Separate level homes (also called third level homes ) are home styles where floors are staggered. There are usually two sets of short staircases, one running up to the room level, and another heading down towards the basement area. Basement levels are usually completed, and often contain additional space (most often, family room, office and/or hobby or playroom), as well as frequent laundry facilities and other utilities. Basement levels often also have garages, and are usually parallel to the driveway. Below the main level (down from the bottom level) usually crawl space, or sometimes additional basement, which is often unfinished.
A sidesplit is where split level looks from the front height of the house.
Backsplit is where a separate level is seen only from the side elevation. The front altitude shows only one story and two stories are behind.
Level two includes two short stairs and two levels. Entry is in between floors. The front door opened to land. One short staircase leads upstairs; another short staircase to the bottom. The upper floor tends to be high ceiling filled with living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. The lower floors often have a lower ceiling and some underground. However, in many modern split-foyer homes, the lower levels are in the classroom, which requires the outside staircase to reach the front door. These houses often have very high ceilings at lower levels to accommodate home HVAC ducting.
The modified bilevel house has a garage mounted in front of the bevel, not below. The front entry is larger with room for the group of people entering and closet. (This change addresses the main complaint about the narrow front entrance space.) The garage entry is also open to the front entry. The modification is the addition of another level above the garage using a short flight of three steps up from the large room area to the additional bedroom or master bedroom with en suite.
Video Split-level home
Styles
Stacked split level
The stacked split level has four or five sets of short staircases, and five or six levels. This entry is on the middle floor between two levels. The front door opens into the foyer, and two sets of short stairs usually leads to the basement and into the living room (often a kitchen or living room). Other short stairs usually lead to at least one bedroom, which is located above the first living room. Often an additional bedroom is "stacked" over the second living room, hence the name "split level stacked". This type of construction is usually used for townhouses.
Division level
The degree of disunity has two or three sets of short staircases, and three or four levels. This entry is on the middle floor between two floors. The front door opens directly to a place that is usually a formal living room, which is usually partly below ground level. Below this might be a small crawling room. Sometimes a short flight on the bedroom floor is another single bedroom. On top of that the attic is usually accessed by one of the other stairs or an opening that is placed high in the closet.
Combined entries
Split entries have two sets of short stairs (usually five or six steps per staircase) and are a one level upgrading with a basement. Entries are "between" floors. Per FNMA/FHLMC provides that a lower level is defined as a basement even if completed. Usually basement level "walks out". Split entries have a different look from farms that have been raised from the outside as the front entrance of the line to the front of different windows. The split entry variation is called "front to back split" where there are two upper levels.
Raised cultivation
Raised farms include basements at the bottom and a "full set of stairs" (full staircase, usually 12 or 13) leading to the first level. The raised farm has a different look at the front than the split-entry because the front door line to the front of the window is different. The front entrance is mostly downstairs. The top floor per FNMA/FHLMC is the living room and downstairs is the basement, even if completed.
Maps Split-level home
Regional variants in use
In some areas such as Northeastern United States, the term "split level" is used to refer to a two-tiered house with separate entries. This home style is also known as "split foyer". It is a two-story house with a small entrance foyer with a "split" staircase - part of a rising staircase (usually to the living room, kitchen and bedroom) and part of a down stairs (usually to the living room and garage/storage area). This style is very popular in other areas of the country as well.
History
This style gained popularity in North America during the mid-20th century, as the suburbs expanded, beginning in the years after World War II, and remained a popular residential style from 1950 onwards.
See also
- Maisonette
- House style farm
References
External links
- "Splitlevel.net". Archived from the original in 2015-02-14. A comprehensive guide to architecture and separate level upgrades.
Source of the article : Wikipedia