Townhouses - any downsides?

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

We've been looking at some townhouses lately as quite a few available in the area we need. Apart from the postage-stamped garden, would you say there are any major disadvantages to living in one?

I started a thread about this when we were looking to move house and had seen a townhouse. And there are quite a few threads about it.

Here's my thread.

Here's another

And another.

FWIW we didn't buy the townhouse and are now in a "normal" house!

Thanks, Wigeon, I'll have a read through.

Forgetting something that is in the bedroom when you are leaving the house

like bronze says - stairs. the other, associated, difference can be a different ratio of bedroom space to reception/downstairs space - which can be good or bad. you don't need quite such a huge house to get 4 or 5 bedrooms - but you might find (like we did) that one reception room, plus kitchen, isn't enough downstairs space - especially as kids get older.

Having said that I gre up in one and it was a wonderful childhood

We moved last year from a bungalow in a semi rural location to a 5 storey mid terrace town house. We love it though and are about to begin renovation work. We have all the downsides of a townhous: close neighbours not just next door but on all sides, 5 floors so lots of stairs, no parking and a smallish garden (but we have parks front and back). The biggest downside is the inconvenience and cost of getting building work etc done.

yes, just looked at one of those otehr threads and I loved ours. it was kind of split level: ground floor, flight of stairs to the first floor, (one bedroom plus bathroom) then two flights of stairs going off in opposite directions - one was very short and went to the front of the house, with 2 bedrooms, one was longer, went to the back with spare bedroom and ensuite. all of this was completely open - so the ceiling heights were fantastic and gave it an amazing feeling of light and space. we often used to sit around on the landing, because it was such a nice place to be . the stairs didn't really bother me. after some years we dug down and put a playroom/5th bedroom, utility room and loo/shower room downstairs. it was a lovely lovely house and I would definitely buy it again. it was also walking distance to the twon centre but on a quiet street. loved it.

Cristina a major downside for us would be lack of storage space for our 'outdoor toys' eg kayak, bikes - is there a garage? My bro lived in a townhouse for several years with his two kids and the vertical living was a bit difficult - kitchen fully 4 floors away from the kids' bedrooms, for instance (but this was an unusually posh and tall townhouse in london !)

Interesting thread, not really sure if this counts as a townhouse but it's over 3 floors and I can't decide if it's worth a viewing or not,

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-16741341.html

I think its great for the price. I would view.

I'd never live in a townhouse again! We rented for 6 months prior to buying the house we are in now - a bungalow!

The house we had was as follows

Ground floor: integrated garage, kitchen, loo and 2 store cupboards

First floor: masterbed with ensuite, living/dining room

Second floor: family bath plus 3 beds

I hated it because:

Carrying food up a flight of stairs at meal time and returning everything to kitchen after.

Washing and carrying it 2 flights of stairs to put away. Silimarly bringing laundry down 2 flights for the washing machine.

hoovering stairs

heating bills were massive

The phone ringing and having to run for it because sods law meant you were always at the other end of the house when it rang.

I despised living in a townhouse. Plus my main hate was that DS went to bed on a separate floor to us - we ended up bringing his bed into our room when our neighbours had a fire and the brigade struggled to get the children out.

We moved into a 3 storey townhouse when our DCs were 11, 10, 8 & 6. We had on the ground floor kitchen/diner, garage, cloakroom; first floor living-room, bedroom 3 and main bathroom; second floor 2 bedrooms and ensuite.

We solved the phone problem by having a handset on each floor, and the biggest plus was having a toilet on each floor.

The downside was clearing all the cups from the lounge and taking them downstairs.

We then had another baby and that was when the house was a PITA. She wanted to be outside, but I didn't want to sit in the kitchen. We could have done with another living room on the ground floor.

Maybe it depends on the layout then

We had downstairs loo, garage and what we called the backroom which was a study or a bedroom or a second living room depending on which neighbour it was.

Middle floor was kitchen diner and living room and

upstairs was 3 bed one bath. It had a small but not tiny garden. we also had a communal aread though and there were a whole gang of us out all the time.

I have a town house and live it apart from the living room is on first floor!
Ground floor has kitchen, breakfast room, utility, cloakroom and dining room.....which is great but really miss the living room being downstairs, especially when friends over for dinner....having to then all mice upstairs is a hassle. I'm not complaining I do love my house just if I was to buy a town house again would def look fir a down stairs living room.

My mom moved to a new build town house-style not long before i moved out about 5 years ago. It has kitchen/diner and lounge on bottom floor, which i think is ideal- cba to walk upstairs to lounge! plus we had a dog and he is only allowed downstairs, making layout ideal. She has added a conservatory 2 years ago, and its perfect now. has big comfy sofa for watching my dcs in garden and she moves extending dining table in there when we all go round at xmas. PERFECT! if i could afford it, i would live there without a second thought.

Thanks for all your thoughts and links on this one. I think the key is to have enough space on each level for what it's supposed to do.

I don't mind the stairs (still a few years to go before that), it's more the thought of whether it will feel spacious or do you feel crammed. Good reminder about garage or other storage space for bikes and stuff. Unfortunately, most townhouses I've seen have had tiny gardens, you couldn't consider a conservatory extension in there.

Not rulig them out at all, just looking for better designs/layouts.

Interesting thread as we are selling one at the moment! Apparently someone has looked at it and, to quote the agent, "is not sure she wants to live on 3 floors". Not you is it Christina?!

We liked it but it was pre children.

Layout was garage, kitchen/dining area and loo on ground floor. Master bedroom with ensuite and living room on first floor and family bathroom and 3 bedrooms on top floor.

We didn't use the top floor much to be honest.

A few people converted the garage into a room where we were.

Hi Buda - no, not me, I am sure I'd love a 3 storey house :) My main objection to the one we saw was the narrow entrance hall. Although I realise not a very fair comment as we were quite a few people all crowded in at an open day by the estate agents. Later, when everyone was exploring different floors it felt OK, just those first impressions as we all arrived at the same time. About 8 people, but then we are a family of 5, we could all arrive together at home.

My parents have lived in one since I was about 14. Plus and minus points as above. However as they are both in their mid 70s the stairs are really not suitable particularly for mum who had a knee replacement last year. Dad does not want to move from his "castle" ie family home. We all wish they would move. Also it was a nightmare when my dd was growing up plus her cousins as the house is not very child friendly, we had to follow the little darlings from room to room to make sure they didn't tumble down the stairs!

We live in a townhouse and have done for 5+ years. DD was 3.5y when we moved here and is almost 9 now. Was a new build hen we moved in.

Layout:

Ground - entrance lobby, downstairs loo, garage, utility ooma nd garden room - we use it as a formal dinign room

First - kitchen with small breakfast area, large living room (has space for dining area)

Second - master bedroom and ensuite, two further beooms, family bathroom

So, our main living space is over two floors. We go many a time without using the ground floor, esp in the winter time, bar for coming in and out.

However, we are looking at changes.

I want to move te kitchen downstairs. I want to knock the garden room and utility room into one an extend back slightly to make a large kitchen family room leading into the garden. We would move the utility space to the back of the garage and put in a false wall there.

The current kitchen will become a second living area, sort of palyroom but for the whole family.

Dh would also like to convert the loft into a larger room for DD with a dressing area. Her room will then become a guest bedroom. o the house would effectively become a 4 storey house.

We still have access into the garden as we are at the end.

A female estate agent once candidly told me that everyone who has a townhouse with small children eventually moves out after 3 years.

Its the up and down the stairs thing that eventually gets to people.

BeenBeta - not the case on our road tbh.

Us - moved when DD was 3.5y, still here now and DD turn s9 next month.
Next door - the same, their DS is 2 weeks younger than DD and they moved in same time. Also now have a 2yo.
Next door but one - moved in when pg. Now have a 4y and a baby.
Few doors down - moved in when child was 3ish. now 8y. Still there.