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You quoted on the NY forum-
"It's a coop, I'm waiting to heard back from the agent about the re-modeling. No sure how much it will cost me, if it will be over 20K, I would like to use it to negotiating the price too."
It depends- it could be just a raised platform($), easy to take out but you still have to match the flooring($$$).
Then again- it could be some kind of cover for a structural, or mechanical issue($$$$).
Then there's all the Bureaucratic BS that you have to go through with the board, city- if a permit is required, subcontractors, disposal fees, Weird access hrs for the elevator (if one is involved), a few greased palms here or there- like the Super. it really starts getting very expensive!!!
If it's going to eventually by a rental, and your stay is 2 or less years- I'd probably just live with it.
My take is similar to K'ledgeBldr but more blunt -- you'd be nuts to move forward with this if you cannot live with the step.
Frankly I suspect that there are some "infrastructure" issues that a previous owner decided to address by building up the platform, likely involving plumbing to the kitchen and / or bath. If you build out the platform to make the living room level with the kitchen that will rob the whole unit of height, create issues for hollow sounding floors and STILL have something funky around the entrace area. If you tear out the whole platform and find some funky plumbing issues that could literally be a six-figure budget buster...
If you can't envision a nice little desk or reading area outside the kithen on the platform I would find another unit. Personally if the unit is otherwise meeting your needs I would focus on what sorts of design solutions would maximize the utility of the platform...
Can you drill a hole in a spot and scope in to see what is under the floor? My home has a sunken living room and a raised kitchen. It's just a step but mighty dangerous. They have been several falls. One of our party guest was quite badly hurt. I dislike that feature about our place. Your is much more simple and Iwoukd be tempted to lower the floor if you an be sure there's not anything underneath needing to be repositioned.
you will have a LOT of work ahead of you if you try to remove this. you understand that the KITCHEN is raised. there are all kinds of pipes and wiring in that step...also it doesnt specify if this is an apartment/condo or home, in which case you just might not be allowed to change it.
Such as the picture shown. Will it be difficult to level the floor as living room? Thanks!
Do you want to remove just the platform and keep whatever is on the other side of the door (presumably the kitchen) as is (a step-up) or make everything flat?
I think it looks fine as it is, and you should decorate with the step in mind.
I guess maybe that qualifies as a dining room in New York .
Unless making the dining room floor level with the living room floor is doable/inexpensive - I'd pass. I can just see people pushing their chairs back from the dining room table - falling backwards - and hitting their heads on the floor. I am not as much concerned about the difference in levels between the kitchen and the "dining room" (although I'm not thrilled with the difference) - since you can always do something on the floor to highlight the "step up/down" to prevent falls. If you wind up buying this place - I'd definitely put up a railing around the "dining room" area.
Keep in mind that with a difference like this in terms of floor levels - you'll be limiting your potential pool of renters. Older and disabled people wouldn't want to live in a place like this.
FWIW - I'm a retired personal injury lawyer - from Miami. We were good - but those personal injury lawyers in New York - they're like sharks circling when someone gets hurt. Robyn
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