Would you buy a large semi or a smaller detached house?

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I'm just wondering what's more important generally, being detached or having more space. I have found a 1920s house that has been flipped with everything completely replaced (roof, kitchen, toilets etc) and it has been extended but it's semi detached. The other house is a new build, detached, but overall its a bit smaller. Would you go for the semi detached that's bigger or the new build with warranty thats smaller?

Detached every time

large semi.

This is the new build
www.morrishomes.co.uk/developments/bartle-meadows/bramhall-detached-edwardian-code-4

It's 1311 square feet, but has 4 decent sized bedrooms. The kitchen is teeny tiny, the fridge is hidden under the counter and the freezer is in the utility room.

The semi I don't have a link for because I got an early showing before it is going to market. I believe it is around 1500 square feet. It has an open plan extension on the ground floor, a lounge, utility room, three double bedrooms and a box room. It is on a not so busy road, but it's a main road for the village. The house has been flipped so everything in it is new.

Would it be useful to have 4 bedrooms rather than 3?

Detached. You may get neighbour noise from gardens/garages etc, but you'll never get it through the walls when you're trying to relax.

You could long term make that kitchen bigger by knocking through to the utility room. You could make part of the garage a utility room and have the other part as storage or even fully convert the garage and have a study.

You could knock through from the breakfast area to the dining room quite cheaply to make a larger room.

The kitchen does look small but is there enough storage and worktop space for what you need with the utility room as well?

Personally would never buy a new build , so larger semi all the way for me as we find the older houses are built a lot better so don't really hear anything from next door anyway and loads more space and bigger gardens, but that just what we found. But I would say no to the new build if it were me , as they are only built to last 10yr - 15 yr really anyway

Hard to say without seeing the other floor plan, but my gut instinct would be the semi. Personally I love cooking and have a lot of gadgets so would struggle with that teeny kitchen in the detached.

What is the difference in price and how do the areas compare for work commute, schools, amenities?

Can anyone post a pic of the floor plan as I can't get it to open.

But pretty sure I'd go for the larger semi. Space is such an asset. Plus we know people in a home similar to the a morris one in a village near us (realised that from your link when I clicked on other developments) and all the rooms feel very small. There's no spare space for anything.

1920s over new build every single time.

Detached everytime. But personally I wouldn’t buy a new build.

Having seen the link I'd get the semi. That new build estate looks too cookie-cutter purgatory for me. Would rather have a bit of individuality even if it is 'only' a semi (despite bigger size), and nicer/more interesting to be on a village road.

Usually the gardens on the 1920's houses are bigger and with kids that would be a tick in the box for me. I also wouldn't personally go for a new build. I can see the lure of having detached though but for me the space in the other one would be more attractive plus the older ones usually have more character and seem more solid

I would say detached all the way, (because we are noisy and messy neighbours, dogs, kids, self employed with loud job, but also don’t want to upset anyone) until I saw it was a new build. It’s not really detached in the sense that you have lots of space etc. You are still flanked by neighbours on an overcrowded personality void estate, and in my experience new builds on estates are small, lacking in storage and very roughly put together. I was expecting a nice new build on a stand alone plot that was build to a high spec.

The semi sounds lovely and characterful and more spacious. We have had semi detached before (1930 ex council house) and had lovely neighbours and a 1920’s house will be well built and noise from next door and vice versa will be minimal. It’s not the same as new build semi. Much more robust. Plus will surely be nicer surroundings.

New build detached tend to be so close together. Some very expensive detached down the road from me and you can barely get a wheely bin through the gap.

A 1920s semi will be well built with solid walls I imagine so neighbour noise will be minimal. I grew up in a 1930s semi and we never heard the family of five next door.

Not sure that 1920s were terribly well built as insulation wasn’t a priority and houses were put up v quickly following wold wars. Best ask a builder or architect.

I said upthread about not liking new builds but Morris - as far as new builds go - has a very good reputation.

One other factor to bear in mind is resale value. You will always pay a premium for new builds and again, generally speaking, they dont hold their value / increase in value at the same rate as period houses. However, you're likely to spend more maintaining a 20s/30s house than a new build.

Detached, but not new build! An older detached, well-built and a good size plot for potential future expansion is more logical.

The issue you will never be able to get away from with a semi is neighbours who could make your life a misery. Wonderful neighbours are gold, but they may move. It's a lottery.

I live in a semi. I have never once heard any noise from my neighbour in 6 years.

Adding my voice to the chorus of those that wouldn't buy a newbuild.

I also agree that new detached houses tend to be very close to the neighbours and overlooked. I'd go for the period semi.

There's hardly any worktop space in that kitchen!

I'd have to take way more into consideration than that to be honest. So either would be acceptable depending on other circumstances.