The changing demands of housing: single or double story?

Lately, I’m being asked about the benefits of building double vs single level homes.

This can only be really be answered by the consumer and the stage of life they are at, that being said, clever design may solve both issues.

Again, predesign and client brief is critical. Both single and double options are valid and have their pros and cons.

 Single level homes take up more land, leaving less lawn /gardens etc, not ideal with a growing family.

Double storey certainly gives back more open space but problematic with ageing population, stairs, rooms not being used etc

This is where predesign and how your house can accommodate the future needs of your family should to be considered.

Can somehow all factors / demands be meet?

I believe they can with a well thought out floor plan and the availability of price competitive commercial building elements becoming more accessible to residential construction.

For example – residential lifts are becoming widely used thus allowing for basements to come into play. Who would have thought 10 years ago we would be building residential homes with basements, lifts, etc. These items were once considered only for multimillion-dollar mansions.

This has certainly opened up more opportunities when considering your new home.

Would it be cheaper to build a basement rather than purchase the land required?

Does this give you the extra rooms needed rather than go to a 3rd level or can we achieve all you need by going underground and one level above rather that the traditional two-story home.

It’s always a changing landscape with housing and the availability of new cost-effective methods so it's worth considering all options and exploring what is available to you.

If you need a hand we are happy to have a chat and give you some advice. Just visit the website, fill in the contact form and one of the team will be in touch to set up a chat - www.lbliving.com.au

Finally, I'm keen to hear your feedback on which design and building topics you would like some advice on. Let me know in the comments and we will get working on it.

Cheers Danny