Reconfiguring 2 Family Brownstone
I’d like to hear from anyone who created a triplex owners unit out of the garden/parlor/third floor with a rental unit on the fourth floor. We want to reconfigure our double duplex, but we really want the garden floor because of the easy access from the street for strollers and easy access to the garden…
I’d like to hear from anyone who created a triplex owners unit out of the garden/parlor/third floor with a rental unit on the fourth floor.
We want to reconfigure our double duplex, but we really want the garden floor because of the easy access from the street for strollers and easy access to the garden for kids.
We’re not crazy about the idea of sharing the main staircase with our tenants, especially since our bedrooms will be on the third level. Has anyone created an internal staircase from parlor to third? Especially other than a spiral staircase? Wondering about cost, difficulty, and other issues to consider.
Thanks!!
how do you check out this old house brooklyn site, outside of knocking on their door (around the corner from me). nothing online to watch the ep or shows. I am putting a spiral to link two floors – looking for something simple, nice (not crazy for the iron kits) and safe enough for a little kid, if that’s possible. Can anyone rec where to look to see nice ones or who to call? thanks!
Thank you for all your comments! I think we will just rent out the garden floor and either build a deck or at least a staircase from the parlor floor. I will see about storage under the stoop.
I think you are all right about the resale value. We have to make the decision for the long-term since it involves where to move the kitchen.
I’m new to this forum and I’m so impressed at how helpful it has been. It’s very comforting to know that there is a community for this – since it is a pretty scary undertaking!
Thanks again!
just put the rental on the garden level and get a deck constructed. otherwise, there are way too many problems. keep the basement for yourself with the orignial stairs, put in a coat closet at the base of the stairs.
I just bought a fabulous brownstone that is sort of set up like a double duplex, but instead of the tenant having all of the top two floors, we share the third floor. They have the front; I have the back. Sounds weird, but there is complete privacy with all necessary firedoors and walls. The back is where my master bed and bath are and it’s right off of the parlor floor…yes…via sprial staircase. Later I would take out the wall diving the third floor and take over the top two floors and turn the garden level into the apartment for the sake of resale value but I always wonder, how will I get to my finished basement???
I agree with the majority of the posters here. When making a similar change, we never really considered installing an internal staircase. Use the garden apt as the rental and, ideally, build a deck off the parlor with a stairway to the garden.
For the garden level, depending on the layout, you can create a shared entryway and install a door to create private space for storage, etc. down the hall. Another door will create private access to/from the garden to the parlor.
I also think the owner’s triplex over rental garden is the preferred layout when it comes to resale.
We are in the midst of a renovation converting a 3 family to a 2. We are keeping the garden as the rental because it is so much more efficient than adding private stairways. We presently live an apartment with a secondary private stairway and it really is a waste of space. Some people create a deck off of the parlor down to the garden.
Easiest solution imo is to install a spiral stair between the parlor/3rd fl. Cheap/easy/provide privacy, then you have the exisiting stair for moving big stuff.
The this old house brooklyn site would be worth checking out, they did this.
if you are interested in developing this into a real project please call Kushner Studios.
You can store strollers in the storage space underneath your front stoop. Use the garden floor as a rental and put a deck from the Parlor level to the backyard. That is the cheapest most convenient way to do it.