My friend Mike Piccirillo, an architect, says, "Nobody in the past 20 years has ever once asked me to design a split-level home, but a lot of people have asked me to re-design already-existing splits for a more contemporary look and more open space."
While it offered hot sizzle among builders and homebuyers in the 1950s and 1960s, the split totally fizzled by 1970. Nevertheless, splits are a significant part of our residential landscape in the Northeast, as across the entire nation, because they were built at the height of the post-WWII suburban Housing boom.
Most of these homes are still standing and not many are disguised to hide what they are, unlike raised ranches, now being treated to "re-do's" as mock colonials by adding a few details to the facade like a portico with columns.
That's harder to do with the lopsided configuration of a splilt, having one story where the living room, dining room and kitchen reside, and a connecting two-story structure with stairs that drop a half flight in either edirection, ascending to the bedrooms and bath above and usually a family room and a garage below.
To learn how a split "re-do" can be tackled, visit:
Bill Primavera is a realtor in Westchester, NY, and "The Home Guru" columnist writing on all subjects relating to homes and real estate. Visit his website at: www.PrimaveraHomes.com or call him direclty at 914-522-2076.
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