Often, the first choice you make when buying a home is whether to get a single-storey or a two-storey home. While there are great advantages to single-storey homes — especially for certain types of families — the classic two-storey home remains one of the best choices for the average family.
Learn more about the advantages of two-storey homes to determine whether it’s the right choice for you.
Additional Privacy
In most cases, the first floor contains the main living space while the second floor has the bedrooms. This usually gives you more privacy. Anyone sleeping will be away from the noise of the people hanging out on the main floor.
It’s also easier to keep bedrooms off-limits to guests. This is an important consideration for those who enjoy entertaining. Some of the larger floor plans even include an extra family room on the second floor. This means you’ll have a casual — dare we say messy? — space for the family to hang out in, while the downstairs great room is always ready for guests.
Great Resale Value
There’s no doubt that two-storey homes will continue to be a popular choice for families. People tend to view single-storey homes as “starter” homes, or the type of home to move into when you’re downsizing in the retirement years. Almost everyone looking to upgrade, though, is looking for a two-storey home. Two-storey homes are great choices for families of all sizes. Should you choose to sell your home in the future, you’re always going to have some willing buyers.
Potential Views
This greatly depends on where you choose to build your home, but when you have a two-storey home, the chance that you’ll have a beautiful view from your bedroom window exponentially increases. Look for communities at a higher elevation for the best views. If this is something that’s particularly important to you, be sure to mention it to one of our New Home Sales Consultants. They can help you pick the community and lot location that will be best.
Increased Square Footage
A private parcel of land in the countryside will give you a lot of space for a home, but most new communities have lot plans that are more average in size. To increase the amount of space you have in your home, you simply have to think vertically. You add space to the home with a second floor and with a finished basement. Some single-storey homes do have a lot of space, but if you’re looking for a 2,000+ square foot home, you’re more likely to find that in a two-storey style. Check out our floor plans and you’ll see why many people are drawn to this super spacious home style.
More Options
Because the two-storey style is more popular, you’ll often find that builders have a larger number of two-storey floor plan options. At Sterling Homes, for example, we have only seven single-storey floor plans and 13 two-storey plans. Even within the basic floor plan options, two-storey plans sometimes have additional layout options, such as the ability to have either three or four upstairs bedrooms. While you still have the same types of choices for interior building materials, many people appreciate the variety of plans with two levels. It stops you from worrying that your home will look too similar to others in the neighbourhood.
Lower Prices
The size of the lot, the home’s foundation, and the roofing material play a large role in determining the overall price of a home. If you were comparing a single-storey home and a two-storey home with comparable square footage and similar interior design choices, the two-storey home should have the lower price because it’s built up instead of out. This is an important consideration for price-conscious buyers.
Personal Preference
The “right” homestyle usually comes down to personal preference. If you really love the look and feel of a two-storey home, you’re simply not going to be happy with any other type, no matter what the benefits of those styles are. The two-storey style is popular, and there’s a good chance that this is the type of home that you’ve been picturing every time you’ve thought about buying a home.
You deserve a home that you absolutely love, and the two-storey style offers many benefits. If you’re still not convinced that this is the type of home for you, come visit our many show homes. You can instantly see both single-storey and two-storey homes to better determine which is best for you.
