The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ranch Style Homes

The Pros and Cons of Ranch Style Homes and Home Remodeling Suggestions

Popularized in the post-war 1950s, ranch style homes celebrated the American dream of homeownership for returning veterans.

Popularized by the architectural designer and developer Cliff May, the ranch home celebrated the postwar reality of cheap land and sprawling suburbs. With an emphasis on single-story living and a focus on the indoor/outdoor connection, ranch homes had a lot to offer. In the 70s and 80s, as times and tastes changed, the ranch fell out of favor. Small was no longer in, and families wanted space. Two-story homes and multi-level living gave people the choice of living in a home that catered to their every need.

Today, ranch style homes are making a big comeback. For empty nesters planning to age in place, single-story living is a perfect option with less space, safety, and convenience. For young families ranch style homes are the perfect choice for affordable home ownership.

So, is one story living right for you? Learn the pros and cons of ranch home ownership and how home remodeling can solve potential issues.

The Pros of Ranch Style Homes

Owning a ranch style home offers unique advantages that cater to a variety of lifestyles. From design adaptability to easy navigation for older homeowners, ranch style homes offer several benefits.

Simple Efficient Designs

Single-level homes are extremely efficient on several levels. For example, it’s often easier and more cost-efficient to heat and cool a single-story home. One-story living is also a top choice for older homeowners looking to age in place. With a single-level home, flow is everything. With no stairs to break up the flow or worries about difficult transitions between living and sleeping spaces, ranch homes are efficient, safe, and manageable.

Seamlessly Integrates Indoor and Outdoor Living

Many ranch-style homes are built on slabs, so they are level with the yard and often laid out in a U or L shape. This makes them conducive to indoor–outdoor living. Ground-level living spaces can seamlessly integrate with outdoor environments. Large windows and sliding doors opening onto outdoor living spaces are common and offer unobstructed views and easy access. If you value the aesthetic pleasure and tranquility of the outdoors, ranch style homes can offer you a connection to nature,

Open Floor Plans

Original ranch homes offered a less formal lifestyle than older home styles like Victorian or Tudor homes. As a result, ranch home floor plans tend to be a little more open and free-flowing. Sometimes you must work around dividers, peninsulas, and pass throughs to experience the flow. Happily, these features are rarely structural and easy to remove.

Simple To Expand

Because of their single-story style and horizontal layout, ranch homes are relatively easy to add on to. No need to worry about stairs or a second floor. However, if you do choose to add another story, the simple design of a ranch home makes it less challenging than adding to a Craftsman or Tudor, for example.

Easier to Clean and Maintain

Stairs can complicate everything. If you’ve ever lugged a vacuum cleaner upstairs, you understand. With a ranch home, you’ll never have to lug equipment upstairs. Inside and out cleaning is easier. No washing windows on the second story. Painting the exterior and cleaning the gutters is much easier, too!

Customization

Because of their flexibility, customizing your living space can be easier in a ranch. Whether it’s expanding the living area with an addition, modifying the layout, or incorporating architectural elements like adding skylights or vaulted ceilings, ranch homes offer a layout that accommodates customization. With a ranch house, you can create a space that reflects your personal style and functional needs.

The Drawbacks of Ranch Style Homes

While ranch-style homes offer many benefits, you also need to be aware of potential drawbacks to ownership. Understanding these challenges can help you make an informed decision.

Potential Land and Yard Tradeoffs

Because they are spread over a single story, ranch style homes need more square footage to place the home design onto your property. All rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and living spaces must be configured to fit the size of your property with proper setbacks. Two-story homes can go up as well as out, so they can require less land. Because a ranch requires more land, that can mean less outdoor space. If you have a large piece of property, this is not an issue. However, in more suburban or urban areas, if outdoor living space is your dream, a ranch style home might not be the best choice.

Less Privacy

In a two-story home, you can leave blinds and curtains open on the upper floor without a problem. In a one-story home, you need to think about privacy. Someone dropping off a package or walking by can easily see into your bedroom, especially after dark, if your lights are on. Because all bedrooms share the same floor, sound travels easily between rooms.

Older Infrastructure

Original ranch homes built in the 1950s – 70s often need some upgrades. Unless they have been previously remodeled, the bathrooms and kitchen can be small and dated, and may need to be redone. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems may have reached the end of their useful life and will need to be replaced. Some older ranch homes can benefit from extra insulation, double-pane windows, and other updates.

Modernizing A Ranch Style Home

While there are many benefits of ranch home ownership, there are some potential issues that can easily be resolved. If you love the mid-century vibe but want to bring your home into the 21st century, there are upgrades that can make your home more livable.

Simple, affordable upgrades, like developing outdoor spaces and updating materials and finishes, can improve your home’s aesthetics, livability, and efficiency.

View our Remodeled Homes Portfolio

Many ranch homes feature an open floor plan. This can make entertaining easy and fill your home with natural light, but it can bring challenges like a lack of storage, privacy, and noise concerns. With the right redesign, you can create solutions that look great and make the open floor plan meet your needs.

For example, using architectural details like half-walls, built-in shelving, or glass partitions can help organize and define your space without sacrificing openness and light. An elongated breakfast bar or peninsula can gently separate the living and dining areas while maintaining sight lines. Glass partitions can keep the light and openness, while offering a sense of some boundaries.

Another way to anchor your layout is with exposed beams or columns. Along with defining your space, they can add architectural detail and lots of character. If you’re opening walls as part of your remodel, consider leaving a beam in place. It can be painted or stained to match your home’s style and create a subtle focal point that naturally separates living, dining, and kitchen areas, without making them feel closed off.

A common complaint with open floor plans is limited storage. This can cause clutter to be on display. Without dividing walls, open spaces can feel messy or disorganized. Thoughtful, custom-built storage can solve this challenge and keep your home looking open and spacious. Consider adding built-in cabinetry along unused walls or beneath windows. A window seat can offer a cozy spot for reading and provide additional storage for blankets, books, or toys. By integrating hidden storage into your design, you can maintain a clean, open look while making sure everything has its place.

Open layouts are great for light and flow, but not so great for noise. Consider adding insulation in walls and ceilings, or use acoustic-dampening drywall to reduce noise between rooms. Built-in bookshelves or cabinetry can also absorb sound. For flooring, consider materials like cork or LVP.

Older ranch style homes often have single-pane windows. Upgrading to double or triple-pane windows can reduce outside noise, improve energy efficiency, and lower utility costs. This is especially great if you live on a busy street or in a climate with wide temperature swings like Wisconsin.

Incorporating natural materials like wood, stone, and brick can not only honor your home’s original spirit but can also add texture and warmth to your design, making your home feel more inviting. Updating finishes can also modernize your design while improving functionality.

The Bottom Line on Ranch Style Home Ownership

The ranch style remains an icon of mid-century American architecture. It’s a simple, functional home style that is rooted in the landscape. Like every home style, ranch homes offer benefits and challenges. Updating a ranch style home can offer timeless livability for today’s homeowners seeking character, efficiency, and practicality.

Whether it’s a kitchen remodel, creating a primary bathroom update, or updating your ranch home, let us help you create a new look and design for your home. If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Are you ready to learn more? We are always happy to answer your questions.