What is a Ranch Style House Plans?
Ranch style houses are a building structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale with an open and other casual setup. The shape can either be an L, U or better still rectangular. According to the ranch style house plans, they are uniquely designed to have low slanting roofs, with elongated overhang at the lower edge of the roof.
Most ranch style house plans are constructed on a concrete slab, even though, some of them have crawl space or basement. Their simplicity in outlook make them appear shapeless or style-less, at least from a distance.
Specific Features of Ranch Style Houses
The unique features of the interior and exterior part of ranch style houses plans include the following:
Interior
- Complete basement
- One-story living
- Different three bedrooms
- Decorations and architectural details are very simple
- Living area, kitchen and dining room are of open concept
Exterior
- Rear patio
- Garages are attached
- Sliding glass doors
- Big windows
- Deep eaves
- Common materials such as wood, brick, stucco or stone are mixed on the outer part
- Elongated and low slanting roofline
- Visible playground for children
- L or U shape floor plan
- Asymmetrical floor plan
Historic Evolution of Ranch Style House Plans
The history of ranch style houses is traceable to the architecture of the North American Spanish Colonial. Just like ranches, this specific house usually had one-story options originally reserved to weather the heat of the Southwestern region, coupled with its U or L shape having low rooflines and wide eaves. The similarities are very obvious.
In the 1920s, the traditional ranchers known as ramblers came to limelight with appealing designs which invariably increase its popularity after the World War II. As a matter of fact, its simple way of construction and customization made the ranch style becomes favorite for the returning soldiers who were in search of a place to settle down their families.
Meanwhile in 1950s, those who have passion for ranch had hit full swing. At that time, ranch style house in the United States were found to be 9 among the 10 new homes and every region finally put their own spin on the outlook. This continue until 1970s when the ranch style house plans taste transformed to two-story living, which actually slow down the production of the ranch style house plans.
As ranch style house keep spreading from West to the other part of the country, it has been adapted in different ways:
- Split-Level Ranch Style House
This house keeps the horizontal classic feel of the ranch but include the second story by generally raising the bedroom side higher than the garage and separate it from living and dining rooms in a nod to the old fashion of privacy.
- High or Raised Ranch
This is another variation having still low-slung. It places the garage and completed family room below the sleeping and living quarters, thereby making a two-story ranch style house.
Where Can You Find Ranch Style House?
Ranch style houses can be found all over the United States of America, they are however fewer in the East Coast. In the current dispensation, studies have shown that ranch style houses are fast increasing in popularity among the house style in the America.
Why People Are So Interested in Ranch Style House?
Ranch style houses attract Baby Boomers, those buying home for the first time and most of these are in searching for simple house, with good accessibility and safety.
If you actually want to know more about ranch style house plans demand, then you need to know the reason behind the popularity of this one-storey building.
Going by the submission of the National Association of Home Builders, two-thirds of house buyers (64 percent) will always want one-storey house. The preferences increase with age;
- Millennials (35 percent)
- Gen X’ers (49 percent)
- Boomers (75 percent)
- Seniors (88 percent)
There are some vital features that interest buyers in ranch style house plans and such include:
- One family house
- Contemporary or a ranch style home
- Space and privacy for a family
- Big kitchen
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Flexibility
- Livability
- unpretentiousness
Marketability
In most of the real estate markets, the existing ranch style houses are comparatively affordable when it comes to the purchasing price. In 2009, for instance, survey carried out by the National Association of Home Builders was very informative. It was discovered that those who are 55 years and above highly preferred one-story ranch style house.
Those ranch style houses constructed in the 1970s were expected to run from 1000 to 1500 sq.ft without basements. But nowadays, the newly designed ranch style houses can run about 3000 sq.ft.
The features potential deal-breakers are looking for in a ranch style house are:
- a multi-family property
- mobile homes
- unique architectural styles
- an office
- a man caves
- lots of bedrooms and bathrooms
Different Ranch Style Houses in Other States or Countries
- California Ranch
Architect Cliff May was the original; designer of California ranch for his own use. California ranch was meant for sprawling and also blending in with the landscape of California. The influence was taken up from the Arts and Crafts movement and architecture of Spanish Colonial. This type of ranch is a unique house as a result of its U or L shape and as well as its courtyard at the center.
Storybook ranch is also referred to as Cinderella ranches. These houses are highly unique when compared to the simple outside features found in the ranch houses. Storybook ranch is completely beautiful with the following features; open rafters, window panes with diamond shape and decoration well-trimmed.
- Raised Ranch
At times, this ranch was used to called split-entry home. It derived its name from when walking in the door, you have the option of walking upstairs or downstairs. In this kind of house, useful spaces such as rec rooms and garages are directly under the bedrooms, kitchen and living room.
- Split-level Ranch
Despite the fact that this house resembles a conventional suburban ranch in the street, yet they truly have three levels of living
- Front door
The front door leads to the main living room, kitchen and dining
- Half Staircase
This is at one side of the house. This staircase leads up to the bedrooms.
- Another Half Staircase
This leads down to the other living space.
- Suburban Ranch
This is the type of ranch that was very popular in the post-WWII boom. Essentially, suburban ranches are smaller, simpler than original California ranch and built on the concrete slabs with tract feature materials. Meanwhile, they still have open design floor plan and link with the outdoors through their predecessors.
Cost of Maintenance
If you are thinking of a ranch style house plans and actually prepare to of buy one, it is advisable to work with a local real estate agent. He or she will be of great help to hunt and purchase a much easier and better ranch style house for you. It is very easy to maintain.
All over the United States, the average cost of putting 2500 sq.ft ranch style house plans into construction is $433,500. Depending on this particular figure, 1500 sq.ft ranch style house plans will cost about $260,100 to build. But, it is much costlier when compared to the two-storey ranch style house that cost nearly $295,000 for just 2500 sq.ft and 1500 sq.ft that cost $179,150. Do not forget that the cost of building does vary based on the region. For instance, a house in desired your region could be expensive or less when compared to the national average.
Pros of Ranch Style House
- Very safe for the children
- Easy renovation
- Very easy to maintain
- Very spacious
- In case of emergency, there is easy escape
- Ideal for the elderly and those with restricted mobility
- Very easy to clean
- Easy to navigate
- Very easy to evacuate
Cons of Ranch Style House
- Minimize privacy
- Inadequate property usage
- Smaller yards due to big space requirements
- More expensive to build and add on
- Needs more property