H vs. U vs. L-Shaped House Plans: Which Wing Plan Do You Want?
All four of these shapes solve the same problem, keeping parts of the house apart, in different ways. Plan sellers use the names loosely, so it pays to know what each one actually looks like.
| Shape | From Above | Courtyards | Separation | Exterior Wall | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-Shaped | Two parallel wings, connector in the middle | Two (front and back) | Highest under one roof | Most | Split households, big families, entertaining |
| U-Shaped | Two parallel wings, connector at one end | One | High | A lot | One enclosed courtyard or pool court |
| L-Shaped | One wing turned 90 degrees | One corner | Moderate | Some | A garage or shop in one leg, lower cost |
| Breezeway | Separate buildings joined by a covered walkway | Varies | Complete | Two full envelopes | Keeping a shop out of the house entirely |
| Rectangle | One box | None | Only by floor plan | Least | Lowest cost per square foot |
H-Shaped
Two parallel wings with the connector in the middle. You get a courtyard on each side of the connector and the most separation you can have under one roof. You also get the most exterior wall. See the 11 H-shaped plans.
U-Shaped
Two parallel wings with the connector at one end, leaving a single courtyard. A U encloses its courtyard on three sides, which makes it the better shape for a pool court or a private garden. It is the shape most often mislabeled as an H.
L-Shaped
One wing turned 90 degrees. It gives a garage or shop its own leg and some separation, with far less wall than an H or U, so it is the budget option among the wing plans.
Breezeway
Separate buildings joined by a covered walkway. Nothing beats it for keeping a shop's noise and fumes out of the house, but you are paying for two full building envelopes.
How To Tell An H From A U
Look at the floor plan drawing, not the name. Find the section that joins the two wings. If there is open courtyard on both sides of it, it is an H. If it sits at the very end of the wings with courtyard on one side only, it is a U.