[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tri-level/split level homes (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 10/14/2013 6:58:43 AM EDT
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Can someone explain the attraction of them to me? |
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Lots of stairs. I rented a room in one once.
It was a pain in the ass to move furniture up those shitty stairs because of all the corners you had to navigate. I was on the 3rd floor but ended up moving down to the 1st floor when one of our roommates moved out. Made my life so much easier. The owner of the home had to have their king size bed hoisted up onto the 2nd story balcony by the moving company in order to get up to the master bedroom on the 3rd floor. |
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Quoted: Are you talking about split level homes or 3 story houses? Quoted: Quoted:  Are you talking about split level homes or 3 story houses? Idk what a "tri-level home" is  Speed Split level is the same thing isn't it? Entry way in the middle with stairs going to both an upper and lower level. No. That's a split entry or something. That's an extremely common floorplan here for 1 story houses on basements. Split level is when they take 2 multiple story buildings and sort of stick them together on different grades...you end up with half flights of stairs between levels. Speed |
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Quoted:
Are you talking about split level homes or 3 story houses? Idk what a "tri-level home" is
Speed Split level is the same thing isn't it? Entry way in the middle with stairs going to both an upper and lower level. Quoted:
Quoted:
Idk what a "tri-level home" is
Speed Split level is the same thing isn't it? Entry way in the middle with stairs going to both an upper and lower level. With shag carpeting, wood panelling and a conversation pit, usually.
The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. |
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We bought a split-foyer. Great bang for the buck in terms of square footage per dollar. Upstairs is a typical 3/2 house. Downstairs is the garage, laundry, storage, and two bonus rooms. Two levels was our limit when house hunting. No way we'd consider any three-floor houses. |
To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas:
To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: 
I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. ETA: I though of an advantage... In a split or tri level home the lower level is sunk 3 or 4 feet into the earth. A few sandbags in front of the windows and you have a very defendable fighting position. 
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Quoted:
To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. The second one there looks like a garrison sank.  Must be a midwest thing?
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Quoted:
To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. first one is a split level 2nd one is a bag o smashed assholes. (technically I think that's called a "raised ranch") |
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I live in one (I call it split but the realtors called it a tri-level). Front door opens into the main level.
Living room, Dining room & Kitchen behind that. Off of the living room is a flight of stairs going up to 3 bedrooms and a bath. Off of one side of the dining area are 3 steps down into a family room & a 4th bedroom. There is a set of steps down into the basement in the family room under the flight that goes upstairs from the living room. Off of the back side of the dining area there is a step down into the 'Florida room' or Sun room which is 18' X 24'. There is an attached 2-1/2 car garage off of the kitchen but it's not under any of the main house. All in all I get about 2200 sq ft of space in the footprint of a much smaller house. |
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Quoted: To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. It must be different regional nomenclatures... ...we would call the first house a split level, but the second house is just a one story with split entryway and a finished basement. That second one is a very popular floorplan here because it allows for houses to be built on hills with integrated garages, but without a lot of site work or retaining walls. There are entire housing plans here that eere built in the 70s and 80s that are completely split entry style homes  Speed
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I've owned one, a true tri-level. A true tri-level looks like a two story home with a single story main level on the side of it (about midway between other two stories)
Garage and utilities on the lowest level. Main living/dining/kitchen on the middle. All bedrooms upstairs. They were very common in the south (where traditional basements are nearly unheard of) from the late 60's through the early 80's for sloped lots. The advantages were a plus sized 2 car garage with lots of storage capability. Maximized square feet of livable space on 1/2 acre sloped lots. Living and sleeping areas are on separate floors but not over one another. Disadvantages are pretty much everything else. No bathroom on living level. Large laundry but it's as far away from bedrooms as possible. You better enjoy walking up and down stairs all day. I'm not unhappy that I don't own it anymore and now live in a more traditional home design. |
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I live in one (I call it split but the realtors called it a tri-level). Front door opens into the main level. Living room, Dining room & Kitchen behind that. Off of the living room is a flight of stairs going up to 3 bedrooms and a bath. Off of one side of the dining area are 3 steps down into a family room & a 4th bedroom. There is a set of steps down into the basement in the family room under the flight that goes upstairs from the living room. Off of the back side of the dining area there is a step down into the 'Florida room' or Sun room which is 18' X 24'. There is an attached 2-1/2 car garage off of the kitchen but it's not under any of the main house. All in all I get about 2200 sq ft of space in the footprint of a much smaller house. Except for the Florida room I think we lived in the same house.
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Quoted: To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. ETA: I though of an advantage... In a split or tri level home the lower level is sunk 3 or 4 feet into the earth. A few sandbags in front of the windows and you have a very defendable fighting position. We call those split-level and split foyer here. |
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Except for the Florida room I think we lived in the same house. Quoted:
Quoted:
I live in one (I call it split but the realtors called it a tri-level). Front door opens into the main level. Living room, Dining room & Kitchen behind that. Off of the living room is a flight of stairs going up to 3 bedrooms and a bath. Off of one side of the dining area are 3 steps down into a family room & a 4th bedroom. There is a set of steps down into the basement in the family room under the flight that goes upstairs from the living room. Off of the back side of the dining area there is a step down into the 'Florida room' or Sun room which is 18' X 24'. There is an attached 2-1/2 car garage off of the kitchen but it's not under any of the main house. All in all I get about 2200 sq ft of space in the footprint of a much smaller house. Except for the Florida room I think we lived in the same house. Well I think it may have been an add-on. Fortunately they dug a full basement instead of a crawl. Now it is my 'vault room' 
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Oh, for you southerners upset over a couple half flights of stairs... ...I own a 2 story house with an attic and basement. (3.5 levels) There are 3 full flights of stairs inside my house and a full flight outside from the sidewalk  Many of the houses in my town are 3 stories with attics and basements Speed |
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Oh, for you southerners upset over a couple half flights of stairs... ...I own a 2 story house with an attic and basement. There are 3 full flights of stairs inside my house and a full flight outside from the sidewalk
Many of the houses in my town are 3 stories with attics and basements
Speed Same here. The traditional colonial, as in, over 200 years old had at least two staircases, front for guests and rear for family and servants, another stair to the attic behind a door, stairs to either one or two cellars. A variant of that is present with the center hall colonial with only one staircase between the first and second levels, but three overall levels. Many have attics that are another bedroom or two. Horizontal sprawl wastes heat. Vertical does not. |
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Quoted:
Oh, for you southerners upset over a couple half flights of stairs... ...I own a 2 story house with an attic and basement. (3.5 levels) There are 3 full flights of stairs inside my house and a full flight outside from the sidewalk
Many of the houses in my town are 3 stories with attics and basements
Speed The fact that you have a ton of stairs to navigate daily doesn't change the fact that too many stairs sucks. |
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Quoted: The fact that you have a ton of stairs to navigate daily doesn't change the fact that too many stairs sucks. Quoted: Quoted: Oh, for you southerners upset over a couple half flights of stairs... ...I own a 2 story house with an attic and basement. (3.5 levels) There are 3 full flights of stairs inside my house and a full flight outside from the sidewalk Many of the houses in my town are 3 stories with attics and basements Speed The fact that you have a ton of stairs to navigate daily doesn't change the fact that too many stairs sucks. I agree My dream is big ranch on a finished basement. 1 set of steps is enough Speed
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Split-levels are hideous.
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The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. |
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Split-levels are hideous. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. Quoted:
Split-levels are hideous. Quoted:
The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. maybe, but the layout is extremely functional I like em |
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Quoted: The second one there looks like a garrison sank. Must be a midwest thing?Quoted: Quoted: To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. The second one there looks like a garrison sank. Must be a midwest thing?The second one is called a raised ranch, works well on a hill. This is the type of house I have in VA. |
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Quoted: Split-levels are hideous. I like them, but its pretty hilly where I live...not too many level lots here, so split levels can mesh with the topography quite well. True story: we almost bought a split level in a nice neighborhood for about 40% under market value a couple years back, but it had been bought and sold 3 times in the prior 4 years because it was appearantly haunted lol. No shit! Ghosts bringing down the property values Speed
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Split-levels are hideous. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. Quoted:
Split-levels are hideous. Quoted:
The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. Split levels can be ugly, but they can be fantastic if done right. Google up images of Hollin Hills by mid century modern architect Charles Goodwin. HH was built in the late 50's, and includes many split levels. Many of the homes there have been renovated but still show how good mid century modernist design can look even now. |
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I had a tri-level house built back in 1994.
Entry level was slightly above ground and had the great room and fireplace. Half a flight of steps up was the kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Half a flight of steps down was a family room, one bedroom, one bathroom, and a utility room - this level was half below ground level. I really enjoyed that house but it was way more house than a single guy like me needed so I sold it and built a more traditional single level smaller house. |
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Split levels can be ugly, but they can be fantastic if done right. Google up images of Hollin Hills by mid century modern architect Charles Goodwin. Quoted:
Quoted:
Split-levels are hideous. Quoted:
The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. Split levels can be ugly, but they can be fantastic if done right. Google up images of Hollin Hills by mid century modern architect Charles Goodwin. The house I lived in NoVa was designed by a firm that was made up of Goodwin proteges. (Many of the older home styles you see in Reston were designed by them) |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-level_home In some regions such as the northeastern United States, the term "split level" is used to refer to a bi-level house with a split entry. This style of house is also known as a "split foyer." This is a two-story house that has a small entrance foyer with stairs that "split"—half a flight of stairs go up (usually to the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms) and half a flight of stairs go down (usually to a family room and garage/storage area). This style is very popular in other areas of the country as well. |
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Quoted: With shag carpeting, wood panelling and a conversation pit, usually. The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Idk what a "tri-level home" is Speed Split level is the same thing isn't it? Entry way in the middle with stairs going to both an upper and lower level. With shag carpeting, wood panelling and a conversation pit, usually. The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I want one of these! (Being a 70's relic myself... |
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I live in a 1977 4BR/2.5BA split-level house. It's what we could afford at the time (fixer-upper 25 years ago), and got us into a much better area than we could otherwise dream of.
Other than being affordable, it's out of character for the neighborhood and a pain in the butt sometimes. That said, I'm not tearing it down or moving. |
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We call those split-level and split foyer here. Quoted:
Quoted:
To me this is a classic tri-level home. Entry on the middle level of the home and then a half flight up or down to the other living areas: http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/4/7/7/4/ar121997446247749.jpg To me this is a classic split level house. Entryway in the middle and all living spaces are up our down from the entry: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Traditional_Bi-Level_Home,_also_referred_as_a_raised_ranch_or_split_entry.Jpg I lived in a quad level home for a while. It had an extra basement level below the level on which the entry door was located. It had no particular advantages other than getting to the bedroom from the main level were fewer stairs and the highest roof level wasn't very high and didn't require a very long ladder. The downside was you were always doing stairs: Main level to bedrooms 1/2 flight, Main level to family room 1/2 flight, Bedroom to family room full flight, and in our quad level home main level to basement 1 1/2 flights. ETA: I though of an advantage... In a split or tri level home the lower level is sunk 3 or 4 feet into the earth. A few sandbags in front of the windows and you have a very defendable fighting position. We call those split-level and split foyer here. Yup. I consider both of them two-story homes - but the first one is split-level, and the second one has two stories with a split foyer. |
Must be a regional thing. I have a tri-level with basement, most of the people I know have either a bi-level ("split level") or tri. Nearly every neighborhood older than my kids but built since Korea has a third of the houses one or the other of those. Uses a lot less yard space and unless you're handicap or grossly obese, a few stairs aren't going to kill you. 8 steps up to bedrooms, 5 steps down from living room/kitchen/dining room to family room, another 8 to the basement. I guess some would consider that a workout 
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first one is a split level 2nd one is a bag o smashed assholes. (technically I think that's called a "raised ranch") Kharn |
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The house I lived in NoVa was designed by a firm that was made up of Goodwin proteges. (Many of the older home styles you see in Reston were designed by them) Quoted:
Quoted:
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Split-levels are hideous. Quoted:
The ones in Florida were nearly unsellable 1970's relics that were usually knocked down to be replaced with a more traditional house. I'm not surprised. The whole look of them is incredibly dated. No matter what you do to it, it will always be what it is. Split levels can be ugly, but they can be fantastic if done right. Google up images of Hollin Hills by mid century modern architect Charles Goodwin. The house I lived in NoVa was designed by a firm that was made up of Goodwin proteges. (Many of the older home styles you see in Reston were designed by them) This calls for pics of 1950's Charles Goodwin split level mid-century modern goodness. 
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That's fair enough but the overwhelming majority of split or tri-level homes south of the frost line are not mid-century modern masterpieces.
They are the 1975 new construction not-a-starter home of their day. And they are a hard sell today because, even moderately renovated, the lingering stench of old avocado appliances, asbestos and lead paint remains. 
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That's fair enough but the overwhelming majority of split or tri-level homes south of the frost line are not mid-century modern masterpieces. They are the 1975 new construction not-a-starter home of the day. And they are a hard sell today because, even moderately renovated, the lingering stench of old avocado appliances, asbestos and lead paint remains.
Kharn |
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Quoted: And 2x3 studs. Ever try to buy a straight 2x3? Its practically impossible. One time I had to sort through ~60 boards at Home Depot to get 5 that met my expectations. Kharn Quoted: Quoted: That's fair enough but the overwhelming majority of split or tri-level homes south of the frost line are not mid-century modern masterpieces. They are the 1975 new construction not-a-starter home of the day. And they are a hard sell today because, even moderately renovated, the lingering stench of old avocado appliances, asbestos and lead paint remains. Kharn 2x3s are often pretty shitty, but don't go to home depot if you want good lumber at all I bought some 1x at a local place and was amazed that every piece I picked up was... ...just fine Speed
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Quoted:
That's fair enough but the overwhelming majority of split or tri-level homes south of the frost line are not mid-century modern masterpieces. They are the 1975 new construction not-a-starter home of their day. And they are a hard sell today because, even moderately renovated, the lingering stench of old avocado appliances, asbestos and lead paint remains. Definitely a hard sell, but thats because most Americans don't understand anything about architecture and are too lazy and stupid to see what can be done to a old home to make it far better than average, and then actually do it. Also why so many people live in communities that look like this, rather than something that was planned with good design in mind - like Hollin Hills. 
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The things people find to bitch about in GD astounds me sometimes... As far as 'things to bitch about' this doesn't seem that out of line. A house is the largest purchase many of us make. Second is vehicle (and boy do we love bitching about cars here). You want a legitimate target for that statement of yours, there was a thread yesterday or the day before about a guy getting regular fried chicken when he ordered spicy. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tri-level/split level homes (Page 1 of 2)
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