“I have never seen one quite like this”

by Prince Of Petworth — March 14, 2016 at 3:00 pm 33 Comments

pop back

A reader reports:

“I know pop-ups and pop-backs have been featured at length before, but I have never seen one quite like this – an addition onto the addition with an old back porch incorporated onto the first level.”

wdc

Remember that episode of the Simpsons, when grown-up Lisa brings her fiance home to meet the family, and Homer shows him into the newly-built spare room, which Homer built himself, which looks EXACTLY like this??
- DCReggae
  
  Principal Skinner: We’ve just been invited to the wedding of the only one of our students to read at an adult level!
  Ms. Hoover: Hmm, it must be Lisa Simpson. Because of course Martin Prince perished in that science fair explosion.
  
  Martin Prince: Not quite perished, my lady love. Although some days I wish I had.
  [plays “A Fifth of Beethoven” on the organ]
Philippe Lecheval

I think that’s called a popover.
- Hill Denizen
  
  lol
- Comic Book Guy
  
  TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XXIV
  “WORST. TREEHOUSE. EVER.”
Neutorious

That’s what she said.
My Goodness

this is photo caption contest worthy
Keefer

Assuming that that they don’t close in the first floor and leave it as a deck/screened porch I can’t believe it got through DCRA, there is virtually no protection against sheer, be that wind or siesmic. All that wall and the weight of inclosed living space balance that high up on 6″x6″s doesn’t work, especially when those are connect on the base to brick piers. Plus it is all anchored back to the old sleeping porch addition and I know from experience that those things were never attached to the main house well.
- dat
  
  I was thinking they intended to enclose the rear portion bounded by the 6×6 posts. Perhaps not, though. Definitely agreed that you need, at a minimum, either the lateral stability provided by the walls or some serious diagonal bracing.
  - Keefer
    
    If that were ther case it seems a strange order to build the upper walls completely before the lower, typical platform framing would be that way. Plus looks at the 6″x6″s and the lower deck, they are framed in pressure treated lumber so it seems there intention is to leave them exposed to the eliments. Seems like this also violates the new rule about how far you can pop back. Also unless the know something I don’t that sheathing isn’t up to being part of a rated party wall assembly
Anon. No. 5

DCRA postcard permit says “alteration/repair of existing tree house.” /s
Marty

That looks like a popup would be like if I designed and tried to build it myself.
DistrictJules

RIP future tenants…
petworther

Absolutely amazing. I love it.
.
Also, with all the hemming and hawing about developers, I’m going to say there’s a 99% chance this is a diy job.
justinbc

Reminds me of the early scenes as they were constructing the Death Star.
anon

I love the random vertical boards they’ve placed all around the sides.
- Jo
  
  You need to leave those in place until the Elmer’s Glue dries.
  - textdoc
    
    Actual LOL!
KK

Obamas have picked a local developer to begin renovations on their frugal post-term DC abode.
Honest Abe

Plus, it looks like they have a window framed on the property wall facade that they share with the neighbor. That is a also a no-no and very poor planning if the neighbor also wants to expand.
- Anonymous
  
  I think that is set back from the property line. The addition seems to be all on the near side of the back door. Not sure if it is it 8 feet from the property line, or if that is the required setback in this zone for parts of the structure that aren’t on the property line. Of course, that is the least of the problems with this.
ExWalbridgeGuy

Can we PLEASE get regular updates on this one!
Swdc

Holy sh*t. Someone call scratch or the housing inspector. There’s no way those 5 6x6s can hold the weight of that second story. That’s a negligence suit waiting to happen.
- Anon
  
  Haven’t you heard of “structural drywall”? Slap down some spackle, touch of painter’s tape, let dry, sand down, and you’re good to go. No need for three layers of brick these days. That drywall does wonders all on its own!
  - Kingman Park
    
    Um I wouldn’t remove that, it’s a loadbearing poster.
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRVExJZKIT8
shaw

“Next week, on Seconds from Disaster…”
eva

I’m not usually one to bang the drum of the US turning into a developing country, but, yeah this would fit in well in a lot of countries with basically no zoning/safety laws where people tack on rooms to their homes when they come into some money.
DCREZ

Good luck knowing if it is properly permitted or reviewed now that DCRA pulled the permit application information site down.
- textdoc
  
  The PIVS site is still up. I’m not sure which permit-related site DCRA took down.
  - DCAinter
    
    This one: http://pivs.dcra.dc.gov/OBPAT/Default.aspx
    
    The one where you could see when a developer had applied for a permit. The one that showed you (and the developer) where it was in the permitting process.
    
    The one that went away in this story: https://www.popville.com/2016/03/dcra-is-hopeful-that-the-site-will-eventually-be-restored-but-the-data-issues-must-be-resolved-before-it-is/
nich

I live near here, and this house has looked like this at least since right before the January snowstorm. Not sure what is going on.
Susie Cambria

Not sure which one of your comments I like best – so many choices — “I think that’s called a popover.” to “You need to leave those in place until the Elmer’s Glue dries.” Thanks for making my day. I needed a good laugh!
David

I can shed some light on this one, since I am the one who got the stop work order applied to the house after calling DCRA about it. The entire project is essentially illegal construction and non-permitted work. The permits called for some minor alterations inside of the house, and made no mention of a substantial exterior addition which, among other things, most certainly violates the rear setback requirements. There was a construction crew working on the house, but it is blatantly evident that it is not to code.

My guess is, this will eventually come down, because it is by right an illegal addition, and I simply can’t see how any facet of this would get approved by DCRA.

Subscribe to our mailing list