Blinded by the ROOF!

[miws]

The pics show up fine for me.

That is bad. :-(

I know it isn’t any consolation, but thinking back to my earlier post about when I worked at McLendon’s, I believe it was an issue only during part of the year, because of the tilt of the Earth, and all of that technical, scientificy stuff.

So, hopefully in your case, it won’t be so intense year ’round, but, it’s a real pain that it happens at all, especially during what is typically the sunniest time of year.

Mike

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[metrognome]

I took a look at the DPD documents and was surprised by the scope of the actual project compared to the description in their paperwork. This project covers several addresses [3201-3209 56TH PL SW, 5601-5605 SW HANFORD ST] and is listed as ‘Construct additions and alterations to existing single family residence/per plan.’ and ‘Revision – Increased scope of demolition: no excavation of existing basement, raised building height (new survey) per plans.’

However, ‘Revision 6384897 to Permit 6370653 was issued on 11/15/13 to reflect the actual scope of work at this site.’ No further details provided.

Also, a violation (#49440) was filed on 3/11/14; as yet it is unresolved. No details on nature of complaint. If this isn’t your complaint, I’d file one using DPD’s on-line system.

Builders aren’t usually very responsive unless you’re the owner. You might have better luck calling the architect (where I would start) or the corporate owner:

Broderick Architects, 55 S. Atlantic St., Ste. 301, 98134; 206-682-7525.

http://www.broderickarchitects.com/

Strada Capitol Inc. (c/o Keller Williams Greater Seattle); 1307 N. 45th St., Ste. 300, 98103. Contact: Lori Campion, 206-679-8806 (you can look her profile up on the website.)

http://greaterseattle.yourkwoffice.com/mcj/user/home.html

(Strada is a national capital investment firm; KW is also national but has a local office.)

Good luck.

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[nighthawk]

I don’t have any answers to your problem but I gree it’s an issue. Another blinding building you might be interested in for research purposes is the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. So bright it caused traffic accidents. The City required them to put dulling coat on part of it to alleviate that.

Scroll down in the wiki article to reflection problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Concert_Hall

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[hammsammich]

Interesting thread. The pictures you posted show a house that is all too common and was most likely built for maximum space and minimum cost. What I could see from the few views of the building there is not really much that the builder did wrong other than horrible siding work. One of the issues you may experience is solar gain. A rise in temperature on the side of your house as a result of the reflection. If the temperature rises to an amount that could cause harm to your house you may have gained some teeth to your complaint.

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[JayDee]

Dear Helloplease:

As one your neighbors I share your distaste at the loss of the view. Unfortunately the City has no view corridor preservation requirements (Oddly enough the City I grew up in requires one to put up a string outline of any proposed rooflines so the neighbors can complain before the house is built).

But I was thinking that you may be able to discuss the roof situation with the seller–my technical solution would be to install near-vertical north-south metal blinds on-top of the roof which would intercept the blinding rays. But the array would take out another 8-12 inches of view at the top of the roof. And it would probably void the warranty of the roof material if it contacted the roof. They would need between 10 and 16 depending on the pitch and the height of the blinds. The only other thing would be to document the times of year it affects your house (you can use June 21+ and then just double that period to represent the year).

Before the house is sold, discuss this problem with the realtor and the seller — maybe it doesn’t make it disclosable, but it might make them worry that it is. (BTW, I am not a real estate attorney so I have no idea how broad the language on the disclosure form is). Right now, while the house is looking for buyers is the time you might be able to get improvements made. IMHO.

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[helloplease]

Thank you for your advice on this blinding roof. I really appreciate it.

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[kayo]

That glare in your picture is awful. I hope you get some resolution!

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[helloplease]

Unfortunately I don’t think I will. The owners are unreachable. The city has signed off on this box.The builder said doing anything to roof would negate the warranty. I feel helpless to the system. I don’t even know where to go at this point.

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[cjboffoli]

helloplease: You probably have a stronger case if you focus on the reflection issue and don’t muddy your argument with your dissatisfaction with losing your view and your apparent intolerance of architectural tastes that are different from yours. All houses are boxes. Just because this house doesn’t have steep gabled roofs or Victorian trim doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a place in West Seattle’s architecture.

The photograph you’ve posted is dramatic. However, as the sun is constantly in motion during the course of the day, with a geometry that changes over the course of the year, I wonder how much time in an average day (and how many days of the year) it looks like what you’ve posted. Let’s also not ignore that Seattle is one of the cloudiest cities in the US, with an average of 311 overcast days a year (or 85% of the time).

The new metal roofing materials will almost certainly darken and dull naturally, both through exposure to the elements and also the same kind of dusty silt that my roof guy cleans out of my gutters every year.

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[wsn00b]

http://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/5603-SW-Hanford-St-98116/home/151790

Wooo…1.15 million. I’m guessing that buying this house isn’t probably a glare-fixing option.

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[kgdlg]

We live in gatewood near 35th – where most lots are small with modest (1500 sf) WW2 era houses. Of course up the hill are some much larger houses because of the views. About ten of these new modern boxes have gone up here over the last year – all listing for over 750k and selling within a month of list.

Here is the thing, people are buying these houses. There is clearly a market for wealthy folks looking for 2000+ sf of living space and no yard. Often they get a view too, but not always. It is incredible and to me it is the “new seattle”. Ten years ago it was similar houses in the faux craftsman style on small lots. Now it is modern style.

I could care less about the design – seattle is full of terribly designed buildings I don’t care much for. Even many craftsmans I find annoyingly “cute”. And developers making money on splitting double lots is nothing new either, if you think about it, they are probably making 500k on each house when they squeeze two of these on a double lot that previously had one tiny house on it.

But like I said, to me this feels hard because it symbolizes how hard the city has become for working and middle class households. As these new houses replace modest little ones I can’t help but think “one last house for regular working people”. And I say this knowing that each big box is probably more energy efficient than what was there before and was half it’s size and that a more efficient use of land is overall good for growth management (if we don’t take the people in seattle, they will just live in the burbs and drive in.)

But it just feels hard. We live almost to the city line, where it used to be the more “affordable” west seattle. I guess the new more affordable is burien or south.

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[JoB]

kdlg.

you are right .. it feels hard

and for those personally affected by it.. it is hard.

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[jennfiermorgon]

Some people prefer natural light coming through the roof. But the people who want to cover the roof, use roof blinds. And the glare from metal roofs of neighbors can cause damage to your eyes, increase the temperature of the room or might be irritating sometimes. So, it is better to cover the roof with blinds to avoid inconvenience. It will maintain the normal temperature and will give a soothing sense to your room.

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[2 Much Whine]

I find it so strange that threads from 8 years ago are resurrected simply for a roofing contractor to post some meaningless drivel in an attempt to do something. I’m not sure what jennifermorgan is up to but it seems so very odd. What’s the point?

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[Vanessa]

Just saying, this post is 7 or 8 years old.

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[Author]

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