This is not your great-grandpa’s rambler. While the single-story “ranch” home may conjure up an image of a long and, frankly, dull design, today’s architecturally diverse uni-level houses continue to surge in popularity, and for good reasons — 10 of them, in fact.
- You can get incredibly creative with the home’s design, including T-, O- and even X-shaped footprints. Yes, the foundation may cost you more than a linear layout, but you’ll save money by not building a second story.
- By eliminating stairs, you’ll not only cut down on construction and materials costs, you’ll also reclaim valuable livable square footage (about 100 square feet or more).
- Stairs can be dangerous for the very youngest and oldest residents, so you’re removing hazards by ditching the staircase.
- With the majority of the windows at a reasonably reachable height, a DIYer will save money on window cleaning.
- In case of fire, home intrusion or other emergency, a single-story home makes escape easier and safer.
- For families with young children, one-story homes make it convenient to keep an eye on the kids during the day and easier to get to them during the night. (Plus it means fewer baby gates to buy!)
- A ranch’s low profile makes it less of a target for severe weather, like wind from hurricanes or tornadoes.
- Accessibility for all is easier to achieve in a one-story home. A few extra features like curbless shower thresholds and wheelchair-friendly doorways and layouts — especially in spaces like kitchens and baths — will let you welcome everyone to your home with ease.
- Adding onto point #8, even if accessibility isn’t a concern at present, if you plan to make this your forever home, opting for a ranch from the start may enable you to stay in your house, unassisted, for the long term.
- Building a ranch with logs and heavy timbers is a match made in heaven. They are simply meant to be.
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