Satisfying the need for affordable housing in crowded cities is something that townhouses offer as an appealing alternative to traditional single-family homes.
While they may not be as large and luxurious as a detached home, they provide practical living on a smaller scale.
As a potential buyer or tenant, how do you know if your townhouse has stairs? Single-story units may not have stairs. However, sometimes two-story townhouses feature two sets of stairs, one for the basement and one for the upper floor.
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This is no surprise, as most multi-story dwellings have stairways and elevators to accommodate vertical mobility.
This article will answer some questions about the availability of stair treads so that your financial decision can be based on a complete understanding of the situation.
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What are the top concerns when buying or renting a house with stairs?
At some point, there must be a conversation about stairs.
Whether you’re buying a house, renting a townhouse, or just in your own balcony home for the first time, you’ll likely have questions about safety, accessibility, and cost.
Here are a few of the most common perplexities when you’re looking at townhouses with stairs:
- Will I be able to move my furniture upstairs?
- How will I keep my children from tripping down the stairs?
- Will I have to replace or upgrade the balustrade later?
- Is the current stairs ADA compliant?
- Does my homeowner’s policy cover the stairs on my deck?
- Should open-sided stairs be closed off?
- Do stairs with open risers reduce safety?
- Can I install carpet in the stairway area?
Do all townhouses have stairs?
Not all townhouses will have stairs.
Traditionally, homes with only one level of living space will not have stairs, allowing direct access from the garage to the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms.
With a few customization options, one-story townhouses with attics and lofts can incorporate stairs that provide access to the upper level.
At times, a home will have both a basement and an upstairs unit, each with its own set of stairs.
Slight variations on this theme include structures having two or more floors with direct access to each unit via stairs instead of going through the main floor or ground floor.
