ᐅ Urban villa or classic pitched roof house? Advantages? Costs?
Created on: 24 Sep 2014 12:07
P
Panama17
Hello everyone,
I’m currently going around in circles with my thoughts.
My dream has always been a classic gable roof house with 1.5 floors. However, I also find a townhouse with two full floors quite attractive. We already have a plot of land, and according to the development plan / planning permission, both options are possible, as the regulations are very generous.
As I said, my dream has always been a classic house with a gable roof. I simply find it visually very beautiful, and it feels cozy and comforting to me. The drawbacks for me would be that I don’t want too many sloping ceilings and I’d like plenty of natural light on the upper floor. So we would definitely install many or large dormers. I once lived in an attic apartment with only one vertical window; everything else was roof windows, which I found awful! Apart from the fact that you couldn’t really look outside properly anywhere, I also didn’t like the noise level during rain.
I also like the townhouse style; they are very trendy right now and usually stylish and elegant. The advantage here is that the upper floor would be a full story with straight walls and regular windows. But somehow, I find that a bit cold and less cozy. We wouldn’t convert the roof but would put a hipped roof on top. A townhouse would probably fit better into the neighborhood since there are two 2.5-story apartment buildings on either side of the plot.
Somehow, a townhouse makes more sense, right? But my dream and my gut feeling still remain...
Could someone maybe share some insights about cost differences between the two house types with roughly the same living area (as I said, the gable roof house would definitely include many and large dormers)?
I hope you could follow me and I look forward to some thoughts, tips, and experiences that might help me.
I’m currently going around in circles with my thoughts.
My dream has always been a classic gable roof house with 1.5 floors. However, I also find a townhouse with two full floors quite attractive. We already have a plot of land, and according to the development plan / planning permission, both options are possible, as the regulations are very generous.
As I said, my dream has always been a classic house with a gable roof. I simply find it visually very beautiful, and it feels cozy and comforting to me. The drawbacks for me would be that I don’t want too many sloping ceilings and I’d like plenty of natural light on the upper floor. So we would definitely install many or large dormers. I once lived in an attic apartment with only one vertical window; everything else was roof windows, which I found awful! Apart from the fact that you couldn’t really look outside properly anywhere, I also didn’t like the noise level during rain.
I also like the townhouse style; they are very trendy right now and usually stylish and elegant. The advantage here is that the upper floor would be a full story with straight walls and regular windows. But somehow, I find that a bit cold and less cozy. We wouldn’t convert the roof but would put a hipped roof on top. A townhouse would probably fit better into the neighborhood since there are two 2.5-story apartment buildings on either side of the plot.
Somehow, a townhouse makes more sense, right? But my dream and my gut feeling still remain...
Could someone maybe share some insights about cost differences between the two house types with roughly the same living area (as I said, the gable roof house would definitely include many and large dormers)?
I hope you could follow me and I look forward to some thoughts, tips, and experiences that might help me.
N
nordanney24 Sep 2014 19:54What exactly is considered more "cozy" in a one-and-a-half-story house? From the outside, it might still give a somewhat plain impression, but how about the interior?
We also find our town villa extremely cozy thanks to the interior design and color scheme we chose.
Thanks to better space utilization, we were able to include three children’s bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large play hallway, and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet. Our three little ones appreciate that, for now, we all live on the same level.
We also find our town villa extremely cozy thanks to the interior design and color scheme we chose.
Thanks to better space utilization, we were able to include three children’s bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large play hallway, and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet. Our three little ones appreciate that, for now, we all live on the same level.
We also chose a gable roof. Partly because we had to, and partly because we prefer the look.
We also like sloped ceilings and roof windows—although we currently have only one roof window and a dormer on the second floor—so our house has 2 1/2 stories.
Nowadays, there are great roof windows that allow a good view outside because they are almost floor-to-ceiling. But you can also achieve this effect with a high knee wall.
It really depends on the house itself. If the shape is more square, a hip roof is probably more attractive. For a rectangular cube, however, a gable roof is likely the better choice. Just base it on your possible room layout and the exterior dimensions.
milkie
We also like sloped ceilings and roof windows—although we currently have only one roof window and a dormer on the second floor—so our house has 2 1/2 stories.
Nowadays, there are great roof windows that allow a good view outside because they are almost floor-to-ceiling. But you can also achieve this effect with a high knee wall.
It really depends on the house itself. If the shape is more square, a hip roof is probably more attractive. For a rectangular cube, however, a gable roof is likely the better choice. Just base it on your possible room layout and the exterior dimensions.
milkie
D
Doc.Schnaggls24 Sep 2014 21:53nordanney schrieb:
What exactly is “cozier” about a 1.5-story house? From the outside, it might give a less straightforward impression, but what about the inside?Maybe “cozy” is just the wrong word...
“Intimate” might be a better fit. It’s hard to explain...
In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves what they want, and thankfully, not everyone has the same taste. Otherwise, life would be really boring!
Doc.Schnaggls schrieb:
Maybe "cozy" is just the wrong word...
"Secret" might be more accurate. I feel the same way. I don’t know why, but a sloped ceiling somehow gives me a sense of security.
Apart from that, I just don’t like those new-build pseudo-townhouses. Square doesn’t always mean practical and good.
But tastes differ, and that’s a good thing.
We chose a building style similar to an urban villa but with a pitched roof – see the avatar image. This has the advantage of providing two full floors plus an attic space that could potentially be converted later.
At the back wall, there is a slope – thanks to the second full floor, this gave us a nice terrace exit.
Additionally, one side of the house is almost perfectly south-facing. This makes that roof side ideal for a photovoltaic system, which we have installed accordingly.
I think everyone has to decide for themselves. On one hand, it comes down to personal preference; on the other, to functionality. For example, we would never have chosen a flat roof – neither of us likes it.
When it comes to sloping ceilings, I always remember the bumps on my head when I’m a bit careless at my parents’ place.
At the back wall, there is a slope – thanks to the second full floor, this gave us a nice terrace exit.
Additionally, one side of the house is almost perfectly south-facing. This makes that roof side ideal for a photovoltaic system, which we have installed accordingly.
I think everyone has to decide for themselves. On one hand, it comes down to personal preference; on the other, to functionality. For example, we would never have chosen a flat roof – neither of us likes it.
When it comes to sloping ceilings, I always remember the bumps on my head when I’m a bit careless at my parents’ place.
I think you can only get some ideas here – in the end, you have to make the decision yourself.
After two years in an apartment with many sloping ceilings and six years in a traditional one-and-a-half-story house (with a converted attic), it was clear to me that I definitely didn’t want sloping ceilings in the living areas anymore. However, I still find a pitched roof much more attractive than the flat roof option (the experienced architects might now want to throw stones at me), so in the end, it became a two-story house with a hipped roof. As Nordanney already mentioned, the interior will surely be very cozy due to the layout and features, and from the outside, such a house – to me – has an incredible elegance. It also has a protective feeling with its tall, imposing walls.
As I said: at the end of the day, the decision is yours. Good luck and a sure hand!
PS: I believe that in terms of price, there isn’t much difference overall – assuming comparable quality and finishes.
After two years in an apartment with many sloping ceilings and six years in a traditional one-and-a-half-story house (with a converted attic), it was clear to me that I definitely didn’t want sloping ceilings in the living areas anymore. However, I still find a pitched roof much more attractive than the flat roof option (the experienced architects might now want to throw stones at me), so in the end, it became a two-story house with a hipped roof. As Nordanney already mentioned, the interior will surely be very cozy due to the layout and features, and from the outside, such a house – to me – has an incredible elegance. It also has a protective feeling with its tall, imposing walls.
As I said: at the end of the day, the decision is yours. Good luck and a sure hand!
PS: I believe that in terms of price, there isn’t much difference overall – assuming comparable quality and finishes.
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