How much difference does being detached make?

[Asgoodasarest]

Just that really. I’ve always assumed that general noise is much lower, but what about garden noise etc? Does the fact you’re further apart help with the garden as well? I appreciate there is a large variable in terms of who you’re living alongside. But just curious if people have felt it’s worth it?

Ps I couldn’t find a thread asking similar but do point me in that direction if it’s been done, thank you.

[TrickyWords]

The noise is the big thing for us. We all play musical instruments so not worrying about annoying neighbours matters.

[twostripycats]

I definitely want to be detached next time because worrying about the noise we make upsetting our neighbours makes me so anxious.

[Asgoodasarest]

Thank you that’s interesting. I’m quite conscious of noise (small children) but our neighbours are quite noisy in a different way. So we both live and let live for the most part. But I wonder whether being detached would have that much of an impact, especially outside.

[sbplanet]

How much does noise bother you? How much are bothered about annoying your neighbours if you are noisy (can you tell)?

We're semi-detached but are very lucky our neighbours are quite quiet, no loud music, no screaming kids, no barking dogs, etc. We hope we are similarly quiet. Having lived next to plenty of noisy neighbours or neighbours who objected to us being noisy, then detached is better. But it's subjective.

[TippledPink]

We are semi detached- my neighbours are so noisy. Will definitely go for detached next time we move. I guess you will still have noise from outside bit would be a little further away.

[NutellaOnButteryToast]

I grew up in a detached house and for the first 20 years of my life, it did make a big difference, although I didn't really appreciate it at the time.

For example, if someone next door is having a party, it usually won't bother you once you're inside. You can shut the door on the nouse. Horrible neighbours moved in over the road though . A string of 3, who all knew each other and ended up having street parties with professional style stereos blasting out music ALL night at least once a week. Sometimes twice or three times. There was no escape from that noise. Detached or otherwise, but that was extreme.

Where we are now (semi, with paper walls) if someone has a party or even just has their TV on loud or an argument, you might as well be in the same room!

Overall, I would say it does make a difference and I don't think I would move to a house that wasn't detached now, unless the walls were super thick and it ticked every other box.

[Richlyfruited]

We're link detached and noise isn't an issue inside the house at all - I love it! Outside we have the same issues as anyone because it's an estate and we have neighbours gardens all around us!

I think you'd have to be detached in the middle of nowhere (or have v v quiet neighbours) for all the benefits!

[northernstars]

Detached is better for indoor noise but it's unlikely your garden will be detached. Noise from our neighbours outside is a real issue but can't hear them inside as detached.

[NutellaOnButteryToast]

Should also add that we had to move to the spare room last night and that's a regular thing, which tells you something.

[Annebronte]

Much much better for indoor noise; makes little difference outside. Detached houses are often lighter as rooms can have more windows.

[N0tfinished]

God definitely detached. I grew up in a terraced house & you could hear the neighbours kettle boiling. I'm in a detached house now & I never hear anything. 2 houses up are young men & they have parties occasionally, but they don't bother us at all.

[Asgoodasarest]

Generally I think we are pretty tolerant of noise. We have small kids and next door have children that are grown up (some at home, some not), so there’s a pretty good understanding between us.
They never complain and we’ve very rarely asked for things to quieten down (as in well into the early hours). So it’s not a neighbour bashing thread for me, they’re nice people I like.
I guess being at home a lot more at the moment has made me conscious of the noise we hear and make.

[Moo7878]

Having moved from two semis to a detached, I would NEVER choose a house that want detached now.

We could hear our neighbour peeing in their en-suite in one house!!

[Mumdiva99]

We moved from end of terrace to detached. Inside there is a massive difference. But outside we went from only having a garden on the left and right of ours....behind was garages and space of another garden before other houses.....to having gardens backing on to 3 sides of the house 6 other households. 2 of them have patios right up against our fence - if I open a bathroom window they can hear all. Lol. Don't get me wrong I prefer to live here and the neighbours are all fine....but i miss our old garden...and it would be something I checked out more next time I move (if ever).

[maddy68]

We are far too noisy to be attached to anyone

[TommyShelby]

The Victorian semi that I lived in was great. I don’t know if it was something about old thick walled but you couldn’t hear a peep out of next door and they couldn’t hear us. It’s not like either of us were particularly quiet! They were both student houses so parties were regular!

I then moved to an ex council semi and the noise was atrocious. The walls might as wel have been made of paper. The noise from next door genuinely used to make me twitch it was so constant.

Am now in a detached house again and would never swap it.

[Grasspigeons]

It hasnt made a difference in the garden. Our detached house is only a few foot from next door.
It has made a difference in the house. Its so nice not hearing next doors shower, arguaments, stairs, doors, instruments etc) and its really nice not having to consider when i hoover, or put washing on.

[oohnicevase]

So much nicer , front doors are further apart , more surrounding space , access to garden, noise , general garden is usually bigger and wider .. I have only lived in an end of terrace for 18 months in my life and I could hear everything through the walls.. go detached where possible!!

[MinorArcana]

It makes a big difference to noise when we’re inside the house, but outside?

Not so much, our garden is not detached!
We can hear our neighbours if they’re out in their garden when we’re out in ours. You’d have to have a detached house in the middle of nowhere to guarantee no garden noise from neighbours.

[aquamarine1]

I was never bothered about having a detached until I moved into one. They are fantastic. Out garden is attached but it's a big plot so noise isn't a huge issue.

[Elouera]

We were looking for a new place prior to lockdown, but ONLY detached. Stayed in a semi for awhile, and couldn't wait to move. Even the flat I was in with students around was quieter than the family next door to us in the semi! Hearing their kids scream, run up and down their internal stairs, the husband yelling, the baby crying and yes- we could hear them in their bathroom too! Never again.

Not only that, but from the top floors, we could look out over each others gardens. I realise you can still do this with some detached homes, but you are a little farther away and have more privacy in the garden.

I'd pay slightly more or have a slightly smaller house, than have a semi ever again.

[NutellaOnButteryToast]

The walls might as wel have been made of paper.

@TommyShelby, I hear you.

[Rafflesway]

Another plus point in being detached.

We are very fortunate as we live on a small cul-de-sac where all the properties are detached.

However, on the road leading into ours there are several semis. 2 years ago one of the semis caught fire. The fire quickly spread to the attached property and both houses were very badly damaged. Thankfully both were superbly repaired and you would never know they had suffered so badly but we and our neighbours saw a huge benefit to being detached from that incident.

Noise wise you could hear a pin drop in ours but we do live in a semi rural location which also helps. I genuinely don’t think I could cope with being attached.

[doggyteaparty]

Detached makes huge difference inside, not so much outside.

I grew up in a terraced house and most of my childhood memories are filled with being told off for the noise and constantly treading on egg shells. If we went down the stairs too loudly we'd be told off.

My parents were definitely ott about it but I love that I can just shut the windows and let the kids go nuts inside making as much noise as they like, without disturbing anyone.

[DramaAlpaca]

Ours is detached and very quiet inside. We've a big garden but we can still hear the neighbours' children very loud and clear when we are outside. It doesn't bother us though.