What Is the Difference Between a Split-Level and a Two-Story Home?

Split-Level

• A split-level home features multiple floors of living space, but the floors are broken up, or split. This style of home can be split in several different ways, and often has a staircase broken into two short flights directly at the front door. A split-level home will often have a basement that spans only half of the home's footprint. One of the levels of the home is at ground level while the other is roughly halfway to the ceiling of the level on the ground.

Two-Story

• A two-story home is occasionally also referred to as a "stacked" home. The construction of this style of home is typically simple, with a second story stacked directly above the ground floor of the home. Often, two-story homes will have a basement the same size as the footprint of the home. Traditionally, the ground floor of a two-story home will have a living room, kitchen and dining room, while the upper floor is reserved for bedrooms.

Split-Level Styles

• A split-level home can take several forms, depending on the location of the split. In a front split, the home's divided staircase will be at the main entrance, giving people the immediate choice of going up or down. In a side split, the front door of the home will open into a hallway or other living quarters, and the split will be off to one side. In most split-level homes, the top level is reserved for bedrooms.

Reasons

• Often, split-level homes are built to adapt to the surrounding area. If the lot is rocky and excavation would raise the building project's budget considerably, a split-level home might be favorable because the basement is smaller, and thus less costly. If the home is being built in an area with a heavily sloped yard, a split-level design is efficient because it can provide the home's inhabitants with a walk-out style basement.