Is It Feasible to Convert a Two-Story Home into a Single Story Without Demolishing It?
Asked by CuriousCactus92
I'm about to inherit my family's two-story Victorian home from the 1920s, which I've lived in for over 30 years. The upper level is where our main living space is, but downstairs only has a few bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry area, and a garage. As I'm now in my 40s and physically find climbing stairs challenging, I'm considering transforming this space into a single-story layout. I'd like to avoid major renovations that involve tearing everything down. High ceilings are a must for me as well. Given the extremely high cost of single-story homes in my area—nearly $1 million—I'm also not keen on selling the house. Is it realistic to completely redesign the interior to create a single-level living space?
Answers
Honestly, transforming your $1.1 million house into a $900k house just doesn't seem worth it. Searching for a single-story home might save a lot of money and headache in the long run. You’d need to live elsewhere while the renovations happen, which can be a huge hassle.
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Why not just renovate the first floor to create the living space you truly want? You could potentially turn the second floor into a rental unit or a space for guests. It might be simpler than trying to make the entire house single-story.
HouseHunter101: But wouldn’t having a second kitchen increase the house's value when you sell?
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Have you thought about installing a residential elevator? It would be less expensive than gutting the entire house and could significantly boost the resale value. Even if you don't want to use it all the time, it’s perfect for transporting groceries upstairs with ease. Around here, they typically cost about $25k installed. Just a thought!
FixerUpperFan: I was going to suggest just moving, but this is a solid idea too.
StaircaseSolutions: Instead of an elevator, why not consider an electric stair lift instead? It’s a lot cheaper and can be removed easily if needed.
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RealEstateExpert: Common sense here: why would you spend so much just to alter the value of your home instead of moving on to something that fits your needs?