Pros And Cons Of A Double-Storey House

Getting to go home and relax after a hard day is important for everyone. However, you need a home that fits with your lifestyle. Therefore, deciding between building a single-storey or double-storey is an important decision to make.

For instance, if you want to build a home with plenty of space and more rooms, then a two-storey home would be perfect for you. To help you make your decision, we’ve come up with a list of pros and cons for having a two-storey home. Also, we’ll take you through other factors to consider to help you make the right choice.

Pros of a two-storey home

• Extra space
  
  The main temptation for choosing a double-storey home is maximising your home’s square footage. Instead of building out, going up will allow you to get more space. This can mean there’s plenty of room for a swimming pool or a spacious backyard. You can also have extra rooms for activities, like a home cinema or games room.
  
  It’s thought that two-storey homes are expensive. However, building on a smaller block can be a way to get the price down.
  
  
• Views
  
  A two-storey home can improve your general frame of mind. Yes, it’s true. Every morning, getting a stunning high-up view will help you to start a positive day. This could happen when your block is surrounded by a good view or you have a picturesque garden.
  
  In such scenarios, you may want to consider a ‘reverse living’ layout. That means bedrooms are placed downstairs with the living room on the second floor. This will also help you to alleviate heating problems, cutting down the cost of air conditioning during summer.
  
  
• Privacy
  
  If you are fond of privacy, then a double-storey home is the way to go. Typically, teens want privacy at home, so can you opt to have bedrooms upstairs or perhaps a teenager’s retreat there. Also, some people don’t like guests using their bathrooms, so two-storey homes will allow you to construct guest bathrooms also.
  
  Along with this, as bedrooms are generally built on the second floor, it also can reduce street noise bothering you at night.
  
  
• More design options
  
  If you opt for a two-storey home, then it will increase your design options. To make it stand out, you can feature a staircase or a lift. You can even add balconies to your bedrooms on the second floor. This can be a great way to get a good view of the surrounding area.

Cons of a two-storey home

• Accessibility and safety
  
  A two-storey house can be a disadvantage for households with children and elderly people. Seniors may not be able to move up and down stairs regularly. Also, children may injure themselves going up and down staircases. There are safety measures you can put in place though, like child gates and restricting access to certain areas.
  
  
• Takes a longer time to build
  
  When compared to a single-storey home, a double-storey home takes a long time to construct. This can be because of the time needed to construct a staircase and more rooms. 
  
  
• More expensive
  
  Space and good views rarely come cheaply. As a result, a double-storey home can be more expensive than a single-storey house. Also, having separate areas across two different floors can make heating and cooling your home more expensive as you may need more heating and cooling systems, or they may need to work harder.
  
  
• Structural limitations
  
  Since two floors need to be constructed, the second floor should be aligned with the ground floor. The base should structurally support the second storey, and therefore, you may face certain structural limitations. You are not able to get exactly the layout you want in your home.

Read here>> How to Avoid Budget Blowouts when Building a Home

Factors to consider for a double-storey home

• Stage of life: Before making any choice, keep a practical approach and make sure that it is suitable for the next phase of your life. If you’re planning to have children, it may be difficult to have toddlers in a two-storey home. Similarly, retirees or physically disabled people would also have mobility and safety issues in such a space.

• Size of the block: You can build a two-storey home in a smaller inner-city block in a better way. This will also cut some of your expenses. While building two floors might be unnecessary on a large suburban block where you have enough space with a single storey.
  
  
• Lifestyle and layout: Double-storey homes are suitable for larger families. Everyone has more space. Also, if you value your privacy, two-storey home is a good choice.
  
  
• Aspect and location of the block: Choosing a two-storey home, surrounded by nature, can make your days more pleasant. It will give you an added advantage of great views. Consider what views you would get if you chose to build two storeys.

Design your dream home

If you’re financially able to, now is the time to start planning and designing your dream home. Speak to home builders, designers and architects to get the project started.