• qyron
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    162 years ago

    I really understand the advantages of having a single story house but why does it seem so uncommon to see two story houses in the US/Canada?

    • PrettyFlyForAFatGuy
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      2 years ago

      population density is much lower, so land is much cheaper, and multi story houses are harder to build.

      so you just use more land for your house.

      Also extreme weather is more common in the US. single story houses are more susceptible to this

      • qyron
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        42 years ago

        We’re not exactly packed like sardines where I live but building up, unless health issues are a concern, is always the first thing considered, exactly to save clear ground area for other uses, regardless if building on 100m2 or 10 hectares.

    • @[email protected]
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      102 years ago

      Is it uncommon? I feel like I see them all the time.

      We just have a lot of houses, and a lot of space which makes it so you can feasibly have a generously sized single story house.

      There’s also a trend towards making the basement comfortably livable in a lot of areas.

      • qyron
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        12 years ago

        I can only speak of the pictures I often see in media and what I see on television programs, where the typical north american house is single story.

      • qyron
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        52 years ago

        That is not a lie and I am very much aware of that reality, as a member of my household is in serious risk to lose mobility due to health issues. Yet, vertical space is always a good thing to have.

        • patchw3rk
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          12 years ago

          Why? It’s cheaper at the front end but a pain in the ass the whole time. It’s much better and convenient to have a bungalow.

          • @[email protected]
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            12 years ago

            What? If you don’t have mobility issues why wouldn’t you want a multi story house? There’s more space that way.

            • patchw3rk
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              12 years ago

              Convenience. Have you ever moved mattresses and couches up a flight of stairs?

    • @[email protected]
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      112 years ago

      Ranches were popular in the 80s and 90s when US boomers were buying “forever homes”.

      For everywhere and everyone else, the foundation and roof are the most expensive part of the building so it makes the most sense to double or triple your square footage between those by building 2 or 3 stories.