Ideal Townhouse Setup and Layout Discussion
I know this has been discussed a few times in the OT and in other postings but I wanted to have a formal discussion on the ideal townhouse setup. This is what I’ve gathered from my years doing townhouse loans. 4 story building used as a 2 fam. Ideal set up would be triplex with…
I know this has been discussed a few times in the OT and in other postings but I wanted to have a formal discussion on the ideal townhouse setup.
This is what I’ve gathered from my years doing townhouse loans.
4 story building used as a 2 fam. Ideal set up would be triplex with deck and stairs to garden with garden rental as opposed to double duplex.
4 story building used as a 3 unit would be owners duplex on garden and parlor with 2 rentals above. It would be nice to have garden rental with parlor and 3rd floor for owners with an internal staircase and 4th floor rental but the internal staircase sacrifices sq footage and requires cutting through the existing floor.
Question for architects… How difficult would it be to have a 3 unit set up as an owner’s duplex on the garden and parlor that could later be converted to the preferred 2 fam setup with garden rental and owner’s triplex? If the kitchens are all in the same line could this be done rather easily and in a way that it would be cost effective?
We’re property virgins considering buying a 4-family townhouse that currently has a kitchen on the top and garden floors, bedrooms and bath on the third, while the parlor has a non-functional kitchen and will need a major renovation. I’ve caught intimations on this site that buying and using a 4 family as a 3- (and eventually a 2-) family requires changing the C of O. Is this true? I’ve also heard hints that it could be hard to get a loan without kitchens on every floor, since it’s a 4-family, but that doesn’t seem right as we’d be using it as our primary residence. Can anyone help me out of this muddle?
Adam,
I agree with DIBS 100%. Adding a private stairway is expensive and not worth trouble in my opinion. I would do as DIBS recommends because you really don’t want to do a flip from lower duplex to upper triplex.
Vin
Another times DIBS, going to see the in-laws this weekend and get in some skiing.
I have strong feelings on this. I don’t want to share the parlour floor foyer area and the nice staircase going up with tenants that would live above me, thus causing me to keep the doors closed and locked all the time.
If you get a four storey and don’t need the top three floors, make sure the tenant is on the garden level…let them have yard access or not…and build yourself a parlour level deck.
You can give them even more room (more rent) if you don’t need basement acces very often (get yourself a W/D unit installed in one of your floors…then you can open up the garden level and not have that common area that accesses the basement.
I’m around this weekend. If you want to drop by, send me an email
I agree snowman. Right now I don’t need 3 floors to myself but if and when my family expands I would like that option. The plumbing in the upper floor kitchens would make an ideal en-suite master bath. On the kids floor a doorway could be cut in the stairway hallway to the new bathroom so one doesn’t have to use walk through a bedroom to use the restroom.
I agree Jock that planning now will save time and money in the future if and ones decides to make the change. It’s as simple as designing the two floor plans at the same time that can be easily switched out.
I’ve looked at a bunch of properties recently and I’m trying to get my plan in order. Thanks for the advice, it pretty much solidifies what I was thinking.
Adam Dahill
In my opinion, a garden parlor duplex ideally would have the parlor floor with the living area – lr, kit, dr, powder room – with deck to the garden and have bedrooms with full bath on the garden level. You won’t have tenants walking over you or up the stairs next to your bedrooms and you get the brighter floor with high ceilings for living.
Then it’s a no brainer to convert to upper triplex by changing the small hall partition on the parlor floor (which otherwise would not change), adding a small kitchen to the garden level (easy just above the cellar) and changing the kitchens on the third and fourth floors to a laundry room and/or wet bar, and/or additional bathroom.
Adam, anything can be done as long as you plan for it properly now. I think you are just talking about at a later date removing a kitchen and adding an interior stair. You could even prep the stair opening now so at a later date the internal structure is removed to install the stair.