How tall are houses of single, Double & Triple Stories?
You might wonder if all the three-story houses in the United States have the same height. Other thoughts, like how tall are houses with respect to the stories, might have crossed your mind. Normally, houses in the USA range from 12 feet to 50 feet. However, it totally depends on the owner’s preference and certain state laws.
So, this blog will try to answer all your queries regarding the height of the houses. Furthermore, we will be discussing the particular height levels that the state government allows in different states of America.
What is the height of a single-story House?
In the USA, there are strict laws for maintaining how tall are houses according to state government rules and regulations. Therefore, you might notice that a single-story house is 12 to 15 feet high from the ground. This variable height is due to different factors.
Usually, the roof of a house determines the actual height of the house. The map of the house also determines what its height could be according to the laws. If the roof of the house is plain and the ceiling is on the short side, then the height of the house might be kept under 12 feet. Overall, houses fall in the range of 12 to 15 feet in terms of their height.
How tall are houses with two Stories?
Now, talking about the height of a 2-story house, this range can vary from a minimum of 18 feet to a maximum of 25 inches. We discussed earlier that this height can vary within this range according to the ceiling side and roof type.
In the case of a metal or hip roof, the height can vary, but still be according to the laws regarding hip or metal roofs. In the USA, the average height from floor to ceiling is around 10 feet. Keeping that in mind, we can conclude that if a house has a double story with a straight ceiling, then it will be around 20 feet tall. Similarly, if there is a hip roof or metal roof, the height can vary up to 25 feet.
How tall is a 3-story House in the USA?
The state laws are quite the same for 3-story buildings regarding height as for 2-story buildings. However, it may change in any other state. Usually, a single-story house is around 10 to 11 feet tall with a plain roof. So, going with this idea, a 3-story building will start from a minimum height of 30 feet and can range up to 45 feet in height.
However, this height estimation is for flat roofs; if the house has a metal or hip roof, the minimum height of a 3-story building will be around 33 feet or above.
Important factors that determine the height of a house:
There are certain considerations and factors that one should keep in mind while constructing a house. Let us jump into the details of the factors that decide how tall are houses to be built in the USA.
State laws and Regulations:
First of all, a person has to consider his location and the state in which he is thinking of building a house. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding building a house and maintaining its height. Usually, houses that have double or triple stories cannot exceed the limit of 50 feet.
However, if you are considering building a house in Washington, DC, you need to follow the rule of house height. The state has a strict rule that the height of a house cannot exceed 60 feet in a 65-foot street house.
So, if you are considering building a 4-story or less house, you can easily build it while staying within the 60-foot limit. But some states have other laws that permit you to build houses higher than 60 feet or lower than 50 feet.
The foundation of a house:
In the USA, you have to get a permit from the construction department of the state regarding the map and foundation of your house. If your foundation is quite deep and filled with heavy construction material, it can carry the weight of the house easily. Therefore, height can vary from the normal range.
Many houses have foundations quite high above the normal soil. This will automatically increase the height of houses. Usually, the foundation or base of a house should be 4 or 6 inches above the soil level. But it can vary according to different factors.
You might have noticed people enter the house after climbing 6 to 8 stairs from the ground level, which means the house has a high foundation. So, houses’ height will definitely be affected due to foundation height and structure.
Roof Types:
Another top factor that helps in deciding how tall are houses in your neighborhood is the type of roof. As we briefly discussed earlier, a house can have different types of roofs that a roofing contractor can guide you. Usually, the flat roof of a single-story building is around 10 feet above ground level.
In the same case, if the house has a hip roof or metallic roof, its height will be 13 to 14 feet. So, it is clear that the type of roof also determines how tall your house can be in different states of the USA.
Personal Choice of the Owner:
Finally, if you own private property that does not fall under any residential or commercial land authority, you may build a house of your choice. Then, you won’t have restrictions regarding the height of your house.
However, you should consult with different architects and civil engineers to verify whether the height of the house will be suitable for that particular property. You may not be entitled to any rule or law, but still, you consider the validity of your project in that place.
People who have an old-school preference for houses will definitely love to build a house with extra ceiling height and tall houses. But the modern-day generation tends to build houses with unique designs where the roofs are low.
Can a house have stories of different heights?
In most cases, the height of each roof is quite similar to the other in multi-story buildings. But there is no restriction on keeping the height of each story the same. But you can build a house with different story heights. However, you should consult an architect or a civil engineer to check the validity of your choice.
With approval from these professionals, you can move ahead with your project of varying heights of stories, like high roofs or lower ceilings, whatever you prefer. However, you should know how tall are houses in your region of residence.
FAQs
Q. How tall is a 2-story house?
The height of a double-story house falls in the range of 18 to 25 feet. However, it may differ in other states or regions just because of their individual laws, roof types, foundation heights, or personal choices of the owner.
Q. What is the height of a standard house?
A Standard house is a 2-story house that can have a minimum height of 18 feet and a maximum height of 25 feet. But these measurements are for a certain state or region. There are some states where 2-story houses have a minimum height of 16 feet.
Q. How tall is 20 stories in feet?
A 20-story high-rise building has a maximum height of 250 feet, which means each story can be 12 feet.
Q. How high is 7 story building?
In the USA, according to the fire safety department, a 7-story building can have a maximum height of 75 feet.
Final Thoughts:
Houses in the USA are built according to certain rules and regulations. In case you ever wondered how tall are houses with multiple stories . This blog clearly describes the houses that have different heights according to their number of stories. Furthermore, it also explained the factors that contribute to deciding the height of a house.
