Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's all personal preference. I have lived in both and I prefer single story. I always hated that pile of 'stuff' on the stairs waiting to go up or down. [elevator and / or dumbwaiter]
And hauling the vacuum cleaner [central vacuum]
and all the laundry! [install the laundry on the same floor as the bedrooms - problem solved]
And trash day. [trash chute]
Whatever you need will always be on another floor.
I don't think 2 story is more energy efficient. [It is, but not if uninsulated]
At least not in climate where you use AC. To get the bedrooms on the top floor cool enough costs a lot extra.[lacking sufficient insulation will always pose a problem]
We currently have a raised ranch in jawjuh, which is situated above a two car garage and bonus room. It's well insulated, especially the garage ceiling / house floor. All the A/C is routed to the upstairs living area, and the downstairs does not get conditioned air. However, the downstairs laundry is segregated from the conditioned space - a holdover from older designs. Any appliance that gave off too much waste heat (i.e., clothes dryer, water heater, etc) was segregated from conditioned space.
Yes, this makes a big difference. The one-story houses in my neighborhood are two bedrooms, 1000 square feet, and they did not build many of them. I'd say 85% of the houses are two stories. So, saying I like stairs is to some extent making a virtue of necessity. No one wants to cram a family of five into two bedrooms.
On the other hand, the obesity rate in Texas, the land of the large one-story house, is 31.9%, and here in California "only" 24.7%. So maybe all those stairs are making a tiny bit of difference.
Everything's bigger in Texas.
Having stairs in a house averages out to 7 pounds less per person if all bedrooms are upstairs.
But here's the thing - as I've stated before, all it takes is one accident - one set of crutches, one cast, one orthopedic boot - to quickly realize that having one's bedroom upstairs is at the least a massive inconvenience. And an accident can happen to the most fit person and at any age.
We moved into a 2nd story condo at age 60. But once in it, there are no stairs. With bad knees, it's not easy for me to go up, but I can do it, and it's good for me. And the view is much better; maybe safer in a tsunami, LOL.
But as already said, despite being fit and active my whole life---genetics brought me bad joints, so no amount of planning can forestall that.
I would NOT want stairs within the condo. We can always trade for a ground-floor unit if things deteriorate even more.
Often here, you see a house on stilts, with hammocks underneath. And chickens. The stairways are outside the humble building, with NO railings. I keep asking about the older people navigating that, but am met with shrugs! We have no railings on one side and it petrifies me.
They have curb-appeal and look grander. The house is more energy efficient. There is separate living and sleeping space. I would hate to sleep in my master right next to the noisy living room or smelly kitchen.
Am I the odd one here?
I hate how staircases eat up so much real estate and cut up two story houses. Well I suppose it doesn't in big houses but I don't like big houses either. I mean I really hate staircases to the second floor and not just because i'm getting older and know that i won't be able to get up them at some point although that is another good reason. Its just nuts how big looking two story houses seem so small inside because of the staircase.
People sleep better in a cool room. Upstairs bedrooms are always warm if not hot because heat rises.
Seriously, I love ranches and thats all I want to live in.
Having stairs in a house averages out to 7 pounds less per person if all bedrooms are upstairs.
But here's the thing - as I've stated before, all it takes is one accident - one set of crutches, one cast, one orthopedic boot - to quickly realize that having one's bedroom upstairs is at the least a massive inconvenience. And an accident can happen to the most fit person and at any age.
Tri-levels have got to be the supidist house going and yet they still build them. You can't even camp out on the main floor couch with a broken leg because there is no bathroom on the "main" floor.
So your choices are to be able to get to the bathroom and starve, or be able to get to the kitchen and....
I hate how staircases eat up so much real estate and cut up two story houses. Well I suppose it doesn't in big houses but I don't like big houses either. I mean I really hate staircases to the second floor and not just because i'm getting older and know that i won't be able to get up them at some point although that is another good reason.
People sleep better in a cool room. Upstairs bedrooms are always warm if not hot because heat rises.
Seriously, I love ranches and thats all I want to live in.
Stair is just another hallway. The area under the stair can be used as storage space. One story house can have lots wasted hallways as well.
I love my single story ranch. The open attic area above just makes it so simple to do projects like upgrade lighting, move receptacles, install recessed lights, install attic air conditioner, whole house fan, etc etc.
I've never had a problem sleeping on the same level as my kitchen or living room. They are usually empty when im asleep
I have no preference for one-story or two stories. The house I grew up with was 2 stories, and my brother and I had fun pretending to be Superman and slide down the stairs on our bellies.
But my house now is 1 story. I just chuckle sometimes that it has no stairs at all, except 1 step to walk onto the porch and 1 more step to go inside the house, which obviously don't count.
It's a proven fact in real estate that a ranch house is easier and quicker to sell. Pretty much for obvious reasons, including that they are more rare in most areas.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
