What is better to prefer - a one-story house or several floors? Which option should you choose when looking for the most convenient project for your future housing? In most cases, such questions are faced by owners of large plots of land who have the opportunity to choose: a compact layout of a one-story house or a tall cottage with several floors, leaving significant free space on the site?
Naturally, the first layout option will take up a large area, but will allow all the rooms to be arranged with maximum convenience.
It should be noted that today the convenient layout of a one-story house is becoming increasingly popular, and this is explained by new trends in architecture and design. Now the general concept of country life involves the combination of a cottage and an adjacent plot as one single whole.
A simple plan for a small one-story house made of 6x6 timber
The layout of a 6x9 one-story house provides enormous freedom in design and design solutions.
Simple 6x9 One Story House Plan In some cases, the plan provides for the presence of an attic second floor, due to which the usable area of the building can be slightly increased. As a rule, terraces and verandas are included in such projects.
The layout of a one-story 8x10 house with a rectangular shape looks pretty good, but at the same time it is less profitable than the square-shaped cottage option.
It's not uncommon for 8x10 buildings to have an attic and basement (remember that basement design should always be highly customized). Such a house plan is perfect for both private cottages within the city and for country housing. The option with an attic will be an ideal option for large families.
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One-story house plan 8x10 The layout of a one-story 9x9 house is already intended for a quite extensive building, in which not one person, but an entire family can freely accommodate. As a rule, such buildings have several residential premises and several utility rooms. Due to the fact that the existing space is very significant, the designer has many opportunities to implement certain ideas.
One-story house plan 9x9 The layout of a one-story 10x10 house, which is ideal for multiple people, involves lengthy construction work. Such houses have several rooms that are designed with maximum convenience for the people living in them. In addition, these buildings delight with space, increased due to the length of the walls.
House plan made of 10×10 timber The layout of a 10x12 one-story house allows you to get a building with a large area and dimensions close to square. The use of the available space can be made as useful and rational as possible by arranging the ground floor and attic.
Projects of similar sizes are ideal for construction both within the city and beyond. For greater convenience of residents, planning should be done with special care. As a rule, on the ground floor there is a kitchen, bathroom and toilet, hallway, living room and lounge.
Wooden house plan 10×12 The second floor (if you still decide to prefer a multi-storey house option) is used for residential premises, which is very convenient for permanent residence. If the plan involves the presence of a basement floor, then it can accommodate workshops, a garage and a recreation area.
For comfortable living in a private house, much more space is required than in an apartment. If 50 square meters - a standard two-room apartment in urban conditions - seems quite sufficient for a family of 3-4 people, then planning a one-story house of this size will be extremely difficult. It is more appropriate to use such small-sized options for summer cottage construction or as permanent housing for one person, a married couple without children or pensioners.
Project of a one-story house 11×11 with layout
One floor would be preferable to a two-story counterpart. Although horizontal construction will take up more space on the land plot, it will allow all premises to be located on the same level. The biggest disadvantage of two-story buildings is the staircase; it will simply be absent in a one-story building.
The advantages of a one-story house over two- and three-story analogues are obvious.
Layout option for a one-story house 9x9
To build a classic one-story house, you can choose any material on the market and use almost any type of foundation, based on the characteristics of the soil on which the house will be built. And also the location of all rooms in the same plane and the absence of stairs is one of the main advantages of low-rise buildings.
Due to the absence of the need to arrange interfloor communication, you can refuse to use a spacious hallway or hall, and use the freed-up space for other needs. A building with a basement floor will also be considered a one-story house. Despite three full operating levels, the house actually remains one-story. But the usable area that can be effectively used turns out to be many times larger.
A one-story house can be combined with a garage, combining them with a common roof. This option is suitable for both spacious one-story buildings and small-sized projects.
Project and layout of a small cottage measuring 6x6
In this case, they represent a single stylistic ensemble; using such a garage is much more convenient and comfortable, since the room can be heated, and you can get inside directly from the house.
Environmentally friendly materials are increasingly being chosen for one-story houses. , blocks, or have long become classics. A relatively new and modern technology is frame construction. One of the most budget options and the fastest.
However, houses made of logs and timber fit more harmoniously into the interior of suburban areas. The rounding is more solid and representative. Hence the high cost. Houses made of timber are simpler and more affordable. However, they are in no way inferior to log cabins in quality and performance characteristics. In addition, laminated laminated timber is simpler and more convenient to work with than solid wood.
Layout of a modern one-story cottage measuring 8.8×10.8
The exterior of a private house should not only match the tastes of the owners, but also fit into the surrounding landscape. If houses made of brick or stone may look somewhat heavy and overly pretentious, then one-story houses made of timber will be an excellent decoration for any site: from an abandoned wild garden to a well-kept property in any style. Rustic simplicity and minimalism are the basis of most interior and exterior styles: rustic, farmhouse, country, retro.
By itself, a one-story house is a rather boring and uninteresting building. To enliven the appearance of the building and the internal layout, you can add several optional, but very functional elements to the project. The drawings will become only a little more complicated, but the one-story house will look fresh and interesting.
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Projects of 6x8 houses with an attic
The basement floor is not considered a full floor, and therefore will not change the nominal number of floors of the building.
Project and layout of a one-story private house 8x8
However, with the arrangement and improvement of the underground part of the house, you can add a significant area to your possessions. It is quite difficult to create living quarters in the basement due to the lack of normal ventilation and natural light. However, it is quite possible to lower all the utility and utility rooms downstairs. Even in a small house with an area of 8x8, there are plenty of things and equipment that will feel great in the basement.
A heating boiler, water supply system, laundry room, dryer, ironing board, area for storing vegetables and home canning will free up a lot of usable space on the ground floor of the house if they move into the basement.
And finally, storage rooms and closets can also be installed in the underground floor. Drawings of large projects include the location of recreation rooms in the basement. A billiard table is being installed there, a cinema and a gym are being equipped. Often there is a sauna with a small pool inside. 
A house with an attic in terms of construction costs is not much different from an ordinary one. The arrangement of the upper room requires almost the same amount of materials as the attic area. Plus, you will have to additionally spend money on insulation and finishing, and later heating the room. That is why the attic is quite often found in projects of one-story houses.
It also cannot be considered a full floor. Its usable area will be less than the first floor. But the layout of a one-story house with an attic can be much more interesting and varied than an ordinary one-story building.
The attic is used as an analogue of the second floor. And if it is present in the house, then they try to organize bedrooms and a small bathroom upstairs. Depending on the size, the number of bedrooms will vary.
Original layout of a cottage with an attic 10×10
For example, in a 10x10 house, the attic will very comfortably accommodate three small bedrooms, a small hall and even a small storage room.
One floor in a house is not an obstacle to arranging a garage under one roof. It can be either symmetrical or have a very open layout. In the first case, the garage is located under the same roof as the living quarters, separated by main walls. Visually, such a house seems symmetrical; it can be divided in half into a part with a garage and a living half. In the second case, the garage can be adjacent to the house on any side and in any way. 
The main thing is that in the end it turns out to be a capital, covered, heated room, which can be accessed not only from the street, but also directly from the house. The size of the house itself is not important. This can be either a more solid one-story cottage 15x15.
The garage can be used in conjunction with other elements - the ground floor and attic. Such a one-story house will not only be more functional compared to simple buildings without architectural additions, but also look much more interesting in appearance.
Such additions include a terrace, bay window and balcony. With the exception of the bay window, all the rest are external extensions that can be used in the warm season, in good weather. On the veranda or terrace you can organize a dining area in the summer, or in the evenings for meeting friends. The balcony is quite suitable for arranging a relaxation area.
A bay window will not only help make a one-story house more interesting from the outside, but will also diversify the interior design. compare favorably with boring regular boxes. A bay window can become an element of a wooden or stone house. The shape of this decorative element will simply depend on the choice of material.
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Project and layout of a two-story house with a winter garden
The area of a one-story house, as well as the presence of certain additional elements, will determine how the rooms and functional areas will be located inside the building.
Detailed layout of a one-story cottage 7x8
This is a very compact house, it is perfect for one person or as a house that is used seasonally or on weekends. One of the layout options involves the arrangement of two rooms - a living room of 16 square meters and a bedroom of 10 square meters. m. There is also room in the house for a spacious kitchen (12 sq. m.). The rest of the space is occupied by a corridor, a bathroom, an entrance hall and a storage room. Maximum space with the required minimum.
Another option is suitable for a married couple without children or with one child. Such changes became possible thanks to the appearance of the attic. On the ground floor there is an entrance hall with a built-in dressing room, a spacious hall, a separate bathroom and a kitchen combined with a living room.
Layout option for a one-story house 8x8
And on the second floor there are two spacious bedrooms and a small bathroom.
There are more and more layout options, but finding a truly comfortable and suitable one is not an easy task. However, it is possible to place 4 bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen in a wave. And that's not counting the utility rooms and bathrooms. This project has a small veranda from which the entrance door leads inside. The house starts with a vestibule of 3 square meters. m., and then a hallway leading into the living room. The living room in this version is a walk-through room.
Thanks to this solution, it was possible to avoid the use of corridors and turn the entire available area into useful space.
A small living room of 12 square meters does not seem small at all due to the fact that it is a passage room. In its circle there are 4 bedrooms with sizes from 13 to 6 square meters, and a kitchen of 8 square meters.
8x10 cottage layout with veranda
If desired, the kitchen can be combined with the living room by removing the partition between them.
It is no longer a small building. This is a full-fledged country cottage on one floor. If it is supplemented with a basement or attic, then the options for arranging such a house will number in the dozens.
It is difficult to give specific recommendations on internal layout here. It is worth focusing on the specific needs of the owners and the number of residents. And to make it convenient, just listen to the basic design principles:
The optimal size of a one-story house for a family of 4-5 people is considered to be a building of 120 square meters.
Example of a 12×12 cottage layout
The entire area that goes beyond this indicator is used to improve living conditions, comfortable stay for all family members, and expand and enlarge existing premises.
And of course, when choosing the project and layout of a one-story house, do not forget that the final area will directly influence the formation of the cost of maintenance. In particular, heating and lighting a large house will be much more expensive than a small one-story cottage. The annual tax will also be calculated based on the total area of the building.
Do-it-yourself construction has gained popularity due to the availability of information via the Internet. Various construction sites and forums allow you to obtain qualified knowledge and build a house with minimal hiring. One of the most difficult areas of construction is design. It is in the design documents of the future house that construction materials, the layout of rooms, methods of laying utilities and organizing heating are specified. Let's look at room layout options in projects for buildings measuring 12 by 8 (1 or 2 floors).
The area of a house 8 x 12 m2 is almost 100 square meters (for a one-story building) and almost 200 square meters (for a two-story cottage). This is a fairly spacious room in which a family of five to eight people can live. According to public housing standards, each person must have at least 20 square meters. m of total area.
The larger the interior space, the higher your winter heating costs will be. Therefore, huge box houses have limited popularity. Even if funds are available, a cottage measuring 8 by 12 m is rarely built in a three- or more-story version. More often they are limited to two floors of the building or one.
In this project, all interior spaces are organically located around the interior hall. Almost all rooms are separate. Only the entrance veranda and the common hall are accessible.
The house has an ideal rectangular shape, the entrance veranda is located inside the outer walls. It looks like an unglazed covered terrace that precedes the entrance to a one-story room.
In this one-story project, behind external walls with a perimeter of 8 by 12 m, there are three bedrooms, a kitchen-living room with a hall, and a boiler room. This project is a modernized version of the previous plan. The number of bedrooms has been retained here, and the size of the living room has been increased due to its combination with the kitchen and hall.
The bedrooms and bathroom occupy the right side of the house. The left side is the active activity zone. This is where they spend their waking hours, get together after work, cook food, and receive guests.
There is a second exit from the living room-kitchen. It can lead to a glazed veranda (if desired, it can be attached to the house) or go directly to the garden plot through a porch or open terrace. During the warm season, there is a gazebo, a dining table and a place for general relaxation on the street next to the second exit.
On the second attic floor there will be an exclusively home area: three bedrooms, a storage room for clothes, a bathroom and a toilet. The entrance to the interior premises on the second floor is from the hall. There is also a staircase leading up to the hall from the first floor.
The first floor itself is a guest and work area. There is a separate kitchen, a living room and a study room and household premises (furnace room and combined bathroom) located here. The first floor of the house is crossed by a large spacious hall. The back wall of the hall is equipped with a skylight. The entrance to the house is through a small corridor that separates the internal heated rooms from the street. 
The presence of a high porch and steps at the entrance to the house is determined by the height of the base. The high plinth provides thermal insulation for the ground floor floor and requires the construction of a high porch and steps. A low base requires mandatory thermal insulation of the floor and is limited to a low porch with one or two steps at the entrance to the house.
Convenient design of interior spaces is oriented according to the cardinal directions, taking into account the wind rose and the life schedule of the owners. If the family’s routine coincides with natural biorhythms (getting up early), then the bedroom windows are located to the southeast (for early illumination of the rooms with natural light). If people are nocturnal and sleep for a long time, then their bedrooms are placed along the northwestern wall of the house (so that bright sunlight does not disturb their morning sleep).
Porch of the house 12 on 8 – designed with love.
Building your own living space has many nuances. Before construction begins, the location of the future cottage, its size and number of floors are selected. A budget and practical option would be to choose a one-story house, the plan of which is easier and faster to draw up than. Various dimensions and a variety of design solutions will allow everyone to find a project.
There are a number of advantages of a small house with an attic:
The disadvantages include limited space and layout options, since only 3-4 full rooms can fit on the ground floor.
Advice! If you want to find the most affordable option, opt for a house made of foam blocks.
Among typical projects, the following dimensions are distinguished:
Each design has its own characteristics, and externally can be made in any design, distinguishing your home from others.
Planning a one-story cottage can take a lot of time, but the construction process itself, with a well-prepared plan, will go much faster. In a small house, it is important to take into account the correct arrangement of rooms with the most rational use of the entire living space.
Among the plans for small houses 6x6 m with one floor you can find very interesting options. Here are some photographic examples of schemes and finished buildings:
House plan 6x6 m with attic floor 
You can choose a slightly larger project 6x8 m The living area in such a modest room is only 36 m², but even in such an area you can arrange a sleeping room and a living room, and move the nursery to the attic. It is better to make the bathroom combined, freeing up space for the kitchen or hallway. Such designs are often chosen by elderly couples or small young families with one child.
There are quite a lot of layouts for a one-story house 9 by 9 m, despite the modest living space. You can make a plan yourself or order a ready-made version from the masters. Here are some interesting room layout options:
A one-story house 9 by 9 m can be built from stone, timber, energy-saving panels or. The last option is the most affordable. A garage or attic can be added to any structure to make the space larger and more functional.
On average, the total living area will be 109 m², and the facades can be very diverse. Here are some ready-made 9x9 m:
When planning the construction of a house and drawing up a project, it is worth thinking through many nuances, ranging from the number of people in the family, ending with the location of the building on the site with the choice of window location.
Modern technologies make it possible to create 3D designs of one-story houses 8 by 10 m, taking into account their location on the site. To do this, they use special ones, where it is even possible to distribute rooms and arrange furniture.
There are many layouts and options for distributing living rooms; you can choose a project for a one-story 8x10 house with an attic or an attached garage, and also think about the basement. All this allows you to maximize the usable area of the building.
Here are some interesting layouts:
One-story houses with a living area of up to 150 m² are perfect for families of 4-5 people. They can accommodate three bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen, as well as attach a garage, make a basement where all communication wiring can be moved. An attic is also a good idea for small buildings.
According to European standards, a house up to 150 m² is classified as small; such structures have a number of advantages:
You can design a house yourself or order a ready-made plan with turnkey construction. There are several standard dimensions for cottages up to 150 m²:
There are also options with a basement, attic and garage.
The average living space in a 10 by 12 house is 140 m² with an attic floor. The distribution of rooms, as well as the appearance of the house, can be varied. When choosing a project, it is worth considering the number of family members who will live under one roof.
In this case, any option for a one-story building will have a number of advantages:
Among the finished projects, the layout of one-story houses 10x10 or 10x12 m varies. Here are some photo examples to make it easier for you to imagine your future home:
Ready-made plan for a one-story house with bedrooms 10×12 m 
Among all the options, a special place is occupied by one-story ones, which can be of any size, including 11 by 11 m. Natural material always attracts the attention of consumers, looks beautiful on any site, and with proper construction, the service life of buildings is long.
Among all the advantages of timber buildings, there are several main advantages:
The disadvantages include the ability of wood to absorb moisture, so an additional layer of waterproofing of the walls will be required, and a special composition should be applied to prevent the formation of rot and mold. Wood is considered an expensive material, so even a one-story house can hardly be classified as a cheap building.
There are many layout options; for example, wooden one-story houses 11 by 11 m with an attic look beautiful. Here are some photographic examples of different finished designs:
It’s easier to think through the layout of a one-story house 12x12 m, because the large area allows you to place rooms in any order, create several large or many small rooms. The attic floor is used for offices and children's rooms or for non-residential recreation areas, and additional openings can serve as a summer refuge from the heat and scorching sun.
When choosing a suitable arrangement of rooms, you can draw up your project by hand or in a special 3D editor, take a ready-made version as a basis, or order a plan from specialists in a construction company in your city.
Here are several options for layouts of 12 by 12 m houses, as well as ready-made structures:
Article
8 by 12 house project plans are quite popular in 2018 and are in great demand. Therefore, we regularly update our catalog of 8 by 12 house projects with new projects with a functional, original and comfortable layout for living.
Before starting to build a house, the 8 by 12 house layout must be correctly selected. To facilitate and systematize the selection process, it is necessary to take into account a number of important issues.
So, when choosing the layout of 8 by 12 houses, it is important to consider:
It is necessary to start choosing a residential cottage project when a building site has already been identified. It is advisable to adhere to this rule, since the characteristics of the land often limit some of the possibilities of the house and the lifestyle in it. We have described how to choose a good plot for individual construction.
However, the opposite option cannot be ruled out, when a private house project is first selected, and then a plot is selected that meets all construction conditions.
A plot of any shape with an area of more than 4 acres is suitable for an 8x12 house project.
How much it will cost a developer to build a private house on a turnkey basis cannot be said initially, since the value of this indicator is influenced by many factors. Thus, the region of development can increase costs several times. Also, costs depend on the materials, the chosen construction technology, etc. Therefore, an estimate can be drawn up when a project and site for construction are selected.
When deciding on the number of storeys of your future home, you need to first familiarize yourself with the advantages of each of their solutions:
The one-story house allows residents to move without any obstacles to all rooms, since there are no stairs. Life in such a house takes place on one plane. However, the construction of such a house is more expensive than the construction of an attic house with the same area. This is due to the fact that a one-story house requires more roofing and foundation work.
The best solution for small plots is an 8 by 12 house with an attic. In this house, the premises can be divided into a day zone and a recreation area (attic room). Attic houses are good in terms of energy saving. The disadvantages of attic houses include the presence of a low attic wall and sloping roof slopes, which somewhat reduce the space and require considerable labor for arrangement. The thoughtful design of 8 by 12 house projects makes it possible to level out these shortcomings and make the room cozy for living. Also, an attic house requires insulation of a fairly large roof area.
The construction of a two-story house is much more expensive than a house with an attic, but it allows you to use two full floors.
A house whose attic can be converted into a living attic in several stages is an intermediate solution. However, landscaping work can be carried out when the homeowner has the time and funds for it.
When a developer chooses a project, he needs to think carefully about how many rooms there should be in the house and for what purpose. In doing so, he needs to rely not on the needs of the present, but also take into account the possible needs of the future. So, an office or living room, which is so much needed now, in a few years can serve as a living room for his parents or grown-up children who decide to stay in their father’s house.
Our designers quite simply make changes of any complexity to the designs of 8 by 12 houses, photos, sketches, drawings and videos of which are posted in this section, without affecting the reliability and strength of the house. Therefore, there is no need to refuse a project you like just because it has some nuances, since they are easily corrected.
The company implements all architectural projects at average market prices. Each project is accompanied by detailed design documentation, which consists of five sections: structural, architectural and engineering, consisting of 3 parts (ventilation and heating system wiring diagrams, electrical and water supply diagrams). Engineering sections of the project are available for an additional fee.
Below we have posted a house project as an example.
Each project of the Z500 company guarantees legal security during the construction of a house, since it is protected by copyright. The certificate posted on the website indicates that the Z500 company is a representative of the international architectural bureau Z500 Ltd.
