What is a House?
A house is a building that provides shelter for people. A house usually has a roof to keep off rain and sun, walls to stop wind and cold and windows to let in light. Houses may be built in many different ways. Some houses are made from wood, some from stone and others from metals. A house may be small or large. It can be a detached house, which is separate from other buildings or it may be part of a row of houses. In the UK, a detached house is often called a bungalow.
One of the two bodies of the United States Congress is known as the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives has 435 members. Each state is assigned a number of seats in the House, based on its population. Congress periodically adjusts the size of the House to account for population growth and changes.
The term house is also used to refer to a type of business, for example, the House of Fraser department store chain or the house of Kayne West clothing line. The word is also commonly used in the names of restaurants, for example, a restaurant’s house wine is usually the cheapest available.
When people talk about a house, they often mean a place that is their own and where they feel safe and secure. It is usually the only place where they can make decisions for themselves, and where they have a sense of freedom to express their own interests.
People in most countries live in houses. They can be as small as a single room or as big as several hundred rooms. A house can be a single building or it can be joined to other houses at the side to form a terrace (British) or row of houses. Houses can be a different shape and colour in different parts of the world, because of local weather conditions and building materials.
Many houses have special areas for doing things like cooking food, eating, sleeping and washing. These are usually called the kitchen, the sitting room, bedrooms and the bathroom (or toilet). Some houses also have a study or family room.
A disadvantage of living in a house is that it can be more expensive than renting an apartment. This is because a house needs to be heated and cooled, which costs money. Houses also require more maintenance than apartments, because they are larger.
If you are lucky enough to buy a house, it can be a good idea to find out about its history. The best way to do this is to ask the previous owners if they know anything. You can also try looking for evidence of past life, such as old bottles or children’s toys in the garden. This can be a great way to create a sense of home ownership and help you feel connected to your new community.