Which house is cheaper to build, one-story or two-story, with the same area? The main objective of this article is to calculate construction costs without considering subjective views such as appearance, small plot of land, view from the second floor, space delimitation, etc. All this is of course good, but very subjective, so I will only consider numbers.
Let us immediately note that a two-story house requires a staircase with a hall, which eats up useful space in the house (up to 10 meters), both on the first and second floors, and the staircase itself costs a lot of money.
Stages affecting the price of building a house:
For greater simplicity of calculations, let’s take two houses made of aerated concrete, 100 square meters each, that is, their useful area will be 100 m2. A one-story house will have 100 square meters per floor, and a two-story house will have 50 square meters per floor.
First example. A shallow foundation with a load-bearing wall in the middle is used. Autoclaved aerated concrete with a density of D400 and a thickness of 375 mm is used as wall material.
The perimeter of the foundation of a one-story house with a central wall is 50 m2.
The perimeter of the foundation of a two-story house with a central wall is 35 m2.
The thickness of the foundation is 0.4 m.
The total height of the foundation strip is 1 meter.
For the first foundation you will need: 50x1x0.4=20 cubic meters of concrete.
For the second: 35x1x0.4=14 cubic meters of concrete.
For a one-story house, 40% more concrete, formwork, reinforcement, insulation will be required, and earthworks (digging, backfilling, drainage) will require twice as much, since the floor area is twice as large.
The foundation of a one-story house will be approximately 50-60% more expensive.
Second example. Now let’s consider the option with a slab insulated foundation 0.3 m thick.
The area of the 1st foundation is 100 m2, the amount of concrete is 30 cubic meters.
The area of the 2nd foundation is 50 m2, the amount of concrete is 15 cubic meters.
Here the difference in costs is exactly twofold, both for concrete and for reinforcement and insulation.
We've sorted out the foundations, the two-story one wins in this regard, but let's note some design nuances. The walls of a one-story house are lighter, which reduces the point load on the foundation, and the walls themselves take less load, because the second floor does not put pressure on them. What conclusion can be drawn from this? The thickness of the slab of a one-story house can be reduced somewhat, and the walls themselves can be built from aerated concrete of lower density, which is lighter and holds heat better.
The walls of our houses are made of aerated concrete blocks with a thickness of 375 mm, and the ceiling height is 3 meters. First, let's calculate the total area of the walls without subtracting windows and doors, and then convert this into cubic meters of aerated concrete.
Wall area 1 floor. houses – 50x3=150m2.
Wall area of 2 floors. houses – 35x2x3=210m2.
And here is the first big advantage of a one-story building - savings on wall material - about 40%.
Moreover, the construction of the walls of a one-story house is faster and easier, since there is no need to build large scaffolding, there is no need to lift material to the second floor, and there are no other inconveniences associated with construction at height.
For a one-story house, there is no point in making a strong reinforced concrete floor, since the attic does not bear the load, no one lives there, and sound insulation of such floors is not required. Therefore, for a one-story building, wooden beams with lathing will suffice, which will simply act as a ceiling.
Another thing is the floors between the residential first and second floors. To have good load-bearing capacity and sound insulation, you need to use, for example, floor slabs, which cost much more than wooden beams, and plus, you need to construct an armored belt for the slabs, which will significantly add to the cost of construction.
If you are interested in modern sewerage systems, glazing, facades and other elements of suburban construction, we recommend visiting the website ugami.ru Construction innovations in a modern house.
For houses with a cold attic, there are no problems with insulation, because you just need to lay membranes and thermal insulation between the floor beams. All this is done quite conveniently and quickly in terms of work. The thickness of the insulation can be made at least half a meter. It will be more difficult to insulate the attic floor, since insulation must be carried out not along the floor plane, but along the roof slopes.
The cost of insulating a two-story house with a cold attic will be half as much.
Here, as with the foundation, for a one-story house the area of the rafter system and roofing material is twice as large, and the costs are also twice as different.
Warm contour of a one-story house: along the external walls - 120 m2, along the floor - 100 m2, ceiling - 100 m2.
Warm contour of a two-story building - 170 m2, 50 m2, 50 m2.
Warm circuit 1st floor. – 320 m2.
Warm circuit 2nd floor. – 270 m2.
On the one hand, the smaller the contour area, the easier it is to retain heat, but in a 2-story house the area of wind-blown walls is 40% larger. In a 1-story house, twice as much area is in contact with the ground. So, keep that in mind. We cannot say unequivocally which house will cost more to heat. But you have become familiar with the numbers for the warm contour.
Costs for external and internal wall decoration will be higher in a two-story house, since the area of external and internal walls is approximately 40% larger. The area of the ceilings and floors is the same. The blind area around the house will be more expensive for a 1-story house, since the perimeter of the house will be 40 meters, versus 28.4 meters for a two-story house.
Electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and sewage systems are much easier to carry out on the first floor than to drag it all to the second.
Conclusion. In our opinion, it is more profitable to build a one-story house, since it saves space on the stairs, saves on wall blocks, and saves more on finishing work due to the smaller wall area. There is also no need to erect an armored belt under the ceilings, and the ceilings of the cold attic themselves can be made from wooden beams.
In total, all this should cover the costs of a more expensive foundation, roofing and attic insulation. But to be honest, a two-story house looks more beautiful, and the view from the second floor is pleasing.
After a long break, it's time to start updating the blog. According to the results of voting for the most interesting topic, which hangs in the upper right corner of the blog, the greatest interest was shown in the topic “Which is better - a one-story or two-story house.”
In fact, “what is better” is a rather individual and not new topic. It is easy to find materials on this topic, so I will not delve into it, focusing on an issue that is closely related to this topic, but much less covered. Namely - “what is cheaper to build, a two-story or one-story house”
But I’ll start in order, with what is better, because partly this question will be related to what is cheaper.
Probably the main argument, not related to price or subjective feelings, when choosing a one-story or two-story house is the area of the site and the building. Of course, it will be difficult to build a one-story house of 150 square meters on a plot of 6 acres. Therefore, for small plots, a two-story house will be a more sensible solution than a one-story one.
Otherwise, the question is largely individual and subjective. Some people like to have a staircase and a second floor in their house, where they can retire from the family bustle going on on the first floor. Some people like the sloping walls of the attic, especially with dormer windows, which create a peculiar feeling of coziness of a “living attic.”
On the other hand, a one-story house is more convenient in terms of living. Because constantly running up and down stairs gets boring quickly. And not only does it get boring. We will all get old sooner or later, and going up to the second floor can become not just annoying, but also a physically difficult operation. In addition, whatever one may say, the staircase, even the most convenient one, is a dangerous place in the house. And not only for older people, but also for children, who mainly love her. I think each of us, at least once in our lives, fell on the stairs, turning awkwardly, or twisting our ankle. This also needs to be taken into account.
I met a lot of opinions of people who built a two-story house and said “if I were building it now, I would have built a one-story one.” And in 90% of cases, this opinion was due precisely to the fact that running up and down the stairs gets boring pretty quickly. Whatever the staircase, think about how often you will have to climb it
Therefore, when choosing a two-story (I will also classify an attic as a two-story) house, you need to be very careful about choosing the layout so that you have to run up and down the stairs as little as possible. For example, one of the important conditions for a comfortable existence is the presence of at least one bedroom (guest room) on the first floor and the presence of a bathroom on the second floor, if we are talking about a house with all the amenities.
A room on the first floor will be useful for the older generation, who find it difficult to go up to the second floor, and suddenly in the middle of the day you yourself want to take a nap or “read a book” alone and inside the house. And if you sleep on the second floor, and at night you suddenly feel the urge to go to the toilet, which is only on the first floor, then by the time you go up the stairs, the whole dream will have passed. Or you will suffer painfully because you don’t want to get out of a warm, cozy bed for the sake of a long hike :).
On the other hand, a two-story house has its advantages. For example, a view of the surrounding area, if the house is located in a picturesque place and the very feeling of being “cut off” from the land gives a certain emotional comfort. Very often in debates about “one-story or two-story,” the question of a balcony arises. The fact that many people want to have a balcony on the second floor to view the surroundings from it.
Let me digress a little to the question “is a balcony needed in a private house?” I remember one lady gave the following argument:
And I like to go out to the balcony in the morning with a cup of coffee and soak up the sun.
Is there such a thing? Of course yes. But don’t compare a balcony in an apartment with a balcony in a house. Imagine the above situation in reality. You woke up, went down the stairs to the first floor, where the kitchen is located, poured yourself some coffee, and with a hot mug climbed back up for the coveted balcony. Will you do this? Especially if on the ground floor you have, say, an open terrace, where you can just soak up the sun with that cup of coffee, and which you can access directly from the kitchen-living room?
Practice shows that in 90% of cases, the balcony in a private house is not used at all. Except that in winter you have to go out there to remove snow. This is exactly the case when “mental desires” diverge from reality. At the same time, a balcony can significantly increase the cost of construction.
Another argument in favor of a two-story house is the desire to have a “second light” when there is no interfloor ceiling above the kitchen/living room, completely or partially. It's difficult to argue here. The feeling of spaciousness and airiness that second light gives is difficult to replace. Although in a one-story house it is possible to create a semblance of a second light, in this case the ceiling is usually not made horizontally, but along the rafters, as on attic floors. The effect is comparable to a second light, although such a design will most likely cost more than a conventional horizontal ceiling. But the “second light” has one implicit drawback. It greatly reduces the acoustic comfort for those in the second position.
Usually the “second light” is placed above the living room. Imagine a situation when guests have arrived and the living room is in full swing, but you are tired and decide to retire to the second room. With “second light” you are unlikely to be able to take a break from the cheerful company, since the sound from the living room will be perfectly audible in the bedrooms on the second floor.
Acoustic comfort is probably the last argument that comes to mind, in the debate between one-story and two-story. On the one hand, on the second floor you can retire from the hustle and bustle of the first. On the other hand, soundproofing wooden floors, which are done in 90% of cases in private homes, is not such a simple matter. And residents of the first floor, on the contrary, may be disturbed by noise from the second (for example, children running around) - that is, impact noise, which is the weak point of any wooden floor.
In summary, based on the totality of its qualities, a one-story house will be safer and more comfortable to live in than a two-story house. But the 2-storey building also has its charms. Therefore, you must first focus on your needs and desires. With this, let's move on to a more pragmatic question - what is cheaper to build, a one-story or two-story house.
Let's start in order
Usually, when it comes to price, the old stereotype comes into play - a one-story building has twice the foundation and roof, and these are the most expensive elements in construction, so a one-story building is much more expensive.
But is this really so? The first mistake is that in this calculation, with the same number and area of residential premises, a one-story house will be smaller in area than a two-story house.
Why? Yes, very simple. If the staircase is not made completely “added”, then the staircase itself will take up at least 4 m2 on each floor. But in reality, about 5m2. That is, it is 10 m2 of the area of the entire house. Then, in front of the stairs, you will 100% have some kind of halls that will require at least 10 m2. Total - 20m2
The halls on the first and second floor are almost 20m2 and another 8 on the stairs. Total 28 m2 out of 135 building area. At the same time, there is not even a wardrobe for clothes in the halls.
Of course, in a one-story house you also cannot do without “useless” square meters spent on corridors and halls, but with proper and rational planning their number can be reduced to a minimum. And in a two-story building you won’t be able to get away from them.
There is an opinion that it is easier to make a rational layout of a two-story house than a one-story house. This is partly true, but the question of the rationality of planning is not at all simple. I came across two-story domestic projects, where the total area of all the halls and corridors reached 40% of the area of the entire house.
The total area is approximately the same as above, but in addition to 3 larger bedrooms, we have a sauna, a 2 times larger living room of 30 m2 and utility rooms. Moreover, the total area in this house includes almost 15 m2 of terraces (actually another room)
Therefore, if you want to build a two-story house of 150 m2, then a one-story house of the same usable area will most likely be 120-130 m2. And the extra 20-30 m2 in the construction of a house can result in a significant amount. In fact, this is the area of a studio apartment or a small one-room apartment.
In addition, the staircase itself, if you don’t go to extremes, also costs money. A beautiful and comfortable staircase will cost you from 30 to 120 rubles.
Let me warn you right away that the issue of design features is considered exclusively in the context of frame houses. Where, in essence, the walls and roof and ceiling are made from the same materials and using the same technology.
In addition to the area, you need to understand the various design features of houses, which can also affect the cost. For example, it is more difficult to properly insulate an attic roof than a “cold attic”. Dormer windows are much more expensive than regular ones, and installing them well so that there are no leaks in the future also costs money.
If you do not want to get a “trampoline” and “drum” in the form of a second floor floor, the interfloor covering in a 2-story house will be much more material and labor-intensive than the attic covering of an unused attic. This includes an increased cross-section and pitch of the floor lag, and the “pie” of the floor itself. Well, if you also want to make improved sound insulation of the interfloor ceiling or make a ceiling over the living room, where the spans will be 6 meters long, then in general the price can jump sharply due to the design.
Even if we take the thermal insulation characteristics. You can lay at least 500mm of insulation in a cold “attic” without any problems. Your costs for this are the cost of the insulation itself and the work of laying it in the open horizon, which is very simple. In the attic floor, when insulating the roof, you are limited by the cross-section of the rafters, that is, as a rule, 150 or 200 mm. Want more? You will have to increase the height of the rafters or make several battens for additional insulation - and this means money for materials and money for labor.
A “cold” attic of a one-story house can be easily insulated with at least 50 cm of insulation.
The load on the walls of the first floor and the foundation in a one- and two-story house will also be different. In turn, this may lead to the need for a reinforced type of foundation or first-floor wall structure than in a one-story house.
There can be quite a lot of such constructive “little things”. Perhaps each of them separately will not cost much, but together they will make a very noticeable difference.
In addition, a one-story house is simply simpler and more convenient to build. Builders are much more willing to build a one-story house than a two-story one. Therefore, the cost of the work itself may vary. Although in reality this is not always the case, nevertheless, the estimates may easily include extra charges for the height of the work and the like. In turn, with a one-story house it is much easier to get a discount on work, precisely because the work is often simpler.
Agree, doing the same roof at a height of 3-4 meters from the ground and 7-10 is not quite the same thing. There are both banal risks associated with safety precautions and physical effort associated with lifting materials.
Work on a 2-story house will necessarily require the construction of full-fledged scaffolding, but with a one-story house you can get by with trestles and small scaffolding.
Another quite important point. In a one-story house it is much easier and therefore cheaper to install utilities. For example, if in a two-story house you have bathrooms on both floors, and they are not located on top of each other, then the task of installing sewer pipes becomes dramatically more complicated. Water and sewerage will have to be laid in the interfloor ceiling, which in turn will complicate its design. The same can be said about heating.
If you want to make a fireplace or solid fuel boiler, then the length of the chimney will directly depend on the number of floors. Accordingly, the cost of the chimney and its installation and the creation of fire penetrations in the ceilings.
And the biggest difference will come in ventilation if you suddenly decide to make a full-fledged system, with air ducts and a supply and exhaust unit. Ventilation ducts have a significant diameter and it is not so easy to distribute them throughout a two-story house. And in a one-story house, all ventilation is simply carried out through the attic. Moreover, it can be done later, since there is always access to the attic.
Probably, of all the engineering communications, only the electrician will cost more or less comparable in implementation in a one-story and two-story house. All other communications in a two-story house, as a rule, are more expensive.
And engineering communications, a thing that in itself makes up a significant share in the construction of a house.
A separate issue that is worth touching on is a house with a full second floor (cold attic), half-attic (when the outer walls of the second floor are lower than a person’s height) and attic (when the walls of the second floor are shifted inside the house).
A two-story house will have the maximum usable area, while in the attic it will be the smallest. The same can be said from the point of view of ease of use.
At the same time, the attic or semi-attic floor has its own “charm”, which many people like. But this is a subjective assessment.
If you look from the point of view of economic benefits, then the construction of an attic floor does not provide significant advantages “in terms of money” in general construction work, since savings on space are often compensated by a more complex design, despite the fact that you significantly lose in living space. True, the attic can partially save your money on the reduced area of exterior and interior decoration.
If you were looking for a definite answer about what is better and cheaper - a full-fledged two-story house, an attic, a one-story house, then I cannot give you this answer. If only because you will never be able to find 2 identical houses. Only one would be one-story, the other two-story. There will be different areas, different design features and, accordingly, prices.
According to my personal observations, the cost of building a one-story or two-story house “on a circle” will be comparable. It all depends on specific projects. A one-story house can cost less than a two-story house, or maybe more. But the difference will most likely be within 10-15%.
For every person, the dream of his own home in which his children will grow up depicts the most comfortable place where he wants to return again and again. How to build such a house? Single-story or two-story: which one is better?
This question arises especially acutely before the start of construction. You don’t want to make a mistake that is difficult to correct later. And this question mainly worries those who have limited funds. People who have enough money may only be concerned about the convenience or inconvenience of any elements of construction.
Therefore, let’s consider the situation for people with average and low incomes and compare one- and two-story houses.
An important factor influencing the choice: one floor or two is the size of the land plot. If the plot is small, say, 6-7 acres, and the house is being built for a family of 4-5 people, then two floors will help solve the problem of living space, and there will still be an area for a garden.
In the case where there are no problems with the territory, you need to more specifically consider all the advantages and disadvantages of both options, compare them and choose the optimal one - close to your soul and acceptable in terms of material capabilities.
We often hear from residents of two-story houses that if they could turn back time, they would build a one-story house. Basically, this is what older people say and the main reason is the need to go up and down the stairs many times a day. Having two floors also separates people and makes it difficult to connect family members together.
Let's consider all the pros and cons for each option separately.
Flaws:
Advantages:
Advantages:
In a one-story house, problems with stairs and family separation do not arise. Everyone and everything is naturally in one accessible space and, as a rule, the whole family gathers in the living room during free time.
External repairs can be carried out independently using a regular ladder or low scaffolding.
Flaws:
The only psychological disadvantages of a one-story house include the lack of opportunity to admire the view from above and privacy from the rest of the family.
This question is very important and it is not possible to answer it unequivocally. It is necessary to consider materials and construction methods and only then make comparisons.
The most expensive and important parts in the construction of any house are the foundation and roof. For a one-story house, the foundation area should be twice as large as for a two-story house, as well as the roof. We can say that a one-story house is much more expensive than a two-story house. But the second floor requires strengthening the walls of the first floor and the foundation, which also makes them more expensive. Therefore, calculations need to be made here.
The area of the walls of a one-story house and a two-story house is the same, so there is no difference in the cost of insulating them. Insulating the floors of a one-story building will be more expensive, because both the floor and ceiling need to be well insulated. A two-story building has a part of the ceiling between the first and second floors that does not require much insulation and the basement area is much smaller than for a one-story house.
As for communications, the work of wiring all systems in a two-story house is considered more expensive than in a one-story house.
Experienced builders say that there is no particular difference in costs when building one- and two-story houses. On average, the construction of a standard one-story house with an area of 110 sq.m. costs 1.5 million rubles.
Therefore, the main factors when choosing a house are land area, family circumstances and personal preferences. On a small plot it is better to build a two-story house; on a large area, a one-story house has a clear advantage.
1 or 2 storey? This question is probably asked by most of those who are thinking about building their own family home. This question is largely subjective and there is no clear answer to it. Some people like to be closer to the ground, others prefer the comfort of the second floor or the unusual charm of the attic. However, taking into account all possible factors, such as price, comfort, ergonomics of the house, size of the plot area and others, you will be able to achieve the desired result - build the ideal house, suitable for you and your family in all respects. And for this, let's look at all the advantages and disadvantages of 1- or 2-story houses together with specialists homify.
The size of the plot is perhaps the main factor when choosing the number of floors of a house. In this case, it is worth considering the universal rule: if the plot is small, then it is more profitable to build a house with two floors, since a one-story house of the same area will leave practically no free space for a lawn, garden or small vegetable garden. If you are not particularly limited by the size of the plot, you can afford a one-story house, leaving behind the completely outdated cliché that a two-story house is cooler. It is true that the more floors there are, the cheaper the cost of 1 sq.m. becomes. usable area, because a significant part of the costs falls on laying the foundation. Some go further and build three-story houses, but actually only live on one floor or two.
On a large plot of land, it is much more ergonomic to “distribute” the house over the entire area, dividing the functional zones not vertically, but horizontally. In addition, this allows the cottage to fit most organically into the surrounding landscape among green spaces, especially if the site is located at the top of the slope.
On small plots measuring 6-10 acres in settlements with dense buildings, it is still more advisable to build houses with two or three floors. The house has a total area of up to 100 sq.m. Optimal use of space is achieved in a one-story version. There are no stairs and a bathroom on the 2nd floor, the corridor area is smaller. House with a total area of more than 200 sq.m. It’s still more profitable to build two or three floors.
The obvious advantage of a one-story house is the absence of stairs, which occupy a certain area and make it difficult to move around the house. Families with small children or those with elderly people should especially pay attention to this aspect. Moreover, a beautiful, flat and comfortable staircase is an expensive pleasure. Those who save money should take into account that a one-story house has a smaller wall surface and, accordingly, less material consumption on the walls, but a larger foundation and roof area.
Another advantage of a one-story house is the absence of interfloor ceilings. It is worth noting that a sufficient level of sound insulation between floors can only be provided by a reinforced concrete floor - a rather expensive and heavy structure. In addition, in a one-story house the area of bathrooms is smaller, since there is no need to install bathrooms on each floor.
If subjective criteria are very important to you, then many note that in a one-story house it is better to “breathe” as “exhaust”, polluted air from the first floor rises to the top. A one-story house is closer to the ground and therefore in summer, as a rule, it is shaded by trees, and in winter it is less exposed to cold winds. As a result, the house is cooler in summer and warmer in winter. With a standard level of thermal insulation, a one-story house will be 10% warmer than a two-story house, and 17% warmer than a three-story house. Another important aspect: the technology for building a one-story house is simpler, and it is easier to repair such a house.
And one more plus: due to the lack of stairs, one-story houses are much safer for children and the elderly. In addition, one floor brings the family together better and children do not feel as if their parents sent them to the second floor in an attempt to isolate themselves. And last but not least: lower costs for foundations and walls. If you can still argue with the foundation, since it will be larger in area and therefore more expensive, then the walls in any case can be cheaper, since they will not need to be further reinforced.
The main advantage of two-story houses, first of all, is that such a house takes up less space on the land plot. With the same internal area, a two-story house will take up exactly half the area on the site. If the plot is over 12 acres, and the total area of the house is less than 200 meters, then this advantage disappears. But if we consider such territories as garden plots from 4 to 6 acres, then this is a huge advantage. True, with such plots, there is a chance that the neighbors will look directly into your windows.
A multi-storey building has a smaller foundation and roof area, which significantly reduces the cost of construction, but the surface of the walls is larger, and therefore the cost of their construction. It is better to view the surroundings from the upper floors. Especially considering that even small plots of land are usually surrounded by a two- to three-meter fence.
The second floor offers a beautiful view, especially if you decide to arrange a terrace, balcony or French window (floor-length windows with a small waist-length grille, which are used instead of railings).
The roof of a two-story house occupies a smaller area than a one-story house. In addition, the foundation takes up less volume. On the one hand, a one-story house requires a smaller foundation, since less weight rests on it. On the other hand, the freezing depth is the same for any structure; the thickness of the base is determined mainly by the width of the wall. If you make a wooden floor between the first and second floors, you can save on rough and finishing screed and floor insulation. The floorboard is used immediately as a finishing coating and as a load-bearing part of the floor of the second floor. Savings are also reflected in the cost per square meter, savings on roofing materials and insulation. Sometimes when building a house it is important not to lose every penny.
Let's now look at the disadvantages of two-story houses. Firstly, the staircase reduces the usable area of the house and costs money, and on the second floor you will have to build a second bathroom, which will also reduce the usable area of the house. A multi-story building requires a more expensive foundation. Elderly people and small children should not use stairs, which they will have to constantly climb and descend during the day. And one more thing: in the summer it will be impossible to survive on the second floor without air conditioning, although the problem can be minimized by using roller shutters or a layout in which the windows of the second floor will face the north side, and there will be a blank wall on the south side. You need to be prepared for the fact that real life will still take place on only one floor, but its area will be half that of a one-story house.
If the bathrooms are not located one above the other, then there may be a problem with ventilation from the lower bathrooms or kitchen. In an aerated concrete house, channels are simply drilled directly into the walls and led into ventilation shafts. In a brick one, you either have to lay out a channel in advance, or drill holes in the outer wall and install a valve. In a one-story house, ventilation is much easier to arrange. It is discharged through the ceiling into the attic and then through flexible insulated hoses into the ventilation ducts. And one more important drawback: in the event of a fire, a one-story house can be easily left through the windows, which cannot be said about a two-story house.
One of the problems you may encounter when building a one-story house is the complexity of the layout (if the house is large, there may be rooms that can only be accessed from other rooms) and higher costs for the roof (and possibly the foundation ). First. Indeed, if you have many rooms, then most likely you will definitely get into one by passing through a second one. The presence of walk-through rooms does not have a very good effect on life. And most importantly, useful square meters are lost. Second. In any case, you will have more costs for the roof and, most likely, for the foundation.
So, drawing a conclusion, it should be noted that in construction there is no clear answer to the question of which is better to build a 1- or 2-story house? If you have a large plot and you don’t want a two-story house just because it’s “cool,” then it’s more convenient to build a one-story house. If your house is more than 200 square meters, then in this case it is necessary to build a second floor so that the building looks harmoniously aesthetically in terms of exterior design. If you are planning to build a house with an area of 80 to 130 sq. meters, then in this case it is best to consider the option of a one-story house. But in any case, the number of floors is a matter of desire and taste.
Let's summarize briefly:
If you have a small plot, then it is more profitable to build a two-story house, on a large one - a one-story one (since it is usually more convenient for living).
If the area of the planned house is less than 100 sq.m. then a one-story house would be the best solution.
Well, if the area of your future home is 100–200 sq.m. then there won’t be much difference between a one-story and a two-story house, choose the one that suits your taste best.
Which is better to build a 1- or 2-story house?
One way or another, it is you who live in the new house, so you make the final decision. If all your life you have dreamed of a two-story house with a luxurious staircase like in your favorite movie or TV series - why not? Do you want to live like you did in childhood in the village in a cozy one-story house? Forward! The main thing is that it is cozy and meets your desires and requirements.
Why do all my neighbors build two-story houses and think that a one-story house is inconvenient and outdated? “Like in a village” - these are their arguments against a one-story house.
And I myself built a house on 2 floors with a cold attic - a total area of just under 200 square meters. And now I’m stuck thinking - maybe I should have built a house of 200 square meters, but only one floor?
I now want to estimate the pros and cons of a one-story house in order to either aggravate my doubts or dispel them.
Let's start with the foundation. To place all the same premises on the area of a one-story house, you will need a foundation twice as large. But it may not be so powerful - it will have to support the walls of one floor, not two.
The volume of concrete work is easy to calculate. For example, my foundation for a house with 2 floors is 9 by 12, piles and a base 90 cm high and 40 cm wide with three lintels. The perimeter of the foundation was 66 meters. The volume of concrete per plinth is approximately 23 cubic meters.
Plus piles to a depth of 2.2 meters - 16 piles with a diameter of 40 cm. The volume of concrete on the piles is approximately 5 cubic meters.
Now let’s calculate the consumption of concrete for the foundation of a one-story house. Let’s take the perimeter for a room of 200 square meters to be 20 by 10 meters. Let such a foundation have 6 T-shaped lintels. The total perimeter of the foundation is 95 meters. The base can be made 60 centimeters, leaving the thickness 40 cm. The volume of concrete per base is the same 23 cubic meters.
You will need more piles - in short, you won’t be able to make them. Piles are placed every two meters of the outer perimeter. For long lintels of 10 meters, internal piles of 3 each will also be required. Total 31 piles. The volume of concrete on the piles will be almost 9 cubic meters.
Let's compare the total consumption of concrete - the foundation of a two-story house will require approximately 28 cubic meters of concrete, the foundation of a one-story house will require a little more than 33 cubic meters of concrete. The difference turned out to be not as big as it seemed without calculations.
Let's move on to the walls. The area of the walls of a two-story house will be equal to the area of the walls of a one-story house. A one-story house also has a separate advantage regarding the walls - there is no need to build powerful load-bearing walls - there is no second floor. Only columns are required to support the rafter system at the junction of the attic floor joists.
Regarding floors, their area in a house with 1 floor will also be equal to a house with 2 floors. This means that none of the schemes receive any advantage here either.
The only blow to the guts of a one-story house comes from the rafter system, and the costs of their construction will be exactly twice as much as for a two-story house.
If we take into account the increasingly expensive lumber, as well as membranes and roofing materials, then the cost of roofing a one-story house can seriously make you think about building it.
If we consider the premises of a one-story house, then a one-story house has only advantages.
Firstly, there is no staircase to the second floor, which eats up quite a lot of interior space.
Secondly, all rooms will be on the same level, which can be important if, for example, elderly parents or small children live in your house.
Otherwise, there is no difference between the premises of houses on 1 and 2 floors.
Let us now consider the insulation of a one-story house. The total area of all surfaces under my two-story house (I do not take insulation and sound insulation of internal walls and ceilings) is approximately 470 square meters.
The total area of all walls and ceilings of a one-story house for insulation will be 580 square meters. The difference is only 100 “squares”.
However, there is one “BUT”. In a two-story house, the interfloor ceiling will require a little insulation. But in a one-story house, 400 square meters of floor and ceiling will require very good insulation - this has been written about.
The difference in the area of the insulated base will not be so obvious between the base of a one-story house and the base of a two-story house.
The optimal shape for heating will be a ball - there will be minimal heat loss through the area of the ball, which means it will be easier to heat such a house.
The next best shape would be a cube. It is this form that private multi-storey (2 and 3 floors) houses strive for.
A two-story house, for example, 6 X 6 X 6 meters, will be the most optimal in terms of heating. A three-story house, for example, 9 X 9 X 9 meters, is also optimal, but slightly too large (almost 250 meters in area).
A one-story house of 200 square meters will be an oblate parallelepiped. Moreover, the largest sides in it will be those through which the greatest heat loss occurs - the floor and ceiling.
In reality, this will be expressed either in increased costs for insulation, or in increased costs for heating.
It is easier to maintain a one-story house - everything is on the same level. It is easier to get to the roof of a one-story house - it is lower, you can use short stairs.
But there is one big disadvantage of a one-story house - the area of the building area is exactly twice as large. And on some small lots it will be difficult to find enough space to build a one-story house of the required size.
