Eighties build detached or victorian terrace/semi

[Antonia87]

Just that really! We are looking at properties around our budget range and we can either afford a detached eighties house on a good sized plot with lovely views or a victorian build, probably end of terrace with a smaller garden but bigger rooms. This is in a country town. There are three of us so we dont think we need bags of space as we currently live in a two bed flat. Pros and cons?

We would need another £200k unfortunately. Maybe in ten years :-)

Detached! We fell in love with a Victorian property and lasted there for 18 months before we acknowledged we needed the practicality of a more modern house!
We are glad we made the love to the newer property. Less maintenance, more parking, better insulation and just generally an easier life!

Deff Victorian

I live in an 80s detached and it's incredibly warm and well insulated. I had to look past the original decor when we first bought it but apart from the brick 'feature' fireplace most of that has now been easily rectified

Having moved from a Victorian terrace there's no way I'd go back to one now. Love not having to worry about noise, damp and renovation work but then I'm not a DIYer.

Victorian for me if the location is the same. They are my favourite type of house. We are in a rented Victorian terrace currently and it's just huge. You can make a non rental really beautiful with original features and boldly painted walls, whereas tiled floors and dark colours just wouldn't work in an 80's house. I suppose it depends on your ideal interior style.

I love Victorian terraces and used to live in one, but now I have a young child I'd go for the garden and off street parking option.

Detached with parking and views gets my vote too!

Detached and parking!
How often do you stand outside your house looking at it? Who cares if it looks like a Lego house? Ok so the modern homes will never have the period features but you can still decorate it and make it beautiful inside regardless.

80’s detached. Mostly for neighbour noise reasons.

I love period houses (I have one) but ‘Old’ is not a guarantee of solidly built/thick walls. I’m in a detached house no way but have lived in period semis before. There were cowboy builders in all periods of time, eager to make a quick buck on a rising market when demand was outstripping supply. As others say, some conjoined pre-war houses are awful for neighbour noise, particularly if you both have chimneys/fireplaces on a shared wall, they seem to carry sound like you wouldn’t believe.

No way should say now

I think aside from which one you prefer the appearance of, it comes down to whether you're more concerned about the running costs or the potential for a better increase in value in the long term

I'd go Victorian too. Mine is an end terrace and lovely and warm, it's reasonably big (four beds) too. If you insulate them properly it's really not too bad.

Grew up in a 80s detached. It's incredibly warm. Timber frame apparently why? Great layout, 4 good sized bedrooms, big garden, no major work to do. My parents have just sold it. They've looked after it to a v high standard, my mum paints the whole place every 2 years. Perfect for family life.
I live in a 30s semi which is also great but does not have the downstairs loo en suite and 4th bedroom on a similar sized footprint. Those houses both look like Wimpey which my parents is, if built to same standard I'd be confident it's a good investment.

Victorian. A thousand times over. I chose very small Victorian over bigger modernish options, and am not sorry. It's a crazy house for all kinds of reasons, but I love its features and its history.

Detached every time. I’ve lived in several Victorian terraces and all had awful sound insulation. You could hear plugs and light switches, TVs, washing machines, stairs etc and felt like you were in the same room for sex, arguments, diy noise.

Mum and dad had a detached built in the late 80s and it's lovely. Big rooms, economical, garage, utility room and playroom. I have 2 friends with Victorians and they're freezing with the bathrooms being built on the back on the kitchen in crappy extensions.

Off street parking every time.

After neighbour issues many years ago I have always lived in a detached house over anything else. If a semi was absolutely amazing I might consider one with the halls together and all the main rooms detached. These are rare as hens teeth but you might be lucky and find a Victorian one. On street parking would put me off too.

Personally I would go for Victorian every time, just because I love the soul and history that comes with older properties. I also love the period features, like open fires, original wooden floors and tiled pathways (if you're lucky), sash windows, cornicing, dados, high ceilings and so on.

I can see how detached would be appealing though.

Victorian ❤ over head every time!

I could get on board with that first 80s build. Great room sizes and nice layout if that third bedroom is just a nice to have room plus, it actually has a bit of character, which is rare on houses that age. Don't like the more expensive one, though. The rooms are all poky.

Victorian😍! We moved into a large 60s house when the children were young as we got more space and practicality for our money, but now they have flown the nest, will be looking at a older property as I really miss the lovely features and character.

Thanks guys. We have a little one so space is really important as is a good sized garden. Plenty of food for thought ....

Also terrified of huge expensive jobs that might come up in a Victorian. We are currently in a thirties build and its been pricey!!

Does buying a (previously well maintained) older property actually incur more costs than a modern house though? I’ve lived in old and modern properties and have never had to do any work to either (other than cosmetic stuff like redecorating to suit my tastes). I don’t think old necessarily means there will be a lot to spend on it - it depends on the individual property of course, but if it has been well looked after then there shouldn’t be any major issues.