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One story  or two. Which is better? When house hunting, this question is worth considering. The number of floors in a home affects not just the way it looks but also how easy it is to navigate and maintain, how much you;ll pay for heating and cooling and much more. Here are some advantages of living life on one floor: 1) maintenance is a piecde of cake. One story homes are easier to maintain because everything is on the same level. No hauling the vacuum leaner or loads of clothes up two flights of stairs. For the exterior, everything from power washing to window washing to painting stays easy and on the ground. The disadvantage of a one story if you are building is that a larger footprint requires more land. One story homes requires more materials such as foundation, roofing and windows.

Two story homes has other perks:1) extra privacy, a second floor makes for an easier separation of public and private spaces. If  you have ever had guests over and sent your kids upstairs to watch a movie. You also have a lower risk of a break in if you accidently leave a window open on the second floor rather than the first. You also have more design options, much more so than with a one level. Some risk associated with two story is risk of accidents. Children falling down the stairs. Also costly heating and cooling bills because heat rises and your downstairs may be cooler. If not designed well you may have hgiher noise level. If your bedroom opens up directly onto a great room balcony or the floor isn't property designed for acoustics.