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The Bungalow Boom: Why Single-Storey Living is On the Rise
Read Time: 7 minutes
Author. Clare Booth • Director
Author. Clare Booth • Director
Read Time: 7 minutes
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Once the preserve of retirees, the demand for single-storey living has soared, particularly among young people. Want to build your own bungalow? We’re here to guide you.
The humble bungalow has found itself at the centre of a property frenzy—driven by a new generation of house hunters.
Recent trends suggest one-level living has become “cool”, with more young families looking to downsize from large, draughty homes in response to soaring energy costs.
Adding to the demand is the post-pandemic wave of early retirees—known as the “covid early quitters”—who’ve chosen to leave work in middle age and are now prioritising practical, more energy-efficient homes.
Paul Hilton, CEO of Scottish estate agency ESPC, notes that “bungalows are now seeing a huge amount of interest from younger buyers, mostly millennials, looking for a family home,” and “low levels of stock” are contributing to intense competition in the market.
The Scarcity of Bungalows
Despite their rising popularity, bungalows remain a rarity, making up less than 6% of new listings on ESPC.
According to Hilton, this scarcity means bungalows are snapped up quickly when they hit the market. “In 2024, bungalows sold faster than traditional homes, going under offer in a median time of 25 days, compared to 27 days for multi-storey houses,” he explains.
Premium Prices
ESPC analysed sales data and found bungalows are commanding higher-than-average prices than traditional homes or flats.
The Scottish Borders led the way for bungalow sales in 2024, followed by areas like Edinburgh South, West Fife & Kinross, Edinburgh North, and East Lothian.
“Our data shows that bungalows in these top-selling areas achieved a sale price that was at least 20% higher on average than the overall average for those areas,” says Hilton.
“In Edinburgh North, this figure tripled, with bungalows achieving a sale price that was, on average, 63% higher than the overall area average, clearly indicating how strong the demand is for this type of property.”
Why Are Bungalows Back in Demand?
The renewed interest in bungalows could be attributed to several factors:
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01. Downsizing Appeal
Rising energy prices are pushing people to leave large, draughty, under-occupied family homes in favour of practical, more energy-efficient properties.
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02. Future-Proof
No stairs means bungalows are ideal for families with young children and people of all mobility levels, providing easy and comfortable living.
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03. Family-Friendly Features
With their traditionally large gardens, bungalows provide ample outdoor space for children to play and families to gather.
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04. Resale Value
With fewer bungalows being built, their scarcity combined with broad appeal across all age groups means they retain strong market value.
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05. Low Maintenance
Manageable in size and upkeep, bungalows make practical tasks like window washing simpler.
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06. Flexible Living
Open-plan layouts make bungalows versatile, with spaces that suit both quiet moments and family gatherings.
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07. Renovation Flexibility
Bungalows can be easier to modify and renovate due to their single-level structure. Extensions and loft conversions are popular options for adding space.
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08. Fits the Landscape
In Scotland, bungalows naturally complement rural and island environments, blending seamlessly into their surroundings.
How to Build an Energy-Efficient Bungalow
Bungalows aren’t a popular choice for UK developers, and as a result, fewer are being built.
“The appeal of bungalows lies massively in the large plots they tend to be situated on, which generally doesn’t add up for a developer trying to maximise their returns when plotting out a new estate,” explains Hilton.
“As a result, we’re unlikely to see an influx of new-build bungalows appearing on the open market any time soon.”
But that doesn’t mean you can’t build your own.
The Argyle: A Modern Passivhaus Bungalow
The Argyle, part of the pre-designed, prefabricated Coldwells Build Passivhaus range, is our four-bedroom bungalow.
It epitomises single-storey living with a light-filled, open-plan kitchen and dining space. With practically proportioned rooms, the Argyle is future-proofed for a lifetime of comfort.
All four double bedrooms are designed with generous integrated storage and the master bedroom has its own ensuite. Alongside this, there’s a large family bathroom, fully equipped utility room and the option to add a double garage.
With plans, engineering, and Passivhaus modelling already taken care of, the Argyle can save you up to 12 months on the typical design and build process.
Why Choose a Passivhaus Bungalow?
The Argyle is built to the world-leading Passivhaus standard. This means it’s so insulated and well ventilated, it maintains a comfortable temperature year-round, with no draughts or cold spots and minimal heating needs.
It keeps you warm in the winter months and cool in the summer, with significantly reduced heating bills. In fact, Passivhaus homes cut heating demand by 79%, compared to homes built to current Scottish building regulations and reduce lifetime carbon emissions by almost 40%.
Author.
Clare Booth
• Director
A trained communicator, Clare co-founded Coldwells Build with the aim of improving consumer experience within the construction process. Working previously as a television director and journalist, she understands more than most, about the power of detail, organisation and timing.
