1 story vs 2

Started by RoxyRocks, April 28, 2009, 10:42:08 PM

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RoxyRocks

I was talking to a friend of mine(who is not very supportive with the whole home building....she thinks we are pretty much stupid for not just buying a house) and I was telling her that we were debating back and forth between wanting a 1 or 2 story home and she started to go on and on that single story homes were 'easier' to build(her dad is a builder ::) so she thinks she knows everything about house building)

Is that really true? I know it probably is a silly question and I have just never heard that before.

I am sorry I have so many questions we are getting close to purchasing a plan and I am trying to figure everything out.

MikeT

In general, I think it probably is easier to build a one story vs. a two story house.  But if you are starting to count square footage and are comparing a one story house comprising 1000 sf (for instance) compared to a two story house having the same square footage, then the issues get more complicated:

What kind of foundation?
If you have a one story, will it have two bathrooms?  If so, then one could argue that it is more complicated to build that element than on a two story house.

I will now leave it to the real experts....

FYI, if you follow these link, you can see my project, which is a multiple story project on difficult terrain, but has been done mostly by me (a rank amateur), my father, and my family....I think we have been very effective at using local resources and taking it one bite at a time..

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=4186.0

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=6563.0

mt


MountainDon

I have always based the design on what I/we wanted or felt would best suit what we wanted.

When I was younger and before I ever owned a home I had lived in third floor apartments or warehouses that were walk up, except for the freight elevator in the warehouse. I grew up in a 1 1/2 story home. The first house we bought was a single floor; to get away from the stairs. As well as to get away from moving heavy items up and down stairs.

I know that a 1 1/2 or 2 full story house is more efficient use of space and materials, but I don't like stairs.

We designed our cabin without a loft, because we didn't want a ladder inside. Neither did we want to give away interior space to normal stairs.

However, that's just us. There are many here who love their lofts and their 1 1/2 & 2 story homes.

I guess my point is for you to pick what you want first. If it turns out that you feel a 1 1/2 story is best suited to your current and projected needs, then go for it.

You'll need longer ladders and maybe scaffolding for the higher exterior work. But if you are planning on living in it for a good while, build what you'll be happiest with.

Anyhow, those are my thoughts on the matter.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

RoxyRocks

MT I was just reading your thread  ;D I am from the country in Eastern WA and DH is from Oregon and has family all over the Oregon coast and we actually live in Seaside OR for sometime. I love your home and that it is on a sloped hill b/c that is 'sort' of like the property we have and if we were smart we we do a daylight basement. For a very long time I wanted a slab foundation because I thought it was easiest but I am beginning to think I might be silly if I am going to waste the better part of the land for the best view.


MikeT

I'm not an economist, but I do believe in concepts of trade-offs and opportunity costs.   If money is the prime consideration, then you will have to "value engineer" things so that you save the most money.   How important are other elements like a view? 

For what it is worth, on my property, I wanted to build something myself, but I was always considering an exit strategy if needed.  The view property is more desirable than a property without a view.  I built (am building) a place that has two bedrooms and two bathrooms with one bedroom on the main floor.  Why?  Well, I figured that if I had to sell it, I wanted to have as many selling points as possible.   I am not planning on flipping it, but if I had to sell it, I wanted to be able to sell a place that suited my tastes as well as potential buyers--not something that was so unique to only me that it reduced its perceived value.

Anyway....ask lots of questions here.  Good folks and the price is right...

Just got to pay things forward!

mt


RoxyRocks

Well I dont think you would have any problem flipping if you need too ;) that is a beautiful view and stuff on the coast always sells fairly well. We had a small condo in Seaside that was on the river but you could 'sort' of see the ocean on the balconly :giggle: and it still went for a pretty penny!

I would be lying to say $$$ doesnt have a lot to do with it. We want to be able to build the house without going into any debt(just using savings and paying as we go....even if it takes us more time then a usually home build) We also are detrimied on doing most of the work ourselves(DH, me, our boys(I dont know how much they will be able to help Alexander is 8 now and Max is 5 months ;) but it will a experience for them which is what is the most important), also my family lives near by)

The land is on a slope and the view is beautiful it is of wheat/lentils fields but they are beautiful also the piece of land has tree's ect on it with a small house 'shack' on it. If built with a view we could sell it and make our money back if not triple it. the land it's self is worth way more then what it was bought for. Pretty much my Mom's friend wanted to sell some land she had she knew it was worth A LOT more then what she sold it for but just wanted to get rid of a bunch of it and it was purchased for for pretty much nothing. There is land parcels selling for quite a bit but the area wont be able to really get over populated because it is farming country and I can't imagin they are going to level the fields and start building sub-divisions.

BUT with all that said the land was paid for in cash so I am hoping to not ever have to sell it anytime soon....if worse came to worse I would like to cheap it in the family :)

OldDog


Old Hillbilly saying:

"It's cheaper to build up than to build out"
If you live a totally useless day in a totally useless manner you have learned how to live

John_M

Quote from: OldDog on April 29, 2009, 06:12:41 AM

Old Hillbilly saying:

"It's cheaper to build up than to build out"

This was my thought when reading this post.  If you take a 200o square foot ranch and a 2000 square foot 2 story home, the two story home would be less expensive, primarily because of the savings in foundation work and roofing materials.

But you sometimestimes don't get what you want out of a one story home either...no balconies or maybe some character or curb appeal?

All depends on what you want.

Before you decide what to build...decide on what you want and then think about it the next day.  My mind changed over and over again it seemed.  Look at lots of pictures and all of the cabins and small homes on this forum.  You will find all of this information very valuable!

Good luck with your journey!  :)
...life is short...enjoy the ride!!

lockman

Like others have already mentioned, it's usually cheaper to build a 2 story because of savings on roofing and foundations... but it is harder and goes slower. It's a lot harder hanging sheathing and house wrap 25 feet in the air as opposed to 8 feet. It can be done though. I did it just with ladders, no lifts or anything.


bayview



   
   To save money I would prefer to build two stories . . .  Less expensive.

   But as I am getting older I will have to settle on a one story home.  (No stairs to walk up-fall down . . . )
    . . . said the focus was safety, not filling town coffers with permit money . . .

rwanders

I built 1 1/2 story but have 12' walls and a 12/12 pitch roof---really looks nice both outside and in but, the open area inside measures almost 25' from floor to peak and outside the peak of the metal roof is 28' off the ground---all very dramatic but pose difficult challenges for a DIYer. If you can't or won't pay for some professional help in those kind of areas you should be careful with your planning pencil.  ???
Rwanders lived in Southcentral Alaska since 1967
Now lives in St Augustine, Florida

RoxyRocks

We are hoping to do as much work as possible ourselves BUT we also know that we are novices too  ;) The one thing that has had me sort of freaked out is the foundation is because I dont want to mess up what holds up our home d* this is something right now that we are planning on having someone do but with that said I have been exploring doing some of it ourselves.

I have a feeling this is going to be a exciting*frustrating* but very rewarding process!

considerations

Stairs give you exercise that helps with strength and balance and offsets the aging process.  Unless you are already disabled and its simply not an option, those steps can make a positive difference.

speedfunk

Like other's have said it's a tough one.

I've built a 2 story with a walk out basement and did so b/c I was building on spec to sell and wanted to do it the most cost effecient.  However it did end up taking alot longer.  Every board had to be run up a ladder etc.  Not to mention the roof was 12 on 12 and 30 some feet in the air.  I didn't go on that roof :)   d*

Now that we are building our own home much like you are (pay as you go and DIY) we decided one story.  For many reasons!   We currently live in the 2 story with basement and it just gets annoying going up and down constantly.   The laundry has to be hauled down and back up.  It also takes up valuable sq. footage for the stairs.  I'm not sure there's any clear winner, if you want to DIY you might want to lean toward one story b/c of the ease of construction however it's a personal decision with many variables to weigh ...good luck!


phalynx

The wife and I decided if we did it again, we would not do a 2 story.  The extra labor of getting siding up 18' in the air, the ridge being 24' in the air and all extra labor and safety concerns make it much faster to do a single story.  I probably wouldn't do a high pitch roof either.. :)



rick91351

We have debated the same thing for a couple years now.  We are getting more and more serious about building as my retirement is getting closer and closer.  The one thing we have decided on and set in stone is that the 'master bedroom' and the laundry shall be on the first floor.  My wife informs me the laundry shall have its own room as well.   n*

rlr  c*   
Proverbs 24:3-5 Through wisdom is an house builded; an by understanding it is established.  4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

MushCreek

There certainly are a lot of ways to look at- we've been going back and forth for a couple years on this. My 83 y/o mother still climbs her very steep stairs several times day! And part of my 3-day-a-week workout is running the stairs in our plant. I do 22 steps, 30 times (and that's just a warm-up before I hit the gym). But my SIL found herself suddenly confined to the first floor of their beautiful custom 3 story home after she had knee surgery. Their next home had a main floor master suite. If I can afford it, I think I'd like to have a first floor master, with the other BR's upstairs. We're empty-nesters, and if anyone wants to stay over that bad, well, they can just deal with the stairs. We might start out with an upstairs master, since the view will be better up there, and eventually move downstairs as the need dictates.
Jay

I'm not poor- I'm financially underpowered.