BUYING A HOME CAN BE A MATTER OF STYLE
Floorplan should reflect household’s needs and lifestyle, writes Dennis Faulkner.
If you’re in the market for a new home, one of the most important decisions to make is what style of home to buy.
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each home style can help you make an informed decision.
The lowdown on various bungalow styles: Bungalows can offer you ‘life on one level’ — especially if you have main floor laundry.
One of my favourite things about the bungalow is the ease in which I can get my morning coffee, allowing me to avoid a dangerous trek down a long staircase half awake to reach that oh-so-necessary first cup of java to start off the day.
With bedrooms, bathrooms, and the living room all contained on the main level, you may have a little reason to trek downstairs for much of anything.
Perhaps your basement is just used for storage and mechanical (furnace, hot water tank).
Or maybe you have a guest bedroom and second living room in the basement if you require the space for visitors, parties, or older offspring that need to move back in for a time to regroup or go back to school.
There are a number of bungalow varieties, including ranch, raised, semi, and those with a basement walkout.
Bungalows are more expensive to build per square foot (similar to bi-levels and split levels).
Ranch-style bungalows have a low profile, with fewer steps to access the front door, which is great for people with reduced mobility.
But ranch bungalows often have darker basements, as the lower-level windows are smaller than they are in a raised bungalow.
The raised bungalow will have several steps up to the front door, which can be hazardous in the winter as snow and ice build up on the stairs.
However, since these homes are raised they typically offer a more functional basement, with larger windows allowing for more natural light. The raised bungalow can be better suited to a basement suite since the lower level feels less like a basement, with more of the exterior walls above grade level.
The semi-bungalow is more like a two-storey home. The telltale feature of the semibungalow is a sloped ceiling on the upper level. However, these homes do have their downsides. First, the sloped ceiling restricts the amount of insulation that can be installed, making them less efficient at keeping out the cold during the winter. Popular in the 1940s and 1950s, these homes frequently contained minimal eaves on the rooftop, which made them prone to ice damming.
Level up with bi-levels, split-levels and two-storeys: Bi-level homes are similar to raised bungalows in that the basement will have large windows and, again, doesn’t feel like a typical basement.
Bi-levels usually have an entrance at ground level, and when you walk in you are immediately greeted with steps that both go up to main level and down to the lower level. Unfortunately many bi-level homes offers less space to accommodate a group of people entering the home at the same time. It can get crowded when guests arrive on a small entryway and have to navigate two staircases and limited space for shoes. Still, the bi-level is one of my favourite home styles as you really double the well-lit living space, since the basement can be very welcoming.
The split-level home is similar to the bungalow, but it’s like an earthquake hit it and raised one half of it by four feet. This style of home will have three to five different levels, offering separation throughout the home with a variety of living area. As the living room is often on the second level and separate from the kitchen or dining room, the layout allows you to enjoy some time to relax with friends without directly seeing the mess from dinner. The downside to the split-level is the number of stairs connecting the home’s different levels. If you are well coordinated and like working out this can work for you, but all those stairs can limit people with mobility issues.
The two-storey home is the most affordable home per square foot, as it requires less concrete and roof area than any other home style. These homes will often contain a bonus room built over the attached garage, reducing the need to develop the basement for extra living space. The main level usually contains the living area, kitchen, a twopiece bathroom, and occasionally an office or formal dining room. Two-storey homes also allow for more physical separation between your sleeping quarters and living space.
Generally, two-storey homes are not well suited to basement suite development. However, a number of builders are starting to offer a side entrance and basement windows large enough to meet code for bedrooms and living rooms. Occasionally you may see a two-and-a-half or three-storey home, and some skinny homes that we see popping up around town have a third level, but those styles were more popular in the early 1900s.
Knowing which home style fits your lifestyle can help in your home search and increase enjoyment of your home for several years to come.