Terraced houses experience

[Hippielle]

Hi, we currently live in a semi detached and are looking to relocate. Our budget is very limited and would like a semi again but money wise a lot of terraced houses are more in our range.
What are people's experiences with terraced houses - with neighbours, noise, privacy etc ?

We are in a mid terrace new build - we can only hear when they play loud music, not kids or talking or anything like that.

I think there are different types of terrace, even from the same era. Ours is a Victorian terrace on the corner of a right angle, so attached on two sides. I have literally never heard so much as a peep. There are a lot of terraces round here, many Victorian workers terraces, and yes you could hear things in those. But my current one is a far fancier terrace of the time; much bigger, elaborate features and much thicker walls it would seem! Not all terraces are the same :)

I live in a 1900/1910 end terrace made of engineering brick.

I have retired neighbours and haven't had a single issue I used to sometime hear their grand kids faintly when they were going wild on a Sunday morning but I moved my bed from the shared wall and no issues since.

Some of the issues mentioned here such as screaming in gardens and barking dogs.. could happen in a semi so I wouldn't let some of it put you off.

We're in a mid terraced house built in the 80s (not typical terraced housing - houses here are in blocks of 4/5 and set apart from each other) and don't hear any noise whatsoever from either side - and one side has three children! The walls must be thick.

My parents live in a semi and you can hear noise from next door in their house (stairs, tv).

Echo EpoxyResin, we're also in a victorian end terrace (pre-1860) where we have a neighbour to the side and the back and I've never heard our neighbours. We're also on a fairly busy street and hardly ever hear the traffic despite not having double glazing. I guess we have quite thick walls.

A lot depends on the layout and construction
We had a paper thin 60s shed basically.

We heard a lot of our neighbours on one side as we had their stairs, bathroom and kitchen, but less of the neighbours of the other side ( just doors, raised voices , instrument etc rather than everyhing)

However it wasn't noise from neighbours that bothered us. It was neighbours complaining about our noise (baby crying in the night, toddler heavy footed on the stairs) it left me completely on edge trying to keep everyone quiet all the time.

I've lived in quieter terraces and my children are older now so don't cry in the night or have occasional tantrums so I'm quieter too.

I live in a mid-terraced house and it's fine, except when the neighbours on one side throw a party (about once a year!). It would definitely depend on the neighbours though. Mine are lovely on both sides.

We currently live in a 30s mid terrace and can hear a bit of noise on either side- kids next door when they are being quite loud and the neighbours on other side going up and down stairs, however their stairs are next to ours so only hear it when we are out in the hall.
Our last house was an 80s mid terrace and can't recall hearing a thing in the 11 years we lived there!

Mid terrace here and love it HOWEVER it is 1920's and pretty sound proof. Would never ever buy new terraced.

I had far less noise in a back to back terrace built in 1870 than I did in an end-terrace built in the 1930s or a 1920s semi. In the back to back, I never heard anything - the walls were very thick stone - the newer houses were red-brick.

I don't like semis at all which is why we've stayed in our Victorian terrace.

I think houses built 100+ years ago are generally much more solid and well-built with nicer features. 100 years from now our house will still look as good as ever as long as we decorate, I doubt you can say the same for most houses post 1940, most of them look shabby already.

I don't think having the extra box room in a semi (which usually becomes a junk room) really adds much space. Terrace houses often have nice high ceilings.

I think you can make a terrace house look really beautiful, but its not so easy with a semi. Wooden windows are so much nicer than plastic windows. Period features are always sought after.

I can't hear next door at all because the walls are thick. I can't see them either because we have a walled garden and trees.

I can't imagine living on a semi-detached estate. Isn't that where brexiters live?

The semi was actually the smallest house I've lived in - the '3rd bedroom' was tiny. In both the terraces, you could get a double bed in the 3rd bedroom and all the rooms were generously sized. The semi did have a much better garden, though, and a proper front garden which the others didn't.

We live mid terrace and never had an issue. One side apparently has 3 dc one night a week - I've never heard them! Other side plays bass guitar but he's very considerate. We have lovely neighbours but are currently moving for more space. Slightly nervous we won't be so lucky with new detached house.

Hi everyone I've only just seen your replies. Thank you so much. Has given me a lot to think about.
Will defo look into the age of the property and pay very close attention to the neighbours when we view.