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Original poster

Aspect - how important is it?

38 replies

Cel982 · 27/06/2018 18:24

We’re house-hunting at the moment, and there are two potentially great places we’ve arranged a second viewing for, but both have (fairly large) back gardens that face NE. It’s niggling at me, but I think I might be putting too much emphasis on it. Our current rental has no usable back garden, and both our last place and the house I grew up in had small north-facing gardens, so it’s not like we’ve been used to a huge sunny paradise... Neither of us are keen gardeners, so it’s not about plants; it’s more, I suppose, the idea of long summer evenings with the BBQ going, a big sunny kitchen and so on. Although both gardens had plenty of sunlight when we viewed recently (late afternoon), so it’s not like they’re completely shaded.

How important is it? I’ve seen people say they’d never consider buying somewhere without a south-facing garden, but realistically 75% of people must do... If a house is otherwise great, would you let the aspect put you off?

OP posts:
sdaisy26 · 27/06/2018 18:36

I always would have said no, it wouldn't bother me...but now I have my south facing garden I'd find it hard to be parted from tbh. It is so lovely having sun around all day long and in to the evening.

PickAChew · 27/06/2018 18:42

I've been going into my south facing garden for no longer than is necessary to hang washing out to dry to a crisp, this week!

Hallamoo · 27/06/2018 18:46

Our garden faces NW. It doesn't bother me. We have an open plan house, so double aspect windows letting in lots of light front to back.

We also put a small deck in the far corner of the garden with a rattan sofa - it's the sunniest place all day long - no shade. I love it.

The other advantage is that our house stays pretty cool when it's really hot outside - like now!

RandomMess · 27/06/2018 18:46

We have a west facing rear garden and are left hand side semi and get the sun all day - starts at front and ends on the back...

So it's there for the evenings.

Sunnyshores · 27/06/2018 18:48

There are many other priorities for me, I could compromise on aspect.

WhyBird2k · 27/06/2018 18:51

We have a NE facing garden that I'm now redesigning. In the process I have tracked and plotted where it's sunny throughout the day and there is sun in different parts of it all day, and the shade is still warm when the weather is hot! If you aren't a keen gardener even better. I wouldn't exclude on this basis, for the few weeks or weekends of the year when it's actually hot!

BackToTheFuschia7 · 27/06/2018 18:56

Depending on how big the gardens are and what’s around you, you could get some sun all day in the summer. Can you arrange to view in the time that’s most important to you, I.e. evening?

GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough · 27/06/2018 18:59

I lived in a north facing garden I hated it so when we were moving I wouldn't even look at ones that weren't south/southwest/West

GreenTulips · 27/06/2018 19:02

Look at what windows are on the south facing wall -

If there are loads ot will cut your heating bill down by loads

South facing can be way too hot even the patio is too hot to stand on. Kids bedrooms too hot as well

minipie · 27/06/2018 19:17

For me it's not so much about the garden as the kitchen (assuming kitchen is at the back). N facing garden can mean dingy kitchen - but depends how much glass there is and whether there are other buildings blocking some light etc.

2choose · 27/06/2018 19:23

I was a bit apprehensive about buying our north facing garden, but I am delighted we did. The garden is big enough that we get plenty of sun in summer. Just like whybird has mentioned, the sun moves round so different parts get sun at different bits of the day outside of peak summer, and we have a rear kitchen living area that has lots of glass that is not too hot at the moment but is nice and bright in winter
Mind you I am not a big sun worshipper so maybe that colours my view slightly.

MikeUniformMike · 27/06/2018 19:38

North facing rooms will be cold and dark in the winter months.

Oblomov18 · 27/06/2018 19:49

Wouldn't be my highest priority.

I wouldn't like sun all day. Ours gets various patches of sun and shade, but it has been too boiling and too strong sunshine in the last month or so - we had builders in doing a new patio and plasters in doing kitchen refit and the concrete and the plaster was going off before they could get it on!!

DragonsAndCakes · 27/06/2018 19:50

Depends on neighbours trees. Can you view it at different times of the day?

PrettyLovely · 27/06/2018 19:53

Not a high priority for me, I would be more put off by a south facing garden if I am honest, I like some shade and a cooler house in the summer.

keepingbees · 27/06/2018 22:06

From my experience it's not just the direction that determines how good the light is in a garden. It's surroundings such as trees and tall buildings will affect it and also the layout of your house with which rooms get light.
My parents have a north facing garden which is never cold or dark it's lovely. I have a west facing garden which I don't like at all. Cold all morning then scorching hot and unusable in the afternoon. My kitchen is at the back and it's sweltering cooking the hot evening meal with be sun beating in. Much preferred my east facing garden at my last house, felt sunny all day but warmed the house up lovely in the morning then cooled off in the hot afternoon.

Original poster
Cel982 · 27/06/2018 22:50

Thanks, everyone - lots of food for thought there! I suppose the NE aspect (closer to ENE, actually) would mean a sunny kitchen at breakfast time, which would be nice.

OP posts:
Harveypuss · 27/06/2018 23:26

We've just moved into a house with a north facing garden. I was a little apprehensive about it initially, but the garden is baked in sun all day at the moment in this glorious weather- it's lovely. We have a large conservatory at the back of the house which is very pleasant to sit in, without being a total greenhouse, as you'd get in a south facing garden. My uncle has a south facing garden and hates it. Says his conservatory is just too hot all day long. Horses for courses, I suppose!

I appreciate the winter months may be a different story, but I'm not one for sitting in the garden in winter anyway. I tend to hibernate in the colder months!

PickAChew · 28/06/2018 00:55

If there are loads ot will cut your heating bill down by loads

Not true, actually. The big patio footing our south facing dining room are definitely much warmer for having thick curtains, in winter.

GreenTulips · 28/06/2018 07:28

Actually it is true - our south facing wall has bathroom window kitchen window dining room window and living room window.

We have the heating on an hour in the evening some nights as the winter sun warms the house.

I don't think you read that properly - nothing to do with in single patio door

Baxdream · 28/06/2018 08:20

We have a West garden but our south aspect isn't blocked at all (we're corner plot).
We have the sun on the patio until 7/8pm and it's glorious. I couldn't part with it personally

Usernamesareboring · 28/06/2018 08:27

We inadvertently bought a house with a south facing garden (we just didn't care about it) and in truth I will specifically look for a house WITHOUT one next time we move. Lately the garden has far too hot to sit out in, but even in lower temperatures it's too hot. The back of the house is a sauna, and we have to keep blinds partially closed in the kitchen or you can't see what you are doing!

TheMagnoliaTree · 28/06/2018 08:30

Our house has a NW back garden and has sun on it at different parts of the day and the entire garden in the afternoon so much so we created shade for the patio.

I think it depends on lots of thing, houses around it, trees, what rooms face the garden, what rooms you have at the front of the house.

So not just the aspect but the layout of the house. We could not love our house more. It was nice to have shade for our white blonde haired child to play in outside when he was little, there is a choice of sun or shade at all times of the day. In the house you can find sun or avoid it due to which room you are in.

Peanutbuttercups21 · 28/06/2018 08:37

We have a South-South-West facing garden, and the patio has been too hot this last month to sit on, as in this kind of weather it's too hot...

However, this weather is rare.

On on "normal" days South facing IS nice

Depends where kitchen/living room are positioned as well

Our kitchen/diner is South facing and having all the light is lovely, especially in winter.

So IMO Aspect is important, but you have to look at it in combination with layout of house

Linguaphile · 28/06/2018 08:46

We have southeast facing garden with no shade, and I’m not a fan. The house is boiling hot on that side until 3 or 4 pm, to the point that the children can’t walk on the patio in their bare feet because they get burned. We’re building a new house with a W/NW aspect, which I’m hoping will be a bit cooler. The sun isn’t quite so direct, which will be nice I think.