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Original poster

What was the craze for bungalows all about? and now, do they still build swathes of estates with bungalows?

79 replies

EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 08:28

because now you tend to assume they house older people.
i lived in a bungalow as a child
do they only build occasional bungalows now?

OP posts:
Shouldbedoing · 18/08/2019 08:32

Single level living is safer and easier for the old and the very young.The plot of land required for a bungalow is greater though.
Hence all these 3 storey family townhouses.

TSSDNCOP · 18/08/2019 08:34

I lived in a bungalow as a child too, so not aimed directly at old people, although so handy for DM now she’s in her 80’s.

It’s cheaper to build a storied house is the fast answer to why there are fewer today. A 4 bed townhouse with all the en-suites/utility has a footprint about the same as DM’s 3 bed bungalow.

hidinginthenightgarden · 18/08/2019 08:35

Don't think so. Round us there was recently a trend of buying bungalows and knocking them down for the land. When you rebuild an existing house you can extend the floor plan by 1/3. Obviously bungalows have much bigger floorplans so you can nuild a bigger property. I haven't knew ones built for years. They seem to be slowly disapearing.

EdithWeston · 18/08/2019 08:35

Developers tend to want to pack in as many units as possible, and houses neurally have smaller plots. People who need single level living tend to end up with ground floor flats, or a house will be reconfigured so they stay downstairs, or they get a stairlift.

I can't think when I last saw new ones. They're definitely more common in places where land prices are cheap.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 18/08/2019 08:37

Where I live 80% of the new builds are flats because they can fit 8-10 flats into the plot of a bungalow. More revenue for the builders and more lots of Council Tax.

Noroof · 18/08/2019 08:37

Our street is all bungalows... lovely big plots. Sadly I've just extended into our roof for more space so I'll need to get used to calling it a house! Bungalow was fantastic with small children...no stairs and everything super handy and close

Nottheduchess · 18/08/2019 08:40

They don’t tend to build many estates with bungalows anymore as the take up too much space. They should though, as people get older they need a home that is accessible. My parents built their bungalow over 30 years ago and they are so relieved that they chose a bungalow (they did think of building a house) because if anything was to happen to one of them, stroke, bedbound illness etc, their bungalow would be easier to adapt.

ExpletiveDelighted · 18/08/2019 08:41

Lots around us are getting extended upwards into houses or knocked down and rebuilt as a house. It's a shame as no new ones get built and they are perfect for people with restricted mobility.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 08:45

My DM has looked into bungalows and they are really expensive to buy now Sad

she hated it when we were children as they was nowhere to hide any mess! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 08:46

so they built them in the 1950s'/60's as they were easy to build, only one level.?
bung a low roof on it?

OP posts:
ConorMcGregorsChin · 18/08/2019 08:46

Bought my bungalow 8 years ago when I was 7 months pregnant with DD

As a previous poster said, it's a lovely, safe and easy environment to bring up a little one.
We have always had a very simple and hopefully realistic escape plan in case of fire. It's just so nice being on one level (although I do miss looking out of an upstairs window in the morning for some reason) Ours is modern decor but quite country cottage looking from the outside.
Now she's almost 8, she doesn't want to move. She loves it here. So we will likely stay and extend. And 2 bed bungalows here often sell for way more than the 3 bed houses. They get snapped up instantly as not many are now being built.

dudsville · 18/08/2019 08:46

I really wanted a bungalow when we're were shopping around for our "forever" home but I couldn't find one in a neighbourhood that i liked. I hope that the home we chose can be adapted to fit our future needs but a few houses in our neighborhood have done just that and it really dropped the value of the properties and ton then ages to sell. It's likely we'd have to downsize to a flat instead and that saddens me.

GroggyLegs · 18/08/2019 08:52

The prices of bungalows around here are extortionate because of the demand.

You can downsize (literally) but it's unlikely you'll release much, if any, equity when you buy one. It was quite a shock to my ILs who expected to sell up their detached 4 bed & move to a huge bungalow in immaculate condition.

Some new bungalows have been built in a very nice neighbouring town recently but they're tiny and megabucks.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 08:54

Now it is all about retirement homes, masses of them being built

but bungalows werent build initially for older people I am sure

OP posts:
Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 08:55

retirement complexes i mean, flats

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/08/2019 08:58

DHs family are in the process of selling a bungalow. It was on the market for less than a week, had several offers and went for a lot more than they ever expected. Its 1 bedroom and is worth more than the 3 bedroom Victorian terrace we own a couple of miles away.

incontrolofmyownlife · 18/08/2019 08:59

DH and I are planning on buying a bungalow next as our forever home.

There are some nice ones in our area, just a case of waiting patiently for them to go on sale! Luckily we're only in our 30s so not in a rush, but that will definitely be our last move.

We have young children so would even be happy with a dormer, then could just close the doors on the upstairs rooms when we get older, and the children could use them as long as they needed somewhere to live.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 09:01

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35762512
interesting article

so they could be build on the sea front, now they dont care where they build houses, dont care about possible flooding and what not, it seems.

OP posts:
GeriAtric · 18/08/2019 09:03

I love bungalows and have always wanted one but they're more expensive than houses with the same number of bedrooms. I love the large plots that they tend to sit on, the way they flow inside and the fact that escaping in an emergency would be easy. Anxiety around the possible need to escape also put me off buying a three storey house. So lack of finances and presence of anxieties mean that a regular two storey house is the only option for us.

metalkprettyoneday · 18/08/2019 09:05

In New Zealand , where I live now, family homes were usually built on one level , so ‘ bungalows’ and most people I know don’t have any stairs. I forget that they’re seen as for retired people in England .

ginghamtablecloths · 18/08/2019 09:06

Years ago we wanted a small house with a big garden - impossible to find so we compromised by getting a bungalow as they tend to be on bigger plots.

The garden was our dream come true - paradise. In 'retirement areas' such as the coast there are whole estates which are almost entirely bungalows.

They take up more space and are more expensive so builders tend to not bother with them which is a shame.

GreenTulips · 18/08/2019 09:08

I'll need to get used to calling it a house!

It’s a dorma bungalow.

We have one, most round here are young families. I think it’s quite normal now to live in one.

Fluffycloudland77 · 18/08/2019 09:10

There are about 10 on our new build road, two beds and a larger 3 bed one.

I think the two beds are over 55 only.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 18/08/2019 09:12

there is new plot of land near me, one house, knocked down, three dorma bungalows in its place, although being dorma i hadnt considered the full meaning.

OP posts:
bigbluebus · 18/08/2019 09:13

Around here, bungalows only get built on new developments when the existing owner of the adjoining property kicks up a fuss (or it is perceived that they will) when the planning application goes in. On our estate (built 25+years ago) there is one bungalow - original plan was for a 4 bed detached - but adjoining neighbour objected to loss of light/privacy so a bungalow was built instead. Ditto a development going up now at the end of our street - 2 bungalows where it borders the existing longstanding property.