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Curious now. In looking in the Atlanta area for example, a finished basement is just a plus to a house and helps the house sell easier, but it does not necessarily increase the price of the house more than a comparable without a finished basement. (Just like slynn said about the attic comparable)
In general, it "appears" that Raleigh sellers think their basement or attic finished square footage is worth as much as their two main floors, (does anyone else notice this), and that is why I was curious to begin with on how we all viewed finished attic space vs. the 2 main floors.
I would rather have more space on floors -1 (basement) , floor 1 or floor 2. I had a home with a floor 2.5 It was not quite the 3rd floor and was higher than the 2 floor. It was over the garage, it was our theater room. In the summer it was hot as the 89th floor of the Towering Inferno! In the winter we needed a blanket until the heat kicked in. It was a brand new home at the time and well insulated but the back side of the ceiling was the roof with insulation in between and the roof was dark gray so it was hot as the dickens in the summer! My vote is keep the living space lower to or under the ground! Not as low as in 'Critters" but you know what I mean.
Our finished third floor is my husband's office which keeps him as far away as possible from the kids' noises. I wouldn't want his office on the first or second floor (neither would he) so it works out great for us. The office is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than our other 2 floors because of the individually controlled HVAC unit we installed specifically for that reason. We also made sure to build in lots of storage instead of turning the entire space into the office.
If the floor plan of the home allows for an unfinished, walk up third floor, it can be less expensive to finish the third floor than to buy a home with more square footage on the first or second floors. To increase the size of the second floor only, you need unfinished space to work. To increase the size of both the first and second floors, you need to expand the foundation size, expand the roof size, increase the amount of siding, among other things.
Also, if you're having a home built, it's cheaper to request a third floor be finished up front. This will change the size and type of HVAC system, and can eliminate the need for a separate system for the third floor. Everything can be included at the proper point of the construction process - meaning no extra trip charges or separate subcontractor fees.
That's not to say you can't finish a third floor on your own - with sufficient insulation and heating and cooling equipment, it can be just as comfortable as other parts of the home.
We built with a 3rd floor b/c it has a FULL bath and 2 rooms. It makes for a playroom and a guest room. We have a lot of out of town family and this way they have their own suite It also keeps the Wii out of the family room!
We also had an intercom system installed to make for easier calling the kids to the dinner table!
Then, I assume any type of bonus room you could have, if floorplan and lot permitting, you'd enjoy a bonus room on the first floor vs. the second floor? I'm pretty sure I'd prefer a bonus on the first floor rather than walking people up to bedroom level too.
It seems that a bonus room (or loft area) on the 2nd floor are a given due to the way houses are built around here. But, I like to do most of my entertaining on the 1st floor so, yes, I'd rather have a bonus on the first floor.
Our previous house had a basement that was rarely used, even though it was finished and it had a media room. We watched TV on the main floor, and only ventured downstairs for the Super Bowl, or for the occassional sports-related championship game.
If I could, I'd live in a huge ranch with the living room, dining room, kitchen and family room in the middle, private quarters (family bedrooms, laundry room, office) off of one side and the public quarters (guest bedroom, play room, media room, etc.) off the other side. No basements or attics for me.
If you don't mind sharing, what did it cost to make your husband's office up there with separate hvac?
In regards to HVAC, I installed a ductless heat pump for my garage. Cost me $600 delivered, plugs into a standard outlet and just had to cut a 4" hole to the exterior for the exhaust/condensate line. My garage stays just as comfortable as the house (it is fully finished/insulated). The brand is "Amcor" and I believe I got it at compactappliances.com. It has been running strong for 3.5 years now.
If I was doing a 3rd floor with just one room, that would be my route without question. It would be a few grand for a traditional HVAC unit to be installed and you would get the exact same result. There is of course nothing wrong with going that route, but in a single room setup there is no benefit. You can spend a bit more...$1500 or so and install a mini-split system like a hotel uses which houses the condenser outside and the controls/fan are flush mounted to the wall. Those typically require 220v service though so an electrician would be required.
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It also keeps the Wii out of the family room!
