Between a single-storey or two-storey house, which house to build? This choice depends on the price, the land and your lifestyle, but above all on your crush on your future home!
When asked whether they would rather to build a home on one level rather than a two-storey house, 59,3% of those surveyed on the site ForumConstruire.com would opt for the single-storey house.
The characteristics of a single-storey house
– The most universal single-storey house
Without stairs and benefiting from several access points to the exterior, the single-storey house is suitable for everyone. Retirees favor it for its ease of maintenance in particular, and find it better suited to their old age. As for families, they consider that the single-storey house is simpler to live in, because it requires less supervision of young children.
– The single storey that is easier to maintain
No more cleaning chores on the stairs and difficult moving furniture. Likewise, repainting a shutter no longer requires putting yourself in a dangerous situation. Likewise, the low height of the walls avoids the installation of scaffolding in the event of facade renovation, as explained this article from Figaro.
-A house around the terrace
The single-storey occupies, with an equal surface, a larger space on the ground. But its great asset is its opening onto the garden. The house is often entirely turned towards the outside, making the terrace a real living room. Its shape, often U or L, provides a setting for this primordial space which then becomes the heart of the house.
– Easy resaleFor all these reasons, single-storey houses are more sought after today. They therefore generally leave more quickly than two-story houses. In addition, they often offer the potential for expansion in height since the PLUs often only talk about the floor space coefficient.
The characteristics of the two-storey house
– More suitable for small terrainsns that the house on one level
Despite this enthusiasm, the French chose instead to build two-storey houses. In question, land increasingly small. Occupying less floor space, the two-storey house saves additional square meters, both in the house and in the garden.
The integration of a staircase into the house then becomes a crucial element, and many opt for a house with staircase in the living room. This not only makes better use of space, but also creates an aesthetic focal point in the main living area.
The two-storey house City 3 105m² de Maisons Sic adapt to small plots.
– Well-defined living spaces
In a two-storey house, it is easier to separate the sleeping area from the living room. The rooms are thus better protected from the noise of other occupants, who watch television in the living room for example.
Similarly, we can provide the children's area upstairs when the parents grant themselves the bedroom on the ground floor.
– Volume games
Aesthetically, the two-storey house still has its followers. In fact, it offers more play on volume than a single-storey house. Mezzanine above the living room, floor on a single part of the house, the aesthetic possibilities are thus more varied inside and outside. The plan can also more easily adapt to your needs.
Single storey or floor which house is the cheapest?
For the same surface area, a small single-storey house is less expensive than a two-story house. Indeed, adding an intermediate floor and a staircase adds nearly 10% to the price of the house. However, on larger surfaces, this ratio is no longer true and even tends to be reversed. In question, the price of the frame and the roof which are important items in the construction of an individual house. In a single-storey house, the surface area of the roof is in fact twice as large as that of a two-storey house of the same surface area.
Beyond a certain surface, the two-storey house is comparatively cheaper to build.
The more economical two-storey house in the long term
– Less energy for heating
Another advantage of the two-story house is its compactness. There are proportionally fewer lossy surfaces, such as the roof or exterior walls. As a result, two-story houses consume less energy for heating than single-storey houses. In the long term, energy savings are significant!
– Savings on domestic hot water
On the same principle, bathrooms are often placed one above the other in a two-story house. If the unit is close to the production of domestic hot water (water heater), again there are still energy savings. Indeed, in a single-storey house, the different bathrooms and the kitchen are often far from each other. The water network is therefore larger. This reduces comfort of use since the hot water takes longer to reach the point of draw. Heat losses are also greater.
