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Question about Levittown houses

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betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

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Beth

Question about Levittown houses

Why don't any of the houses have basementsChat Icon ?

Posted 3/9/06 10:08 AM
 
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!

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Professional Aunts No Kids

Re: Question about Levittown houses

because when Levittown was being built it was easier,faster and cheaper to put up affordable housing on just slabs rather than digging basements.

Posted 3/9/06 10:17 AM
 

dpli
Daylight savings :)

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D

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Other people on the board have told me in the past that some do, especially in the Island Trees area.

The reason so many don't is probably due to the fact that it is a lot cheaper to build a slab house, than one with a basement. When Levittown was being designed, I believe the idea was to build affordable housing for the GIs coming home from the war.

Posted 3/9/06 10:18 AM
 

BrunetteMom
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Member since 8/05

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Re: Question about Levittown houses

When Levitt built those houses in the 40's, the town's building code didn't allow the construction of houses without basements. That requirement was then repealed and the slab-based construction was allowed.

Levitt's main goal at the time was to build the houses cheaply and timely (for the veterans).

Posted 3/9/06 10:23 AM
 

betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

4380 total posts

Name:
Beth

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Interesting, that's actually very niceChat Icon

Where do you store things? Do they have attics?

Posted 3/9/06 10:36 AM
 

MichaelsMommy
Love my son!

Member since 6/05

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Lauren

Re: Question about Levittown houses

We have a garage - although it was converted to a family room, but we have about 4 feet of garage space, we have a loft type storage area and then we have crawl spaces. We also have an attic, but it is not easily accessible and we have LOTS of closets. We are discussing expanding our cape even more and when we do, we will have the roof raised and have a convenient attic to get into to. It is a pain in the a$$ without a basement sometimes, but you make do! Chat Icon

ETA - the story behind Levittown is a nice one!

Also, as for the houses with basements, there are VERY few - those seem to be closer to Bethpage/Plainedge or Seaford and most times are not even Levitt homes.

Message edited 3/9/2006 10:55:31 AM.

Posted 3/9/06 10:50 AM
 

june262004
But I love the Snow!

Member since 5/05

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Kristin

Re: Question about Levittown houses

I grew up in a Levittown Cape and I now live in a Levittown Cape. We have two bedrooms upstairs with the slanted ceilings. They made what we call "knee walls" (crawlspaces) Most houses have these my house growing up my dad made it and our house had them already. There is so much room in them. they are on both sides of the house and go along the back of the room to both bedrooms. I didnt grow up with a basement so I don't miss it. My DH had a basement growing up (bethpage) and he was like "theres no basement blah blah blah" He wasnt happy with it. When we moved in he was like I can't believe how much space there is in here. We only have on side of the house HALF full.

Some of the houses over by Island Trees elem. schools have basements. They were built later and by someone other then Levit. All in all I love levittown and the houses. And there is so much you could do to a levitt house.

Message edited 3/9/2006 11:26:19 AM.

Posted 3/9/06 11:23 AM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

My Levit ranch has some unfinished space on the second floor where the roof is too slanted to fit a room up there. I use that as my storage space and I can get quite a few boxes in there.

I also store a lot of stuff (like big tools) in my shed. I have no garage.

Posted 3/9/06 11:44 AM
 

Diana1215
Living on a prayer!!!

Member since 10/05

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Diana

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by june262004

I grew up in a Levittown Cape and I now live in a Levittown Cape. We have two bedrooms upstairs with the slanted ceilings. They made what we call "knee walls" (crawlspaces) Most houses have these my house growing up my dad made it and our house had them already. There is so much room in them. they are on both sides of the house and go along the back of the room to both bedrooms. I didnt grow up with a basement so I don't miss it. My DH had a basement growing up (bethpage) and he was like "theres no basement blah blah blah" He wasnt happy with it. When we moved in he was like I can't believe how much space there is in here. We only have on side of the house HALF full.





MY DH's family lives in a Levitt house and they call the crawlspace "The Hole" -- he is constantly in the hole getting boxes in and out. I helped him once and The Hole was neverending!!!

Posted 3/9/06 11:48 AM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by Diana1215

MY DH's family lives in a Levitt house and they call the crawlspace "The Hole" -- he is constantly in the hole getting boxes in and out. I helped him once and The Hole was neverending!!!




Yeah... the crawlspace can be usefull. In addition to the unfinished space I have on the side of my 2nd floor... I have a crawlspace that extends the length of the back of the house. I also have space for half of the front of the house (the other half on the 2nd floor is my washer/dryer room, and my second bathroom).

Posted 3/9/06 11:50 AM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

In addition...

I also have crawl attic space... but I havent been up there since i closed on the house. There could be a dead body up there for all I know. Chat Icon

Posted 3/9/06 11:51 AM
 

danielleandscott
My new 71 Super Beetle

Member since 5/05

13476 total posts

Name:
Scott

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Hey Rich - Maybe the Seller is up there - and he comes out during the night and stares at you while you are sleeping ooooooohhhhh


Seriously though. Danielle and I have a levitt cape. The seller had the upstairs finished last year and never put a doorway into the eaves, so we have no crawlspace at all. We have 2 bedrooms upstairs and 1 small closet, that Danielle pute her clothing in. We do not have any closets other than the hall one upstairs.

Downstairs we have a hall pantry, and we blew out two closets into 1 big one....Just yesterday I bought 4 tier Shelving units from Target, and now we can clean out the guest room that we have been using as a storage room.

We have a large garage which is now mostly storage, but in a few weeks I am going to buy those shelving units that hold up to 750lbs, and clean up the garage right. Also I have a patio set in there that is my mother in laws, and my friends lawn mower that he never took home lol.

We do not have a shed yet, but we will be buying one this summer
Scott

Posted 3/9/06 12:08 PM
 

betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

4380 total posts

Name:
Beth

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Thanks for all of your responses. The garage would be out for storage b/c DHs "babies" have to go in thereChat Icon . Sounds like some of your houses have great storage though even without a basement.

Is there a place for w/d?

What (approx) do you pay in taxes if you odn't mind me asking?

Posted 3/9/06 12:27 PM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by betty

Thanks for all of your responses. The garage would be out for storage b/c DHs "babies" have to go in thereChat Icon . Sounds like some of your houses have great storage though even without a basement.

Is there a place for w/d?

What (approx) do you pay in taxes if you odn't mind me asking?




If they finished the second floor... thats a great place to put the W/D. Mine is on the 2nd floor.

Taxes usually range between 6000-8000 before the star. Island Trees SD typically has less taxes than Levittown SD.

Posted 3/9/06 12:29 PM
 

danielleandscott
My new 71 Super Beetle

Member since 5/05

13476 total posts

Name:
Scott

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Right now my washer is in the kitchen and my dryer is in the garage. It ***** to do laundry.

In the Spring, My father in law and I are going to blow out the rear door and wall....And close up the breezeway in the back of the house....And make that room the Laundry room. We will put a floor in, Sheet rock the ceiling and walls....Move the light and put Baseboard heating in there....Also we are going to put a door out to the back of the house.

Our washer is junk, so we are going to buy a new one and we will move the dryer from the garage into the new laundry room. We will also put some Cabinets in there for you guessed it - Storage...lol.

Scott

Posted 3/9/06 12:33 PM
 

june262004
But I love the Snow!

Member since 5/05

15379 total posts

Name:
Kristin

Re: Question about Levittown houses

They built out a closet and put the washer and dryer in the closet. Out houses has a few extensions though

Posted 3/9/06 1:25 PM
 

MichaelsMommy
Love my son!

Member since 6/05

1468 total posts

Name:
Lauren

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Our washer/dryer is in my back bedroom - which is now our laundry/computer room...

My parents washer/dryer is in their kitchen

And my friend's dad's washer/dryer is in his bathroom downstairs - it's hidden by a shower curtain (pretty clever) - of course a full bath is upstairs... Chat Icon

I'm not sure what our taxes are, but 6k-8k sounds about right - it all depends on the location as well... I found that houses are much more expensive/taxes higher on the south side of hempstead tpke (macarthur SD)...

Posted 3/9/06 1:33 PM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by MichaelsMommy

I found that houses are much more expensive/taxes higher on the south side of hempstead tpke (macarthur SD)...




Tell me about it. Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 3/9/06 1:40 PM
 

MichaelsMommy
Love my son!

Member since 6/05

1468 total posts

Name:
Lauren

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by DjPiLL

Posted by MichaelsMommy

I found that houses are much more expensive/taxes higher on the south side of hempstead tpke (macarthur SD)...




Tell me about it. Chat Icon Chat Icon



Chat Icon I right there with ya! But it's worth it!

Posted 3/9/06 1:44 PM
 

june262004
But I love the Snow!

Member since 5/05

15379 total posts

Name:
Kristin

Re: Question about Levittown houses

The taxes in Levittown are more expensive then Island Trees District. But the houses are more in Island Trees

Posted 3/9/06 1:56 PM
 

betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

4380 total posts

Name:
Beth

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Thank you all so much!

Do you find you have enough closet space?

Do you find that since there is no basement you have extra closet/cabinet space in the house? I've seen some houses (haven't looked in levittown) with such small closet space...I couldn't fit my own stuff let alone Dhs?!?!

Posted 3/9/06 2:18 PM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by betty

Thank you all so much!

Do you find you have enough closet space?

Do you find that since there is no basement you have extra closet/cabinet space in the house? I've seen some houses (haven't looked in levittown) with such small closet space...I couldn't fit my own stuff let alone Dhs?!?!





A lot of the Levitt homes that are advertised as 4 bedrooms.... the 4th bedroom is usually nothing more than a glorified walk-in closet.

This is a shot of my "4th bedroom" Chat Icon

External Image

This was taken during inspection. This is now my wife's walk-in closet. She loves it.... has so much room.

The two bedrooms downstairs have closets that have 72" doors so they are of decent size.

Posted 3/9/06 2:32 PM
 

betty
My boys

Member since 5/05

4380 total posts

Name:
Beth

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by DjPiLL

Posted by betty

Thank you all so much!

Do you find you have enough closet space?

Do you find that since there is no basement you have extra closet/cabinet space in the house? I've seen some houses (haven't looked in levittown) with such small closet space...I couldn't fit my own stuff let alone Dhs?!?!





A lot of the Levitt homes that are advertised as 4 bedrooms.... the 4th bedroom is usually nothing more than a glorified walk-in closet.

This is a shot of my "4th bedroom" Chat Icon

IMAGE

This was taken during inspection. This is now my wife's walk-in closet. She loves it.... has so much room.

The two bedrooms downstairs have closets that have 72" doors so they are of decent size.




Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon I can't believe they say that's a 4th BR...but I like the walk in closet ideaChat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 3/9/06 2:38 PM
 

DjPiLL

Member since 5/05

3664 total posts

Name:
Richard

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by betty

Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon I can't believe they say that's a 4th BR...but I like the walk in closet ideaChat Icon Chat Icon




I forget how big the room is. The shelving on the right side as you can see goes all the way up to the ceiling and is a good 3-4 feet wide. There is also shelving on the left side that you can't see. Then add on the bars to hang clothes and thats a lot of space thats sort of "wasted" for storage.

The room itself is probably 5x7 or so. Their reason for calling it a "bedroom" is because it has baseboard heat. Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 3/9/06 2:40 PM
 

MichaelsMommy
Love my son!

Member since 6/05

1468 total posts

Name:
Lauren

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Wow - I have never come across a Levitt house advertising 4 bedrooms - including the walk in closet! I'm shocked, lol!

My house does in fact have 4 bedrooms, but 3 are upstairs and the one downstairs was converted to a laundry/computer room - but DEFINITELY big enough to be a bedroom!

Betty - as long as there is crawl space and a garage, I think you will be okay on storage... when I moved to levittown with my family we moved from a house WITH a basement in Queens with 15 years of stuff and my parents were able to find a place for everything when we moved to levittown...

My house now, has storage in every room - enough for everything... "so far" Chat Icon

ETA: there are TONS of houses that are expanded now - if you are looking for a decent size house with a lot of storage, I'd skip right over the basic levitt's and jump into those with a dormer, garage, expansion, etc... happy house hunting!

Message edited 3/9/2006 2:49:26 PM.

Posted 3/9/06 2:47 PM
 
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