The Advantages of Living in a Single-Story Home

Homes are great in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes they can be too much. Some families don’t need a two-story home because there is too much unused space to maintain. As a result, many people choose to look into single-story homes instead. Here are some of the advantages of living in a single-story home to consider when choosing your future house.

Energy-Efficient

One of the most obvious advantages to living in a single-story home is that there will be less space to heat and cool. Homes come with many expenses, including furniture, groceries, water bills, and heating and cooling. Variables like groceries will not change with the size of the home, but heating and cooling certainly will. Smaller homes require fewer temperature adjustments because of their size, and that’s not even considering the temperature variances that come with having a second floor.

One reason it is so expensive to maintain the temperature in a multi-story home is that hot air rises while cold air falls. Keeping your home at a consistent temperature is challenging because warm air will always try and go up to the second-story rooms. It takes a lot of energy to keep these areas cool as hot air is constantly pushing up while cold air seeps out. Single-story homes still have temperature variances from room to room, but not nearly as dramatically as a multi-story home will.

Less Space To Maintain

In addition to lowering your energy bill, a single-story home will also save you time and money on cleaning. There will not be as much space to clean, saving you money and headaches. On top of this, you won’t need to lug cleaning products and vacuum cleaners up and down flights of stairs to clean every room. Everything is on the same floor in a one-story home, and while cleaning can still be a pain, you can tackle it easily.

Some single-story homes may have the same number of rooms and square footage as multi-story homes. While these homes will have the same amount of space to clean, exterior cleaning will be much easier. You will still need to clean every room, but instead of needing a ladder to clean exterior windows and paneling, you can do the job with both feet on the ground. Because cleaning higher windows is such a challenge, they often get neglected and grimy over time. This will not be an issue with a single-story home.

They’re Great for Kids and Elders

When you have a single-story home, no one will be running up and down the stairs, including you. Stairs may not be an issue for you now, but that might not hold true as you age. Similarly, stairs may not be ideal if young children or older family members live with you. This lack of stairs is one of the most significant advantages of living in a single-story home.

Stairs are great, but it takes effort to walk up and down them, which is challenging for some. Steps can also be dangerous because a tiny mistake can lead to a fall, resulting in injury. Single-story homes are great because you can keep watch on kids or older relatives without needing to constantly run up and down the stairs. You’ll have peace of mind that they’re safe in the next room or down the hall.

Larger Yards

A perk that often comes with single-story homes is a spacious yard, and there’s nothing to dislike about that. Many multiple-story homes will also come with large yards, but you are almost guaranteed to have a big yard when you move into a single-story home. Because single-story homes are wider, they need larger lots to accommodate them. Consequently, they have larger yards.

These yards provide a lot of space to entertain guests and install outdoor features. For example, you could install a pool, garden, fire pit, or trampoline. The world is your oyster when you have a backyard oasis, and you can do with it what you please. Of course, yard maintenance is a factor you should consider, but it will be relatively easy if you practice routine care and don’t let things get out of hand.

Customization

As we mentioned, single-story homes are often built on larger lots with spacious yards. This gives you a lot of room for future building projects to add to your home. Adding a sunroom or a patio to a one-story home is relatively easy compared to the structural analysis and planning you need to perform when you add to a multi-story home. Of course, you can still customize and make additions to your multiple-story home; it will just be much easier with a single-story home.

Open Floor Plans

Single-story homes may seem like you are moving every room in a multiple-story home onto a single floor, but the truth is more complicated. When every room is on the same floor, you won’t need a staircase disrupting everything in the middle of the home. As a result, your house can have an open floor plan with bigger rooms that are more inviting and accessible from other parts of the home. For example, a staircase won’t intrude on a grand kitchen or living room, and either can be the central room in your home.

Every direction will lead to someone else’s room, the front yard, the back yard, or the kitchen. Single-story homes also offer wide-open spaces with vaulted ceilings and grand windows that allow lots of light. Multiple-story homes typically feature blocky structures where walls section off rooms, but single-story homes have more fluid and dynamic designs. Homes with open layouts can better adapt to homeowner needs.

These were only a few of the advantages of living in a single-story home, but hopefully, it’s clear that it is an enticing option to consider. If you are in the market for some one-story house blueprints, look to Sater Design Collection, Inc. We have a variety of plans that will suit your needs. Getting you the perfect home plan is our priority, and you will surely be satisfied after working with us.