detached or not?

[ogredownstairs]

If you're in a detached house, having previously been in a semi or terraced, do you love it and was it worth any compromises you had to make? Any cons? I've heard they can cost more to heat, for example. We're considering making a move to a slightly less desirable and convenient bit of London and an arguably less attractive house (1920s rather than current Victorian terrace). I'm keen, being noise-phobic and driven entirely by wanting to be detached, but I think DH might take some persuading.

Of 2 houses in the same street, I might go for detached. But I'd never move to a worse neighbourhood or take on a worse commute for it. I reckon short commute & good location wins every time.

No contest. Detached every time, if you can afford to do it. The relief from not having to hear next door's TV, or their phone ringing, or them hearing you having sex arguing!
Do it.

We lived in a mid terrace house and moved to a detached last year. I absolutely love it. I love that nobody hears me being shrill with the kids, or hears them yelling as they're running around the house, or hears our music. I love that if I hear a noise I know it is one of us, and that I can be on my own in an empty house and never hear next door's radio. All good in my opinion although yes, possibly dearer in terms of heating.

Detached all the way. Love it.

Love it.

I used to cringe hearing dh sing (loudly and badly) in the shower because I knew they could hear it next door!

I think I'd rate location higher though.

Yes, that's where I'm coming from. Our neighbours aren't all that noisy, and I'm sure we're at least as noisy ourselves, but I'm aware they're there. For years we had a very quiet old couple next door, but now we have a family with 3 kids and a dog. They're just living, and perfectly nice, but I have got to the point where I don't want to hear any noise not created by us. DS would have a more complicated journey to school. DD could probably stay where she is for now, although it would mean a 20 minute rush-hour drive rather than a ten minute walk. But doable, I think.

Oh, and while you're at it, get off-street parking too. That's another thing that will change your life.

yes, the house I'm looking at has parking for 3 cars...

We have been detached in our last 2 houses and its top of our must have list .

Worth mentioning 'link detached' as a potential compromise between benefits and costs, i.e. where the garages adjoin but not the rooms people live in. Downsides are that there's still a Party wall and you can't walk all the way round your 'house', plus you don't have the semi/terrace noise issues and potentially cheaper.

Top of my list too.
Not just from the pov of hearing neighbours, but from them not hearing you.

You can put the washing machine on in the middle of the night!
I live in a terrace which is well built and designed - only really faintly hear eg a washing machine on spin if you are in the room right next to it and your house is in complete silence...
I often realise the laundry basket is full at 10pm - could stick it on ready for hanging out first thing in the morning - but 11pm spin cycle - - it has a timer thing but then spin before 8.30am? .
Also when I managed to kick over the TWO full pint glasses of lemon and honey and a mulitvitamin thing DP with man flu had left on the floor on MY side of the bed with a detached I'd have whipped the carpet cleaner out - instead of soaking it up with a towel and having to avoid the sticky mess in the morning...
Our renovation house is a detached - can't wait! but then again I think a lot of noise travels though windows- even double glazed ...and it is a quiet area - so my screeching at DCs will carry !

Definitely detached

Detached every time!

We've recently moved from a semi to a detached house and it is wonderful. The only noise is made by us and we have some control over it. And I don't need to spend all day shushing the children incase they disturb the neighbours.

Our old neighbours, who moved in 5 years after us, complained about every little noise we made - asked us not to use the stairs, moaned about our washing machine (which was only ever on at 'normal' times), moaned about the dcs playing inside and outside. It was unbelievably stressful.

The heating bills are much, much higher but we have got a much bigger house with very high ceilings so I'm not comparing like with like. I'd happily compromise on heating to be detached though.

unlucky83 - you're very considerate. I often put my washing machine on late or timed to come on early and spin at circa 6 am, but then we're early risers and leave the house by 7. That has given me pause for thought!

I'm still keen. Going back to have another look with DH on Sat.

We are in our first detached home and are going to stay put. I feel totally at home here and NEVER worry about the young DC's and their screaming fits (laughter or tantrums).

Detached all the way. Love it.

I grew up in a detached house and was never fully comfortable. I much prefer being in a semi with quiet neighbours. I like being able to hear them pottering about and I feel more secure knowing they'd hear me scream.

But I have quiet eldery neighbours on both sides who love kids. And our kitchen is not joined on so I often put washing on at bedtime!

Currently live in a small detached cottage.
Heating bills are huge (or otherwise we are very cold)

Before we lived in a flat which was cheap to hear, but annoying compared to living detached as there were neighbours everywhere.

Next we are moving to a terraced cottage.

Detached every time from now on.

Having gone from a semi to a detached I would never buy an un-detached house again.

Actually, ^^that's a double negative. I mean that any house I buy in future has to be detached. My only compromised would be a garage-linked house.

I've lived in a 1900 terrace, a 1980 semi, and a 2000 detached.
I'd live in 1 or 3 again, but never, never, never the 80s semi. It was horrendous.

Jut to add: although we are detached, we are moving because of unreasonable neighbours.

Being detached does not stop you being Woking up at 3am and kept up all night.

It also doesn't stop neighbours from generally being inconsiderate wankers and downright rude.

I can't wait to move.

exactly, Beaver!
unless you move into a rural detached or a mansion with large grounds (at least a very large garden), you would still hear noisy neighbours in the garden next door (though yes, not through a wall), and this could be a nightmare, also if they smoke a lot of have loud dogs, or screaming kids, or blaring radio or late night parties! Most detached houses in cities/suburbs have only narrow gaps between them. Yet you pay a LOT more for the house and the heating. So there is no one rule for all detached houses.

We have noisy happy dogs on one side
Noisy screamy young children on another
A moaning neighbour on another
And a idiot who smokes at all hours, screams at all hours at his gaming, and is off his face most of the time too.

We are in an idyllic location in a lovely small market town in the south east.
It's a very expensive place to live, and that still doesn't stop the bad neighbours.

We are moving further out into the countryside