1 1/2-Story House Plans (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to build a 1 1/2 story house? ›

Is it Cheaper to Build a 1 1/2 Story House? Surprisingly, a 1.5-story home can cost more than either a one- or two-story house. Just like a one-story home, a 1.5 story house needs a generously sized foundation. Although the first floor is large, the second floor isn't quite as spacious.

One and a half story home plans place all main living areas and usually also the master suite on the first floor. Additional rooms and/or loft space for children, visitors, and flex use are placed upstairs to help provide more square footage without expanding the size of the home's footprint.

What is the difference between a 1.5 and a two-story home? A two-story home has all bedrooms, including the master suite on the second floor. A 1.5-story home has the master bedroom on the first floor, with bonus space and high ceilings in the main living area.

Since a one and a half story home does not have a full second floor, it opens up options for vaulted ceilings, large windows, and overhanging lofts. If you've ever dreamed of floor to ceiling windows or having a large library, the added height one and a half story homes allows could be just the ticket.

Cape Cod-style house or Cape: a style of a double-pile one-story cottage; low, broad with a steep side-gable roof to which dormers are often added to create a second story (in some locations, referred to as 1.5-story) Dacha: cottage-type house in Russia and former union republics of the Soviet Union.

Building a foundation is often among the most costly items on this list. Home foundations are built underground and support the structure's weight. A strong foundation must: Assist in support of the above structure.

Visualizing the square feet of a room or house that matches your family size can help you choose the right home size. On average, the ideal square footage is about 600 – 700 square feet per person. That means a family of three will want a house that's at least 1,800 square feet.

Theory: Two-story houses make an efficient use of the foundation, and roof by covering up to twice as much square footage as a one-story home would. The downside is that much of that gain in value is lost because additional unusable floorspace that gets absorbed by staircases.

In general, building up tends to be less costly than building out. When you factor in things like digging and pouring a new foundation, building out typically carries a higher price tag (though this isn't always true, and certainly depends on the size of the room and its purpose).

In a single-story home, all of the bedrooms and living spaces will be on the same floor. This doesn't offer the same level of privacy as two-story plans that can place bedrooms upstairs and even separate the master bedroom and kids' rooms.

Why are one-story homes more expensive? ›

Single-story homes typically have a larger footprint and need more land. This spatial extravagance translates into a higher upfront investment. It becomes clear that the appeal of a large, single-story home comes at a higher cost and needs more acreage. In any popular area, it might drive up the total cost of a home.

In a 1 ½ story home the owner's suite is typically, but not always, kept on the main level along with essential rooms, keeping the upper level reserved for additional bedrooms and customized functional rooms such as playrooms, lofts and bonus rooms.

Drawbacks of a two-story house:

Pretty much every drawback associated with a two-story home comes down to stairs. The stairwell takes up square footage that can't be used for much else, and you may have to drag things like laundry or the vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs.

Building Out. There is a lot of debate about whether it is cheaper to build up or build out. If your foundation is solid enough to bear the weight of a second floor, building up will cost less in most cases.

That depends on market and current material prices

Generally speaking, building up tends to be less expensive than a basem*nt.

While traditional floor plans allow you to heat or cool only certain rooms, with an open floor plan, the entire space must be heated or cooled. Higher construction cost. Without partition walls, open concepts depend on steel or laminated beams for support. These are costly to install.