two story vs one story homes

[dickndonna]

I am new here. Would appreciate some feedback on cost of two story vs one story construction. Which is cheaper?

[John Raabe]

A two story house has (about) two SF of usable floor area for every SF of foundation and roof.

However, the cost and space of the stairway must be taken out of the calculation. Also, 2 story houses are more complex to build as more ladder and scaffolding work is needed.

However, for a family home such as the 2 story Universal, your cost per SF will be lower than the same area on one level. This is especially true if you are building in a cold climate where foundation costs are higher due to deep frost depths.

Which is why older New England farmhouses are usually two story.

[scottb]

heating is less for 2 story but fresh air circulation is more complex--costly. 2 story bedrooms need fire escape--chain ladder. Small lots you have to go with 2 story. If you have space consider this. How many times do you want to climb stairs? Not alot I bet.  How many times do you want to fall down the steps? Not at all I bet.

[bizzyPDXgal]

I was explaining something to this effect to a co-worker today. I may be able to climb stairs now (for a little while anyway), but in my later years I don't want to!

[Amanda_931]

Bonnie Prudden thought it would be nice to have steps in a retirement house--so you could use them for exercise if it was rainy and horrible out.

But it might be a good idea not to have stairs that you had to trot up and down all the time.

Works for me.

[desdawg]

Two story houses are more expensive to cool here in the desert SW. But I see more and more of them in the subdivisions as the lot sizes shrink.

[Dimitri]

Stairs have the problem that when you are older you wont be able to go up and down the stairs as easily. And depending on how your body is when you are older it might be completly dangerous to go up and downstairs.  

Dimitri

[John Raabe]

Interesting that Amanda mentioned about having stairs for exercise. That was my dad's rationale when he built his two story house (at the age of 60). Fortunately the property also had a one-level cabin which he now lives in. He is 89, a widower and having problems with his legs.

It will likely happen to all of us.

And the short answer to the bigger question is that you outgrow houses - what you need while raising a family is not what works best in your dotage.

[glenn kangiser]

Fortunately for me, my dotage has arrived and is in full progress and I still get around just fine. :-/  OK - part of it is fortunate. :-?

We have steps in the back but also pretty level walk in entrances on the lower side of all areas to or from the outside.

[Sassy]

My mom had severe heart disease but she insisted on walking up the L shaped stairway (12 ft high ceiling) till her last day... my dad kept offering to move the bedroom downstairs but she wouldn't hear of it.  She would take one step at a time & rest.  She was always someone who exercised a lot.  

I like stairs, too - I don't have to go to aerobics anymore, I get plenty of exercise walking up & down all our stairs & up & down the hill.  Until I can't walk anymore, I will continue - then as Glenn says, there are entryways that don't require steps-you can get a wheelchair through them - hopefully I never get to that point!   :-/

[glenn kangiser]

When Sassy gets to where she can't walk anymore, I'm going to put her on an extreme diet so I can round her out then flip her on her side and roll her up the stairs. :-?

[PEG688]

The bow roof house we just put a master bed/ bath addition on is a example of a good long term plan . The folks who had the place built in 81 still live there .  With age comes mobility issues / surgery's etc . There long term plan was to build the bed / bath room at the time it was needed . So if your lot / subdivision / etc allows for / is large enough / and you plan it right , leave the space , the upstairs can become guest space , and essentially you live on the lower level.

 This also means fore thought about laundry rooms , kitchen. etc being on that ground floor level.  

[MountainDon]

My parents home was a story and a half; they bought it when I was 3, many many decades ago now. They had their bedroom and a bathroom on the main floor and us kids had our rooms upstairs with one bath up their for the three of us. It worked well.

As for me I don't like stairs all that much and for the past 21 years have had none. The cabin will be a one story on three story acreage. Enough exercise outdoors when wanted, but inside everything at hand. Plus I can drive up to the door or down to the lower reaches.