Projects of 2-storey modern houses. Plans for two-story houses: features and examples of interesting solutions

08.02.2024

The tradition of designing them was formed back when city residents were allowed to have private homeownership only in garden partnerships. In a small area you can’t really turn around, so the houses stretched upward. This is easy to explain - the desire to increase living space and save space in the garden. Otherwise, there was no room left for garden beds.

Today it is possible to build any house. But projects of two-story houses continue to be popular among developers, and especially among those who plan to build a house for two families.

It is quite obvious that it is better to order a two-story house project if you are building housing on a small plot. But such projects have other advantages.

Advantages of 2-storey house projects

Projects of two-story houses will help to significantly save on roof installation. After all, compared to a one-story house, its area will be significantly smaller.
A clear division into day and night zones is assumed. First floor - living room, dining room, kitchen, separate toilet and utility rooms. Sometimes an additional living room is added and. On the second floor there are bedrooms for family members, dressing rooms and a bathroom combined with a laundry room.
You can reduce costs by using interfloor insulation. Due to the fact that warm air rises, the bedrooms will be warmer than the rooms on the first floor.
As practice shows, the cost of 1 m2 of usable area of a 2-story house project is cheaper than the cost of 1 m2 of a one-story house of the same area. For example, the benefits are felt even on rough and finishing floor screed.
There will be no significant savings when laying the foundation. Although a two-story house does not require a large foundation, the need to make it more powerful to accommodate increased loads makes the cost of laying it equal to the cost of a foundation for a one-story house.

Minuses

There are no ideal projects. With all the advantages, you can also find disadvantages.

The need to equip a staircase leading to the second floor is not the most rational use of living space. Typically, losses are 8-14 m2.
To ensure that the walls can withstand the loads of the second floor, they are reinforced during construction. And these are additional costs for construction materials and payments to workers.
In order for the second floor to be functional and meet modern ideas of comfort, another bathroom is needed. To reduce these costs, bathrooms are designed one above the other. Thus, although small, additional costs are expected.

Choosing a two-story house project - summing up the results

It is more profitable to build a two-story house on a small plot of land - the savings in plot area are obvious. The developer receives not only modern housing, but also the opportunity to rationally manage the land. In addition, there is room for the construction of additional utility rooms: a garage, a summer kitchen or a bathhouse.
Projects of two-story houses with an area of over 200 m2 are the most economical option.

The decision on the distribution of space in a private home is a responsible matter. At this stage, the wishes of the owners regarding the location of residential areas are not simply laid down, but the proper placement of communications is planned. An excellent home layout will combine proper distribution of space, convenience and practicality.

You can do the process yourself, especially if your budget allows you to realize any idea. However, for the high-quality distribution of the available space, the correct assignment of functional load and the combination of the above with the convenience of living, it is better to involve a professional.

Work rules

Layout in construction refers to the division of space during the construction phase. All subsequent changes relate to redevelopment. Therefore, in order to avoid time-, effort- and financial-consuming adjustments, good planning of a private house should begin at the stage of laying the foundation. This is necessary in order to initially lay load-bearing walls and partitions.

The drawing must clearly take into account the dimensions of a private house and meet the basic requirements for the construction of residential buildings.

So, taking into account the standards for the volume of clean air in the room (23 m3), it is necessary to ensure the required footage and level of ventilation with special care. Sources of natural light are also important.

Kitchen

The size of the kitchen should be calculated based on the amount of furniture and household appliances planned to be placed in it.

The best option for a private building is to combine two zones: cooking and dining. This increases the volume of the room with benefit for functionality.

The optimal area for a kitchen is 10 m2. For a kitchen combined with a dining room, 15 m2 is enough.

Toilet and bathroom

For a private building, where installing a sewer system is a real epic, it is important to use space and material wisely. For this reason, the toilet, bathroom and laundry room (if one is separate) are located next to the kitchen.

This placement allows you to comply with hygiene standards by highlighting a separate utility block. At the same time, there is a significant saving on material and work on laying sewer pipes and water supply systems.

If each of the premises is planned as separate, it is worth taking care of the appropriate footage. The minimum indicator in this case will be 5-6 m2.

Distribution of area of houses of different types

It is now too expensive to build bulky mansions that require enormous amounts of energy and resources to ensure their functioning. Taking into account the cost of construction and the land plot for such a building - even more so.

At the same time, compact buildings that fit on small plots of land and combine all the areas necessary for comfortable living remain popular. It is in such buildings that the competent use of space becomes of paramount importance.

If we talk about the classification of private houses, then we can distinguish two division criteria: number of floors and size. The most common are compact one- and two-story buildings with an area of 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10 meters.

Taking into account limited space, a popular option is a building with an attic - a living space equipped under the roof.

Type 6x6

Layout of a 6 by 6 meter house is a difficult task. After all, with small parameters, you need to place all the necessary zones and make the home comfortable for living.

It would be advisable to place a kitchen/dining room and a bathroom with toilet on the ground floor. The attic will play the role of a recreation room, which can be divided into a bedroom and leisure area (or a children's room). It will not be possible to distinguish more than two functional zones due to the dimensional characteristics of the room.

In some cases, home owners may sacrifice an indoor toilet in favor of a wood-burning steam room. And the correction of needs is transferred to a building such as a toilet on a personal plot.

Type 8x8

When it comes to an area of 64 m2, the process of allocating space becomes less complicated. So, the layout of a house 8 by 8 meters easily includes:

hallway – 4 m2;
bathroom – 8 m2;
kitchen dining room – 15 m2;
bedroom-living room – 22 m2;
children's room - 15 m2.

This is the distribution when planning a one-story house. If the presence of an attic is implied, redistribution will be required taking into account the stairs (about 8 m2) leading upstairs. Under the roof there will be free space for two bedrooms of 20 m2 and 13 m2.

With this footage, space planning for a two-story building can also be freely discussed. In this case, it is worth increasing the bathroom with toilet, dining room and hallway, and also adding a storage room on the ground floor. And the children's room, along with two bedrooms, will be located on the second floor.

Type 10x10

An area of 10 by 10 meters is sufficient to accommodate all the necessary premises on one floor. The layout of such a house with an attic will allow you to increase the size of the rooms or, if necessary, their number.

So, in addition to the standard set (kitchen, living room, children's room, bedroom, bathroom), you can allocate space for an office or a specialized recreation area. If you move the nursery to the attic, you can equip a spacious steam room on the ground floor.

The layout of a two-story house of this size can be limited only by hygiene standards and fire safety requirements. Otherwise, there is enough space to implement the owner’s wishes.

It remains advisable to place the kitchen and dining room on the ground floor. It is better to immediately allocate 6-9 4 m2 for a storage room in a dwelling with a large number of inhabitants. At the same time, the toilet and bathroom can be duplicated for greater comfort of residents.

When talking about comfort, it is worth considering the needs of all inhabitants. Thus, the size of the building makes it possible to provide children of different sexes with separate rooms. This will be a significant advantage when children begin to grow up.

The placement of bedrooms on the lower floor should be planned, implying that the older generation will live in them. But the office should be located as far as possible from the most frequently visited premises. It would be better if it could only be accessed from the master bedroom.

When planning the initial placement of the home on the site and the rooms in it, it is worth leaving space for the construction of a wide porch or summer terrace. Such an element will not require significant investments, but will pay for itself many times over, especially in the summer.

Photo of the house layout

Reading time ≈ 12 minutes

A modern 10x10 house project with an excellent layout on 2 floors can be realized from logs, foam blocks, timber, stone and other building materials. Everyone dreams of having a beautiful and cozy country house where they can relax from everyday worries. The “family nest” should contain several functional areas: utility and living, so that each family member has his own nook. Let's consider several successful layout options for two-story buildings.

Layout of the first floor of a two-story private house 10x10

Design Features

Work on the construction of any building begins with the development and approval of a project that meets the architectural features of the building. You can review many ready-made plans or seek help from a construction company to implement an individual order.

Today the area is 100 sq. m can be used to build a one-story dwelling, but houses with an attic and a full second floor are also popular:

To build a one-story 10x10 house, you will need a large area of land, which is not always relevant. For this reason, buildings with two floors have become so popular today, because it is possible to save on the foundation.

What factors does the choice of number of storeys of a residential building depend on:

Size of land plot;
Materials for construction;
Location of window openings and entrance area;
Climatic conditions in the region;
Composition and nature of the soil;
Availability and level of groundwater;
Features of the landscape relief;
Type of heating and water supply system;
Number of household members;
Possibility of adding additional structures.

A 10x10 country house project with an excellent 2nd floor layout is the most profitable and modern solution. No one will feel cramped in such a home; it can also have a basement and a summer kitchen.

What extensions and additional structures can be built:

Two-story buildings are so popular among developers because they are a good balance between the dimensions of the building, the residential area and the location of each room individually. Such structures are a classic arrangement of interior spaces, suggesting a competent organization of the living room, kitchen on the first floor, and a bathroom with bedrooms on the second or attic, as in the photo.

What rooms can be inside a standard house or cottage:

Projects of 10x10 houses or cottages with an excellent layout of 2 floors are common not only in suburban construction, but also in urban areas. With their help, you can use your living space as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Selection of materials for construction

There is a wide range of thermal insulation and building materials on the modern market, so everyone will find something for themselves. Most often used:

stone;
wall blocks;
timber

If you plan to add a veranda, bathhouse or garage, the use of combined materials is allowed. Also, the decoration of the facade can be various architectural structures and structures, beams, forged parts and stairs.

Siding finishing of the facade of a two-story building

How construction usually happens:

It is not at all difficult to achieve a comfortable arrangement of rooms; the main thing is to avoid many long and narrow corridor rooms (if this is not provided for in the design concept of the project). They will occupy extra usable space and take away square meters from residential premises.

Today, residential suburban buildings made of wood are quite popular. They are built not only due to their positive performance characteristics, but also due to other excellent qualities. A material such as wood has many advantages:

Today, house designs with an area of 100 square meters are becoming increasingly rare. meters of brick. If necessary, you can make a beautiful cladding of the facade or individual elements of load-bearing walls “like a brick”, using less economically expensive materials.

What are the advantages of using foam blocks:

Any high-quality building material must meet all domestic and European standards of safety, quality and environmental friendliness.

What are the advantages of laminated veneer lumber:

Cottages and houses made from laminated veneer lumber are considered the most durable and reliable in comparison with buildings made from natural wood. This is achieved using a special production technology, in which wood fibers have different directions, which increases their strength and protects them from deformation.

Features of concrete and brick buildings:

If during construction a combination of several materials with different textures and textures was used, it is recommended to decorate the transitions with arches and various inserts in the walls, as in the photo.

The most common design questions

What should be the optimal floor height?

Which is better to make a bathroom - shared or separate?

Answer: It is better to have a separate bathroom, as it is more hygienic and comfortable for all family members. In this case, the bathroom and toilet should be located near the technical rooms and kitchen.

What to do with the staircase?

Answer: It is important to note that the more area given to the staircase, the better. All structures must be safe and comfortable, made of quality materials and non-slip. Today they are very popular, having various fastening connections, external design, size and configuration.

3D model of the layout of the first floor of a country house

Standard house layout 100 sq.m. on 2 floors

When drawing up a drawing and plan of a 10x10 house for a standard family, it is important to correctly calculate the number and determine the location of each room. This is usually a minimum of three separate rooms. In this case, the longest side is the outer wall of the building, and the ratio of all sides should be 1.25:2 and 1:2.

kitchen - the area must be at least 9 square meters. m, with a width of 2.5 m. All household appliances, kitchen units and other furniture elements should fit here. The arrangement of objects depends on the features of the layout, because the room can have different shapes: elongated rectangular, square, L-shaped, U-shaped, round, etc. When connecting a kitchen room with a dining room, the area must be at least 16 square meters. m. a boiler for heating can be installed here, so as not to equip a separate room for the boiler room;
the bathroom and toilet are essential rooms, the desired size is from 4 square meters. m. they should be located near the bedrooms, guest room and kitchen;
corridor and hallway area - here everything depends on the wishes of the owners themselves and the features of the layout of the whole house. It is better if their total area does not exceed 2 square meters. m;
extensions in the form of a veranda or terrace should occupy no more than 20% of the territory of the house. They are not obligatory and are built as needed, as well as if the style of the building requires it.

It is important to ensure that the bedrooms are not walk-through, each room meets the needs of the residents and is functional, and the ceilings are at a sufficient height.

Plan of a two-story house with a garage

This is another category of modern house projects on suburban areas. When constructing such buildings, concrete blocks and bricks are most often used. If wood is used in construction, finishing of the façade and the outer surface of the walls will most likely be required. After all, the wall panels should be in harmony with the extension in the form of a garage.

When planning, it is important to take into account that the garage roof and carport look organically with the roof of the main residential building. The main thing is to make sure that they are made of the same material and have the same line of inclination, as in a digital photo.

Cottage plan with library

Projects of two-story 10x10 houses are in great demand today because they have optimal area and convenient interior design. Consider the option of a residential building with a library:

Inside rooms, you can use design zoning techniques to divide space into zones: using lighting accents, multi-level structures on the floor and ceiling, partitions, screens, arches and pieces of furniture.

Cozy home library on the second floor of a country house

Among the ready-made layouts, it’s easy to find designs for 10x10 houses with an excellent layout of 2 floors, in which all household members will be comfortable. If any difficulties arise when planning and developing a drawing, you can always contact architects and designers at any construction company. Country two-story buildings with an area of 100 sq.m are an ideal option for the whole family.

A two-story house is a building of prestige. It's fashionable, beautiful and practical. And for city residents, such a home is their number one dream. Today we will talk about how to correctly draw up plans for two-story houses. We have prepared for you many standard projects and recommendations for improving them.

Read in the article

Distinctive features of two-story cottages

Before you start designing a two-story house, you should remember that this building has several distinctive features. They definitely need to be taken into account.

A two-story house cannot be built on any plot. There are cases when the characteristics of the soil do not allow the construction of such structures. For this reason, before design work, you should carefully study the geodesy of the site and it is better to involve professionals for this work.

Advice! Before purchasing a plot for construction, walk around the area and pay attention to the neighboring houses. Ask yourself why neighbors only build one-story buildings or why almost all houses have cracks. All these observations should lead you to the appropriate conclusions.

You should also pay attention to the general concept of the area's architecture. Agree, it is ridiculous to put a log house in the middle of Victorian mansions.

So, three special requirements for a two-story house:

suitable soil;
appropriate development conditions in the area;
high-quality project taking into account all safety requirements.

Pros of houses with two floors

So why do many developers prefer two floors to one? Let's look at the obvious reasons for the popularity of this choice:

Attractive view	Two-story buildings can be decorated in the most attractive way, using second light, turrets, pediments, balconies
Comfortable living conditions	Many aspects can be added to this point: magnificent views of the landscape, the possibility of privacy in the second floor bedrooms, and successful zoning of space
Saving land area	A two-story building takes up much less space than a one-story building of the same area. The free space can be taken by a swimming pool, a playground or a gazebo for relaxation.
Convenient layout	Common rooms and utility rooms are usually located on the ground floor. The second is reserved for personal space.
Construction conditions	The amount of roofing work is significantly reduced. In fact, the cost of building a two-story house is cheaper than a one-story house of the same area

Disadvantages of two-story buildings

Don't be blindly carried away by projects. Two-story structures have disadvantages; they should be remembered and compensated for during the design process:

Establishment costs	A tall structure will require a stronger foundation. You will have to fork out for quality materials and additional work.
Additional costs for arranging stairs	Two-story houses will require not only an internal staircase or. To ensure the safety of residents, you will also have to install an external staircase for evacuation in emergency circumstances.
Difficulties in laying communications	In a house with two floors, it is more difficult to install heating and electricity. Additional node connections and switches will be required.
It is necessary to take into account the age of family members when designing	In private house projects, rooms for the elderly are located on the ground floor. This way you will save them from having to climb.
The need for high-quality thermal insulation of the second floor	On the second floor, without high-quality thermal insulation, it is hot in summer and cold in winter. It is necessary to think over a high-quality heating system and install air conditioning devices.

Difficulties to be faced

A two-story structure will require reliable floors. Their design should be given special attention, otherwise the home will not be safe.

In addition, certain difficulties await you in the process of designing utilities.

Heating a two-story residential building will require the use of a system with a circulation pump. Water supply and sewerage also require a special structure, because on the second floor you will need at least one more bathroom. You should carefully consider the home's ventilation system and lay out the electrical wiring in such a way as to ensure its maximum safety.

And these are not all the difficulties that await you. Be prepared for the fact that building a two-story house is a difficult task.

Selection of material for construction

About a quarter of the construction budget is spent on the walls. It is important to carefully and wisely approach the choice of material.

This should be done without compromising the strength and reliability of the home, so let's figure out what materials are inexpensive and at the same time high-quality.

What criteria should you use to select building materials:

affordable price - in this regard, you can save a lot by choosing light-weight material. It will not require a powerful foundation - and this is another cost savings;
heat-insulating qualities of the material - you should select products that are suitable for the climatic conditions of your region;
costs for the construction of walls - the larger the construction elements, the less time it will take to complete the work. Frame structures are the fastest to erect;
finishing requirements - some building materials, for example, logs, do not require finishing, which can save a lot of money.

Now let's look at some of the most common options for building walls.

Everything new is well forgotten old: wood

There was a time when the construction of wooden houses almost stopped. The country was built en masse from concrete blocks, assembling multi-story buildings like construction sets. The skills of talented architects were lost, and no one realized how much healthier and happier the residents of wooden houses were. Understanding came with time and now wood is again one of the most popular materials for suburban construction. Small house projects are in greatest demand.

Like any building material, wood has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at them in more detail:

Minuses
Wood reacts sharply to atmospheric humidity	Have you noticed how a wooden front door closes tightly in spring and autumn and does not stay in the opening at all in summer? Wood can swell by absorbing atmospheric moisture. In dry and hot weather it can crack. All these facts affect the structure. Excess moisture causes fungus to appear on the wood and rot may begin, and cracks must be caulked periodically to prevent drafts.
Fire hazard	In this regard, wood is the leader among other materials. Dry old wood catches fire quickly and violently. In order to protect your home, you will have to carefully treat the walls with fire retardants, but they do not provide a 100% guarantee.
Long shrinkage process	Only laminated timber practically does not shrink. All other types of wood building materials require time to shrink. The house must stand for at least a year before moving in.
pros
Excellent air exchange	Wood “breathes”, so you don’t need to install any complex air-intake devices
High thermal insulation qualities	A wooden house is warm in winter and comfortable in summer. Wooden houses practically do not need air conditioning, and heating costs are much lower than in block and brick buildings.
Benefit for health	In an environmentally friendly wooden house it is not just easier to breathe - the air is saturated with resinous substances and phytoncides, this is very beneficial for health
Low construction costs	A wooden house does not need a strong foundation. In the old days, log houses were built on boulders. Modern technologies allow the use of shallow strip or pile foundations.
Fast construction	A wooden house can be erected in about two to three months. It should be noted that construction can be done at any time of the year.
Durability	Don't believe the skeptics. Look at examples of ancient architecture - these buildings have stood for hundreds of years, and they were not always carefully looked after. And if you look after the house and carry out routine repairs in a timely manner, it will serve more than one generation of your family.

Admire the projects of small two-story wooden houses implemented in different regions of Russia:

And now a little more about different “wooden” technologies.

Frame structures

Frame technologies are experiencing the peak of popularity. This method of construction came from Europe and America. Remember the footage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? It was strange to observe that practically nothing remained of the vast populated areas. The secret is simple - a powerful element simply “disassembled” the light frame buildings and scattered them like houses of cards. It is not for nothing that residents of states prone to such disasters have fortified cellars outside their homes for shelter. What do we have?

In our latitudes, thank God, there are almost no hurricanes. And frame buildings have practically no contraindications. You will be surprised, but similar structures have been built here before. In the deep forests of Karelia and Siberia, people still live in the villages of railway builders. And they live in houses built using frame technology. Such houses are already half a century or more old, and at the same time they are warm and durable, just like fifty years ago. There is only one conclusion - if you build it with high quality, in compliance with all requirements, you can end up with a reliable and high-quality frame house.

During the construction process, no mortar or special construction equipment is needed. A frame house is installed on a screw or columnar foundation. It can be built at any time of the year.

Advice! The design will be most durable if you use a metal frame. It is extremely strong and durable and will not let you down under any circumstances. In addition, renovating a house with a metal frame will be much easier.

Frame buildings retain heat well due to the special design of the walls, reminiscent of a layer cake.

Important! When building a frame house, gaps should not be allowed. It is necessary to monitor all joints and carefully adjust the slabs.

Like other timber buildings, frame houses have the same disadvantages. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should treat the walls with fire-retardant compounds, pay special attention to protecting electrical wiring and periodically treat the walls with an antiseptic.

Advice! Use mineral wool as insulation. Rodents do not grow in it. They like polystyrene foam more, and by using it, you run the risk of constantly listening to the cheerful crunch of illegal occupants.

Related article:

Do you want to build a frame house with your own hands? The step-by-step instructions given in this article will help you understand all the intricacies quickly and easily, even for beginners.

Log houses and their features

Unlike a frame structure, a log house has the ability to “breathe”. It is not sealed; the pores of the wood allow air to pass through. The log house has all the positive characteristics of wood that we talked about. In addition, such buildings always have a special exterior: colorful and attractive.

For your information! If necessary, the log house can be dismantled and built on another site. To do this, each log is numbered during disassembly and reassembled in strict order. To simplify the work, save the original building drawings.

Log houses have their own nuances. The main problem is wood-eating insects. This is a real scourge. If appropriate measures are not taken, grinder beetles will turn the structure into dust in just a few years. To avoid such a disaster, the wood is carefully treated with special compounds - insecticides.

Another significant point for choosing a log house material is the quality of the log. It can be chopped or rounded. Rounded logs look smooth and are much easier to build with. Chopped ones usually have one thickened end, this is due to the natural structure of the tree.

As for log houses, laminated veneer lumber is the favorite. This type of timber contains several layers of wood with multi-directional fibers. This material does not shrink, does not deform, and is additionally protected from pests by an internal adhesive composition.

We offer photos of projects of private houses made of logs and timber:

Brick Fortress

A brick home is a kind of fortress. Reliable, durable, strong. This is a building that will last for centuries and will be inherited by your grandchildren. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of this material:

Minuses
Low degree of heat saving	For a dacha, a brick building is not the best solution. If a country house has stood for several days without heating in frosty conditions, it will be difficult to warm it up and this process will take a very long time. In residential brick buildings, heating costs are higher than, for example, in wooden ones. Such houses need additional insulation.
High construction costs	Brick is a small-piece building material. Its laying requires professional skills. Not everyone can build a brick house on their own. In addition, a brick structure requires a solid foundation that can withstand heavy weight.
pros
Resistance to external influences	Brick is not afraid of rodents, insects, microorganisms, and fungus. Brick is not afraid of natural disasters and atmospheric phenomena.
Environmental friendliness	Brick made from natural baked clay is a building material that is safe for human health. It has satisfactory vapor permeability.
Good sound insulation	Brick walls perfectly absorb all unnecessary noise.
No need for exterior finishing	Brick walls do not need to be covered with facade materials. There are facing bricks on sale - this is a durable and durable material for exterior finishing.

We present photos of projects of houses and cottages made of brick:

Aerated concrete buildings

Aerated concrete is a relatively new building material. Foamed concrete is made using a special technology. The result is light, three-dimensional blocks with a porous structure and excellent thermal insulation characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam concrete:

pros
Good heat retention	Due to its porous structure, the material contains many air capsules and perfectly maintains the temperature in the room.
Light weight design	Foam blocks weigh much lighter than bricks. For such a house there is no need to equip a reinforced foundation.
Immunity to moisture	Blocks are made by pouring into molds. Their coating does not absorb moisture from the air, and, therefore, there will be no dampness or mold in such a house.
Long service life	Foam concrete blocks have the useful property of gaining strength during operation. The longer a structure stands, the stronger it is.
Fire safety	Foam concrete does not burn and does not support fire. This is one of the safest building materials.
Construction speed	The blocks have a strict geometric shape and large sizes. This simplifies the installation process. To glue the blocks, you can use tile adhesive rather than the usual cement mortar.
Variability of architectural forms	The blocks are easy to saw and can be given any shape. Thanks to these properties, it is easy to build from blocks not only smooth walls, but also columns, arches and other complex shapes.
Minuses
Shrinkage of the structure	A house made of foam concrete shrinks slightly, about 2 millimeters per meter of area. The process lasts up to six months.
Special requirements for finishing materials	Not all finishing materials can be used to process foam blocks. Careful treatment with a bonding primer will be required.
The need for reinforcement	The fragility of building elements made of foam concrete requires strengthening the structure with reinforcing mesh.

A small photo catalog of country houses made of foam concrete:

Houses on a metal frame

We have already touched on the topic of frame construction when we talked about wooden houses. But not only a house from OSB panels can be made on a metal frame.

Using a steel frame, you can build a glass house or a sandwich panel house.

Previously, steel frames were used only in industrial construction. Now this technology is becoming more and more firmly established in individual construction. Steel is used to create the base of walls and ceilings, and to give shape to the roof.

The metal frame requires special insulation. Its main advantage is that such a base does not deform or shrink; it can be installed at any time of the year.

There is an opinion that the metal frame of a house is dangerous because it can become a conductor of current during a thunderstorm. To prevent this from happening, the structure is grounded, and the racks themselves are carefully insulated with a special coating.

Examples of houses on metal frames:

How to plan a two-story house

The interior space of the house must be carefully planned, dividing it into functional zones. First of all, you should separate the living area from the technical premises. Technical and auxiliary premises include a boiler room, workshop, laundry, pantry and kitchen. The living area includes bedrooms, living room, guest room, study, gym and so on.

Advice! The technical area is located in the northern part of the building, where there are a minimum of windows. Living rooms are oriented to the south and east.

Some tips for the general layout of a two-story house:

The fewer corridors, the better. This space provides little practical use, so try not to make them too long. It is better to provide a hall - it can be used as additional space for placing a staircase and hallway;
In the project, pay enough attention to insolation. The larger the window, the less you will subsequently spend on lighting. Large windows on the sunny side will also save on heating costs. There are recommendations for glazing standards - 1 square meter per 8 square meters of room area;
modern architectural design often uses a combination of rooms, for example, a living room and a kitchen;
for a balcony on the second floor it is better to design additional external support. This way you will protect the structure and keep the house warm from cold bridges;
do not forget to design a vestibule, at least a small one, before entering the house. It will keep the house warm;
in a two-story house you need to provide at least two bathrooms - one for each floor;
Don’t get carried away by the complex geometry of the roof. The simpler the slope, the easier it is to complete and the better the roof will retain heat;
if you are planning a real fireplace in your house, it should be provided for at the design stage, then integrating it into the finished building will be problematic;
If you take on the construction of a country house, keep in mind that most owners rarely stop there. Perhaps over time you will decide to build an extension. Think about this in advance. Perhaps leave one wall of the first floor without windows.

Ground floor plan

In a two-story house, the ground floor usually contains a kitchen, living room, technical rooms and a guest room. This is the minimum set for a small cottage. If funds allow, you can order a designer for a swimming pool, gym, or winter garden.

A little about the main premises of the first floor:

Kitchen	In a country cottage, it is logical to combine the kitchen with the dining room. When choosing the dimensions of the room, focus on the amount of furniture needed and the size of the dining room. Do not make this room narrow, otherwise it will be inconvenient for you to cook and set the table.
Bathroom	The bathroom is located next to the kitchen or hallway. The minimum size is 5 square meters.
Corridor	Narrow corridors will interfere with the movement and movement of furniture. The minimum width of the corridor is one and a half meters.
Living room	This room should be as spacious as possible. If you have planned a second light, then this is the best idea for the living room. Large windows overlooking the garden are welcome. A fireplace is also located here.
Technical buildings	These facilities are located on the north side of the building. The combustion room must be equipped with a high-quality ventilation system.
Guest room or office	You can combine a guest room with an office and think through the corresponding interior design. Install a comfortable folding sofa in the office and late guests can spend the night there comfortably.

This is the minimum list of premises for the first floor. Here are some examples of ready-made free projects of houses and cottages with drawings of the first floor:

Second floor plan

The second floor is a relaxation and privacy area. A children's bedroom is located here. If the cottage area is large, you can place a large hall on the second floor as an area for family recreation and communication. It is more convenient to place the dressing room next to the bedroom.

Advice! If there is a garage attached to the cottage, do not place the nursery above the garage. Problems with ventilation can lead to automobile gases entering the room.

As on the first floor, try to get by with a minimum of corridors, or better yet, get rid of them altogether. Replace the hallway with a walk-through room.

If there is a baby in the house, then it is better if the nursery door is located directly next to the parent’s bedroom.

Keep in mind that in a two-story house, the whole family will spend most of the day on the ground floor. Therefore, the rooms on the second floor do not have to be large, but certainly cozy.

Projects for the 2nd floor of the house:

Combination of premises in two-story house projects

If the first floor occupies a small area, you can minimize the number of partitions and combine several rooms into one. Such a project will be called a studio. You will get that the living room, kitchen, dining room and hall will be one large space. In this case, the studio is zoned using simple design techniques.

The studio has doors leading to the bathroom and guest room. There is also a staircase to the next floor.

Advice! When planning rooms in your house, use 3D graphics. It will allow you to visually imagine what the delimited space will look like.

If the studio option does not suit you, consider other types of combination. You can combine the kitchen and dining room, living room and hallway.

Examples of the layout of houses and cottages with two floors and combined rooms:

House with an attic

The second floor can be designed in the form. This is a practical solution that allows you to save on materials. You can live in the attic all year round; the rooms in it are no different in terms of heat conservation from full floors. And, by the way, the attic significantly lightens the overall weight of the building, so that a less powerful foundation can be used.

The features of the roof geometry in this case are carefully calculated so that they have ceilings of at least 220 centimeters.

Internal inclined planes are easy to design so that they do not put pressure on your perception.

Photo projects of houses with an attic inside and outside.

Once all the necessary documents for the purchased land plot have been finalized, you can proceed to planning the house. Of course, you can review several dozen ready-made projects, or you can contact your favorite construction company with an individual order and individual requirements. The plan for a small two-story house is selected quite quickly.

Plan of a small two-story brick house

Recently, the plan of a two-story house with an attic and a garage has become very popular. But first, it’s worth considering simple designs of country houses and the features of their design. Most often, houses of this type are built from profiled wood, which has ideal sound and thermal insulation qualities, as well as environmental friendliness and a high level of fire safety.

However, the plan for a two-story house made of glued or galvanized timber will require huge financial investments, so houses made of brick and concrete blocks still have not lost their popularity.

Plan of a two-story house made of timber

One of the important stages in the design of a multi-storey building is the selection of building materials, the purpose of which is to ensure not only first-class performance characteristics, but also an impeccable appearance. A high-quality layout of a two-story house requires a competent approach to the construction of foundation supports, which is also another significant factor that determines the optimal building materials.

Today, more and more often in the suburban areas of small cities you can see many wooden houses with several floors. The reason for such popularity of wood building material is its impeccable performance and stylish appearance.

A simple two-story house plan made from laminated timber and other wood is the best solution for small and quiet areas. Glued laminated timber can withstand any impact of capricious weather, especially high levels of humidity and sudden temperature changes. At the same time, a unique atmosphere of home coziness and comfort is created inside the premises, both on the lower and upper floors. In addition, this building material meets all European and domestic standards of quality and environmental safety.