Need help with Basement Apartment Build

3 years ago

I am in the process of designing a new home which includes an apartment for my mother in law in the basement (walk out). The dilemma I am having is with the positioning of the deck on the main floor, ideally it would be in the back over the basement, however I am so worried about impeding the natural light into the basement. Does anyone have experience with this or can give some ideas to ensure the basement is well lit? Thank you!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

bry911
3 years ago
Elevations and plans showing orientation would help. Additionally, how do you typically use your deck? Do you spend a lot of time on the deck or do you just go out occasionally to grill and then come back in?
deb s
3 years ago
build her a screened porch under the deck - with some nice lights etc
Related Discussions
Super holds parties in the basement beneath our apartment
Q
Comments (15)
Thanks for all the tips and the links, I'll look at them in detail. We called the management office today, and, not surprisingly, they acted, as always, as if this will never happen again. Apparently he has been told that if this happens again he will loose his job. We are very worried that he will have another party on New Year's though, and thus asked for a phone number from someone in the office that we could call who could call the super in turn if he is having another party. Of course they said they couldn't so that. We have drafted a letter to the office addressed to the landlord of (address). We will send that out before New year's probably. I also have a lawyer contact now, and have yet to call the housing court. I will keep you all up to date on what is happening. I am afraid of approaching other tenants in the building. Perhaps lots of the tenants go to these parties, and if I speak to the wrong person, I may get myself into something I might not get out of. The refreshing thing though is that when we called this morning they said that yesterday they already had many calls about the party. I am only worried that their "consoling" seems to be an emerging pattern. Oh, I have also found another contact: The NYC Central Complaint Bureau. I'll look into all of this.
...See More
Questions about building an in-law apartment
Q
Comments (8)
As I'm sure you know, SO much depends upon your existing house and how the addition will be added, what will go into the addition, how things will connect, and so on. And of course unforeseen things like weather delays. For example, we did an addition slightly larger than that (over 1000 sq ft) and ended up replacing the roof on the whole house to make it all blend. We also blew out the majority of the existing back wall so the old part of the house would flow into the new. So if your addition is added on via a breezeway or similar, you wouldn't need a whole new roof. But if it's going to blend in and be part of the rest of the house, you might. For comparison, we started interviewing builders early in the year; did designs in the late spring/early summer; the basement was dug in July so the foundation was poured and framing started after that. We lived in the house while framing was being done and moved out in late August when they took down the existing back wall. We were out for 10 weeks and moved back into the finished house in mid-November. (Then had to wait until the next spring to finish the hardscaping in the yard and get the new driveway.) With an addition, there will almost always be suprises that can cause delays. Ours included a pipe or two that no one knew about and were discovered when we added some new windows to the old part of the house; and the bulldozer operator broke the sewer line when digging the foundation. (I think its location was mis-marked on the old house plans.) As hollysprings said, a builder and architect can help you scope the project and give you an idea of how long the work might take; they'll know how long it takes to get permits, materials, etc. Then add some time for the unexpected.
...See More
Building Basement Apartment- will recessed lights increase noise?
Q
Comments (6)
Those cans make your ceiling the equivalent of Swiss cheese for sound isolation. I’d find the smallest LEDs you can, and use the fewest amount. Also invest in some rugs upstairs with a nice underlayment or pad. They really do help to dampen footfalls noise. You’d lose some height if you do a resilient channel or double your Sheetrock. Is this an actual rental unit? Or just a place for grandma and grandpa?
...See More
need help to update this tired apartment building. colors - railing?
Q
Comments (7)
Is the red tape (or whatever it is) around the lower left window to see how beefier trim would look around the windows? If so, than I think that is a good idea to enhance the window trim. I'm not a fan of the current siding color (gray). It looks dingy to me and unappealing in its current color. There are cleaner, more modern grays. I do like the blue trim you are trying out on the beam area - if you can get proper coverage. Right now it looks a little like a test strip. IMO if your railings are painted black, rather than a trim color, they will disappear which will make your building facade less busy. If you do paint the trim a contrasting color, paint the doors the same color. Overall though - the advice to go with a commercial designer is spot on - there are marketing colors designed to attract and others that will unknowingly repel customers.
...See More
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
We need some idea of the house you are building . IMO there are ways to handle this issue in the layout of the house but we need more info.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
Decks located above windows will inhibit light from entering the space those windows are in. Design the house so the deck is not located where it will inhibit light from entering the space in the level below. Design the lover level to accommodate how the space will be used over the next fifty years.
Louise Smith
3 years ago
The slope of the property will have a direct impact on the light and the positioning of her apartment. If the entire house is raised so that the basement has windows all around, then place her apartment so that your deck overhangs spaces that have no windows: closets, bathrooms.
User
3 years ago
A secondary living space designed for an older occupant needs way more thought about whole property accessibility than it does about sunlight. And Sunlight is important. It’s just less important than the whole. It’s part of a whole.

Are you putting in an elevator? How will she access her basement apartment otherwise? Stairs? Really? If she still drives, where will she park? Bring in groceries? What is the route from entering the property to getting to her space? Is she expected to never leave that space and be with the family upstairs? How will that happen?

You need better design help than you’re currently getting if you’re just concerned about a deck for the upper floor occupants.
WestCoast Hopeful
3 years ago
We have a basement suite, not for an older person. The suite is side entrance though as our deck would have made the area far too dark to enter from. As a result the suite is actually a one bedroom and den and the den has no window.

If I were to build again I would rethink the suite location and make it more accessible so my in laws could have lived in it. That said a basement suite is extremely marketable in my area so it’s been fine.

I would never put in an elevator and have never seen one in a home near me ever. I’m assuming you are putting lots of thought into your design and hope you find a way to make it work.
mojomom
3 years ago
We are currently finishing our walkout basement. The upper floor extends over the basement by about 14’ and the walkout faces north. That said, I have been very pleasantly surprised by how much light it gets. With the natural light and extra care with the lighting and paint, it feels nice and airy. I’ll try to get a picture tomorrow.
worthy
3 years ago
Instead of a deck, use stairs down to a patio. Or, at least, a low level deck.

To provide maximum light, abjure window wells. IOW, lift the first floor, so the basement is partially above grade. If you're still stuck with window wells, consider large well surrounds. Or even a walk-out arrangement such as the one below.

Need help with Basement Apartment Build

Comments (9)

bry911

deb s

Related Discussions

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Mark Bischak, Architect

Louise Smith

User

WestCoast Hopeful

mojomom

worthy

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US