The pros and cons of single and double-storey homes

One of the crucial design decisions many new homebuyers will face is whether to build a single or double-storey house. It may seem like a simple decision now, but those thinking into the future need to plan for their family’s needs in years to come.

Pros and cons of a double-storey house

There are many advantages of building a double-storey, namely space. Space for enough bedrooms, living areas, outdoor rooms, studies and storage. By going up, you are maximising your new home’s footprint, rather than chewing off space from the front or back yards.

Double-storey houses also give you a little more control with the layout of the home itself, says Fred Abu-Elias, national sales manager at Hotondo Homes.

“It’s easier to create privacy in a double-storey home than a single as you can have all your bedrooms located on one level and the living areas can be located on the other,” he says. “While the cost of building a double-storey home is more than a single, you have the advantage of being able to purchase a smaller (and cheaper) block to counteract your building costs.”

By going up, you are maximising your new home’s footprint.

Yet with that space comes more areas to clean, both internally and externally. Homeowners should factor in the time and energy they will need to spend cleaning, particularly of hard-to-reach areas such as top-storey gutters and windows.

There’s also extra room to heat and cool, which means higher power bills. And having two storeys makes it harder to regulate the temperature of the home.

“You may be required to invest in a larger heating and cooling system or you could find yourself sleeping downstairs all through summer,” says Abu-Elias. “It can become more expensive to make a double-storey home energy-efficient as you tend to lose natural airflow and lighting.”

Pros and cons of a single-storey house

There are two major benefits of a home that’s contained on just one level – cost and practicality. Building up is expensive, so there’s more money to be pocketed by homeowners who stick with a single-storey, says Abu-Elias.

“You will save some time and money when it comes to building a single-storey over a double as the cost of the home is cheaper and takes less time to build, not to mention the fact that it will be much easier to control the climate in a single-storey home,” he explains.

There are two major benefits of a home that’s contained on just one level – cost and practicality.

Additionally, stairs can be dangerous for small children and may eventually become a burden for older residents, while single-storey homes are better positioned to take advantage of natural light, which means you’re likely to see your home at its best more often. They also encourage families to spend more time together, rather than in separate upstairs and downstairs zones.

However, single-storey homes don’t have nearly as much space as double-storeys have to offer, which is most likely to impact growing families.

Building a single-storey may also mean sacrificing some of your garden. Before you go down this path, check local council regulations. These may stipulate how much space must be left free on the block.

• Read more: The ultimate guide to building a new home