah

http://libertysuburban.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=103006

sick

[Bear]

Truly Kafkaesque architecture

[Bonster]

Kafkaesque?
The Wenonah one was a combo of the previous pics.  It looks like they, too, bricked over some stained glass windows on the side.

I couldn't come home to that every night without getting sick. 
I weep for their neighbors...

[Bear]

Kafkaesque...As in Father & Son

[Bonster]

lmao...

A couple of the Father & Son jobs I know of aren't all that bad, but they're on those rather bland rectangular (non-bungalow) structures.  But I get where you're coming from.  From what I read, dealing with them is even worse than the outcome.

[berwynson]

Sometime after the daughter of the neighbors to the south of us married, her new husband came over to secure permission from my Mother & Dad to allow them to build a "small dormer" upstairs, so the "old folks" could live upstairs, and the young couple downstairs. I remember there were no drawing presented, just talk, my Dad was skeptical, thinking a large second floor would shield our home from needed winter sun. He told them the other neighbor had already said OK- (later learned, too late, that wasn't true!). So they said OK.

Next thing the whole roof was removed, and a big, ugly dormer the entire length and width of the house took shape, actually a whole second story. The appearance of it displeased my parents, and my Dad forever after spoke of it as the "PAGOTA".   

If you choose to see it, the address would be 1807 S. Harvey. Berwynson

[Bonster]

I can see why they were displeased...and it has one of those lovely arched entryways, too.
It looks like a barn landed on top.

Bad dormers are not just a recent phenomenon.

[berwynson]

Bonster, for the effort you have expended on the above, I am indebted to you to the extent that I have deleted from my mind any negative thoughts instilled as a result of reading your comments!

I grew up in the house shown partially in the L.H. pic. The 2 show why the neighbor felt we had the better side drive, and hated us for it! (As a kid, I gave him, unknowingly, many better reasons for hating us!)

Thank you!!!  Berwynson

[Ana]

no

I know the family at this house.  They're from the old neighborhood.  I couldn't believe they did this either.  I couldn't believe the City let them do this.  But I know, what is esthetically unpleasant for some does not matter to the City.

[berwynson]

Ana, the family originally in the dormered house which lived there when I was still around had bought the house new, I think, in 1923. The old folks, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad, had the dormer built, to allow their daughter & son in law, Ray & Marcie Kozak, to live downstairs with their 3 kids.

The people you speak of may have purchased the house from Kozaks, as I expect the old folks passed on not too long after I left; that was 35 years ago!

Thank you for your input here! Berwynson

[Ana]

sorry for the confusion berwynson, I was talking about the first dormered mutilation that Bonster posted.

[Bonster]

This looks like it was a two-house accident on Highland.




...or a tumor!

[Bonster]

This was one of those non-descript rectangle homes I talked about.
Now I know the feeling about PVC fence, and the top isn't brick, but this is a case where they spiffed up a rather bland home, and did something nice overall with their property (IMO).

The guy here has a mean Mopar, btw.

[Bonster]

OK.  I'm not exactly sure if this was a dormer job, or not.  They're just behind me; I'll have to ask if they know about the history of their house.

Either way, this is how respectable any dormer can be if the addition is at all consistent with the rest of the house!

[Ana]

That is definitely not a dormer.  American Four Square, maybe?

[renovatorbear]

I nearly crash the precious Subaru every time I pass this one... (apologies in advance if this is a board member's home  ).  Thoughts...?