Ranch Houses

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I can't figure out how a 12 lb or less cat (had Cornish that sounded like elephants playing catchers and they only weigh 5-7 lbs) can make THAT much noise?????

Click to expand...

Some cats, like people walk heavy. It's kind of hard to explain. But an example of this is that my 7.6lb and 8.2lb female cats walk heavier than my 10.5lb male cats do. Though I've also noticed that the cats with wider paws are often quieter.

I have hardwood though most of the house. Early this morning I was laying in bed and heard the stampede start up on the other side of the house... I'd guess it was probably 5 of the 7 cats involved. They were running for the bedroom - I dove under the blankets just in case they all piled onto the bed. Sometimes being able to hear them (coming) is a good thing.

We have a ranch semi-open floor plan here. I wanted a house we could stay in for all times. So at least have the master bedroom on the first floor. As my Grandparents have aged I've seen what a difference that can make. The noise is fine here for the most part. Maybe it would be better if the baby was sleeping upstairs when I want to get ice from the ice maker or do things like that. But then it might be harder to hear her without a monitor also. (I hate my baby monitor!!)

My only regret lately has been the semi-open aspect. Mostly since LO started crawling. There are just times when you do not want to follow her all over the house. Her current "favorite thing to do" is to go down the hallway to the bathroom. The cats go in there a lot because we moved their water fountain to the bathroom counter; to keep her out of it! (Food bowls went up on the cat tree.) Her fav thing before then was to play in the fountain. I'm currently using the pack-n-play and her toy crate with a chair behind it so she cant slide it out as a baby gate between one entrance to the kitchen/dining areas. The other opening to it is blocked by the giant box from her new car seat and the dirty laundry basket. Then I'm using her car seat and the areo bed (in it's bag) as a deterrent from the other exit that leads to the bedrooms, but she can crawl over it so it just slows her down. It's fun to watch her go; but man it's tiring!!

We have a 2-story, and our Master BEdroom is downstairs (perfect layout IF you don't have kids!!). Someone already said it, but when the cats are running around upstairs, it sounds like a herd of elephants, that's why I say it's only a perfect arrangements on if you don't have kids, because if we did, I wouldn't be able to sleep!

As far as the stairs, I put stuff on the stairs rather than make trips up and down all day, then when I go up, I take the stuff that has been gathering on the steps. I still make several trips every day, since my computer is upstairs, and the "cat room" is upstairs, so there is a litter box or two up there, food, water, etc. I would like a single story for my next house, but realistically don't see us ever moving. My folks, in their 80's, live in a tri-level, and they think taking all those stairs every day has kept them in great shape. (they may be right!!)

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I can't figure out how a 12 lb or less cat (had Cornish that sounded like elephants playing catchers and they only weigh 5-7 lbs) can make THAT much noise?????

Click to expand...

We have a small, walk-in pantry under the stairs. When I'm in there, it sounds like a stampede of elephants! The cats all come out of the woodwork, as that's wthere their food is stored, and they hear me opening the bi-fold doors!

I spent all but the last 7 years of my life living in a ranch house. I, for now, like the novelty of a 2nd floor and stairs. I wouldn't say that the noise level changes in any way (I still hear DH's loud TV in his den upstairs, and him laughing at it), but I just prefer living with 2 floors. And the cats certainly love it! The stairs appear to be a kitty playground, judging from the hairballs I find there!

My ranch house has bedrooms on the opposite side of the house, master bedroom on one, the other 2 on the other side, though it is just hubby and I who live here plus the 3 kitties (and we aren't having kids). Both guestrooms are full, so no one else ever really stays here (only once, his cousin and her ex-husband stayed over for a wedding on an air mattress in the living room). One guestroom has a weight set, the other has my pole and the litter boxes.

I always lived in two-story homes, up until I moved to SC to live with hubby and his parents. My parents' house looks like a ranch but has a full basement.

I do miss having a 2 story home sometimes, but ranch houses are a lot easier, and no stairs (I'm pretty certain I'll have knee issues early on as it is).

Originally Posted by Winchester

And I would dearly love to add a nice front porch to the house.

Click to expand...

I've got a Victorian, but we have no porches. I would love a porch or a deck, but DH won't build a deck because he says they are too much work.

Ok I am baffled, what is a ranch house, is it what we call a bungalow, a one level house? x

Originally Posted by Ruthyb

Ok I am baffled, what is a ranch house, is it what we call a bungalow, a one level house? x

Click to expand...

Yes.

The term "bungalow" is not used much here. In New England, where I live, it is used sometimes to describe a seaside place. Like a place where you might go for weekends.

Originally Posted by Ruthyb

Ok I am baffled, what is a ranch house, is it what we call a bungalow, a one level house? x

Click to expand...

One level, with it's own distinct architecture that doesn't apply to other single story homes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranch-style_house

Originally Posted by strange_wings

One level, with it's own distinct architecture that doesn't apply to other single story homes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranch-style_house

Click to expand...

Oooh thankyou, your bungalows look better than ours and I would rather weekend over there x

There's also a "raised ranch", but someone else will have to explain what that is since I have forgotten.

Raised ranch is a bit harder to explain... there'll be another room or basement that is partially or fully above the ground with the rest of the house level above it. They tend to get put in if the lot they're being built on it is uneven enough to allow for it (small hill). Or there will be one room slightly offset up. There would be few stairs. There's one down the street from me - gorgeous house, too, that I wish it had been up for sell when we were looking.

Originally Posted by Ruthyb

Oooh thankyou, your bungalows look better than ours and I would rather weekend over there

x

Click to expand...

Ranch style is not bungalow. The architecture style is different between the two. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bungalow Our bungalows are somewhat similar to yours. There is the ranch bungalow style, though that's more about floor plan that major differences on the outside.

The ranch styles are more popular in the west and midwest where we have room for them. Mine is a smaller ranch style home, at 1390sqft (garage was converted into living space). Many are or exceed 2000sqft.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Raised ranch is a bit harder to explain... there'll be another room or basement that is partially or fully above the ground with the rest of the house level above it. They tend to get put in if the lot they're being built on it is uneven enough to allow for it (small hill). Or there will be one room slightly offset up. There would be few stairs.

Click to expand...

Brilliant explanation! I knew what a raised ranch is, but was at a loss as how to describe it.