Oakville custom home architecture

[Memph]

I'm back to living with my parents in Oakville, so I thought I'd take some pictures of the new custom homes that have been built here over the past two decades. Some of them are kinda tacky/poorly designed, but I think there's some pretty good ones too.

 

[Memph]

There's a few styles that have been built in large quantities here. In the 00s, neo-traditional designs were most population, and they continue being built in decent numbers even today. Around 10 years ago, you started to get a lot of what I believe is referred to as "Nantucket style" homes (often with fiber cement siding?).

Then in the past 5 years, there's been a very large increase in modern style homes. Here's some examples of those.

 

[Memph]

 

[SunriseChampion]

Ooooooh yeah, some of those look very familiar....as in derivative.

Just taking a look at that last one.

Within five years, there will likely be water damage to that facade, especially at any overhangs. Place your wagers.
I'm looking specifically at the section above the front door and large window.
Also I see they couldn't even afford stone all the way around.

That tall window on the left upper volume will also likely be problematic.

These sorts of stone walls do very poorly when in frequent contact with water....so all sections that meet a flat roof will fail, for example.

Though water will likely get in everywhere along the facade and damage the mortar and stone.

 

[Northern Light]

Just a big bigger and taller and I could swear I'd taken classes in that building. Looks a bit like a modern version of Northrop Frye at U of T

It also reminds me of this building from the Victoria College portion of the U of T campus:

 

[Northern Light]

Just taking a look at that last one.

Within five years, there will likely be water damage to that facade, especially at any overhangs. Place your wagers.
I'm looking specifically at the section above the front door and large window.
Also I see they couldn't even afford stone all the way around.

That tall window on the left upper volume will also likely be problematic.

These sorts of stone walls do very poorly when in frequent contact with water....so all sections that meet a flat roof will fail, for example.

Though water will likely get in everywhere along the facade and damage the mortar and stone.

I claim no expertise here, as I'm not in the trades, but does the stone in the upper left section look like its water saturated near the roof line?

If not.......why the unique discolouration?

If so.........what's the likely cause, a failure in the flashing?

*****

I've seen overhangs suggested as a water penetration problem before.

Why is that? Is there a mitigation strategy if that's the design choice?

 

[mjl08]

There's a few styles that have been built in large quantities here. In the 00s, neo-traditional designs were most population, and they continue being built in decent numbers even today. Around 10 years ago, you started to get a lot of what I believe is referred to as "Nantucket style" homes (often with fiber cement siding?).

Then in the past 5 years, there's been a very large increase in modern style homes. Here's some examples of those.

I always dislike written street addresses on houses, but this one in particular is atrocious. Is that the Alladin font?

 

[lenaitch]

I claim no expertise here, as I'm not in the trades, but does the stone in the upper left section look like its water saturated near the roof line?

If not.......why the unique discolouration?

If so.........what's the likely cause, a failure in the flashing?

*****

I've seen overhangs suggested as a water penetration problem before.

Why is that? Is there a mitigation strategy if that's the design choice?

I'll let the guys in the trades give real answers, but I've always felt that design elements like drip edging, slope, etc. are more or at least just as important to mitigate water damage. Anything that relies solely on seals or caulking will fail in time. Perhaps these designs, cladding etc. work better in different climates.

Flat-roof houses just leaves me cold. Brain Baeumler seems to be a big fan. I'm not convinced they work well in our climate (then again, it is Oakville).

My brother and sister-in-law used to live in 'old Oakville'. A house on the street would get sold and be a hole in the ground within a few days.

 

[Jonny5]

Does that grey rectangular box shaped thing to the left of the garage that splits up the house top to bottom have some kind of functional purpose? Or is that an aesthtic choice?
That's kind of depressing to look out the second floor windows and see that blocking a large swath of view.

 

[Memph]

Ooooooh yeah, some of those look very familiar....as in derivative.

Just taking a look at that last one.

Within five years, there will likely be water damage to that facade, especially at any overhangs. Place your wagers.
I'm looking specifically at the section above the front door and large window.
Also I see they couldn't even afford stone all the way around.

That tall window on the left upper volume will also likely be problematic.

These sorts of stone walls do very poorly when in frequent contact with water....so all sections that meet a flat roof will fail, for example.

Though water will likely get in everywhere along the facade and damage the mortar and stone.

I'm guessing the houses that have slope sections of their roofs leading down to the walls but still have a flat top would still potentially have issues? Most of the "neotraditional" custom homes in Oakville are like this (although you don't really realize unless you look at aerials).

 

[Memph]

I'll let the guys in the trades give real answers, but I've always felt that design elements like drip edging, slope, etc. are more or at least just as important to mitigate water damage. Anything that relies solely on seals or caulking will fail in time. Perhaps these designs, cladding etc. work better in different climates.

Flat-roof houses just leaves me cold. Brain Baeumler seems to be a big fan. I'm not convinced they work well in our climate (then again, it is Oakville).

My brother and sister-in-law used to live in 'old Oakville'. A house on the street would get sold and be a hole in the ground within a few days.

Well Oakville might not get as much snow as other parts of the GTA but it still gets wintertime freeze thaw cycles and a fair bit of rain.

And yeah, that's the reason why my parents are reluctant to make major investments into the house. They renovated the kitchen and bathrooms 15 years ago, but they're not expecting to live here longer than 10 more years and it's a ranch house on a 15,000 sf lot so there's every expectation the buyer will be a developer that'll just tear it down regardless of what condition it's in.

Does that grey rectangular box shaped thing to the left of the garage that splits up the house top to bottom have some kind of functional purpose? Or is that an aesthtic choice?
That's kind of depressing to look out the second floor windows and see that blocking a large swath of view.

Can't think of what functional purpose it would serve, I'm pretty sure it's just aesthetic.

 

[afransen]

I'm guessing the houses that have slope sections of their roofs leading down to the walls but still have a flat top would still potentially have issues? Most of the "neotraditional" custom homes in Oakville are like this (although you don't really realize unless you look at aerials).

Is this driven by height limits?

 

[gabe]

Lots of money in Oakville. I worked on one of those cartoonish looking mega mansions on Lakeshore rd a few years ago. Guy bought over 100k worth of fencing and gates.

 

[Memph]

Is this driven by height limits?

I think it's more about wanting a steep but not excessively tall roof on 2 storey buildings with relatively large floor plates. Although maybe height limits are also a factor for the biggest of the mansions.

 

[SunriseChampion]

I always dislike written street addresses on houses, but this one in particular is atrocious. Is that the Alladin font?

That entire abode is atrocious! They couldn't have possibly put on a decent font.