To think detatched house equates to better standard of living sort of !

[ginorwine]

Hello
Have lived in terraced house that we love for many years - brought dc up here . Fab 4 storey terrace with views over the sea . Inside really lovely to us as well as garden . Trouble is , neigbour s allowed to walk accross garden to take bins out and bikes etc . Neigbour also build summer house/ music room within 3 foot of my little summer house were ilove to sit ( perfectly entitled to )
Feels like garden of 12 foot v narrow ( 100ft long tho ) and the rare but potential of , walking accross garden now intrusive ...when dc little all was busy anyway and it didn't matter. Now live in beautiful house lovely garden infab area but feel a poss need for private garden. Seen house that is detatched in less nice area - the oau off is detetched and I'm hoping to ask / establish are the benefits of detatched fantastic??lived here were you have lovely neighbours but were can hear thro walls and have walk across garden and wd really appriciate knowing what it is like to be detatched with privacy . Our area is fab and I have lots friends here - impromptu wine / coffee - lots to lose - lots to gain- wd really appriciate help with the balance sheet . ( the other area were detatched house is is less vibrant suburbia cf with cityand sea views ) thanks

We were very happy in a semi detached, until we had the neighbours from hell move next door. They were in a rock band and would start practising around 11.30pm after the local pub had kicked out and carry on through the early hours. After pleading with them, to no avail.. We contacted the council, but they were useless. Our solicitor advised us to sell. This was in the days before you had to declare if there was a problem with the neighbours. We sold quickly because they were quiet during the day! We bought a detached, it was smaller and pricier than our previous house and we had to drive old bangers around for a few years , but it was worth it to save our sanity. Most neighbours are friendly and reasonable, but If you get one who is not then it can be truly awful.

I've lived in 2 semi detached houses and have heard nothing from neighbours either time. And neither were particularly quiet people. I do hear noise if they do DIY like loud drilling but that's pretty rare. Both houses were older though - first was 1930's and our current one is 1940's.

I was shocked when visiting a friend in an expensive part of London (40s ish semi) to hear the children next door through the wall. We had better insulation in our 1960s semi that didn't look at all substantial. I think it depends on the builder rather than the age.
We lived in an 'overlooked detached house for over 30 years and I don't think I ever caught the neighbours looking in. We were a gate width from neighbours one side and a garage width the other. It had a lot of advantages you get with a terraced house (nearby neighbours, friendly community) and the advantage of no neighbour noise inside the house and off road parking. I don't think I would want to be terraced or semi again, but we don't always have a choice.

Our current area is v low crime rate and have just checked the new ata and there is currently a spate of anti social behevour involving youths roaming !

gin, the house was built in 2006 so the developers just built it to pretty high specifications for a relative new build. On both sides of me I have families with young children, very occasionally I will hear noise but certainly tolerable. I also checked vertical sound before we purchased as the last detached house I lived in sounded like I had elephants on roller skates up stairs when anyone was upstairs. This house has solid concrete floors and you can't hear a thing upstairs ( I got my DD to jump up and down as hard as she could when we viewed the house).

I've lived in a terraced house, a semi and now a detached. The best thing a bout the terraced was it was easy to keep warm unlike our current where it's always cold

Having lived in a series of increasingly noisy flats, we now live in a detached with a big private garden which isn't overlooked and I would sell DH on a street corner before I ever went back

You can't generalise - so much depends on area and build quality. We have a large detached house in a semi urban area which is currently very quiet but there is a planning application currently being considered which will put a development of 30 flats about 7 feet from our living room door and the car park for the flats at the foot of our currently secluded garden. It may not be so quiet if that goes through!

We also have a top floor flat in a converted Georgian house in a very noisy city area. Although the outside noise can be massive it is far enough away that it isn't intrusive, it just becomes a background blur. The house itself is so solidly built we don't hear our neighbours at all - except when someone burns the toast and then the smoke alarms all over the building go off...and after recent events I am very grateful for that.

Detached every time. Both our neighbours have at least an acre of garden between us and them. Our holiday cottage has fields to three sides, country lane at the other.
No-one else's noise, only ours

I had awful problems with inconsiderate neighbors in a terrace, the most stressful period of my life (sounds dramatic I know but it really was horrific) so nothing would make me move from a detached now

I'm in a semi and whilst I love my house I'd happily move into a detached. My adjoining neighbour is generally great but recently had an issue with him playing very loud music very late/early hours and it really made me think. That issue is resolved now now but if it started again I'd move.

Beware though that what puts you off your current home in terms of having ndn walking across your garden etc may well put off potential buyers.

Just waiting to complete ATM on a detached house on a corner plot. Currently renting a detached house, but only separated from both neighbours by a few feet, and gardens are quite cramped. I'm always conscious of how much noise we are making in the garden.
Neighbours here are lovely and considerate, one side has two young children, but they don't let them on the garden until 8.30/9am on weekends.
I've lived in terraced (where I could hear the neighbours phone vibrate) and flats (where I could hear downstairs' every conversation). It took us a while to find a detached house to buy.

I'm opposite to you op I live in a seaside city, a 25 min drive from the beach and all the lovely bars restaurants cafes and railway that comes with it and yes I can take my kids there during the day but on a night it's inaccessible as I'd be paying £50 return in taxis so I have serious fomo but there are literally no detached housing estates there, it's all early 19th century townhouse and 1930's semi and having lived in a semi for 13 years then a detached for 7 I struggle at the thought of going back to a semi because of sound through the walls I know I can't bear it, plus you obvs get a lot less house for your money there due to the better location

We used to live in an end terrace and is was awful. I could hear the neighbours opening their drawers, running up the stairs, singing to the kids (very badly) or the kids crying, them having sex, etc. Worse still, they didn't seem to understand that the noise worked both ways any would complain about any noise from us.

We've moved into our first ever detached house (also 1930s) three months ago and I absolutely love it! It's so peaceful in my house. And we are expecting our PFB next month so I don't have to worry if he's up crying in the middle of the night and annoying babies.

Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't go back to a semi/ terrace if I could help it.

I grew up in a terraced house and after living with DP in first a flat, then a terrace, then a semi, and now a detached house, I much prefer the detached. It's just quieter and more private. Also DS is still a toddler and I'm a lot less worried that he'll disturb my neighbours than I was when he was a tiny shouty baby and we shared a party wall with other people.

I wouldn't swap for anything if I had a sea view.

It sounds as though there is a lot about the detached house you're considering which don't tick your boxes. It sounds as though you feel it's charmless, and also the area isn't great- anti social behaviour etc.

I think in your position I would wait. Although the noise and lack of privacy is irritating you, there's still enough you love about your current house. It's also about adjustment... if you've had years of feeling
The end of your garden is your private little oasis, and now your neighbour is just the other side of the fence, then of course it's going to feel different. Despite it being a narrow garden, could you grow things, be creative with your seating arrangement etc to make it feel as private as possible? I'm assuming when you say music studio that your neighbour will be listening on headphones? Because really, as long as he is, there's no reason you'll be disturbed, though i do understand it'll feel different at first knowing he's so close

Also as many of us have pointed out, detached doesn't necessarily mean everything is wonderful. You may have quiet inside but if you have inconsiderate neighbours making loads of outdoor noise the garden could be a problem

So all in all from what you say, I would sit tight for now but plan a longer term strategy to move somewhere which won't involve such major compromises on area and house style. This neighbour has clearly opened your eyes to the fact that your current home is quite vulnerable to noise and lack of privacy but he doesn't sound too bad or inconsiderate

Thanks all
We do have 4 floors and so can swap rooms if needs be ...
the det house in new area has just been pulled out of as we are seeking quiet or at very least a sense of calm and we feel vulnerable in area we we going to buy in as school sent out - only y day - a notice of anti social behevour in the area - confirmed by police ..

Babbit
Thanks
Neigbour is going to do guitar practice in his studio rather than other music - with small group of musicians

So we have found the most amazing detatched

It's an old temperance hall in the middke of the city a street away from a castle
The frount of it overlooked by the back windows of a multioccupancy massive Victoria Terrace
The back backs onto a massive beautiful wall ( height of a 4 story house ) it's a steel works but planning permission withdrawn for now but will be resubmitted when re tweaked
The old plan and new plan predicted according to case officer will be to do 3 and4 storey apartments 1.5 metres behind the boundary of the house and sadly wall will be demolished and a wall or fence of 1.8 metres put up
This will involve
Lots noise
Loss privacy o f back wall ( but maybe cd get tall bushes )
The bathroom windows only will look over property
It's the most amazing house ever inside

1780 !
With a font !
Wot to do since I wanted quiet !
After the building there will be people near both sides ...