What Does 2.5 Storey Means?

[puppet 0]

Dear friends,

I am in the midst of sourcing for a builder to increase my current inter-terrace from 2 storey to 2.5 storey.

I would like to enquire the experts here what does the additional 0.5 storey mean?

1. Some told me it is an additional 3rd storey that can be up to 50% of my current existing 2nd storey.

2. Another told me that 0.5 storey simply means the entire 3rd storey is merely a rooftop garden that can be 100% of the land area of the 2nd storey

3. One last builder shared with me that 0.5 storey can mean that the 3rd storey could by an additional 3rd storey up to 50% of the 2nd level and the remaining 50% could be used as a roof top garden.

I am kinda confused, does BCA have any link or website I could clarify this with?

Much appreciated for the help guys

[buckrogers 0]

suggest u try ura website. they have a pictorial definition.

I am in the midst of sourcing for a builder/architect etc as well...anyone you have shortlisted?

[rogerlohyk 0]

Hi puppet and buckrogers,

From what I can seriously recommend is to pre-consult an experienced architect or professional engineer 1st, then shortlist a builder from these professional people's recommendation.

Comments with regards from builders can sometimes be rather confusing, basically they only know how to build, the experienced 1s still need to get professional assistance at times, thus asking architects or professional engineers will definitely be more ideal, as these people are professionally trained to endorse plans for BCA, URA, SLA etc. to get approvals, they must definitely know better than most builders.

PM me for builders / architects / professional engineers information and contacts, I could be able to help.

Best regards,

Roger

[puppet 0]

hmmm so what is a 2.5 storey then?

Anyone knows?

[taketen 0]

hmmm so what is a 2.5 storey then?

Anyone knows?

hi puppet,

A 2.5 storey landed house would mean its a house that is 2 storey with an attic. Just like 3.5 storey means 3 storey house with attic.

Its just a local "slang" commonly used to describe landed houses in Sgp. However, do note that "2.5 or 3.5 storey" terms are not officially recognised terms by govt. bodies such as BCA, URA, etc. Hence, you probably won't see such terms in legal documents, notice boards at houses under A&A or reconstruction. Officially, its either a 2 storey house or a 3 storey house, with or without attic.

The type of houses ( terrace, Semi D, Detached etc ) and how many storeys your house can be built up to will be dictated by where yr land sits on. Check URA Masterplan for this.

Btw, an attic must have any one side of the roof touching the floor to qualify as an attic.

Hope it helps.

[Lauer 15]

hi puppet,

A 2.5 storey landed house would mean its a house that is 2 storey with an attic. Just like 3.5 storey means 3 storey house with attic.

Its just a local "slang" commonly used to describe landed houses in Sgp. However, do note that "2.5 or 3.5 storey" terms are not officially recognised terms by govt. bodies such as BCA, URA, etc. Hence, you probably won't see such terms in legal documents, notice boards at houses under A&A or reconstruction. Officially, its either a 2 storey house or a 3 storey house, with or without attic.

The type of houses ( terrace, Semi D, Detached etc ) and how many storeys your house can be built up to will be dictated by where yr land sits on. Check URA Masterplan for this.

Btw, an attic must have any one side of the roof touching the floor to qualify as an attic.

Hope it helps.

Yes.

In addition, whether you could add an attic depends firstly on the height limit for landed in your area, and secondly the plot ratio for the building.

When there is no height limit issue, the GFA you could add with an attic is not necessarily the maximum allowable based on the plot ratio. It is pretty much an architecture issue.

To illustrate, let's say the land size is 2000 sqf, plot ratio is 1.5, so this gives us 3,000 sqf GFA allowable. And let's say the total GFA of the existing 1st and 2nd storeys totaled 2,000 sqf, we wouldn't be able to add 1,000 sqf GFA for the attic. The reasons are:

- one side of the roof would rest on the attic floor at the back of the house, while the other side of the roof would open to the open terrace at the front of the house. This opening has a height limit of not lower than 2.1m if I remember correctly,

- where the side of roof resting on the attic floor, because of the pitch of the roof, the floor space of the area below 1.8 m (if I remember correctly) is considered 'non-accessible' by BCA and therefore not counted as part of the GFA

- the maximum height of the attic floor would be 5 m, but exactly how high it would be built is an architecture issue. Meaning, how the new roof would look like from the outside, in relation to the entire look of the house. If you are using clay roof title instead of metal roof, then BCA also has a guideline related to the minimum pitch allowable for the roof, 12 degree (if I remember correctly) to prevent back flow of rainwater.

Cheers!

[pantieileen 2]

My aunt from a renowned developer explained in layman's term. You pay 6digit figure to do an additional floor (which could be a terrace, attic or proper 3rd floor), professionals will have to provide for (hence we pay) additonal columns, beams and footings, so the most ideal outcome is to have it sheltered with a roof hence attic or 3rd floor. When architect/PE/URA/BCA set the requirements for the load for the 0.5floor, there's no restriction to one building a terrace and then building an extra shelter (aluminium frame, glass/perspex roof) where one could still house furniture inside. So in short, developers will typically build 3storey and rarely 2.5 o 3.5storey to maximise their profit margin

Lauer and Taketen already mentioned 0.5 floor actually just means an attic floor where BCA/URA requirements is to have a sloping roof. So attic vs 3rd floor would mean the usable space for attic is smaller than 3rd floor (less windows, ventilation) due to sloping roof and angular ceiling in your room.

2.5storey and 3storey houses will also look the same on the front facade but side profile would look different. Height could also be the same. My attic masterbedroom walk in wardrobe is 4m tall (i use a rollable ladder) and my actual height of my attic floor is 4.3m.

Open invitation to puppet : you want come my place and see?

Edited July 25, 2013 by pantieileen

[Lauer 15]

My aunt from a renowned developer explained in layman's term. You pay 6digit figure to do an additional floor (which could be a terrace, attic or proper 3rd floor), professionals will have to provide for (hence we pay) additonal columns, beams and footings, so the most ideal outcome is to have it sheltered with a roof hence attic or 3rd floor. When architect/PE/URA/BCA set the requirements for the load for the 0.5floor, there's no restriction to one building a terrace and then building an extra shelter (aluminium frame, glass/perspex roof) where one could still house furniture inside. So in short, developers will typically build 3storey and rarely 2.5 o 3.5storey to maximise their profit margin

Lauer and Taketen already mentioned 0.5 floor actually just means an attic floor where BCA/URA requirements is to have a sloping roof. So attic vs 3rd floor would mean the usable space for attic is smaller than 3rd floor (less windows, ventilation) due to sloping roof and angular ceiling in your room.

2.5storey and 3storey houses will also look the same on the front facade but side profile would look different. Height could also be the same. My attic masterbedroom walk in wardrobe is 4m tall (i use a rollable ladder) and my actual height of my attic floor is 4.3m.

Open invitation to puppet : you want come my place and see?

Ya lor.

See is the best.

Cheers!

[pantieileen 2]

In my neighborhood, you can stand on the street and see.

Terraces

2storey A&A : my right side neighbor, my builder completed in Feb 2013 (300-350k)
2storey original : my lefft side neighbor 60yo house

2.5storey reconstruction : Me, completed Dec 2011 (grand total damage 500k)

3storey with full rooftop balcony & pool : right right neighbor corner terrace, another builder completed in Dec 2012 (1millon)
3.5storey (3storey with attic) build under reconstruction no piling but with bomb shelter (kept existing height) : opposite corner complete in June 2012 (hear say 700k-1m) with lift

3storey (tile roof) : opposite row 20yo houses

SemiD

2storey with attic (tile roof) : completed 10yo ago, 1m for the pair

3storey (no attic no roof terrace) : completed Jan 2011, 700k architect Ong&Ong, no swimming pool with lift

Edited July 25, 2013 by pantieileen

[puppet 0]

In my neighborhood, you can stand on the street and see.

Terraces

2storey A&A : my right side neighbor, my builder completed in Feb 2013 (300-350k)

2storey original : my lefft side neighbor 60yo house

2.5storey reconstruction : Me, completed Dec 2011 (grand total damage 500k)

3storey with full rooftop balcony & pool : right right neighbor corner terrace, another builder completed in Dec 2012 (1millon)

3.5storey (3storey with attic) build under reconstruction no piling but with bomb shelter (kept existing height) : opposite corner complete in June 2012 (hear say 700k-1m) with lift

3storey (tile roof) : opposite row 20yo houses

SemiD

2storey with attic (tile roof) : completed 10yo ago, 1m for the pair

3storey (no attic no roof terrace) : completed Jan 2011, 700k architect Ong&Ong, no swimming pool with lift

hmmm 60 yo house, by any chance this is at pasir ris terrace area? ha

[puppet 0]

Thank you all for the wonderful information

but i am more of a visual person, kinda still blur with the detailed explanation, my bad for my poor comprehension skills haha.

So am i right to say that for a 2.5 storey, the 3rd storey could be an attic which open outs to a roof top garden?

Edited July 25, 2013 by puppet

[pantieileen 2]

Yup, my attic has a bedroom ensuite bathroom and opens out to a balcony.

I'm on east coast road. Not pasir ris

[taketen 0]

Thank you all for the wonderful information

but i am more of a visual person, kinda still blur with the detailed explanation, my bad for my poor comprehension skills haha.

So am i right to say that for a 2.5 storey, the 3rd storey could be an attic which open outs to a roof top garden?

If its a 2.5 storey house, you shld refer to the level above the 2nd storey as the attic instead of the 3rd storey. It'll be less confusing for you tt way.

To visually differentiate if its an attic or a proper 3rd floor,notice tt an attic will hv a side of the roof touching and joining the floor level. Walk around to see a few more houses n u'll soon spot the attics.

Attic space and floor area can have many use ; bedrooms, gym,movie theatre, entertainment room, billiard and karaoke room, garden etc....

U can go to this URA link to find out what type of houses can be built in any landed zone :

http://www.ura.gov.sg/uramaps/?config=config_preopen.xml&preopen=Master%20Plan

Key in yr address and click GO.

Next to GO button, click on URA MAPS.

Then select "SPECIAL AND DETAILED CONTROL PLANS" in the URA MAPS box.

Then select "LANDED HOUSING AREAS PLAN"

U'll see what type of housing zone is yr house in ie 2 storey mixed landed, 3 storey mixed landed, 2 storey semi D, 2 storey bungalow, etc

Attic is like a bonus level tt our gahment allows for landed house owners to extend their GFA. Some house owners utilise this bonus while others don't. Its optional.

Hope its clearer to u now !

Edited July 25, 2013 by taketen

[3Cube 9]

Thank you all for the wonderful information

but i am more of a visual person, kinda still blur with the detailed explanation, my bad for my poor comprehension skills haha.

So am i right to say that for a 2.5 storey, the 3rd storey could be an attic which open outs to a roof top garden?

To put it in visual / layman terms, no of storey (ie: 2.5 storey) = floor area not expose to weather.

Another words you can have 3 storey building with the top floor half sheltered.

[leehongzhao 1]

A 2.5 storey landed house would mean its a house that is 2 storey with an attic. Just like 3.5 storey means 3 storey house with attic.

Its just a local "slang" commonly used to describe landed houses in Sgp. However, do note that "2.5 or 3.5 storey" terms are not officially recognised terms by govt. bodies such as BCA, URA, etc. Hence, you probably won't see such terms in legal documents, notice boards at houses under A&A or reconstruction. Officially, its either a 2 storey house or a 3 storey house, with or without attic.

The type of houses ( terrace, Semi D, Detached etc ) and how many storeys your house can be built up to will be dictated by where yr land sits on. Check URA Masterplan for this.