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Single storey houses: everything you need to know
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Single storey houses: everything you need to know

Building or renovating a single storey house, in this article we will address some advantages and disadvantages of this typology.
History of single-story houses in Portugal
By analyzing various extracts from History, it is possible to perceive that single-story houses have a strong presence in Traditional Portuguese Architecture, especially in the Alentejo region.

According to Ernesto Veiga de Oliveira and Fernando Galhano, authors of the book “Arquitectura Tradicional Portuguesa”, this is an area with plains, large urban centers far from each other, cities, towns or villages, very crowded, and with traces of Roman and Arab times.

Taking into account its history and characteristics, the Alentejo area has a strong presence of single-storey whitewashed houses, which date back to the times of small urban settlements, inhabited by rural workers who had neither land nor tools. Therefore, they only needed a space for housing and not for farming.

What are the advantages of single storey houses?

Although for years one-story houses were associated with low income or working classes, today single-story houses are increasingly common. Why? Because single-storey houses allow for better mobility. But what are its advantages?

  • The lack of stairs ensures better mobility without resorting to mechanical means;
  • Allows a better articulation of the different interior spaces with the surrounding exterior space;
  • Faster work execution, among others;
Are there any disadvantages to building one-story houses?

In general, the costs of building single-storey houses are lower, taking into account the provisions of the previous point. However, these advantages can easily be canceled if you do not take into account some aspects:

  • Land size – as all activities are now carried out at the same level, a larger horizontal construction area is required;
  • Lack of outdoor area, as it may be necessary to take advantage of the land to create a spacious and functional house;

3 aspects to consider before building a single storey house

Building a house involves a series of steps to follow, in order to get the house you envisioned. In the case of single-storey houses, it is important to take into account certain aspects, in order to achieve a functional and architecturally interesting house

1. Set a budget
As in other areas of life, it is important to establish the amount available to build your home.
Obviously, the costs of one-story houses with land differ from the costs of a simpler project. Therefore, you should consider what you want to build in your home, so that you can set a budget that is close to reality.
 
2. Idealize the divisions to be built
Although the layout of the rooms is horizontal, the ease of integrating spaces is greater in single-story houses. Therefore, it is important to know how many and which rooms you want to have in your home. Thus, it will be much easier to try to stick to the established budget.
 
3. Choose the right land to build your house
In any process of building a house, it is important to choose a land suitable for the type of building.
You’ve already idealized your future home, it’s time to hire an architect. After all, this will be the professional who will accompany you throughout the process.
In addition to listening to your needs and ideas, the architect will present you with the best options for your home according to your tastes and preferences. Therefore, expose all your doubts and priorities to him.

Dreaming of having a single storey house?
As you can see, having a one-story house is something you can do without major complications. Need help? Contact us!