Question about Levittown houses

Why don't any of the houses have basements ?

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.

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.

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 That requirement was then repealed and the slab-based construction was allowed.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).

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Interesting, that's actually very nice

Where do you store things? Do they have attics?

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!

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.

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.

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.

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Re: Question about Levittown houses

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.

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

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 there . 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?

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 there . 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?

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

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

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...

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)...

Re: Question about Levittown houses

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.

Re: Question about Levittown houses

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

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?!?!

Re: Question about Levittown houses

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"

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.

Re: Question about Levittown houses

Posted by betty

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

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"

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.