WHAT SHOULD I BUY?

This style means all of the main living space is on one level therefore a single level but usually, in Saskatchewan, this bungalow has a basement. If it does not it is considered a ‘slab’ home as it is built onto a slab of concrete. This style is popular with all ages as there are few stairs to deal with on a daily basis and you even see older people buying bungalows that have main floor laundry which is great if they have any mobility issues. The cons are generally smaller basement windows unless it is a raised bungalow in which case you have more exterior stairs leading into the house.

to best describe this style you walk in at or close to grade level and you are on a landing and you can either go up or go down 7 or so stairs. The entry is about halfway between the main level and the basement level. The pros are large basement windows and a defined entry space but the cons are that no matter what you will be dealing with a few stairs every time you come in the door. The sets of stairs are much shorter than in a bungalow though so often more manageable. The modified bi-level has more living space above the garage (often the master bedroom, 2 smaller bedrooms or a family room). The modified bi-level has a smaller footprint than the standard bi-level so you do lose some space in your basement.

This style of home offers many different levels of living and each area feels fairly close to the one above or below. One of the pros is that, if set up correctly, this type of home can have a very good flow and can be nice for entertaining. Very popular in the past you see less splits being built today. There are front to back splits and side to side splits. Moving throughout the house can be easier for people with disabilities due to the short range of stairs but can also be disadvantageous for the same reason as they are dealing with stairs all the time. There is also a lot more child proofing to be done.

The pros of this type of home are that the bedrooms are on a separate level than the main living space. A nice separation for people with kids. The cons are that heat rises so they can be warmer upstairs and the footprint of a true 2 storey is half of the overall square footage above grade but a 2 storey split has a larger footprint to develop more in the basement. You can also get a larger house on a smaller lot when you build up.

This style was more popular during wartime and are sometimes referred to as wartime houses. They are characterized generally by sloping ceilings on the top level which goes with the rooflines of this type of home. Often seen on more narrow lots as well. It is rare to see a new home built to this style as this is more of a ‘character’ home.

You will find many variations of the walk out from bungalow, bi-level to 2 storey and 2 storey splits. Any home with a true basement can be built as a walk-out if the lot accommodates. Often backing park and greenspace in our province as we don’t naturally have many hills in which we can build houses into. That is a more common feature in a province like BC.

These can also be considered single family however you often don’t own the land under you. These are found in a bungalow form.