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Original poster

small detached or a good sized terraced

47 replies

magicmania · 03/06/2016 14:20

Hi Ladies,

We are looking to buy a property in a school zone. I would like to get some thoughts as we are not able to decide on a couple of properties. We have two choices, a small detached family with a small garden in the front and back, with no expansion potential.. because they have already expanded over the garage on the top floor and also the ground floor. But all the 3 extended rooms (2 on top and 1 on ground) are box rooms with no possibility to extend them. The house needs some decoration. There is another semi detached property, cheaper than the detached, but need extensions to add a ground floor bath, and make a good sized kitchen. This terraced house has a good size garden to both front and rear and 3 good sized rooms..we have two kids. I know most of it depends on what we need. I am hoping your opinions would help to make a decision.

OP posts:
kimlo · 03/06/2016 14:27

I would go for more space.

Meandyouandyouandme · 03/06/2016 14:29

We've just moved from a vast Victorian 4 storey semi detached to a smaller 50s detached and it's been great.

We found we didn't use all the rooms we had anyway, and how much room do you need? Bathrooms don't have to be that big, bedrooms big enough to be comfortable and have good storage. Nice big kitchen maybe, my kitchen at my new house is much bigger as that's where we spend most of our time, so that makes sense.

I love not being attached to anyone, you don't have to worry about making any noise, and don't have to put up with anyone else's Smile

SquinkiesRule · 03/06/2016 14:32

I'd go detached any day.
So long as each child has a little bit of private space, you can use higher beds and put desks or dens underneath for playing.

Radiatorvalves · 03/06/2016 14:35

We are in a terrace and it is great. Helps if you like the neighbours though...

Original poster
magicmania · 03/06/2016 14:39

Thanks ladies. My husband is of the view..he thinks detached is definitely better terraced in the long term. I am for more space and garden and don't mind shared walls..

OP posts:
Paulat2112 · 03/06/2016 14:39

Detached! We live in a semi and would so prefer a detached. Would be nice not t hear someone climbing up the stairs or their tv on. I'm sure they must hear us too (three young kids and I.not very quiet haha)

Salmiak · 03/06/2016 14:39

Think about other things like parking available, how busy the road is and traffic noise, amount of storage space that's been built into the house, which house will be easier regarding maintenance, distance to shops, etc.

I live in a terrace town house but it's well designed and there is no norticable noise from the neighbours, it has masses of built in storage so I can hide away all our junk and 2 parking spaces. We chose it over a detached house as it was on a far quieter and safer road, plus it has loads of natural daylight flooding in which I loved and the detached felt a bit dark and dingy.

whois · 03/06/2016 14:51

What is the sq footage of both properties?

I would take the terrace with bigger outside space and expansion potential - all else being equal.

Original poster
magicmania · 03/06/2016 15:14

Salmaik, in terms of noise, road traffic and parking, and natural both the houses are same.. but wiht regards to storage and space the terrace is really good. We have lived in apartments all through, is having a larger garden definitely better than smaller gardens? Given that 6 months of cold weather.

OP posts:
Original poster
magicmania · 03/06/2016 15:15

Whois, I am inclined towards the terraced house..but two young noisy kids and a loud mee are working in my husband's favour.

OP posts:
ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 03/06/2016 15:49

I'd probably go for a detached.
I hate worrying about noise.

pilates · 03/06/2016 15:55

Detached always

Ntinyn · 03/06/2016 16:32

Detached!! Moved from a terrace to a semi and hate that we've had 'fyi I can hear your child having a tantrum, it's FINE though' from next door childless couple. We couldn't even dream of affording a detached in this area though.

Although I must say, we never ever had anyone comment when we lived in terrace, even though we could clearly hear things too. I was under the impression that that's what communal living was all about. If I could go back in time, I would have asked more questions about the neighbours.

Mummyme87 · 03/06/2016 18:03

I'm a terraced person. Love a big period terrace

linspins · 03/06/2016 19:31

We are moving soon from a semi to a detached, and lived in terraced before that. I worry about the noise that neighbours can hear, even when they say ' it's fine'...its just knowing they can hear! My dd loves to sing loudly and so do I, and my ds isn't a quiet child by any means. I am sooooo looking forward to our walls being our own. So I'd go detached over space.
But I can see it's a tricky one, cos storage space for all the stuff families have is important too.
Is there no chance of extending detached in the future...upwards, outwards, sheds, garageEtc?

Original poster
magicmania · 03/06/2016 19:31

Is noise the only concern with terrace houses?

OP posts:
linspins · 03/06/2016 19:32

Oh whoops, see from reading post properly that detached has already been extended..

Original poster
magicmania · 03/06/2016 19:34

linspins, there is a tiny garage that we can convert to a room later. My concerns is also that the house has a tiny garden.

OP posts:
CatherineDeB · 03/06/2016 19:37

I would always choose a detached even if a bit smaller. I had a dream of an Edwardian townhouse, big and beautiful with every period feature remaining. Terraced. One neighbour (halls adjoining) was wonderful, sadly the other one (fireplaces adjoining) wasn't.

Stripped floorboards next door and a drunk and shouty boyfriend who used to play music loudly at 3am if he was drunk ruined it for me.

So smaller detached here.

NatashaRomanoff · 03/06/2016 19:41

As I type this over the fucking music that's been blaring out from next door ALL FUCKING DAY - I firmly suggest detached. My children can't sleep. Again.

CodyKing · 03/06/2016 19:42

We now live in a detached - and it's been great - no noise from the neighbours

We have a small garden and it's OK - lot less work than the bigger semi we had - kids are nearing teens and happy to play out in the park for a good run about -

With the storage - the more storage the more crap you keep - and the bigger the house the thinner the layer of mess!!!'

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 03/06/2016 19:42

Noise is a big consideration though. Even if you have quiet neighbours at first, that can change.

There's also the question of whether you can only access the garden through the house. That can be a problem.

You say the detached has no expansion potential... But could you go up and do a loft conversion? Or was it a bungalow that's already had its loft converted?

I prefer a smaller garden because the upkeep for a bigger one is just too much.

CatherineDeB · 03/06/2016 19:44

Poor you Natasha, you have my sympathy. I got environmental health involved in the end (this was nearly 20 years ago) which made the bully boy boyfriend even less pleasant to have as a neighbour. Thankfully he wasn't there all the time.

Looking back he was clearly abusive.

GirlOutNumbered · 03/06/2016 19:48

I moved to a detached house from a flat, not quite the same but still, I wouldn't ever go back. I hear no music thuds, no shouting, no movement, no babies crying. It's bliss.

Gardenbirds123 · 03/06/2016 19:51

Surely the garden of the terraced will be smaller once you've extended anyway?

Detached every time

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