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Original poster

Chopped up country mansions

26 replies

Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 11:27

I don't know what to think about these. But they keep cropping up when we're house hunting. Just been looking at one that seems amazing at first glance - lofty ceilings, huge rooms, fantastic views, more original features than you can shake a stick at and surrounded by wonderful communal parkland in addition to a private bit of garden.

But something about the whole idea of a divided up house makes me cautious. There would always be neighbours to deal with with roofs and suchlike, and would it be just, well, odd living in a wing of a country house with other people in other wings, set apart down a long drive through parkland?

In some ways I think it could be fab for kids - open your door and off they go straight into countryside. No roads to worry about. Or would it be isolating? The one I'm currently looking at is only a mile from a very nice small town, so it's not like it's the middle of nowhere even though it would feel rural.

Anyone live in a place like this or know anyone who does, and can offer any insights? I just don't know what to think.

Ta.

OP posts:
lisad123 · 03/05/2012 11:29

Watching with interest as seen these too. Wondered how they garden thing worked though

soonbesailing · 03/05/2012 11:38

Yes I've thought about this as well, but we have a dog so think it could be a problem with the garden arrangement (thinks of my dog barking in garden!).

Also worry about the communal bits, we are currently semi-detached and that was enough of a problem when we had a loft conversion.

Keep on thinking I want detached seclusion, but I have teenagers so then think a village, them think just stay put in London.

Perhaps I'm not ready for this yet...

Original poster
Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 11:42

Yes the garden thing is a concern to me too. I wouldn't go for one that was all communal - it would have to have its own bit of private space. And it would have to be divided up thoughtfully too, so the integrity of a historic garden wasn't lost. Not easy.

Anyway here's the link to the one I'm looking at, If anyone wants to comment Busbridge Hall

OP posts:
madcows · 03/05/2012 11:43

I knew someone who lived in one of these. It was amazing in lots of ways... BUT they could hear their neighbours. Having spent zillions on a house I really wouldn't want to be thinking about how to soundproof out your nieghbours kids. They moved to a less grand, but detached, house after about 3 years.
hth,
madcows

sybilwibble · 03/05/2012 11:45

I know a retired couple who live in this scenario. It's great for grandchildren visiting - garden and parkland but no personal physical responsibility for tending it ( they pay a £fee of course for their share of gardening). There seems to be lots of other retired and semi absent people using the property. There's a lively social scene (bridge, wine club etc). I'm not sure it would appeal to a young family. It's a bit like a glorious retirement village.

DowagersHump · 03/05/2012 11:49

I would want to know how chopped up it was. Original walls (like presumably that living room), fine. I'd be worried that there would be terrible noise travel between your maisonette and the next one if there were partition walls put in.

Also, I'm a bit funny about personal space - I'd rather spend the money on a detached house personally

MarshaBrady · 03/05/2012 11:52

I'd probably go for a detached period house.

Although the lane is lovely, it would feel shared I think.

PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 03/05/2012 11:52

Aren't lots of them no kids and no pets allowed?

ZZZenAgain · 03/05/2012 11:53

a friend of mine lived like that pre-dc. She and dh were at work during the day and none of the other occupants had dc. THe rooms were very nice but I would prefer a house to myself.

smalltown · 03/05/2012 11:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BiscuitNibbler · 03/05/2012 12:22

Hell is other people. Buy detached for that sort of price range.

RCheshire · 03/05/2012 12:26

I've sent a PM (due to location-specific info) having lived in a similar development.

To counter some of teh negative comments - it's great (& safe) for kids to play with neighbours' kids in what is essentially your own private country park. They aren't all old fogies, some are very nice mixed age communities.

Original poster
Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 14:06

Thanks all. These are all my fears. DH said we'd 'be surrounded by retired Daily Telegraph reading bankers' and I think he may have a point. Good to hear some positives too though RCheshire, I do like the idea of the kids running around in a big private park, right outside the door.

Much to mull over...

OP posts:
redrubyshoes · 03/05/2012 14:12

I often wonder how the communal garden works. Do people mind if you wander through 'their' patch or have a noisy barbecue?

oreocrumbs · 03/05/2012 14:18

Ooh another lovely house Rhubarb! If it were me, and looking with that budget, I would only want a house where everything was mine sharing issues Grin.

Even nice and quiet neighbours make noise and its one of my biggest bugbears. I would also worry about the amount of money needed to pay the service charges, and most importantly the repairs. No matter how comfortable you are financially, being required to produce tens of thousands of pounds when a 'collective' decides it is time for something to would worry me.

I can however see the plus points. Iirc you are worried about isolating your DC away from school friends/neighbours DC to play out with - and this would be a wonderful compramise of isolation with friends!

And neing lady of the manor and only being responisble of a small amount would be nice. Are the gardens big enough for you to fullfill your creative flair?

Its worth a viewing to see how it feels in the flesh, but I think you should buy the house with the lake Grin

RCheshire · 03/05/2012 14:20

redrubyshoes, in ours we had a private (hedge bounded) garden about 100' by 30' and then x acres of surrounding communal fields, woods, formal gardens etc, so there were treehouses and swings in the woods whereas the old biddies would sit on the benches by the rose gardens etc

Original poster
Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 14:31

Ah, Oreo, the house with the lake has gone! I think DH still fantasises about it occasionally but the location was all wrong so we made the right decision.

I think we probably do need a detached place really. I'm just trying to be creative, because DH vetoes everything but has a weakness for lofty ceilings and mahogany panelling nothing appropriate is coming on the market.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 14:32

RCheshire that sounds like heaven

OP posts:
oreocrumbs · 03/05/2012 14:39

Oh no! The lake!

ThatVikRinA22 · 03/05/2012 14:49

i think i would - i once linked to one on here in yorkshire - it was a 2 bed apartment in a country house for about £250k, and i loved it. I think its something i would consider depending on the upkeep costs etc.....

op - yours is an entire 2 storey wing - i would say it should be like living in a rather grand semi detached noise wise etc but i would also imagine the walls to be quite thick!

i think its beautiful. This type of living appeals to me though DH just said you need the lifestyle to go with it - imagine sitting down to your maccy Ds at that dining table....Grin

GrendelsMum · 03/05/2012 15:29

We looked at one when we were house hunting, but the garden was shockingly badly divided, so although we would have had 2 acres of our 'own' garden, most of it wasn't actually next to the house. Plus there was clearly a terrible rabbit and deer problem.

MrsSnow · 03/05/2012 16:06

Our current flat is part of a large house (like a manor house) that has been chopped up into flats. Its in London so no park land apart from the park across the road.

The biggest thing to watch out for is how the flats are laid out. In new builds all the bathrooms are on top of bathrooms, kitchens on top of kitchens etc.

We, however, walk into our hall way and can some times (unfortunately) hear the person upstairs going to the loo. We have very high ceilings but can obviously still hear things.

Our living room is on top of a living room, but above our living room is a bedroom, which is obviously problematic if we are entertaining. Simarly we have bathroom above our kitchen (which didn't help matters when the person over filled his bath), and corridor above our master bedroom which has meant we have had to put up with someone stomping around at all hours.

My advice, would be to look at the layout of all the flats around you but particularly those directly above and below.

Original poster
Rhubarbgarden · 03/05/2012 20:26

MrsSnow good point about layouts. I initially thought this one was a whole wing, roof to ground, but it turns out there is a penthouse above it and that really puts me off. The occasional bump through a side wall is one thing, but footsteps above or bathroom noises - nope that would be a dealbreaker.

Interesting to read some more positive views anyway. I think I'll keep an open mind.

Arf at Vicar and your MaccyD! Grin

OP posts:
greyvix · 03/05/2012 21:25

We live in a divided-up house but not a mansion! It is lovely having high ceilings, and we have the original staircase. However, we can hear the neighbours (and they can hear us). It has also made it very difficult to move to an ordinary detached house, because normal height ceilings now seem poky. DH also has a thing about high ceilings, and refuses to compromise.

LadySybilDeChocolate · 03/05/2012 21:34

I live in a small semi and I can hear my neighbours flushing the loo. If it's possible to get sound insulation, then I'd buy one.

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