As far as resale, I wouldn't even get to go inside your house, because the drive-under garage would cross it off the list immediately.

Our first house had a drive-under garage and both DH and I agreed that we would never buy a house like that again. Shlepping babies, toddlers, groceries and everything else up a flight of stairs every single day got old fast. You would have 2 flights. I was lucky we had a circular drive to the front door so I could unload the stuff and kids, but then had to drive around and under into the garage. Not great in freezing weather.

Let's pretend that we are not concerned about resale value.

I still think it is a terrible idea. Maybe ok for a vacation house at the ocean or ski mountain resort, to take advantage of amazing views.

If you decide to do this I would make sure to have the funds to install an elevator now. Always cheaper to do these things while building. And you will be glad you have it when someone ends up with a leg cast and crutches for several weeks or even a badly sprained ankle.

We had a drive under garage once when I was a kid. Iirc it was no big deal. Garages were a luxury in the city.

As for inverted...depends on the view. A view of Los Angeles from the hills...a view of the Golden Gate Bridge...yes. priceless. But some, not so much.

How about a hybrid? Not so obviously inverted.

I think the desirability of the views is the big question. But next consider the practicality of noise in the bedrooms. We built a beach house that shockers did not have an inverted plan. Partly because a first floor living room reminded my wife of ranches that she grew up going to. It actually has a lot of other advantages - not the least of which is being able to see breaking surf from inside. And I wake up early - and I don't have to worry about walking on top of guests that are still sleeping.

Obviously you may have carpet and can spend money to mitigate sound but at least consider noise in the decision.

Our family is active - we have a 7 year old. You can get used to a variety of situations. But practicality wins out some times. I may go for a run now and again and get in the gym most weeks, but that doesn't mean I want to go down 2 flights of stairs to grab a tool stored in the garage, to try and find my car keys which I think fell out of my pocket, etc.

Do you already own the lot? We backed out of a lot precisely because the envelope was small and the lay of the land was tough. We had a family discussion about it and the basement garage was definitely an issue. It is sad, because there are a lot of good things about a basement garage.

I couldn't begin to even count the stairs climbed in forty years of apt/condo dwelling. It's equal to Mt Everest! Not with children. .... but with every load of of every other type and that includes descending to a laundry. At an age when a lot of my peers are retired, I can out run most of them and their kids, knock wood. I know it's exactly 42 strides to my very detached garage in a biting wind on a ten degree February day. Double that if glare ice.

My sister lives in a three story condo , great view, THIRD floor. No elevator, no garage, Cat litter, groceries, furniture ....just DON'T smash/ break your ankle, which in fact she did many years ago. Trapped for three months, other than a major need to get out.

Meaning: you get used to anything, stairs are beyond excellent for your health, and yes, even that of your children. Stairs make you mutter........"do I have everything?!" Your strength remains incredible over years as you say...."yup, I can carry it all in one trip!"

You don't mention your climate..... I hope it's very temperate and not the snow belt. Other than that.............have at it. But put that elevator in NOW. : )

YOU are going to live there. And for a long time. So make it your little paradise on earth if possible. If you think the view is worth it and it won't get too hot upstairs, then why not?

Your kids are not so small, that you must carry them, or any gear they are transported in. So you have liberty there too.

The stairs provide your daily fitness, would be a positive outlook on it. But indeed, if you do have the opportunity to install an elevator, I would do it rightaway. Think of how wonderful that is when moving in! And as chispa suggested: what if someone can't walk the stairs due to a leg cast (or back problem or any operation done)? If not for you, than probably very nice for some guests with physical problems, like grandparents.

Do not forget to build a big enough balcony to sit with all the kids and friends you invite, for indeed, then it might be a bother to have to walk downstairs to the garden. Even so, a garden kitchen might be nice in your case. Be sure to have at least a fridge at garden level, so for a garden party you can store food and beverages there.

And even when the time comes to sell, there might be people just like you to whom this house is a real gem and they don't mind the stairs either (and love the elevator too).

Of course, a good architect is able to design the plans for the two floors in such a way, that if someone later on would like it to be flipped again, it would at least be doable by just knocking down some walls and building some others. One could even install all the necessary connections already for a kitchen downstairs and hide them behind a small wall, that is easily taken out if ever the time comes. Etcetera.

The only thing that would prevent you from becoming happy there, is if you develop serious overweight issues and have to carry that load up the stairs. But probably the stairs will prohibit this occurance in the first place. No worries left.

So no, I do not see sufficient objections here. Go for it, if that's what you really like! I know I would...

As long as the laundry is on the same floor as the bedrooms, everything will be okay.

On a more serious note, why not just build a open air deck on the roof, and have a regular plan?

We carried everything up 55 steps from the street after carrying groceries 5 blocks, so having a dumbwaiter and elevator doesn't seem like a big deal. And maybe you can unload on level two before you go to the garage?

Right now we live on four levels including basement and the kitchen is on street level and there is dining and a living area there, the bedrooms are up a level and the top floor has a large living area with terrace.

How different is the view from the height of the first floor versus the height of the second floor? Maybe you could fly a drone up to each height to compare? Except for vacation rentals or a truly one of a kind view, I would definitely prefer the bedrooms on the top floor and main living spaces directly over the tuck under garage.

I would hate it. I don't think the folks who are fine with it have kids!!! Pre kids, who cares? With a family, NO.

I've seen inverted homes and thought they made sense. I think it would depend on the view.

What if you build 'standard' but include a sitting room on the second floor for enjoying the view?

Consider how you would feel if you built the home and had to go up to your bedroom every day to 'visit' the view. Good enough?

my vacation home is inverted and its not a problem *for us*. the kitchen is 1 flight up and i honestly don't notice the difference between that and my home where its at ground level. you can get used to a lot.

but yeah, you need an elevator for 2 floors i think. friends who live in a 3rd floor walk up cannot host holidays because elderly relatives simply cannot do the stairs. maybe you think this is a good thing... depends on the relatives. : )

and i might add, its easy to be cavalier about not caring about resale. but life has a way of changing our plans, and we do need to sell before we'd like to. unlike buying a home like this.. where you would pay a fair amount less money for it.... you are paying the same amount to built it 'weird' as building it 'normal', but with no chance to recoup the full amount at re-sale.

i realllly dont notice our house being upside down, and others in the area are upside down too. but our realtor (who is our caretaker now and a good friend), came to dinner this summer. we were chatting about 'the market' in the area. she remarked about all the great things we've done with the house since we bought it.... and then said something that made my heart sink.... "but you know, having the layout inverted, is a really big ding in the price."

because in the end, having a great view from the first floor def. beats out having a great view from the 3rd.

Can you change your access to the lot, such that you access it from the high side vs the low side? Build your garage up high, and have the entry to the house on the top floor.

Fifteen years getting to the third level for living, kitchen, dining and family?

I don't think so.

Time for Plan B.

"Is it just too much to go up essentially two flights of stairs every time you come home no matter how active you are?"

Yes.

My friend lives in a third floor walk up apartment. It's lovely. They are both over 60 and have lived their more than 20 years.

Stairs are one consideration, but not the only one.

Boy, none of you people could live in an inner city.

aunt thelma, i'd just want to caution, your friend is paying far less rent by doing those stairs. these folks are not paying less to build their house that way.

editing to add palimpsest. you pay less rent when you have to do stairs. you pay less to buy a walk up. at least with renting, you can choose to stop renting.

I have done a ton of tuck under garages. I've grown to really like them. I've never done a home with the living space two floors up from the garage. I would only do it if there were a very compelling reason. The main reason not to is the connection to the outside that would be lost by having the living space on the third level.

While stairs are one of the most important features of every design; in this kind of home they're crucial for making that journey up and down enjoyable rather than tedious.

The elevator shaft is a great idea. It can be installed at any time if the right infrastructure is there.

You have an interesting and challenging project... very curious to see what you come up with.

Nope, I owned, and tree canopy level units generally sell for more than street level units. There was a small and awkward manual gate elevator in my building only (not in the five others, and this did not affect prices between the different buildings). Of course this is regional and also had to do with the fact that the housing stock where I live is substantially pre Civil War. But new construction is taller, with more floors and high ceilings and still no elevators until you get over the $1M mark. My neice and husband are buying a four story house with a penthouse 2nd kitchenette and deck on the fifth level.

"... I don't get designing entire house around completely minimizing any physical activity..."

You miss the point. The OP does not live in the inner city. The OP is not renting. The OP has a choice and is asking for ideas and opinions. There are many ways for adults and children to get proper exercise. The OP has a choice about all these criteria and more by building a custom home.

I lived in an 1860s townhouse in New York City, on the top, fourth floor for six years (East 37th, between Park and Madison). Fortunately the building had an elevator. Sometimes the elevator didn't work. It made a difference in living quality when the elevator didn't work. I did a lot of walking in New York. Climbing four flights of stairs with my arms full was not the additional exercise I wanted or needed, after being on the streets of New Yori.

Given other possible living choices, I'd find one which would be comfortable and desirable for the 15-year goal set by the OP for living in the custom home. Having the primary living space on the third level for fifteen years would not be my top choice, for any reason.

You should exercise because you want to exercise not because your house makes you.

I wouldn’t want my guests to have to come up a flight of stairs. If the view from the 3rd floor as so much better, do a really sweet Master Suite with sitting area and massive deck area on the 3rd floor.

I'm delighted that my house DOES make me exercise! I have a basement garage and I love it - it's the 2nd one I've had. Yes, the first was not as easy as parking right outside the kitchen door, when carrying in babies/groceries. But babies don't stay babies forever. As to the groceries; with my pulmonary problems, I bag my own groceries and bring in just what must be refrigerated. The other can come up one bag at a time, or I go to the grocery when my yard man is here and he carries them up for me.

DD also has a basement garage - she has two children and it has never been a problem for her.

As to the upside down house; you said not to consider re-sale. You really must. It may hinder it, it may help depending on just how spectacular that view is. I know someone with a summer house like this and it works quite well. Ground floor bedrooms are actually much cooler.

You should exercise because you want to exercise not because your house makes you.

I think you should get exercise because it's good for you; most people won't do it voluntarily.

You miss the point. The OP does not live in the inner city. The OP is not renting. The OP has a choice and is asking for ideas and opinions

I'm not missing the point: my idea and opinion is that people should not necessarily try to talk the OP out of it because it's not the typical convention (Unless you have a beach house) and because they don't want to climb stairs. People are talking the OP out of it because of climbing stairs, primarily. The OP is not walking around Manhattan and then having to climb six flights of stairs. They are getting out of a Car and having to walk up Two. And maybe not more than twice a day. Anybody who lives in a multistory house goes up and down stairs. The OP is just commuting backwards.

I can't help but remember when oldest dd was renting a Chicago condo before they bought the house they have now. It had many, many stairs to enter the house via the back door.

She had a two year old and a new baby. It was a real task trying to figure out how to get the kids in and bring in a carload of groceries and work stuff. She wasn't willing to leave the kids in the car while unloading the car first....She brought them in, left the baby in the car seat and prayed the 2 yr old wouldn't lock her out...and she unloaded the car quickly.

Now she is pregnant with a third and really glad to be in the house in the city that they are refurbishing. It still has stairs since it's so narrow but not as many as that condo.

i realize the OP has older kids and they are easier.

I looked at an inverted house recently. For the same reason. The view was better from the second floor. The first floor had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open space that looked like a family room or TV room or playroom (depending on the ages of the kids.) The top floor had kitchen, living room, dining room and one bedroom and bath.

I loved it. I thought it was a great use of space.

My first apartment was a third floor walkup. I lived there from the age of 25-32. Even then lugging bags of groceries or anything else up 2 flights of stairs wasn't fun, although as mentioned the exercise was great.

My ex also lived in a third floor walk up. We managed. Note the word managed.

I once rented a beach house where the bedrooms were on the first floor and the views on the second floor. It was great for a beach house for the summer. However I don't think I'd have liked it as a year round house for all the negative reasons already given.

Additionally you mention that you're not thinking of resale. I say you should always have resale in the back of your mind.

When my ex and I moved into our dream house, he insisted the only way he was leaving was in a box. Well fast forward 15 years. Note the word ex. We sold that place.

When DH and I moved into our condo in FL 7 years ago, we were sure it was a place we were going to stay. We loved the neighborhood, the people, etc. However what we didn't love were some of the condo decisions, the old windows, etc. Plus we wound up getting a dog who hates the downtown noises and we missed barbecuing and being able to walk outside onto green grass. So we sold that place and are building a new house.

My point being, life happens. And if you do stay for the next 15-20 years, when you do go to sell, do you want to sell a house that has a limited pool of buyers or one where they are all interested?

Another thing not mentioned, is that nice view framed by trees? Trees that might grow to block that view in 10 years? Can you cut/trim the trees and are they even on your property?

If the view could be blocked down the road, then you will be left with a very odd design for your area.

Wow...you all are great! I️ hadn’t been on this site for years and will be using you and it as we progress in our project I’m sure. We are not entirely unconcerned with resale, just not OVERLY concerned. We somehow snagged a very rare infill lot in a coveted neighborhood. And although I’m certain an inverted triple level plan would shrink the pool of interested buyers, I️ don’t think it would eliminate it entirely. We just want to build a great house for our family for at least the next 15 years, maybe beyond. Thanks for all your thoughts.

Summit Studio Architects - I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "The main reason not to is the connection to the outside that would be lost by having the living space on the third level." We WOULD lose the connection from the floor with kitchen/living to the back yard by inverting the design. We would have to have two levels of stairs from the back yard up to the top floor living space to keep that connection to the kids playing outside. Seems a bit awkward, and we might miss the "outdoor living space at yard level right off the kitchen" opportunity which also seems attractive.

Mike Lamb "Can you change your access to the lot, such that you access it from the high side vs the low side? Build your garage up high, and have the entry to the house on the top floor."

No. Unfortunately/fortunately the north side of the lot is an open space hill with trails and no road. Nice idea though!

Palimpsest, in the city, I would be poor in quality of life! I would always have a fulltime nanny and spend 3x as much to have a fifth the lifestyle. I wouldn't worry so much about 3 flights of stairs, though, because I wouldn't be bringing home a week of groceries for a family in a minivan. Instead, I the deliveryman would bring it up for me.

I would have also gone crazy and killed myself. My few acres in a suburban subdivision on the edge of a forest 20min from the city is a compromise compared to my remote country ideal! I can make it to a downtown theater production in under 40 min--about the same as many who live there! So I hardly feel deprived. :)

In a suburban environment, an inverted plan will be worth at least 20% of your home value.

regarding not worrying about resale value, never say never. life happens. friends of mine designed and built their "forever home", including aging in place things for when they were older. after 10 years, they ended up relocating out of state due to circumstances beyond their control.

I'll just give a tenth vote for concern about resale. We just sold our 8 yo custom house. We expected 20 years out of it at least.

Connection to the back yard - we had a walkout basement on the last house. Boy did I not like the loss of connection to back yard. Not at first but over time. We never spent much time in the basement despite it being 10 ft ceilings and had a wall of windows. But I loved its connection to the back yard.

I am guessing that a true connection to the backyard is not an option. Once you are 1 story up, unless it is a really big yard, you have lost the connection. 2 stories up is probably not that different.

I think the inverted plan is also awkward for guests.

Now what is the view again? That is a really big determining factor. But all views get less impressive over time. I am sure many disagree and obviously people pay lots of money for views. I think they can be impressive but are they dynamic and really that entertaining 5 years from now? I remember my father's last house - perfect view of the Golden Gate bridge, Bay bridge and most of the bay through a 10 foot window. When I visited, I would stare for 15 minutes. Then I was done. But at least it was a bit dynamic - sunset and the variable fog. Kept things interesting.

Three story houses with the living floor above the bedroom floor all above a ground floor garage are very common on the Delaware and Maryland beaches. Done all the time.

Google inverted floor plansthere are tons that seem workble.

ARG, this isn't a beach house, though. It's in a subdivision.

If you do decide on the inverted plan, then I'd forego the dumbwaiter and just do the elevator.

Besides the inconvenience of traveling two stories to the living level, I don't care for passing the private spaces to get to the public space, or having noisy activities above bedrooms. I would definitely do it though if it would allow a view of the ocean or something equally compelling.

Why not put the elevator in during the build and see if the upper floor can be made to minimize noise to the bedrooms below? I bet with a creative architect you can make this work.

It all depends on the area. I walked past our old home one time. It had sold for about €3 million and I was like, wow. There were 3 floors over the garage. Obviously, resale was not an issue. Mom made us kids carry all the stuff into the house and up the stairs. But she could have used the dumb waiter. We always forgot about it.

Not everyone is the same thank goodness.

The inversion thing is different but it can make sense if it's done right.

Resale should always be a consideration. If the kind of plan you're considering if really unusual for your area, I would say leave it. You think you'll be there for 15 years but....stuff happens. Your parents get old and it's hard for them to climb so many stairs, (hopefully not, but) someone gets really ill or disabled, work circumstances change and you need to sell soon than you thought. Sounds as though you may be living in a more suburban area and then you would be competing against houses that could be easier for more people. If you want or need to sell fast you don't want to have a barrier.

That said, I have seen incredible houses where the top floor has an amazing ocean view and it's super open and glass clad with cozier spaces underneath. Very nice, and super high end.

One of my clients added an elevator from the carport to the floor above the ground floor she is also on a slope it was the best money ever spent when I go there if I am hauling samples i just take the elevator do one you will not regret it and when resale time comes it will make the sale because all of the issues mentioned won’t matter.

Several years ago, we built a house in the mountains, where almost every lot is an uphill lot or a downhill lot. Most houses have huge sets of stairs on the outside of the house, plus of course the usual set on the inside. Garages are on a lower level or a higher level, depending on the topography of the lot, the grade, and where the access from the road to the lot is located.

Our house is somewhat inverted; we're on an uphill lot. We didn't want stairs on the outside because they're a pain to clear off, and still get icy, in the winter. So our main entry is on the lower level, as is the garage. That level is built into the hillside, and includes a big exercise area (future owners could use it many ways), two bedrooms and a bath. Then a half-flight of stairs, my office, then turn and another half-flight, and the rest of the house - living, dining area, kitchen, and our bedroom. That level is on the ground in the back of the house, and one flight up in the front. We don't have a third level.

So every time we come in, we carry whatever up a flight of stairs, but we really don't even notice. Having the landing likely helps, and our kids are grown, so we aren't hauling kids up the stairs. It works great for us. And because we wanted to keep the square footage down, we plan that if there are mobility issues in the future, we will put in a stair lift.

We have an inverted 3 story beach house. First floor is the garage and one living area, the second floor are the bedrooms and the third floor is the living area and kitchen. Beautiful ocean and bay views from the 3rd floor.

The home I am leaving has a garage under the house proper. The main problem with this is that the bedroom above the garage stays on the chilly side in winter.

I don't park in the garage (one-car garage with my stained glass center, treadmill and all sorts of yard equipment), and I would rather walk around than take stairs. In snowy/icy weather I do take the stairs, and the two times I've been hobbling on crutches while living here, I've used the stairs instead of walking around and up, so this scenario is not remotely handicapped friendly. But then again a LOT of homes that don't have under-garage access AND/OR aren't inverted... aren't handicapped friendly, either. You're using an elevator, or at least placing one for future use is good.

My brother just bought a home on the coast of Florida with the garage underside. In his case, this helped comply with hurricane code... surges can wash through below without impacting the house proper. (We just hope he moves his cars out in time!!!) He lucked out with Tampa Bay doing a "reverse surge."... with the recent hurricane. He does have an elevator.

In your case... I didn't plan for either medical emergency (hey, let's break a leg TODAY!), so I'd recommend putting in an elevator now, rather than later. (I sat down on the stairs and moved up one step at a time, just to provide the visual. Easier on stairs than on a sloping lawn...)

I grew up in a three story house that had the garage on the middle floor of the house (with basement under it as well). The main floor of the house was in the middle and there was living up and down. An underneath garage was nixed but there was the option to have it on level two.

It did separate one from the yard a bit, but that was the function of the lot. the back yard was down a level from the front whether there had been a garage there or not.

Our garage was also finished and heated. I am not sure why more people don't do that when its a part of the house.