Bungalow or two-storey house?

Whether you are renting a house, buying it or building it, it is worth thinking about the number of storeys. As it turns out, both a single-storey and a two-storey house have their advantages and drawbacks. It is worth taking them into account, because in the longer run they matter quite a lot.

Bungalows are cheaper – but are they really?

Many designers agree that building a new single-storey house will usually prove much cheaper. This in turn matters not only for those who build, but also for people who buy or rent. After all, it translates directly into the sale or rental price.

True, to obtain the same usable floor area a much larger plot is needed – which in itself is an additional cost. On the other hand, there are other savings linked directly to the construction work.

Among other things, you will pay less for the foundations, which will bear smaller loads than in a two-storey building. The saving remains even after allowing for the fact that the work will be carried out over a larger area than in the case of a two-storey house.

Costs will also be lower in another area. No stairs means no worries about quite a considerable expense. What is more, it is worth remembering that stairs – essential in a two-storey building – take up a piece of valuable space on both floors.

Good connections

While a bungalow wins in terms of costs, a two-storey building has the edge in terms of how well the individual rooms are connected. Moving between them is much quicker, because they are located much closer to each other.

One more thing follows from this. In single-storey houses it is a problem to lay out the plumbing, gas and heating systems properly. This is partly because in many house designs the kitchen and bathroom are relatively far apart. There are exceptions to this rule, but even in their case the problem of an uneconomical heating layout remains.

READ ALSO – A HOUSE IN DEVELOPER'S STANDARD (STAN DEWELOPERSKI) – WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW?

A friendly bungalow

For balance, it is worth mentioning again the advantages of, for example, new single-storey houses in Katowice. First of all, they are friendlier to older people and… to the very youngest. The lack of stairs is a considerable convenience for both of these groups, increasing comfort and sometimes safety.

Another interesting advantage of single-storey houses is that the garden is an almost natural extension of the living room. It is also easier to add a separate entrance, should we be thinking of renting out part of the house to other people.

SEE LISTINGS OF HOUSES FOR SALE IN MYSŁOWICE

Take the neighbourhood into account!

Finally, one more issue must be mentioned. In the case of single-storey houses built close to neighbouring buildings, it is much harder to maintain privacy. A two-storey house turns out to be a better option in this respect.

As you can see, the question of which is better, a bungalow or a two-storey house, is not as clear-cut as it might seem. This does not change the fact that in Poland the latter is usually chosen, and it is the one worth considering if we are thinking of reselling in the future.