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Do you prefer one level, 2-story or multi-story homes?


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Unless the lot is small, give me 1 floor. If all the bedrooms are in one wing, you can put a hall door to separate them from the public rooms. The only advantage to 2 floors is that w/the master suite on the main floor, once the kids move out, you only have to minimally heat/cool upstairs.

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I grew up in a one story and have lived in a two story all my adult life. I MUCH prefer the two story. I like having the separation between the bedrooms and the "living" space. It feels more private somehow.

 

they are also cheaper to build (to go up rather than out, I mean).

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My retirement home will be 1350ish sq. ft with one story and a basement that is finished. One half a bath will be down stairs in the basement. The laundry will be on the main floor. So will the freezer (out in the garage.) The secondary bedrooms with their own bath will be on one side of the public rooms, the master suite with bath on the other. I'm contemplating a powder room somewhere on the main floor, but I'm not sure yet.

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Definitely one story here, but we have a dd in a wheelchair. We moved from a 3 level home (garage on bottom, living areas up half a level, all bedrooms and bathrooms up another half level over garage) which would be very difficult for anyone with mobility issues, though we loved the house. Single levels are so much easier for everything. Laundry is on the same level where you are, no matter where you are. Easy to run trash or recycling out to the garage. No carrying vacuum cleaners up stairs. Being on the same level promotes family togetherness. And dh and I know that we'll never have to move due to our own health issues later in life.

 

Single levels do cost more per square foot. Around here they are in short supply probably because of that. A very high percentage of homes built in the last 20 years are two story, I think because builders can make more money off of them. When we needed to move to a single level, we couldn't find an existing one and had this one built for us from the builder's plan in a neighborhood of mostly 2 stories. So single levels hold their value well here and are pretty easy to sell--there are always people out there who want a single level (like older folks who can't do stairs as well as they used to).

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I grew up in a teeny-tiny ranch with my parents, and I always swore when I bought it would be a two-story. I really wanted the separation between the bedrooms and living space as well. Well, DH and I ended up buying this bi-level because I thought, heck, it's affordable and it's practically a two-story! No :glare: It's practically a ranch with an airy basement!!! I hate hate hate that you can't have a conversation in the kitchen without the kids hearing it in their rooms, and I hate that the TV on loooow can be enjoyed from the entire house, and I hate that you can hearing what's going on in the bathroom from anywhere on the main level *sigh*

 

So, um, yeah, in case you couldn't tell from my vent...two-story for me! :lol: (Don't tell my DH, but I'm secretly working on a plan to squirrel away lots and lots money so we can buy a new house, mwaaahahaha! Not that it will really happen, but I can dream, right?!)

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I like two-story houses--and I'd love a basement--but I'm not sure I would live in one in our area if I had a choice. I'm not sure whether an upper story would work in the heat--would it cost more to cool? Would it be stuffy no matter what I did?

 

That said, my dream house blueprint is two stories...

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One level ranch with maybe a family room in the basement or a bilevel where everything is on the top floor and there is a walk out family room, laundry, garage in the basement.

 

Gah!!! You can have mine! :lol: Seriously, I can't fathom why this layout is appealing. My friend has the same exact layout and we wonder together. Why do you like this kind of house?

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Being originally from Florida, I lived most of my life in ranch homes. I ALWAYS felt that I would like a 2 story. Our previous two homes (in SC), were 2 story, and I LOVED them! Here in MI, we have a small cape cod, and it's okay.

 

I dream about the day when we can sell and buy again, and it will be a brick 2 story house!

 

Veronica

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My retirement home will be 1350ish sq. ft with one story and a basement that is finished. One half a bath will be down stairs in the basement. The laundry will be on the main floor. So will the freezer (out in the garage.) The secondary bedrooms with their own bath will be on one side of the public rooms, the master suite with bath on the other. I'm contemplating a powder room somewhere on the main floor, but I'm not sure yet.

 

As long as you're thinking ahead....consider a walk-in pantry big enough to house your freezer. My freezer is in my pantry, and I LOVE IT!!!

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I thought I wanted 2 stories, but we bought a ramblin' brick ranch and I LOVE it. I grew up in a small ranch, so I didn't think I'd want to live in another, but a larger ranch is wonderful. We have a finished walkout basement and a first floor laundry. The bedrooms are all on one end of the house. Really, I couldn't be happier with the layout. Oh, and we have hot water heat with 6 zones. I will never go back to forced air heat.

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I grew up in Florida and always lived in ranch homes. Now that we live in NC we have a 2 story with a finished basement. I really like our house because the boys have the entire basement and the girls have the entire upstairs (our room in on the main floor), but sometimes I feel like I go up and down stairs all day. I prefer the privacy of separate floors, especially with a large family.

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Gah!!! You can have mine! :lol: Seriously, I can't fathom why this layout is appealing. My friend has the same exact layout and we wonder together. Why do you like this kind of house?

I'd take it!

 

My reason is that I've found it easier to maintain. Any house we've ever lived in that was one story (or bilevel) was wonderful to maintain and keep the family together. Any house that had multiple levels, has been a trial for me. I'm currently in a four floor rowhouse (3 story with basement) and a tiny kitchen. I hate it! And when I hate the kitchen, it's even worse. Then add that I hate traditional, dungeon basements! So to have to do laundry in one...ugh! Please, please, please...I hope I can buy in the next year or two and find a one/bilevel in our price range!

 

 

BTW, I grew up military and most enlisted housing was one story, ranch style. So that may have something to do with it as well.

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We have bedrooms/bathrooms on both "wings" of the house, in the middle is living room, dining room and kitchen all open to each other. Upstairs is a loft with all electronics incl. TV.

We are usually upstairs in the evening because it's cozy and we either watch a movie or read.

However, I am constantly running up and down for a cup of tea, when something is done baking/cooking, when a book I want to read is downstairs and I want to read upstairs, etc. Suppose it's healthy to run up and down stairs a lot. ;)

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I am getting older in years and are already noticing it in my joints. It is hard to go up and down stairs especially with a vacuum cleaner or a load of clothes. We just swapped out our tub for a shower because I have almost fallen twice. Both of my children are in college, one lives on campus and one lives at home. I rarely go upstairs anymore so now it has become a waste of space. Our master bedroom is downstairs. As to the PP who mentioned about being heard no matter where you are downstairs, it doesn't matter as my children can hear us upstairs as well. I think that's more of an issue of insulation and the way the stairs are positioned. Ours are in the middle of the house so sound travels easily upstairs.

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We have a two story house, with the main living space downstairs and a large office/bonus room usptairs (with a full bath, as well). The upstairs serves as dh's office, as he owns/operates a business out of our home. It would not work well for us to be homeschooling while he home offices without this separation.

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After being in a two story for several years, and wishing it was one as the stairs get old, NOW we have been in a one story for six months, and can't wait to get a two story.

 

As someone said, I hate that even when the children are in bed, I feel like I have to whisper if I want my conversation with DH to be private. And yes, the TV always seems like it is too loud when DC are sleeping.

 

Although I do like the feel of the one story, that we are all together. There is definately a feel of "seperation" in a two story, especially as I see DS12 liking to actually be in his room more and more. I like that with 4 steps to either direction, I can pretty much see where everyone is and hear what they are doing (open floor plan). On the other hand, I have always hated open floor plans in that it feels like the kitchen is RIGHT in the family space. But then again, isn't that nice when you are spending alot of time cooking.

 

On the other hand, I do like the feeling of a "private area" that having a two story allows, where guest woudn't normally be in, unless they were family or overnight guests.

 

So, I guess I am not sure, honestly!

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I thought I wanted 2 stories, but we bought a ramblin' brick ranch and I LOVE it. I grew up in a small ranch, so I didn't think I'd want to live in another, but a larger ranch is wonderful. We have a finished walkout basement and a first floor laundry. The bedrooms are all on one end of the house. Really, I couldn't be happier with the layout. Oh, and we have hot water heat with 6 zones. I will never go back to forced air heat.

 

Could you please tell me why you hate forced air heat??? I've never heard of this before. So do you use window units for air conditioning?

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We just opened up the attic of our one-storey home, so that we have a TV room and a small library upstairs, whilst everything else is downstairs. I like very much that those two rooms are upstairs, as they tend to get untidy and they are tucked away.

 

I grew up in a five-storey home. It was great for hide-and-seek and we all kept very fit.

 

Laura

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I love our two story house. If the stairs ever become an issue, we've already discussed putting in a chair lift on the stairs. We want to stay her as long as we are able to keep it up.

 

I find that a two story house actually encourages more time together. We always spend all our time together downstairs. The kids rarely spend time in their rooms. The downstairs is so large and open, we all just like to "hang"

together there.

 

The only thing I don't like is that our basement has our laundry area. We *can* change this but I'm waiting until I get older. I think we'll put the laundry upstairs.

 

I love the downstairs having the living area, the upstairs having bedrooms.

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I like the idea and look of a two story home.....but I prefer my children to be on the same sleeping level as I am. Majority of two story homes have split bedrooms. I've seen a few that don't, but most do.

 

I think this is true of newer construction. Where I live, the houses are all older and most have all bedrooms on the second floor. My BIL/SIL have a house with the master on the first floor. They turned it into a playroom! They all sleep on the second floor.

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I love our one story!

 

The master bedroom with his and hers bathrooms is separated from the kids' bedrooms. The living room, kitchen, dining room and game room are all in the middle-separated with a pocket door to contain their chaos.

 

I intend to finish the 3 car garage for a school room and add a screened in sleeping porch. Then it will be completely perfect.

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Could you please tell me why you hate forced air heat??? I've never heard of this before. So do you use window units for air conditioning?

 

I love how the hot water heat just radiates warmth and keeps a steady temp. I've always lived in houses with forced air and didn't think about how the heat blasts on, it gets cozy, and then turns off again. Our boiler keeps it cozy all the time, without the blasts. The zone heating is fantastic for keeping the bedrooms cool and the general living areas warm. We keep the garage zone off all the time and the basement zone off 80% of time.

 

We have regular ceiling vents for central a/c.

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I grew up in a teeny-tiny ranch with my parents, and I always swore when I bought it would be a two-story. I really wanted the separation between the bedrooms and living space as well. Well, DH and I ended up buying this bi-level because I thought, heck, it's affordable and it's practically a two-story! No :glare: It's practically a ranch with an airy basement!!! I hate hate hate that you can't have a conversation in the kitchen without the kids hearing it in their rooms, and I hate that the TV on loooow can be enjoyed from the entire house, and I hate that you can hearing what's going on in the bathroom from anywhere on the main level *sigh*

 

So, um, yeah, in case you couldn't tell from my vent...two-story for me! :lol: (Don't tell my DH, but I'm secretly working on a plan to squirrel away lots and lots money so we can buy a new house, mwaaahahaha! Not that it will really happen, but I can dream, right?!)

 

That's weird, we live in a bi-level and I never hear anything going on upstairs or vice versa. If you want someone from the bedrooms and are downstairs, you have to go and get them.

I love our bi-level. We had a two story previously and I hated it.

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I love how the hot water heat just radiates warmth and keeps a steady temp. I've always lived in houses with forced air and didn't think about how the heat blasts on, it gets cozy, and then turns off again. Our boiler keeps it cozy all the time, without the blasts. The zone heating is fantastic for keeping the bedrooms cool and the general living areas warm. We keep the garage zone off all the time and the basement zone off 80% of time.

 

We have regular ceiling vents for central a/c.

 

thank you for explaining this! I also love all of our zones. VERY practical in New England.;)

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I have enjoyed our 2-story homes, but within a few years of our youngest moving out, we'll be switching back to a 1-story. Our current 2-story has an open floor plan so you can't close off the upstairs. My dh has a LOT of problems with the stairs even now at just 44yo. He won't be able to handle the stairs safely in 10 more years.

 

If we were still in our last 2-story house, we would just put a door at the bottom of the stairs and not bother with heating/cooling the upstairs. That won't work where we are now.

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After having lived in single story apartments, duplexes, and houses most of my adult life, then moving into a multi-story home for the past almost 13 years, I have to say that I definitely prefer single story!!!! I like that the whole house seems to feel larger (my first floor seems tiny to me now) and I'm totally sick of all the stairs all.day.long.every.day!

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