The single story home vs two story home game (flooring, how much, roofing)

[KathrynAragon]

I feel like we have the best of both worlds. We have a two story home, but the master suite is downstairs, so it's only guest rooms that are upstairs. Also, the master suite downstairs is not below the upstairs (it's in a wing to the side of the house), so you don't hear anyone walking around upstairs when you're downstairs, if that makes sense.

The rooms upstairs are extremely spacious, which is affordable in part because the actual footprint of the house doesn't include those rooms. Another great thing about it is that we have a walk in attic (rather than one you have to climb a ladder to get to).

One unexpected benefit is that when people who are too old to navigate the stairs come to the area to visit, they have to stay in a hotel! Yes, I said "benefit." Sorry!

We can easily shut off the upstairs so that we aren't heating and cooling it unnecessarily.

Finally, the views from the upstairs bedrooms are beautiful.

In our area, two story homes are comparable to one story homes AS LONG AS THERE IS AT LEAST ONE BEDROOM DOWNSTAIRS, preferably the master bedroom. People want at least one bedroom on the ground floor in case of injury or illness that makes stairs difficult. Two story homes with all bedrooms upstairs are less desirable in this area.

[yellowsnow]

One story all the way! I hate hauling laundry up and down stairs and the pile of 'stuff' that accumulates on the stairs waiting to go up or down. If the bedrooms are upstairs, they are always too hot if the lower floor is comfortable. In a single story, the master can be on one side of the house and secluded from the other bedrooms. Easier maintenance too. You can wash your own windows and paint.

I've had both and single story is the best for me. And one step better...single story with a basement!

[hotzcatz]

I would think the pros and cons of a two story versus a one story would change depending on location.

All of our houses are technically a "one story" yet two of them are built on lots that are very sloped so there's a long set of stairs to get up into the "one story". Both of those houses on sloped lots have storage and other space below the house, but because this is Hawaii, it's not formally enclosed.

Two story houses have less roof area to either build or maintain, that's a "Pro", I suppose. However, there are then also stairs that need either to be built or maintained, so that's a "Con". Just going up and down the stairs is a HUGE "con", at least for me. That can be somewhat offset with an elevator and a dumbwaiter, I suppose. However, then there's the cost of building and maintaining the elevator/dumbwaiter.

Okay, a list might be a better way to organize this:
Two Story Pros

• views from upper floor
• less roof area to build / maintain
• more yard area
• possibility of quieter areas in house, although this can also be addressed via design of one story
• one area of the house can easily be kept at a different temperature
• upper floor on floor joists (not concrete) and easier on the knee joints for walking

Two story Cons

• going up and down the stairs
• higher roof is harder to access
• higher windows harder to clean
• harder to paint and wash the exterior of the house
• might block neighbor's views & cause upset in the neighborhood
• hot upstairs in summer, although mainland houses have heaters and A/C to offset this
• cold downstairs in winter (on the mainland, anyway) because all the heat rises

One Story Pros

• easy to access all areas of the house
• easy to access the yard
• easy to wash windows
• easy to paint and wash exterior of house
• easy to maintain temperature (if one has a heater or A/C in the house, anyway)

One Story Cons

• larger footprint
• less yard area
• more roof to build & maintain
• unless built on "post & pier" the concrete slab will make a floor that is hard on joints when walking

There's zillions of reasons for and against, although everyone has different wants and requirements in a house so what the final choices would be would depend on the owners, the location and what they want from their house. Topography makes a difference, too.

[dbsteel]

I've gone from a one story to a two story. I like the look of a one story a little better (although my two story has a nice look to it), and I probably like it a little better, but the best benefit of the two story over the one right now is simply that I like having the private areas away from everything else. And my yard is bigger.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by EmergencyOps

Depending on how you ascend and descend the stairs, your weight (knees bear 3x body weight going up and 5x body weight going down), and a myriad of other factors ... could mean the difference in healthy or poor condition knees.

I'm hanged if I can think of more than one way to ascend and descend stairs. I knew I was criminally boring but, it must be said, American's are criminally lazy.

[Mistermobile]

... are shaped for us by our life experiences although I did like the "better pet exercise" rationalization point someone made.

Two story homes are popular in the North because heat raises. Used to be houses had no ductwork just openings in the floor covered with a grate. Heat the furnace in the basement, heat rose through the house. And small lots made two story houses a good buy. So even with modern HVAC, folks like the way those things look.

In the South, one story is best. Shotgun style, open to a breeze front to back, and now ranches. The winds do blow hard in the South so reducing your profile helps.

Ever watch those "This Old House" renovation shows? Functional obsolescence means pink pastel bathrooms, once in, are now out, along with dining rooms. That's why they are always knocking out the downstairs, hopefully, non-load bearing dining room walls in those shows.

Really, does anyone really like to be shown to the family room in the basement upon entering?

Its all about re-sale value.

[Ultrarunner]

I like split levels here in the hills... single story takes way too much grading and retaining wall work.

[wit-nit]

One story only our top 10 reasons.
1 Bad knees weak legs, can't climb.
2. Handicap person, can't go up.
3. Cheaper to heat/cool.
4. Quick fire escape.
5. Outside area easier to reach for maintenance like cleaning windows etc.
6. Grandkids can't fall down stairs, climb out windows and fall.
7. Easier to answer door for packages, medicine deliveries
8. Easier to get to raid fridge in the middle of the night.
9. No accidental night sleeper falling down steps.
10. No worrying about being up in a dangerous situation.

[goodlife36]

I would prefer a one story craftsman bungalow.

[Tallybalt]

Originally Posted by Europeanflava

Lets play a game listing the pros and cons of
a single story home vs a two story home.


I will go first to start the game


Single story pros
More bang for your buck(single story homes
maintain property value better than two story.
Atleast that's the case in non rich communities).

Not where I live in the mid-Atlantic. Two-story properties are the norm across all types of neighborhoods. Single story around here means a cramped 1950s rancher. The market definitely favors two story houses

Easier to beautify for lazy people. Maintenance is
easier. Yes and no. Single story houses, compared to a comparable two story houses, have a much bigger footprint which means a much bigger roof that periodically needs replacing and more gutters to clean. Depends entirely what maintenance needs you're talking about.

Single story home cons
Bedroom on first floor. If you've ever
lived in a two story home then you know
its not very comfortable.

Agreed. But this is subjective. Some of the newer two story houses still have a master bedroom downstairs, usually in a separate wing.

If you have a egomaniac in your home
that needs plenty of space then you'd
better steer clear of single story homes
and pick a two story home.


Two story home pros

Space. Probably the best benefit of having
two story. If you want to go to sleep you
simply go upstairs and away from guests.

Agreed. Two story houses seem to be more private, with the bedrooms removed from the main living areas. Large single story houses can avoid this problem with the bedrooms tucked off in a separate wing, but smaller ones can suffer from a lack of privacy, especially those houses where the bedrooms flank the front door.

Better AC ventalation. Never too hot or too
cold like a single story. Can't comment. Not sure if this is true?

Cons of a two story home.
Not as easy to secure like a single story home.
Got to make sure alarm works both upstairs and
down stairs. I disagree. It's a lot harder to break into the second floor of a house! My alarm system covers the entire house.

Stick out like a sore thumb
if placed in a neighborhood
of mostly single story homes. The same is not
necessasarily true of a single story home in a
area of predominantly two story houses.

Disagree. They both stick out equally. What's more important is the quality of design and construction and landscaping. A lovely single story house can fit into a neighborhood of two story houses and vice versa.