Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 25, 2007 9:24 am Hi,
Just hoping for some advice here. We have a 700m2 block, we want to build a 25-28 square home (3 beds+ study + rumpus). We like 2 plans from the hundreds we have looked at. The question now is - (1) 25 square single storey home, small backyard or (2) 25 square double storey home, decent backyard (I think it will be something like 15m x 10m ) Cost wise, the difference is +20K for the double storey. We can afford the 20K if we don't put in an alfresco now and add that some time later. Another thing driving the 2 storey option is that we have views to the front of the house, but the frontage is only 16m. So with the single storey, we have only the living area facing the views, with the 2 storey we can also have a bedroom and balcony upstairs with good views. Any thoughts? Thanks. Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 2Jun 25, 2007 9:35 am From a re-sale point of view.. go the 2-storey with views. A house with views always sells better. Bigger yard is also a good selling point.
Add the alfresco later when budget permits. Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 3Jun 25, 2007 10:29 am This morning I was thinking about why double storey at all if they cost more. At the end of the day the only thing I could come up with is when the extra land costs more that the extra cost of building up.
Simply calculate the cost per sqm of land that would be required for single over double. Now is that cost more or less than building the double. That is my theory anyway. There is a lot of other reasons but I suspect they are more emotive than practical. 3xb Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 4Jun 25, 2007 10:43 am I'd go with double storey - nothing better than bedrooms with views
Plus - bigger backyard these days is a plus (in my eyes - not for some!) Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 5Jun 25, 2007 10:49 am I'm amazed that there's even a moment's hestitation: double storey is the absolutely obvious decision. Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 6Jun 25, 2007 10:56 am I'd go two stories.
If you can get good views with the upstairs section, it'll give a very nice feel to the place which adds value to the house and your day to day soul. All of my ground level houses have had views over paddocks etc, (ie on large acreage) but when I live in cities I go for 2 story houses so I get a view Can't stand looking at someone fence out of my living area. As a guide Here is my current downstaris view - Curtains etc are from when I bought the place - Nice huh? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ But here is my upstairs view Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Same direction - Just higher. Guess what swayed my buying decision? Happy decision making. Steve Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 7Jun 25, 2007 11:13 am I would have thought definitely the single storey.
Although I am building double myself, I would say that double is only worth while if you're going for 35 square plus. Otherwise there is no point IMO. For resale value as well, I would have thought if the house is under 30sq, best to go single storey if you can fit one in. Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 8Jun 25, 2007 1:59 pm It comes down to personal taste and some questions you need to ask:
- How important is a big back yard? - How good is the view? The picture above is great, however if you are looking into a backyard owned by a retired couple who's hobby is nude sunbaking... well, you get my point. - How important is the alfresco? - Do you mind climbing stairs a few times every day? You see it all the time - single and double storey next to each other in the same street. They both work, and everyone has their own reasons. In our case, we signed up for a single storey. Now, we are looking at double storey plans. The main reason is that the site costs killed the single storey, because of the larger footprint. A bigger cut into the slope, proximity to trees, and a large retaining wall made the site costs $35k. Cheers Perry Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 9Jun 25, 2007 2:19 pm Agree Perry, it's all about choices and deciding what you want.
As for the nude sunbaking - I just get to see my neighbours dog on the roof standing beside the aircond in the pic. My visitors always go - LOOK LOOK there's a dog on a roof and I go - So But yep it's all a choice of garden / yard vesus space - and as for stairs - good way to keep fit - and as my blocks 900m2 I get to have the lot Looking forward to swedish blonde Aupair to move in next door though Steve Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 10Jun 25, 2007 2:29 pm Yak_Chat I just get to see my neighbours dog on the roof standing beside the aircond in the pic. I wonder how he gets up there. Does he clean out the gutters while he is up there? 3xb Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 12Jun 25, 2007 2:50 pm Susan, Nice block, go for 2 stories, so when your garden grows you can still see the reserve
Re the dog - He jumps up onto a garden shed, then onto the roof then runs around. Clean the Gutters - More the point - What does he PUT INTO the gutters. I'm not drinking the rainwater at their place Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 13Jun 25, 2007 3:06 pm Yeeeuch, I've gone right off the idea of rainwater. Good thing I don't plan to use ours for drinking.
Clever dog. Wonder if he can do backflips up there. 3xb Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 14Jun 25, 2007 10:17 pm Yak_Chat Clean the Gutters - More the point - What does he PUT INTO the gutters. I'm not drinking the rainwater at their place I thought rainwater wasn't for drinking?? I would choose double storey as well. Totally agree with Perry's point about the larger foorprint. If you don't have a level land or got easements, lots of trees, double storey would be better. Don't forget that even though you spent extra $20K ( or more ) for the double storey, when you sell the house in X years time, you will definitely get a better price! Oh, don't forget the alfresco, I think it's a very good idea to increase the house value. And depending on the council, you could put in a huge alfresco/sunroom latter. Cheers Allan http://building-our-first-house.blogspot.com/ Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 15Jun 26, 2007 11:21 am I disagree that double-storeys always get a better price. I think it depends on the size of the house and other buyer factors. Eden Brae in Sydney sold their one-storey 31sq display home for $10,000 more than the more expensive to build 36sq double-storey home next door. The blocks were identical (I know, I nearly bought one before Eden Brae).
I think people need to think about their individual needs and wants. Having lived in numerous double-storey and single-storey homes and having owned a two-storey home in the past, I'm now building a one-storey. Why? - I don't want a huge house because the cleaning maintenance drives me insane. Cleaning 3 bathrooms especially is very labour-intensive. - There appear to be less issues if the bathrooms leak. - I'm a technologist at heart and two-storey homes are hard to retrofit with technology on the bottom floor - Utilities bills aren't nearly as high. - My partner and I are having children soon and stairs and toddlers don't mix very well and kids are easier to keep track of in a one-storey. - I walk around without shoes at home and fell down the stairs a few times in my last home. Adults don't bounce up like kids. Everyone will have their own individual reasons. Remember it's what you want and who cares if the neighbours have a bigger home. Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 16Jun 26, 2007 11:45 am Quote: I thought rainwater wasn't for drinking?? In my books rainwater is definiately for drinking. Tastes better, makes really great home brew, (When I used to make it) and has is much nicer than chlorinated flouridated water : ) Lots of people filter rainwater it which in the city is probably a good thing - Exhaust residue, birds, possums etc. I think so long as the roof is clean and you get rid of the first flush, then it's up to you if you drink it. It's not for everyone. Steve Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 17Jun 26, 2007 2:02 pm If you go 2 story you would probably have more room also to put a water tank in - that with the views will add even more value for resale! I'll show you how to keep your new home betwen 15 and 26 degrees celcius all year round - in your buget - GUARANTEED! www.sunrisehomes.net.au Re: 700m2+ block - Single storey or double storey? 18Jun 26, 2007 2:16 pm libechacos If you go 2 story you would probably have more room also to put a water tank in - that with the views will add even more value for resale! But have less roof space to collect water. 3xb Hello All 🙂 We are planning to start our journey of construction our first home. We zeroed down on Metricon and henley homes based on design suitable for our lot and… 0 8152 1 4560 Hi Kristy Around $1.7-1.8m or around $4,600/sqm. if you PM me your email I will send you a break up in a spreadsheet so you can get an understanding of the costs for… 1 9909 |