Tag: two story house

Best Stair Designs for a Custom Home

A great use of space for custom homes is to have a second story, there are several reasons for this:

  1. Roofing per square foot is going to be one of larger expenses that you pay for your custom home.
  2. It’s easier and cheaper to cool and heat a two story house than a one story.
  3. Some experts say that a two story house can be up to 33% cheaper per square foot to build than a one story house.

Because of these benefits, many people choose a two story house design instead of a one story, which means that unless you plan on using a ladder to access your second floor, you’ll need to consider stair designs and how they will fit into your custom house design.

Stairs have two main types: plain and elaborate.  Less expensive smaller houses designs typically include the plainer stairs while more expensive larger houses have the fancier ones.

Shape

A grand staircase can be a main design element of the character of your home, it can have a circular shape, less steep of a step, and be as wide as you’d like.  A plainer staircase will be a standard size and shape, twelve inches deep and six inches high.  While an elaborate staircase may be featured near the front entrance, a plainer staircase is usually found nearer the back of the house.  A plain staircase is likely to involve a turn or two, this is because a straight flight of steps takes up a lot of space while a 90 or 180 degree turn will save space for other rooms.  More extravagant staircases usually feature a gentle turn that is easy on the eyes.

Materials

Though many people choose carpeting for their stairs because it is a cheaper option and tends to muffle any sounds as one moves from one floor to another, hardwood, stone, or laminate will last longer and make your home look and feel more expensive.  It will cost you more to install, but this is one part of your home that will see a lot of traffic and it’s best to choose something that will stand the test of time.  Another more modern option is to choose open metal stairs, this works well in a minimalist home design.