Whether or not a single-story home is a smarter investment than a two-story house relies on personal taste to a great extent, along with the local real estate market and that old adage: location, location, location. Multi-level houses offer many advantages, but they also have a few inherent downsides, such as heating costs. But one-story homes have drawbacks as well, including a lack of privacy.
Yard Size
It computes to 3,200 square feet per lot when all residential properties on a city block have lot sizes of 40 feet wide by 80 feet deep. Some city codes might set aside a percentage of that .07-acre lot size to a construction erected upon it. The “footprint” of your home couldn’t go beyond 1,280 square feet if the city code says that the building can’t use up more than 40% of the lot.
A single-floor home normally takes up more of the lot than a multiple-level home, which wouldn’t be best suited if having a big yard is one of your priorities. Building contractors might make the foundation 900 square feet for a three-story property, which would actually augment the usable space in a 3,200-square-foot yard. A foundation of 900 square feet would use about 28% of the lot, against the 40% of the single-floor house.
House Size
Single-level homes in the location would have the optimum square footage of 1,280 in this scenario, whereas a multi-level house could be twice that size or 2,560 square feet. A one-story home is usually priced more per square foot than a two-story for this reason. It’s also more costly to build simply because the groundwork and roof are often the most expensive parts of constructing a home.
Sound Effects
Some contractors say that joists should be spaced 12 inches apart on a second level to lessen squeaks and sounds from the floor. The older the home, the further apart the joists usually are.
The audio from television may easily travel to the second floor if a bedroom is positioned directly above the family room. This would make it hard for anyone trying to sleep in that bedroom while a night owl family member watches TV down the stairs.
Security Issues
A multiple-level home wins in this section. Let’s say that it’s spring or autumn, and you’ve left your windows open for a little fresh air movement as the heat goes up or winds down. These windows are prone to entry by burglars, and they’re all going to be on the ground floor, easily accessible, if you purchase a one-story dwelling.
Two-story houses often give an additional layer of security.4 What thief is going to put a ladder up to that open upstairs bedroom window with no neighbors or someone noticing?
It’s All About Personal Taste
Personal taste will undoubtedly win out when you’re deciding to buy a single story or a multi-level home. A single-story home is usually prized and might sell a lot quicker than a two-story home in a suburban area, while people commonly prefer multi-level homes in older city neighborhoods.
Do not buy or build a one-story home that’s encompassed by two-story homes. You could run into resale problems.
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