Split level house?

[Liberty Belle]

We'll be looking for a new house in the next couple of weeks. I found one that has a huge backyard (over a third of an acre) and nice, big, upgraded rooms, but it's a split level - something I didn't think I wanted.

So, I'm wondering who here lives in a split level or has lived in a split level and thought maybe they could give me some insight. Is it as annoying as I think it would be? Is it fine? Are there pros I'm not considering?

 

[harleyquinn]

That depends on what you don't think you'll like.

I don't mind the stairs, but I think the rooms are smaller than non-splits. And I guess it depends on just how much of a split it is...I've seen a lot of different kinds.. My inlaws have a split and I hate the low ceilings--especially in the basement. They only have two small sets of stairs though.

 

[pepperw23]

I live in a split level and love it! The kitchen is on the middle floor, as is the dining room. I feel like I have my "Space" with this house. Downside is having to go up steps ever time you want to go to the kitchen, but on the bright side you would be working off that brownie you are on your way to get. Split levels seem to have a lot more room than a standard two story, and the rooms feel more open. IMO

Hope that helps.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We lived in a split when DH and I were first married. You came in the front door, went up 5 steps and there was a living room, dining room, small kitchen (not eat in) then down the hall were 3 bedrooms and a full bath.

If you came in the front door and went down 5 steps, at the bottom of the steps to the right was a 2 car garage, straight in front was the laundry room , sharp left was a closet and my only storage , and the rest of the downstairs was the game room and a 1/2 bath.

The house was small, though I knowpeople who have raised 4 kids in the house we used to live in. I couldn't do it with 1, thats why we moved. I had absolutely no place for storage and I always felt like I was walking up and down the steps, no matter what I had to do in the house I was either going up or down the steps to do it.

Depends what you want and how the one you are looking at is set up. Our big thing was storage and the smallness of the house. We live in a new 2 story now. I still go up and down steps alot, but the house is larger, more open and I have a ton more storage area.

 

[Keira1387]

I lived in a split level house and loved it. When you walk through the door you were on the main floor, and you could either go up or down. It really was great! Are there any specifics you are worried about?

 

[Liberty Belle]

I guess I'm just wondering about how awkward the stairs would be. The one we're looking at opens up to a landing and then a set of stairs going up to a living, dining, kitchen, and bedrooms, and then a set going down to a finished basement with game room, bedroom, and bath.

The outside is so nice. It has a huge deck with a wet bar and heated pool (one of those sunken above ground pools) and the huge back yard.

 

[Liberty Belle]

We lived in a split when DH and I were first married. You came in the front door, went up 5 steps and there was a living room, dining room, small kitchen (not eat in) then down the hall were 3 bedrooms and a full bath.

If you came in the front door and went down 5 steps, at the bottom of the steps to the right was a 2 car garage, straight in front was the laundry room , sharp left was a closet and my only storage , and the rest of the downstairs was the game room and a 1/2 bath.

The house was small, though I knowpeople who have raised 4 kids in the house we used to live in. I couldn't do it with 1, thats why we moved. I had absolutely no place for storage and I always felt like I was walking up and down the steps, no matter what I had to do in the house I was either going up or down the steps to do it.

Depends what you want and how the one you are looking at is set up. Our big thing was storage and the smallness of the house. We live in a new 2 story now. I still go up and down steps alot, but the house is larger, more open and I have a ton more storage area.

It does look like storage might have been an issue here because there are a lot of built-ins. This house is smaller than we wanted.

 

[clarabelle]

How long are you going to be in it?
I have never lived in a split level -but I would think that if it was going to be your "old age" house that would be something to consider.
Or if you thought you were going to have surgery or mobility issues.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

How old are you? How long do you plan to live there?

I am 43 and now happy as the sun is shining in my story and a half.

DH and I hate stairs (hurts our knees) and my older parents would end up falling down navigating them.

Anyway that is something to think about.

 

[Mom2Nick]

My grandparents both have splits. One is a back to front, one is a side to side.

Both are very nice sizes but the side to side split has more levels, therefor more rooms and it's bigger - but the layout has the most potential overall. The living and dining room are open - which makes it easy to entertain a large crowd. The kitchen can be reconfigured for a modern open layout without much work.

The back to front split is what it is - there's not much you can do with it. The rooms are all closed off and separate and entertaining formally is hard as the dining room is small and closed in. The kitchen cannot be reconfigured without sacrificing the function so a lot of work would need to be done to have a more open layout.

Basically - look at the bones. Look at what you would be able to do and what would be limiting for you and go from there.

 

[Mom2Nick]

I guess I'm just wondering about how awkward the stairs would be. The one we're looking at opens up to a landing and then a set of stairs going up to a living, dining, kitchen, and bedrooms, and then a set going down to a finished basement with game room, bedroom, and bath.

The outside is so nice. It has a huge deck with a wet bar and heated pool (one of those sunken above ground pools) and the huge back yard.

In this area that's a bi-level not a split. I guess they are different everywhere.

 

[pepperw23]

See, our split level is huge.

You walk in the front door and to the left is the dining room, and the kitchen is to the right. 5 stairs go down to the den, computer room and a sports room (that is what we call it...there are three rooms down here not counting the bathroom.) If you go up 5 stairs there are 3 bedrooms and a full bath. Ours looks like a cape cod style house from the outside if that helps.

 

[harleyquinn]

I guess I'm just wondering about how awkward the stairs would be. The one we're looking at opens up to a landing and then a set of stairs going up to a living, dining, kitchen, and bedrooms, and then a set going down to a finished basement with game room, bedroom, and bath.

The outside is so nice. It has a huge deck with a wet bar and heated pool (one of those sunken above ground pools) and the huge back yard.

That doesn't sound too bad. Most non-splits will have at least one set of stairs that are typically longer than stairs in splits. 2 sets aren't bad at all.

I have 2 sets of long staircases in my bungalow...unless you get a ranch, you gotta deal with stairs.

 

[WDWBarb]

I've been living in a split-level house for 14 years and I have absolutely loved it. Yes, it does kind of stink that you have to carry groceries up the stairs to get to the kitchen, but this house makes very good used of space. We get to have a basement and my DH has totally taken that over.

I wouldn't want the stairs if this were to be my retirement home but I think there's plenty of benefits of having the split-foyer. And typically split foyers have under-stair storage space?

I think you and I live in the same general area and I've been looking to upgrade to a larger split foyer... yours sounds great!! Let me know if you don't take it.

 

[Bumpy Grumpy]

We have lived in our split level for over 30 years. If you enter the house thru the front door you're in a nice size foyer, to the left is the family room. Six steps up to the next level (either thru the family room or by a second stair case from the foyer). The family room stairs go straight into the kitchen, the foyer stairs go into the dining/living room (you can enter the kitchen thru the dining room area. Up another six steps and you reach four bedrooms. There is another staircase from the family room to the basement.

Advantages, only six steps up or down. Disadvantages, bringing grocery packages upstairs to the kitchen, all the way down to the basement for the washer dryer. My DH and I are both in our sixties, sometimes the stairs are harder than other times but we are still not ready to move.

Arlene

 

[merekc]

We've owned three houses (all different floor plans) and our split level was my least favorite. Our front door required 8-10 stairs up a deck to get to the front door. Once inside there were about 6-8 stairs up to kitchen, living room and bedrooms and 6-8 stairs down to basement/rec room/garage. No matter if you parked in garage or driveway, we had to go up the two sets of stairs.

I hated it for the following reasons (most of them lazy reasons, but I still hated it):
1. Our basement was above ground. Here in Kansas I want an underground basement due to tornados. This bothered me more once I had kids.

2. We parked in the garage and I hated carrying groceries up all those stairs. It either meant multiple trips or overloading myself to make it in one. Same can be said if your laundry is downstairs. It sucks after a long day of work.

3. Once we had kids it was the same thing. Coming home I had to lug baby in pumpkin seat, diaper bag and works up two flights of stairs. You don't realize how nice it is to walk into the house on your main level until you can't.

4. It was as high as a two-story from the outside. I hated when my DH got on the roof to clean gutters. It was so high up there and ours had a steep roof.

5. Anyone in the family with stair issues struggled to get into the house.

6. If you have any large, oversized furniture, make sure you can get it into the house. Sometimes split entries can be difficult.

Hope this helps.

 

[Angelhalo]

We looked at a few split levels when we were house hunting but in the end I veto'd them for 3 reasons.

1. Every one of them we looked at was smaller than all the other homes we looked at with less storage.

2. I didn't like having to carry stuff up to the kitchen even if its just a few steps because I am clumsy and I envisioned spilled groceries everywhere.

and

3. The most important, I didn't like how none of them felt like they had a true entryway/foyer/greeting area. They were all like, welcome to our home now choose up or down. No space for a closet, or table for putting the mail on or anything. I'm sure some have these things but none of the ones we looked at did. They all had these small little landings right when you walked in the door and then you had to immediately choose up or down. It just didn't feel very welcoming to me.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

I guess I'm just wondering about how awkward the stairs would be. The one we're looking at opens up to a landing and then a set of stairs going up to a living, dining, kitchen, and bedrooms, and then a set going down to a finished basement with game room, bedroom, and bath.

The outside is so nice. It has a huge deck with a wet bar and heated pool (one of those sunken above ground pools) and the huge back yard.

That style isn't called a split level around here it's called a Raised Ranch and we loved ours and miss it so much.

 

[luvmy3]

I live in a raised ranch (bi-level) like you describe. I have lived here for 8 years and have 3 kids. I love our yard, our neighborhood but to put it bluntly, I hate the house. I hate that the bedrooms are on the same level as the main living spaces. I do like the open floor plan but it makes furniture placement very tricky on the upper level. The entry way is very small and it is a PIA to get the 5 of us inside at once. I would kill for a real "entry" with space for a bench and/or table. I hate that I have zero storage in this house because I do not have a basement and I have to cram everything into our closets. Dh built shelves in the garage but they only help alittle. The list goes on........
The one thing I do like is that we have a ton of living space with the family room and office/bedroom downstairs. We always have room for overnight guests
When it is time for use to move, I will never buy another.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Thank you. You all have given me things to think about.