When a person is going to buy their first house, they think about the property area and number of floors. If before that the future landlord lived in an apartment, then they may not have any idea what difficulties sometimes arise with a 2- and 3-storey house.
Let's try to consider the main pros and cons of a building with several floors. And then determine whether the advantages outweigh the possible disadvantages?
Planning at the stage of land purchase
If you are going to build a house in Cyprus from scratch, then think through all the steps from the very beginning. There may be two options.
The first situation. You already have land.
In this case, it is worth starting from the area of the plot and its inclinations. A spacious and flat plot suggests a large field for experiments. It allows you to build a one-story house on a strong foundation, even on 200-300 m2! And often this option turns out to be the most convenient.
But you can also experiment and build a house up to 4 floors. With a strong foundation, the building will turn out just great, with a magnificent view from the upper floor windows.
The problem is that finding a flat and large plot of land in Cyprus is not the easiest and cheapest thing. Close to the sea, a hundred acres of land costs a lot, and in the foothills there is often a very uneven terrain.
If you have a small piece of land (2-5 acres) or a sloping descent, it makes sense to make a two-story house. This way you will be able to save space. Also, for mountainous areas, the option with a "ground floor" is popular, which is located below the level of the access road, and the 2nd and 3rd floors are built on it.
The second situation. You are just going to buy land in Cyprus.
Before buying, you should decide how many floors in the house you want to have. The selection criteria are all the same as described above:
- A one-storey house with a large area - you need a flat, spacious plot.
- A two-storey house is not complicated and not too heavy in construction – you can take a sloping plot.
- Multi-storey house (3 floors and above) - the plot may be small, but flat or suitable for leveling it. This is necessary for pouring a high-quality foundation.
Also take a closer look at the terrain. If there are cliffs, steep slopes and other troubles nearby, then they need to be strengthened regardless of how many floors you are going to build. The thing is that during heavy rains, a landslide can come down. Therefore, be careful when buying and study all possible risks.
The undoubted advantages of a two-storey house
For the purity of the experiment, the author of the article asked her friends about how they live in two-story houses. The answers were very different and surprising. I myself live in a house with two floors, so I tried to collect all the objective advantages in this section.
Plus #1: the most convenient separation of zones
When the bedrooms are on the second floor and the common rooms are on the ground floor, it is incredibly convenient! The household does not interfere with each other, because everything noisy is happening downstairs. But on the second floor everyone is resting. And also unpleasant odors from the kitchen, cold in winter from the hallway do not get upstairs. In a word, this is a huge plus.
Another way is the so-called "family separation". When upstairs, for example, there are children's rooms and a bathroom, and parents live downstairs. This allows you to maintain a certain distance and freedom for different generations. And the older the children, the more important it is.
I go up to the second floor once every 2 weeks," says a friend. - The children live there almost by themselves (she has only two children's rooms upstairs), and there is no need for me to go there.
Plus #2: physical activity for all family members
Every day, all of us, residents of a two-story house, walk up and down the stairs 20-30 times. Agree that this is very, very useful! The main thing is that the stairs are comfortable. We also had an article about stairs.
Of course, there are problems like "I forgot the key upstairs" and you have to go specifically for it. But in general, it does not bother.
Plus 4: beautiful view from the upper floors
It's strange that we didn't start with him. But this is undoubtedly one of the key advantages. Especially for Cyprus: from the windows of the upper floors you can contemplate the sea or the mountains.
And the view from the first floor is not always good. More precisely, it can be a beautiful and well-kept garden, but the sea is still not visible. Therefore, a two-storey house is an opportunity to get views and even a panorama of the surrounding area.
Plus #5: there is more space for the plot
Yes, a house of 200 m2 can take only one hundred meters. And the rest will go for the garden, vegetable garden, lawn, flower bed, parking, barbecue area, playground for children.
In Cyprus, by the way, it is important to have a large and well-maintained summer space. It is warm here 9 months a year, so you can use the summer kitchen, gazebo and other "rooms" in the fresh air with might and main.
And many people like to reduce the area of the house in favor of the area of the house plot. And if you insulate the veranda or gazebo a little, then you can use them all year round!
Plus #6: more options for exterior and interior decoration
The first thing that comes to mind is the "second light". If the house is two-storeyed, then it is a sin not to make a huge space combined into one! Yes, and with a large panoramic window.
The exterior finish can also be beaten more interestingly. Two floors allow you to create bay windows with balconies, beautiful verandas, install columns, turrets on top. In general, there is more scope for imagination.
Significant disadvantages of a two-storey house
Yep, there are also disadvantages. Some of them are so weighty that they force us to abandon the original idea of building or buying a two-story house.
Minus #1: it's not easy for everyone to walk up the stairs
Even if you are young now and elderly relatives are not going to live with you. Think about this moment properly. It is quite possible that you will spend your old age in this house. And it is very difficult for older people to climb the stairs several times a day.
If you have chronic diseases of the joints and back, the need for a second floor is also worth questioning. Going up and down once is easy, but imagine that you need to do it often, up to 20 times a day?
Mom's friends, a married couple, have crossed the 50-year milestone. They completed the house recently, the finishing has not yet been completed. And they swung at 300 m2, but on a single floor. Because it's already hard for them to constantly run up the stairs.
But the presence of small children is a controversial issue. Firstly, the kids are growing up fast, and at 4-5 years old they will slowly begin to master the stairs. Secondly, it is easy to block the stairs with special protective barriers.
Minus #2: the temperature difference between the first and second floors
In summer, the second floor heats up faster and stronger than the first. Therefore, air conditioning is vital there, as well as blackout curtains. But even that doesn't always help. And if it is really possible to prevent this problem during construction (for example, carefully insulate the roof - oddly enough, the insulation also saves from the heat), then when buying a ready-made house it can become a problem.
In winter, the situation is reversed. The heat is well preserved at the top, but the bottom simply does not warm up – because it is "blocked" from above by the second floor. And again, a recommendation: when building, think about this moment, and when buying a ready-made house, be especially careful.
And the first floor can be poorly ventilated. This is fraught with the appearance of dampness and even mold.
Minus No. 3: difficulties with bathrooms
It is easier to make 1-2 bathrooms on the ground floor. But constantly going down to them from the second floor is still a hassle. Especially at night or in the morning.
Several of my friends admitted that the idea of a "night vase" at some moments seems too tempting. Because getting up at night from under a warm blanket is a real test.
Of course, it is reasonable to place at least one bathroom on each floor. But it needs to be done as competently as possible. So, it will take a lot of effort and/or money.
Minus #4: more expensive to maintain
It's hard to say right away, but the maintenance of a two-storey house is more expensive in small things. Which are summed up, and a rather big figure runs up.
Installation of heating, upper bathrooms, dormer windows (if any) – all this costs more than in a one-story house. If work is required at height, then you need to call special equipment, then this is still an additional expense.
Cleaning the pipes, bringing heavy furniture upstairs, calling the cleaning service are also difficulties that you will have to pay for. It cannot be said that the maintenance of a two-storey house in Cyprus is many times more expensive, but you will have a certain overpayment.
Controversial points
There are a couple of comparisons that do not give advantages to one or two floors without clarification. They should also be brought.
Moment #1: total cost
Obviously, it is always more expensive to buy a ready-made house in Cyprus than to build it. But here it is the cost of the construction of one- and two-storey cottages that will be compared.
What will it be possible to save on during the construction of a single-storey building:
- on the construction of walls - especially if it is a brick and a similar labor-intensive material
- on the construction of stairs – it is simply not needed
- on the wiring of the power grid, heating and water supply.
Additional savings are on wall insulation. Since the area of the external walls of a single-storey house is smaller in any case, then less insulation will be required.
What will it be possible to save on when building a two- and three-storey house:
- on the roof and its insulation – it will come out smaller in area
- on the foundation – it also occupies less than square meters.
It would seem that there are only two points, but keep in mind that the roof is a very expensive part of any house. Despite the fact that it should also be insulated. So it turns out that the savings in a two-story house are serious.
And the most interesting thing is that these two "savings" equalize each other. That is, if you are building a one-storey house of 100 m2 and a two-storey house of 50 + 50 m2 from the same material, with the same parameters, then the amount will be approximately the same.
So to say that a one-storey house is cheaper than a two-storey one or vice versa is simply incorrect.
Moment No. 2: noise insulation
If you are thinking about sound insulation, then get acquainted with the following points. They will help you make the right choice:
- In a one-story house, only the walls are usually insulated. It is inexpensive and can be easily done with your own hands.
- In a two-storey house, you will need floor insulation on the second floor. It is more expensive and time-consuming, especially if you need to combine it with a "underfloor heating" system.
- Another point: if a two-story house has solid floor coverings, they will also act as a barrier to noise. Provided that no one makes loud noises and stomps in the house, you can completely abandon the sound insulation.
- Finally, you can make a "room of loud sounds" diagonally in relation to the place where silence is needed. For example, the loud kitchen and living room are on the first floor on the west side, and the bedrooms are on the second on the east side. And do without noise insulation.
And what about the noise insulation of the roof? It will be required in any case. The thing is that there are very heavy torrential rains in Cyprus. Those who have not lived in the south are even scared: rain and hail can thunder so much.
And since two-storey houses have a smaller roof area, noise insulation will be cheaper.
An interesting alternative: a house with a small attic
This is a kind of house on "one and a half floors". Ideal for those who do not want a large living space and dreams of a compact small house.
In this case, you can make a non-residential room in the attic that does not need to be visited several times a day: an office, a workshop, a storage room, a guest room. Another option is a place for kidsin the attic. Adult child (older than 7-8 years) can easily climb there, but adults can not look there.
Thus, almost all the disadvantages of the second floor are removed, while its advantages are preserved. Consider this option if you have a small family or need a small holiday cottage.
Hint: it has recently become fashionable to make such small houses in the "eco" style.
Bottom line: what is best for Cyprus?
I would like to summarize, but all people are different. Therefore, all conclusions, with a caveat: this is only a conditional opinion.
So: a two-storey house is more suitable for living in Cyprus. Because:
- it occupies a smaller area
- it is easier to place it on sloping areas
- from the second and third floors there is a magnificent view, and in Cyprus it is a sin to neglect this
- people in Cyprus are less likely to get sick (this is a fact), so climbing the stairs will not be a serious difficulty
- stairs can and should be made comfortable: wide, with railings, low steps, preferably straight
- it is very convenient to live in a space where common areas and bedrooms are on different floors
- the second floor keeps the heat perfectly, which is very important for the winter on the island – you will save on heating
- you can use the "minus the first" floor for a garage, and add 1-2 more residential floors on top
- the entrance to the second floor can be made separate - if you want to live with two families nearby, for example, with elderly parents.
Option "minus the first" floor:
But you don't need to construct, as you can buy a ready-made house in Cyprus. You just need to go to the largest database of the DOM Real Estate Agency and choose the appropriate option. And if you need help, the specialists will take care of everything.
See also:
- Staircase in House / Apartment in Cyprus: Choosing Perfect One
- How to make a cozy apartment in Cyprus: 6 tips for landlords
- Top 5 Interior Design Trends in 2021
- 3 rooms from 1 bedroom: tips for zoning your small apartment in Cyprus
- TOP 7 ideas to make the most of your apartment balcony
- What is the best investment in 2021?
- Rearranging Furniture - Great Alternative to Renovating an Apartment
