Whether
you are looking for two story
house plans because you prefer the design or for some other reason, you
should be easily able to find what you're looking for. In addition to
design preference, there can be some practical reasons you may choose a two
story home over a one story home. Two story house plans are well suited
for house-building when the lot-size is limited and you're trying to make the
best use of your space. On a small sized lot, you may be trying to get the
most bang for your buck, and two story house plans provide that for you because
you can get more square footage in the same space if you choose to have a
multi-level home.
Two story
house plans have the automatic advantage of a very distinct visual
separation between public and private parts of the home. Most of the time,
particularly if you have a bathroom on the main floor as well, visitors wouldn't
expect to be wandering around your upstairs. This can be an advantage when
entertaining because not everything needs to be as immaculate as it might need
to be if all spaces were open to the public rooms. It can also make it
easier to help keep the children in a particular room while playing. When
the whole house isn't basically open to itself, inviting the kids to spread
their "treasures" from one end of the house to the other, a two story house
might even help you keep your house in order!
A two story
house plan may offer more privacy to the occupants, especially in a
neighborhood where some of the other houses are one story. This depends on
a lot of factors, of course, including the topography in your neighborhood, but
it is something to consider when thinking about what style home to
build.
Two story house plans can be a big disadvantage if someone in the
family has difficulties negotiating steps or stairs. In some cases, a
multi-story house can still accommodate the needs of that family member, but in
some cases, it's better to look at single story houses. If the two story
house plans include plans for a bedroom and a full bath on the main level, it
can be a workable solution. It wouldn't even have to be a negative for
resale value, as the home could be later sold with that bedroom suite as a nanny
or in-law suite, or the bedroom could be used for another purpose.
Two
story house plans may make people feel more comfortable and confident in the
security of their homes, in some cases. They may like to sleep with the
windows open, but be disinclined to do so if the bedroom is on ground level.
Two
story homes also have the advantage of using up less of the lot space.
If you like to garden, or hope to someday put a pool in the yard, you might want
to consider if a two story
house might better suit your needs, leaving more of the yard available for
other things
Preston Wood and Associates is a member the "American Institute of
Building Design" or "AIBD". The "AIBD" is a national organization with
chapters in every major city including
This article was published on Wednesday 27 January, 2010.
