Is it better for you to build a one story or two story home? There’s a lot that goes into that question, so let’s discuss in detail the things you should be considering in your decision. The choice between one story house plans and two story home plans has its pros and cons. However, there is no right or wrong choice to either option.
Options For One Or Two Story House Plans
One Story Layouts
- Split Bedrooms – The master bedroom is separated from the secondary bedrooms.
- Bedrooms together – All bedrooms are located in the same area of the home design.
Two Story Layouts
- Master and/ or guest bedroom on the main floor with secondary bedrooms on the second floor.
- Master bedroom on the main floor with the secondary bedrooms on second floor.
- Guest bedroom on the main floor with the master bedroom and secondary bedrooms on the second floor.
The goal is not to try and convince you that one is better than the other. Instead, the goal is to focus on real world factors for you to consider when deciding between one or two story house plans. Factors like lot size, design flexibility, lifestyle, and your family life cycle are the leading forces that will drive your decision in choosing the best floor plan option to serve the needs of your family for now and into the future.
One or Two Story House Plans: Pros and Cons
We begin by looking at the pluses and minuses of both one and two story house plans. From my perspective, each option has way more to offer in pros than they do cons and that is a good thing! Both are flexible and can be modified to meet the needs of just about any family dynamic.

The Ash House Plan is a 1,911 square foot home. This one story design offers 3 bedrooms, 2-1/2 bathrooms, a split bedroom layout, and an open concept. A rear covered porch gives you the option of indoor-outdoor living and entertaining.
One Story House Plans
Pros:
- Living and sleeping areas on one floor
- Can have additional living space with a bonus room above the garage, aka FROG
- No stairs to climb (a bonus room plan being the exception)
- Safe for small children, elderly people, and those with mobility issues
- One floor makes it easy for a homeowner to age-in-place
- Some designs provide indoor-outdoor living spaces, increasing usable square footage
- Less expensive to heat and cool
Cons:
- Sleeping areas on same level as living areas – Less privacy
- Larger footprint when compared to two story home designs
- Less yard space due to a larger building footprint
- Limited options for indoor-outdoor living spaces, though not impossible to achieve
Two Story House Plans
Pros:
- Smaller footprint compared to one story designs and usually more cost effective to build
- Efficient use of foundation and roof, covering up to twice as much square footage as a one story home plan
- Bigger yard due to a small building footprint creating ample opportunities for indoor-outdoor living spaces
- Elevated views
- Can have additional living space with a bonus room over the garage, aka FROG
- In addition to a bonus room, some designs may incorporate a loft or open playroom area
- Sleeping areas separate from general living areas, built-in privacy
- Holds value better because young families in general like the separation of sleeping and living areas
Cons:
- Stairs. There is no getting around this on a two story design
- Stairs pose a safety concern for small children, elderly people, and those with mobility restrictions
- Less likely for a homeowner to age-in-place, unless the master bedroom is on the main floor
- Cost more to heat and cool
Lot Size: Maximizing Land Use
One and two story house plans are available for just about any building lot size, big or small. Having a big lot gives you a wide array of choices between a one or two story home design. With a large lot, your decision has less to do with the amount of floors and more to do with your lifestyle and family dynamics. However, for smaller building lot sizes there are considerations and sacrifices to be made with your design choice.

The Shannon House Plan is a 1-1/2 story home delivering 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. The 2,245 sq ft home design is only 36 feet wide and includes a guest bedroom on the main floor. The second floor has three bedrooms including the master suite.
Small Building Lot Considerations
Your home can be hemmed in by setbacks on building lots that are 50 feet wide or less. This scenario forces you to choose from a selection of narrow lot house plans that will fit the lot and to mostly provide everything you need and want in your home. The bad news is that you do not have a lot of floor space. The good news is that you still retain the option of one or two stories. The goal is to make use of the volume of the home rather than floor area. For example, a 1,500 square foot single-level home can easily double in size up to 3,000 square feet using a two story home design of the same footprint. To maximize the use of your land, building up would make sense.
In some cases, it can make make sense for you to consider one-and-a-half story house plans. Although this isn’t the focus of discussion, it is a good compromise between one and two story plans. Three story house plans are also good options to use if you have access to a private driveway leading to a first floor garage.
The decision to build up or stay on one level comes down to two important factors, building lot size notwithstanding. The first is how flexible do you need your home to be and the second one is where you are in your phase of life. Choosing the right set of house plans with those factors in mind will serve you well in making an informed decision.
Design Flexibility: Being Prepared For The Future
Multi-functionality
The most popular approach to designing a home is to plan for multi-functional spaces. The way you live now may not be the same way you live in six or even twelve months. Your routines and living habits can change in an instant. Consider the ability for your home to adapt to those changes as it will affect your lifestyle. Areas like bonus rooms, home offices, or flex rooms are perfect spaces that offer multi-functionality on both one and two story house plans.

The Hampshire Hills House Plan is a 2,718 square foot two story home. It offers 4 bedrooms and 4 full bathrooms with a guest bedroom on the main floor. The second floor includes the master suite and two secondary bedrooms. A bonus over the garage can flex from being another bedroom to a playroom for the kids.
Rooms That Adapt To Change
- Bonus Room: A house plan with a bonus room over the garage is the perfect multi-functional space. The space is also referred to as a FROG (Finished Room Over Garage). Bonus rooms can take on the duties of a playroom for school-aged kids when they are small and later convert to their living space during their adolescent years.
- Home Office or Flex Room: Bonus rooms are not always available on one story home designs. It is more likely that you will find a one story with a home office or flex room on the floor plan. You may find that single level 3 bedroom house plans with an office space is suitable for your needs. Often times this space can flex as an additional bedroom or a playroom/ game room for school-aged children. This same flex space can also be used as a formal dining room if that is a more appropriate fit for your lifestyle.
Lifestyle: Enjoy The Home You Live In
Your choice of a one or two story house plan should reflect who you are. In other words, your family’s lifestyle should be in sync with the home’s design. Do you enjoy entertaining guest? Do you work from home? Do you have children or pets? These lifestyle factors are all important considerations when choosing a floor plan.

The Hargrove Farmhouse Plan is a two story home at 2,703 sq ft. It delivers 4 bedrooms and 3-1/2 bathrooms with the master suite on the main floor. A loft on the second floor can flex from a playroom when the kids are young to their living space during their teen-aged years. It can even become a 5th bedroom.
Hosting and Entertaining Guest
If you love to throw parties or inviting friends and family over to hang out and socialize, take that into account. Having a home design that clearly separates the living areas from the private areas may be of significant importance. On a two story home plan the options are plenty. With a two story home plan, it is not totally out of the question. Consider opting for a home design with the living areas on one side of the home and the private sleeping areas on the opposite side.
Working From Home
This falls back on the multi-functional aspect of your floor plans. A dedicated home office gives you the space you need to run your small business, work remotely, or take care the household business. Does this space need to be away from noise and distractions or is your family home a relatively quite place and it doesn’t matter? Your choice in a 1 or 2 story design depends on your family dynamics.
Children and Pets
Speaking of noise and distractions, kids and fur babies can bring unwanted racket at times. Choosing a plan with space just for them is paramount for your peace of mind. A good option on one story plans is a split bedroom layout where the master bedroom is located on the complete opposite side of the home away from the secondary bedrooms. This gives you the comfort and privacy you need especially when your are living with preteens and adolescents. In addition, a bonus room over the garage is another option to provide space for children and pets.
With two story plans, everything applicable on one story floor plans applies here too. Complete separation from the kids can be even more defined with two floors. You have the option of putting the master bedroom on the main floor and maybe a guest bedroom too, with the kid’s bedrooms being on the second floor.
Family Life Cycle: Your Family Stage And Makeup
Throughout your life you will go through several changes in your family makeup. Your stage in the cycle of family life should weight heavily when deciding between one or two story house plans. Each stage requires different needs and wants, and although it’s at the bottom of the list in this article, it should be top of mind as you make your decision.

At 2,162 sq ft, the one story Abby house Plan offers 3 bedrooms and 2-1/2 bathrooms on a split bedroom design concept. The plan has a home office and this additional space provides some flexibility to be used as a playroom or nursery. This home can also be a perfect place for age-in-place living too.
Stages of the family life cycle
- Independence: Young Adulthood – Living single and not needing a lot of space or privacy on your floor plan. Children play no roll in house plan selection.
- Coupling or Marriage: Newly married adults – You may need a house floor plan with private space for certain task and future family growth. Examples include a home office and guest bedrooms.
- Parenting: Preschool-age children, school-age children, teenage years – The ages of your children will come into play here. Noise is a factor, but access is just as important if you have small children. Your floor plan design will need space for your kids and pets, but more important is the space you will need to enjoy your privacy away from the children.
- Launching Adult Children: Ushering children to adulthood – Your kids are becoming young adults and are of college age. Space is needed for when they are home during breaks or between semesters. The possibility of boomerang children should be consider in this as well.
- Retirement or Senior years: Empty nest – You revert back to number 1 or 2 depending on your status.
In each stage, the choice of one and two story house plans remains wide open. The real question comes down to knowing where you are in the cycle of family life. Putting this into perspective will lead you to making the best decision on whether you will live on one floor or opt for two floors instead.
Conclusion
A daily routine of going up and down stairs isn’t inherently bad in and of itself, nor is it terribly inconvenient. In fact, one can argue that it promotes good health. Two story homes can provide good separation, privacy, and space for everyone. 4 bedroom house plans are more popular with 2-story designs. Having one with a bedroom on the main floor is idea and depending on where you are in your family life cycle, a master bedroom suite on the main floor is even better. This option lends itself to the possibility of being your forever home where you can age-in-place, particularly if you love your town, neighborhood, and neighbors.
On the other hand, a one story home makes a lot of sense too. Although a 4 bedroom house plan will provide the maximum amount of flexibility on one level, house plans with 3 bedrooms seems to be the sweet spot for people in nearly every phase of the family life cycle.
Deciding between one or two story house plans comes down to what works best for your family. It isn’t a question of which is better, but more about maximizing the use of your land, being prepared for the future, enjoying life in your home, and residing in a place that fits the makeup of your family’s current stage.
Last Updated on August 2, 2024