IT’S [DOUBLE] STOREY TIME
As populations grow and the demand for land rises, multi-storey homes are catching the eyes of more and more Australians. Saving space on your property – without you having to sacrifice any of your backyard area – leaves no room to wonder why they are so appealing. Here, Kirrily Ireland catches up with Jim Antoun, group sales manager at Firstyle Homes, to discuss the benefits of multi-storey homes, and how your single-storey dwelling can move up in the ranks.
Written by Kirrily Ireland.
HERE’S THE STOREY
If you’re currently on the prowl for a new home, or in the midst of making building plans, it’s worth considering a double-storey home for all the perks they provide. As Antoun puts it, double-storey homes are excellent since they offer “more space, more room options, bigger rooms, [and a] bigger backyard due to [a] smaller house footprint”.
Since you’re building up rather than out, you’ll often end up with the same amount of front and backyard space as a single-storey dwelling, plus a greater number of rooms of a similar size, giving you the best of both worlds. Now that “land sizes are getting smaller and cost of land is getting higher”, Antoun predicts that multi-storey homes are only going to become increasingly popular over time. About forty percent of homes already have more than one storey, proving to be the obvious solution to smaller, narrower lots. If you’re working with a generous piece of land, even better – you’ll truly have no limits when it comes to additional features, from guest bedrooms to home theatres, rec rooms and home gyms. Let your imagination run free.
Take this one step further and look into a custom-designed multi-storey home, rather than scouring the market for something that fits your needs exactly. Consulting directly with a builder or building designer and discussing your vision with them is the best way to achieve the double-storey home of your dreams. Customisation provides “flexibility in making the home to suit the way you live, now and in the future”.
Whether you opt for a custom design or are lucky enough to stumble across a ready-built dwelling that ticks all of your boxes, consider making one of those boxes a second storey. Between the flexibility you get with the size of your home, the better use of your land, and even the fantastic views, multi-storey homes undeniably have a one-up on the modest single-storey abode.
RAISE THE ROOF
If you’re already well and truly settled into your single-storey home but the benefits of multi-storey dwellings have caught your attention, there’s no need to stay grounded. Adding a second storey to your home is a fantastic way to gain extra space – with certain factors and budget permitting, you can practically double it.
The ‘build up, not out’ concept of double-storey homes is particularly effective for pre-existing homes if you want to create an extension but don’t have the square metres available. While land size is often at a premium, the airspace above the home is usually quite abundant.
Of course, expanding upwards will require several drastic measures, so any homeowner should be prepared to face difficulties during the construction process, including “cost, façade, staircase, approvals and inconveniences”. Adding a second storey won’t come cheap, but the benefits will pay off. “Make sure your builder gives you a fixed price and has a proven record of great work,” Antoun advises. “Weigh up the costs of a total knockdown rebuild to compare with usually costly custom top-floor addition pricing.”
You’ll also need to work within your local zoning regulations and neighbourhood plan, which generally involves ensuring your home is still safe during the event of a fire or flood, and that it won’t disrupt your neighbours both when it’s being built and in the long term.
A vertical extension will affect the ground floor, too; in the planning stage, you’ll need to figure out where best to place the staircase. Antoun says, “Use an architect who has achieved this many times, [and] really think about the position.” Some homes may have a clear spot, while others may be a little trickier to configure.
BLUEPRINTS OF SUCCESS
Antoun’s main advice for homeowners constructing a double-storey home, or transforming their original house into one, is to thoroughly contemplate the
floorplan. “[The] floorplan is the most important element,” Antoun says. “Once this is achieved, you can simply add items as needed.”
Once your floorplan is finalised, you can creatively “fill the gaps for your living and luxury requirements”. “Most people love the master bedroom [at] the front to access balconies,” Antoun says. “If it is an entertaining area upstairs, then this should lead to the balcony at the front.”
FUTURE PROOF IT
Multi-storey homes do, of course, come with a few drawbacks, especially depending on your lifestyle, age and family arrangements, all of which should be taken into consideration. If you’re entering your twilight years, or have elderly parents living with you, climbing stairs may pose a physical hinderance, and will likely require you to install a lift or stair rail escalator as an alternative.
Since the first floor will be more exposed to the elements, “all repairs and maintenance will be harder and more costly”. Cleaning the gutters, repairing the roof or touching up the external paint will all require taller ladders and sometimes even scaffolding.
Although these drawbacks show the less glamourous side to multi-storey homes, all they need is a little future-proofing. You’ll want your double-storey beauty to last as your forever home, so do your research, put in the work and reap the benefits for years to come.
