If you’re building a house and have a family with young children, plan the home design so that it meets everyone’s current and future needs. One of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether you want a single- or two-story house. Since both home designs have their advantages, use this guide to help you determine which will work best for your family.

One-Story

Houses with a single floor are also known as ranch-style homes, and their lack of stairs gives them many safety benefits. For example, not having stairs minimizes the risk of little ones slipping on the steps while running throughout the house. Additionally, keeping the living spaces on a single floor will make it easier for you to get around if you choose to age in place.

One-story homes also minimize noise, as you won’t be bothered by heavy footsteps and loud TVs from the upper floor. They’re even easy to maintain since you won’t need to climb the roof to clean gutters or touch up exterior paint.

Two-Story

You may want to opt for two floors if your neighborhood’s homeowners association has restrictions on house size and footprint. Having two floors also gives you more flexibility with room usage. For example, you can put all the bed- and bathrooms upstairs, reserving the ground floor for the kitchen, dining room, and entertaining areas.

You’ll also enhance your privacy with a two-story home—you can position bedrooms above public walkways and passersby. Homes with two floors also have smaller roofs than ranch-style houses, saving you money on installation materials and repairs throughout its life span.

 

Once you’ve decided how many floors you want, contact the team at Homeland Construction on Oahu, HI. These professionals will help you plan your layout, so your family has enough space to live and grow in to. View a gallery of their past projects online, then call (808) 690-1153 or (808) 372-2470 to discuss your home design plans.