If you live in the Sacramento area or various portions of California, you’ve likely come across a “McKeon” property. Maybe you didn’t know the formal name, but chances are you’ve seen one since they are sprinkled throughout the Sacramento area. McKeons are named after the McKeon Corporation, which built a great deal of attached four-unit properties in the 60s and 70s that are either condominiums or fourplexes. Take a one-minute video tour with me below to see in person what a McKeon looks like.
Where have you seen McKeon properties? If you have lived in one or sold quite a few, I’d be curious to hear your perspective on which unit you think is most preferrable?
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I prefer one of the side units. My girlfriend and her dad own two of these Mckeon units. Her dad has a front unit. It’s nice, and plenty spacious. I think it’s better for folks where mobility is an issue since it’s all one story. One drawback is you get all of the noise from the street.
My girlfriend’s unit is a side unit, which I like. I like the split level. It offers a spacious feel and can also help with noise (first floor noise isn’t as bothersome on the second floor.) But also, heat rises and with the bedrooms on the second floor, summer can be a bit warm. The flip side of course is the rooms upstairs are pretty toasty in the winter. I like the side units also because you don’t get the noise from the alley in the back or the street in the front.
The best thing about the rear units is you get an upstairs balcony. Depending on what your view is this can be good or bad. I think another downside is being right above the garages. Not all of these units have garage doors, but I can’t imagine enjoying the noise from the openers at all hours of the day.
Thanks!
Hi Philo. Your commentary is spot on, and I really think you highlighted the pluses and minuses very well. Thank you so much. I concur about Unit #4 because sometimes the view is open space if you’re lucky, but in many cases it’s an alley. I’ve seen the same thing too as some units have a garage door and other times not.
Any idea where I can get floor plans for remodeling the Ventura McKeons (unit 3 model)? There are some upgrades I would like to make and want to make sure if load bearing and if I can add a beam? Add air conditioning and possibly a small washer/dryer.
Hi Paula. Hmm, I’m not entirely sure. I suspect a contractor could let you know if a wall was load-bearing or not. I wonder if someone has plans posted somewhere on a site like Flickr. Sometimes I’ve been able to find really old images for other types of homes. That’s a longshot, but I figured I would mention it.
Hi Paula,
Were you able to figure out the bearing walls? I own a unit 4 and would like to have the floor plans as well. Please let me know if you found the floor plans anywhere. Thank you.
The heat in McKeon homes in unbearable. My father owns 2 of them in Citrus Heights. My brother in Unit 1 and myself in Unit 4.
I have remodeled mine a few years ago and there is little to no insulation where insulation should be. It takes a lot of energy to cool these homes and because there is little to no insulation the AC is on 24/7 June, July, and August. I had an tech go up there to replace the HVAC 7 years ago and he said the insulation up in the attic was 1/2 thick if I remember correctly. I fixed the subfloor of my #4 unit 4 years ago and there was no insulation between the garage and the subfloor.. These new tiers SMUD has enacted made paying the energy bills stressful. Last July, my energy bill was $300. The landlords aren’t incentivized to insulate rental properties because they aren’t the ones paying the energy, so it just becomes another burden forced onto those living with low incomes. As usual, making the cost of living higher when you’re poor.
SMUD wouldn’t have to charge tier rates during times of high energy usage if they incentivized owners of homes like the McKeons to be insulated.
Thanks Jeffrey. I really appreciate you pitching in here. I hear you on the tiers also. It’s not easy to keep things cool during those peak hours. I’m not a fan of that system. I’d be curious to see the end-result. What do the stats show? Do people use less energy during these hours now? Or is this a money-maker for them? Thanks again. Hang in there.
Building manager of a few McKeon 4-plexes. Is it possible to replace or fix the steps for the #4 unit without having to replace the whole staircase? 1 has a crack in the cement, i had a crack and a piece has fallen off. Is the company still around that built these buildings? Thank you for your time in advance!
Hi Lesley. I really wish I had an answer for you. I really appreciate you checking in, but this would be outside of what I know. I would reach out to a contractor to ask for feedback. Fingers crossed you don’t have to replace the staircase though. I don’t know if this company is still around, but I have not seen any new McKeons (most are multiple decades old built in the 60s or 70s probably).
We just fully remodeled a McKeon (side unit) in Ventura. I would get a contractor to look at it. I assume this is the top unit which has concrete steps? You should not have to replace all the stairs to fix one unless the whole thing is deemed unsafe.
Thanks for pitching in, Paula. Very cool.
Yes. You can buy the individual steps and a welder can install them. We’ve done them in Ventura.
Thanks Don.
You can purchase those steps, I’m a manager up in auburn, and we have had to replace a bunch of them, they’re welded on usually. they cut them off and put a new one on.
Has anyone installed an individual water shut-off valve for their unit?
Having only one shut-off valve for 4 units can be problematic.
I plan to have a plumber look at it but thought I’d ask here first.
Hopefully someone can see this and respond. Best wishes.
Hello,
I checked a couple of units today. One is unit #4 and another is Unit number 3.
My observations are, while unit one is clearly superior as ground floor one level, if on main road it has noise and security issue, plus windows cannot be kept open as people are passing around you to go to their units etc.
Unit 2 and 3 I cannot even imagine living in as only bathroom is upstairs, which means even your evening guests would need to climb stairs and wash hands or use restroom!!! the downstairs is pretty dark in the kitchen.
On the other hand, I really liked unit 4! Well lit unit, and balcony you can really use! I see if garages have doors it would be pretty miserable if people keep coming back into the night! If garages don’t have doors it might be ok..
Thank you Shilpa. I appreciate hearing your pluses and minuses. I’m not sure that there is one perfect unit. We also have to consider size too. I appreciate your logic here.
The kitchens for ground units are extremely small and little options to open up. I have remodeled a side unit and opened up the kitchen area quite a bit.
Has anyone added washer/dryer stack in their unit?