Introduction
A 2 story house is a beautiful and practical type of home. This type of home offers more space than a single-story one because there’s room on both levels, but you’ll need to be aware that these homes can be quite large and take up more of your property than some other options.
If you wonder “How tall is a 2 story house?”, let’s keep reading for more information on how much space you’ll need to design your dream house with 2 stories.
How Tall Is A Story?
To answer the question “How tall is the average 2 story house?”, you must first comprehend the traditional height of a single story. So, how tall is a one story house? While there is no exact figure, most houses fall within a certain range.
A story’s height will vary depending on the height requirements for that particular place. For example, some places may only need to be 8-12 feet tall, while other houses could require as much as 15 or more.
Noticeably, the height of a two-story house can vary so much depending on the layout and size. A lobby for an apartment complex or living room with vaulted ceilings will have taller levels. At the same time, you may find very small stories in houses like attics which do not count towards this category, mainly because they are too short of qualifying as another story above ground level.
How Tall Is A 2 Story House in feet?
A two-story house’s average height is 20-25 feet. However, several circumstances can influence the answer to this question, which we shall discuss in depth below.
Generally, the minimum height of a two-story house is 25 feet, but it can easily be higher based on the features of the property.
- Foundation: 1 foot
- First Floor: 8 feet
- Floor Thickness: 1 foot
- Second Floor: 8 feet
- Attic Space: 7 feet
How Tall Is A 2 Story House In The USA?
In the United States, residential buildings must have a minimum height of 15-16 feet and exceed up to 25 feet.
Commercial buildings are often two stories tall, with each floor spanning an average of 10 to 12 feet. There is an addition of steel supports between floors that integrate ventilation and air conditioning equipment for a total building height around 26-30 meters (90 – 98+ ft).
In America, a house can be up to two stories tall. The height of this building is measured in meters – the unit used for measurement here:
- The height of a 16-foot residential two-story building is 4.9 meters.
- The height of a two-story industrial or commercial building is equivalent to 7.9 meters.
How Tall Is A 2 Story House In Europe?
In Europe, the house has two floors, with the first being a ground floor and the second for living. Interestingly, the height of buildings in Europe is much different than in the United States.
So, how tall is a two-story house in Europe? The total height of a two-story building in Europe for residential buildings is roughly 30 feet. On the other hand, the total height of a commercial structure will be similar to that of two-story dwellings in the United States, i.e., 26 to 30 feet.
What Can Affect A Two-Story House’s Average Height?
The average height of a two story house varies depending on several factors. The following are the most typical reasons why a house with 2 stories has a higher height:
Roof Pitch
If you want your house to be as tall and spacious, then make sure that the roof’s pitch on a two-story building is at an even height.
Roof framing is the foundation of your house. The pitch or angle at which it’s set on top can decide how much space there will be in an attic and even a crawl space below. Thus, choosing wisely could save you money.
The second-story roof peak is a great way to maximize the living area. You can gain an average of six feet with this clever design.
Roof Pitch And Design
A steep roof will make the height of two story house even higher. Flat roofs, on the other hand, will not add much to the height.
Here are a few roof styles that can help a two-story home become taller:
- A-frame roof style: The architecture of this style means that steep angles are present on all sides, often commencing at the foundation line and converging at the top to create the letter “A”.
- Gable roof design: A simple roof shape that’s most commonly used, the gable ends at a sloped angle and connects with two sides to form an arched ridge.
- Mansard roof: The French Roof is a simple but elegant design that has been used for centuries. It’s four-sided and features two slopes on each side which lead to sloped ceilings with dormer windows in between them.
- Gambrel roof: The mansard style is slightly different from other roof styles since it only has two sides and slopes on each side. In some cases, the lower slope may be steeper than the upper one, though they can also vary depending upon what angle you want for your house’s pitch or slant.
- Saltbox roof: The saltbox roof is a unique style of home that was frequently seen in New England. It features an elongated, sloped shingle with two stories at the back and one upfront for more space to enter from both sides.
Foundation Height
The foundation height is one of the elements that affect the final height of your house. It is the key to building a tall and sturdy house.
If your footing has already been on a level, the taller you can make it without worrying about how much space there will be underneath or on top for things like basements, crawlspaces, etc.
There is a difference between raised basement, slab, vs. piling foundations. All have different impacts on how high your house will be overall in height due to their design element chosen by architects or builders building it up for you at ground level.
It is better to construct your house with a basement included to achieve the highest potential height.
First Floor Height
Height can change due to many factors, and one of them is the first-floor height. Usually, constructors will aim for 8 feet or higher, but some houses have first-floor ceilings that reach 12 feet.
The height of your first floor poses a major impact on the second one. If two floors are identical, then you’ll end up with an overall 16-foot tall home without taking into account anything else we list here.
When deciding how high the second floor is, it’s important to consider the height difference between floors. While a 3-foot difference can be considered valid, anything more could cause problems with stability and safety in some areas.
On the ground floor, 8 feet high, is the height of a typical ceiling. Because each house story might have different min and max limits, you’ll need to check your local building codes to discover how high your ceilings can be.
Second Floor Height
The second floor will have an average height of 8 feet as well, just as you would expect it to be. The ceiling height should be consistent with the code of your building, but if your land is limited or not available, there are alternatives.
When building your home, it’s important to keep in mind the height of each level. If you want efficient use of space and structural stability for every room on your property, make sure that their heights don’t exceed 3 feet apart with at least 16-foot foundation minimums per floor before adding any attic space requirements.
Attic Ceiling Height
Is there anyone who would not love the attic? It is an amazing place to store toys and furniture in the home, but it’s also often overlooked. This place can be large enough that you have plenty of room for all your belongings. Additionally, they offer a fantastic view.
But don’t invest too much time building this dream place because there is one thing you need to keep in mind. Every part of the home with height restrictions above 7 feet needs an attic for storage.
Floor Thickness
How the floor is constructed is also one of the most important factors deciding “how tall are houses”. The total height of your home is affected by the thickness of your floor.
With so many different floors, you’ll want to know the average thickness of your area. The standard is 12 to 16 inches and this varies depending on climate conditions like clay soil or not.
What Are The Advantages Of A 2-Story House?
Cost Less Per Square Foot To Build
You’ll be able to save money on your home-building as all of the most expensive elements such as excavation and roof installation happen at a smaller footprint. Besides, there is less for your maintenance.
More Fuel Efficient
You will save money on gas since fewer outside walls and roof surfaces are exposed to the elements per square foot.
Fewer Distance Utilities Travel
When you choose a modular home, the plumbing and wiring will be much closer to where it needs to go. There is no need for expensive customizations or upgrades with less distance because they’re all done right in-house.
Better Views
It is no denying that your surroundings are fantastic if you’re at tree height.
Larger Outdoor Space
Your outdoor living areas are much more spacious as the house will take up less ground.
More Versatile Design
In a two-story house, there are more attachment points for porches, bump-outs and connectors. Either now or in the future, these can be added to either side so that your home’s exterior looks fresh no matter what style you go with.
Privacy
The upstairs bedrooms are the best place to be if you want privacy and quiet. You can’t beat that second-floor space with all those windows, giving such a great view of your surroundings.
How To Measure Your Two-Story Building Height?
To ensure the safety of a structure, height is measured from where it meets its foundation wall up through any decks or superstructure. A two-story building has around 2 feet worth of space that needs measuring in this way. Professionals will record it when they do their job, ensuring all aspects are considered for planning purposes.
When calculating the height of a building, architects consider what they call “architectural elements” to determine the vertical distance between completed grade and tallest point. These can include things like skylights or chimneys, but it doesn’t always.
Berms are not included in this equation because their impact on the overall design isn’t considered when all other factors have been accounted for. However, if you’re designing your own home, make sure that any areas that will need special treatment due to lack of sunlight don’t end up too low before construction begins.
When a building’s height is measured from the average grade of completed land, it will be lower than no slope.
To calculate the grade for a project, at least three points are given on elevations. One point is placed in between each end of an elevation and they serve as midpoints. As a result, all measurements can be taken accordingly, with vertical height averaged out per building’s overall configuration.
Is there more than one elevation on your two-story residential building? In this instance, you should identify the highest point and draw an imaginary line from that point down.
To figure out the height of your building, start by taking two feet and walking backward until you’ve reached its foundation wall. Add on all other dimensions together divided by 3 for the total finished product in feet.
Apart from skylights and chimneys, there are a few other features that are not included in the height calculations of your building. Antennas, smoke points and ventilation shafts all fall under this category.
Final Thoughts
When considering the height of a two-story house, it’s important to know what type of construction you’re working with. A two-story building is taller than one story home and provides more living space and can be much cheaper to heat.
We hope you found our blog post informative with “How tall is a typical 2 story house”. If you have any questions about anything we discussed here, do not hesitate to get in touch with us today to get back to you promptly.
Last Updated on 7 months by Evan White