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Original poster

Semi-detached or detached?

24 replies

inmyshoos · 21/09/2015 11:35

Currently live in a wee detached cottage with lovely big garden but in a very rural location.
Moving to nearer the city and ageing parents. My parents feel quite strongly that buying a semi at this stage (live in detached and have done since dc were born. They are now 7,8 and 11) would be a backwards step and would be crazy.

I dont feel it is such a huge compromise. I'd prefer a semi in my prefered area to a detached in an area I like less.

My Mum has had niggles with neighbpurs over the years. Just little things that annoy her, nothing major at all. I know she is just worried for us. She worries peoole will complain about the noise of the dc because she feels they have always been able to make as much noise as they like. Personally I think she just forgets how noisy young children can be!

What do you guys think? Is it a backwards step?

OP posts:

specialsubject · 21/09/2015 11:38

depends on the soundproofing and many other things.

you buy a semi. The neighbours move and new ones move in. They are lovely people but they have a treadmill, kids that scream from 6am and some unusual attitudes to gardening...

details changed but you get the idea!

Original poster

inmyshoos · 21/09/2015 11:43

How would you get an idea of soundproofing? Obviously if you look at house and can hear neighbours then it would be telling but other than that?
It's not like the seller will tell you if itbis noisy.

OP posts:

HoneyDragon · 21/09/2015 11:43

I lived in a semi for fifteen years. Kids who can make noise at home do find it difficult to adjust (used to have to remind visiting children to keep the volume down> and I lived in a great semi where my neighbour played drums and only ever heard a him practise if the TV was off and the windows were open.

I live in a detached now and love it, my neighbour and I were both only saying recently we'd hate to go back now.

BabyGanoush · 21/09/2015 11:51

We had the choice between a semi and a detached, and we got the semi (nicer, bigger garden, nicer street).

Not regretted it yet!

Don't mind hearing their kids shout/play. They are at school during the day, and in bed by 8, so what have I got to complain about?

However, I have lived in semi before with anti-social neighbours, which was tough. They did not work so were up all night with loud R&B music and karaoke until 3am. Also fights and screaming rows. Police was called a few times (not by me) and neighbour once ended arrested for drug dealing (that was noisy too, the whole drama with him lying face down in the middle of the street, and police officers pointing gun at him (I thought UK police did not have guns), wife screaming and going mad. Those were the days

To be honest, it depends on the area! If you are in a semi in an area with lots of people who don't work during the day, there is more of a chance there will be noise at unsocial hours.

So best to decide on a case by case view.

PlopsyWhopsy · 21/09/2015 11:53

Detached detached detached!

RingDownRingUp · 21/09/2015 11:56

I would compromise on pretty much everything to be detached.

Every semi and terraced house I've lived in has had issues with neighbour noise, ranging from annoying niggles to proper 'neighbours from hell' situations.

Original poster

inmyshoos · 21/09/2015 11:58

The areas we can afford detached are less nice than those where we can afford a semi.

All 'nice' areas and unlikely to be filled with people not working and home partying all day. But id equally hate a stuck up neighbour who was quiet as a mouse and yet complained at every fart from our house

OP posts:

wonkylegs · 21/09/2015 12:10

My first house and this one are both semi's and both have been fine with noise and neighbours. This one the only thing I can hear is next door their grandfather clock and that's faint even though it's right up against the adjoining wall.

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 21/09/2015 12:10

Having detached is nice but I'd rather have more space and a nicer area.

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 21/09/2015 12:12

We used to live in a semi. NDN's son (early 20s) practised his drums every afternoon for an hour which didn't bother me but would probably drive some people potty. I figured it was a trade off for the noise my two boys made when they got home from school and at the weekends.

We've moved to a rural detached now and things are obviously more peaceful. Boys can run off their energy inside and out without worrying disturbing neighbours - it's just when they reach my limit they have to calm down a bit.

mandy214 · 21/09/2015 12:29

For me, the house and location would be the most important factors. Semi detached or detached is not a massive issue for me but appreciate people are different.

I think its all to do with location location, location and the space. Our area is similar - we would have had to compromise on space and / or area to have a detached property. With a young family, I would much rather live in a family friendly nice area, with a bigger house, than an inferior property in a not-so-nice area just because it was detached.

I also think unless the detached is in a large plot with neighbouring properties miles away, you're always going to hear your neighbours to a certain extent - the risk of noisy neighbours applies to any kind of house. You might be disturbed by noise from the garden, noise from the house if the windows are open etc. OK, you wouldn't get noise travelling through the walls as you may in a semi, but if you have noisy neighbours in most properties in a suburbia, whether detached or semi detached, you're going to hear them!

Roseandbee · 21/09/2015 13:16

Im moving to a detached, I was close to compromising again on a semi but those were in cases where the houses were quite big & not joined by many rooms.
So I'd say have a good look at the floor plans to see what rooms are joined. Generally if your houses are joined by the hall & staircase you will have more detached rooms or if you house is more than one room wide its less of a compromise.
I've never actually had much noise issues from my neighbours, but i would like more privacy with the detached.

MaynJune · 21/09/2015 13:52

My friend has a semi-detached in a nice street in a very good area. Next door owner moved away years ago and rented out the house to a family with now grown-up, very anti-social children who don't work. She not only hears their music in the middle of the night but their fights and swearing too.
That's the risk you take, though of course it might never happen.

Original poster

inmyshoos · 22/09/2015 12:56

Seems it is often down to luck, or bad luck

OP posts:

Chewbecca · 22/09/2015 15:32

Obviously detached is 'better' but location is more important in my view. I'd rather a semi in a nice road that a detached in a dodgy road, any day.

Agree also with advice above, in my area, many semis are large 30s 'halls adjoining' style which is definitely a good option, much less likely for noise to travel.

Onedirectionarestillloved · 22/09/2015 16:12

I live in a large semi and I cannot hear a thing.

The house is solid though and my bedroom doesn't adjoin any other room apart from my bathroom.

I have lived in a terrace ( no kids on either side) and that was quiet too.

Your dcs are growing and so probably won't make that much noise.

I should add my neighbour is elderly.

I would make sure though that you don't share access if you do go for the semi.

MaynJune · 22/09/2015 16:13

Yes. My friend's house has hall and stairs on outside wall. Living-room and a bedroom adjoin next door. Not so good.
Having said that, she's the only person I know who has problems.

carmugz · 22/09/2015 16:36

i would be careful with a semi.
id only buy one again if it was staircases in the middle and main rooms on outer walls - so no main rooms adjoining, only staircases.

bass of tv and music, extractor fans etc noise
will carry.

mandy214 · 22/09/2015 17:24

I think that is right if and only if everything else was equal. From OP's post, its clearly not. She is going to have to compromise on other issues (area / space / budget) to get the detached.

Have to say, the 20 odd responses you have had are probably not representative of real life . I'd guess that far more people live in terraced or semi detached properties than detached properties, the vast majority of whom have absolutely no issue with their neighbours.

I also think there are massive variations between properties - not all semis (depending on built, layout etc) will carry noise.

Original poster

inmyshoos · 22/09/2015 20:18

So maybe a semi in a good area, good street and with adjoining halls/stairs would be less of a compromise. Actually in many of the newer detached houses we have looked at the neighbour is so close you could probably have problems with noise there too.
I just feel our search would really open up if we could include semis.

Anyone live in one of those houses that looks like a full house but is attached to other houses? Usually older houses. I think perhaps they have a double wall.

OP posts:

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 22/09/2015 20:25

Having lived in semis (and a huge london house which was a terrace) all my life until now, where we are detached. I would never ever ever ever etc live in a semi again. I love being detached. And I don't think it matters whether that is a few inches, or a couple of acres.

However, it doesn't seem to to be if a concern to you, so it's irrelevant asking anyone else.

Original poster

inmyshoos · 22/09/2015 20:49

It is a concern throughthickandthin that's why Im asking. I would HATE to have a problem with a neighbour. I would find it extremely stressful. I know it is a risk but I am trying to get a bit of perspective.

OP posts:

Onedirectionarestillloved · 22/09/2015 20:55

Bear in mind that if the seller has had a significant problem with the neighbours they will have to disclose this.

Could you get a link house where the garage is attached to next door therefore reducing the risk of noise?

I would see what you can find in an area you like. You might get a detached after all.

Original poster

inmyshoos · 23/09/2015 08:39

A good example is in one of the towns we like there are a couple of streets that are really lovely. They back onto a golf course and are quiet streets that the dc could cycle on etc if playing outside the garden. On that street there is a bungalow that is quite small but has enough bedrooms. However there has been another house built in the garden meaning it literally just has enough garden to walk around house, no room for trampoline, washing line etc.
Further along street is semi bungalow, 4 beds, big garden.
Closer to the town (and the secondary school) is a gorgeous detached house, much bigger and a decent garden. The compromise there would be that the dc couldn't really just go off out on bikes etc as too close to busier rds. There is a park nearby and a swimming pool 5 mins along rd but what i think they'd miss is the freedom of heading out to play on bikes etc on quiet streets. If it were a few years from now it would be perfect.

Not one of them is perfect and working out the best one is hard because each one is a compromise. I think if it was the choice of these 3 houses id go for the big one nearer town because longer term it would suit best.

OP posts:

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