Moving to a new home involves choosing the type of house you want. If you are looking for a stand-alone place in Nairobi, you can live in a villa, a mansion, a maisonette, or a bungalow. Bungalows and maisonettes are the most popular house types in the city. They are suitable for families. If you want to move into either of these houses, you can get a quote from these companies and ease the moving process. Here are some similarities and differences to help you choose your next home.

  • Both are detached homes.

While maisonettes and bungalows may differ in structure and design, they are both detached homes with separate entrances from other homes. They vary from apartments or flats, which use common entries for all residents. Maisonettes may be terraced, semi-detached, or detached. Terraced maisonettes share common walls with the houses on both sides, while semi-detached maisonettes only share one wall with the next home. Maisonettes are also known as duplexes in other countries. Both bungalows and maisonettes are designed to be occupied by families.

  • Number of floors

The first difference between a maisonette and a bungalow is that bungalows are built on one floor, while maisonettes are designed to occupy two floors. This difference also affects the construction materials needed for each house type and, therefore, the cost. People tend to compare these differences when choosing the house they want to build or buy. For example, a maisonette will need a second slab above the ground floor, where the first floor will be constructed. Another difference is that bungalows will require a more expansive foundation.

  • Size of land

Maisonettes are popular amongst those looking to make the most out of smaller parcels of land. That is because the Houses spread vertically, which means they will take up less space on the ground level. For this reason, they are popular amongst real estate developers. The company can construct more homes on a piece of land compared to the space it would take to build the same number of bungalows.

  • External breaches 

A critical difference between these two house types is that bungalows have all their rooms on the ground level. In terms of security, external security breaches are more likely to happen within bungalows. All possible entry points, like windows and doors, are more accessible to intruders. So, security breaches may be more of a concern when one lives inside a bungalow. Maisonettes have several possible entry points off the ground, on a higher level. The first floor is a lot harder for an intruder to access.

  • Most residential estates have maisonettes. 

Maisonettes are the default house types found within most residential estates in Kenya. As mentioned, they take up less horizontal space, making it possible to accommodate more residents within the estate. They also have an appealing external design that has become very popular amongst house owners. Since two floors are available, the design allows for amenities like a parking garage on the lower level. They can also be terraced or semi-detached if the developer wants to save on space and build more homes.

  • Open concept design for bungalows

A key difference in design is that bungalows allow for an open-concept layout. Since the home is on one floor, shared spaces like the lounge and the kitchen can be opened to make more room. This design gives the area an airy feel, with a lot of free space. This space is beneficial for a smaller home in ensuring that the house does not feel cramped. An open layout is much harder to achieve with a maisonette.

Maisonettes and bungalows have a few similarities; residents access them separately. However, they have different structures and designs. They also have varying advantages and disadvantages. One design could cost more than the other in land, while the other will take up more construction materials.