Onlooker sparks outrage with photos of abandoned mansion with bizarre design: 'Horrific'

A Redditor took to the platform to share photos of a McMansion that created an eyesore in a Texas neighborhood. The moniker refers to "large, cheaply built, suburban homes with design flaws and a lack of architectural integrity," which are symbols of excess in the United States.

The user posted photos from outside the giant house and of its skeletal interior. In the caption, they pointed to windows of various shapes and sizes, mixed building materials, and a "lawyer foyer." The mishmash of architectural points of interest was, to borrow a word from the poster, "horrific."

The term McMansion is deprecatory, often used to refer to a house that doesn't meet the standards of an actual mansion. The building style first popped up in California in the 1980s, according to The Spruce, reaching peak popularity just before the global financial crisis of 2008. The homes rely on mass-produced materials and showy features, while typical mansions are bespoke, catering to owners' wants and needs.

Both mansions and McMansions exemplify excessive lifestyles. They're used to project images of wealth and luxury. At the same time, they require more resources than average homes, take up more land, and use more energy for heating and cooling.

Homeowners who opt to buy or build large houses should be aware of the costs. Depending on location, the energy bill for a 4,000-square-foot home can total over $400 per month. 

No matter the size of your house, you can offset those costs by installing solar panels to generate energy independent of the grid. EnergySage makes it easy to find installation quotes. The free service helps you compare estimates from vetted companies and can save you $10,000. With EnergySage, homeowners can also utilize the sun's power to potentially cut energy bills down to $0.

Commenters chimed in, seemingly unsurprised that the McMansion had been deserted mid-construction.

"My guess is they work construction building new homes and took materials as they were building," one user speculated. Someone else said, "Unfinished and abandoned — but every lone star has been duly mounted."

Others were confused by the ramshackle structure.

"Was this a renovation or an extension of an existing structure?" another wondered. "Also, good luck getting to the front door."

How much money do you plan to spend on home improvement projects this year? Under $1K 😎 $1K to $5K 💵 $5K to $10K 💰 Over $10K 🤑 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.