These include:

Large tapering chimney

Steeply-peaked roofs and dormers

Built-in small garages (uncommon in such small houses)

Spindle porch columns

Copious use of recycled material (trolley track rails used as main supports; chair backs used as decoration; reused brick, stone, timber, barnboard, and nails).

Multiple levels inside the structure

Exterior mix of shingle, stone, brick, stucco, and wood siding, often on the same structure; brick and stone often laid in irregular or whimsical patterns; cladding is often patchwork.

Structural problems such as bowed floors and plumbing and electrical work encased in plaster

Use of a cellulosic insulation treated to be fireproof

Concrete aggregates that include found stone, broken glass