Detached house or semi detached we are 3 weeks away from completing on

[permanentgiraffe]

We are 3 weeks away from completion on a semi detached which wasn't perfect as 2 bedrooms had restricted headspace and the living/dining/kitchen areas were in the same room - still a very nice house nonetheless. South east facing garden.

A detached house on the same estate came up a week ago, and partner and I went to view it. It is £50k more. We can afford it, although it is at the top of our budget. Same number of bedrooms as semi, but none have restricted headspace. Separate living room and separate kitchen/diner. However, the pictures made it look light but in reality it was a bit gloomy (North facing garden). Also, the dining and living areas are in full view of the street outside.

Obviously we are very close to purchasing the semi detached - I think if both had come on at the same time I would have gone for the detached. Wise mumsnetters, what would you do in this situation?

I will never live in a semi again but purely because neighbour noise made our lives hell in 2 previous semi’s. Detached every time.

Have you exchanged on the semi?

However, the pictures made it look light but in reality it was a bit gloomy (North facing garden). Also, the dining and living areas are in full view of the street outside.

These two factors both put me off a bit. I lived in a gloomy house once and it really was a bit unpleasant, especially on nice sunny days. I worked hard to get light bouncing about.

Top of budget also not a great place to be in with cost of living blah blah.

How worried are you about the restricted head space?

No, we haven't exchanged yet

The restricted head space would be in the guest bedrooms. Those bedrooms are still big enough for a double bed, but you can only get into bed from one side due to the restricted headroom

How would you feel if you lost both houses?
Are you selling a house? Will your buyer wait another 3-4 months?

I'm not sure id buy a gloomy house.

We are FTB so no buyer of our own to worry about.

How thick is the dividing wall? I live in a semi detached cottage with a metre thick stone wall between us and NDN, I would't want to live in most new build semi's.

It's a new build semi unfortunately. Less than 10 years old

Detached if I had to pick between the two

Absolutely detached given that information!

Agree.

Is there a neither option 😬 part of our house is North facing and that’s ok as we use those rooms in the evening (bedroom and lounge room) but I would hate that level of light in the garden all the time. It’s a harsh grey light. It’s also a period semi with a thick wall and we can sometimes hear the neighbours still. My friends new build might as well have cardboard as a dividing wall with the sound she endures.

The detached is also a new build and is less than 10 years old, does this make a difference?

Well yes because you won’t hear NDN banging about…

The separate rooms would be cheaper to heat over winter!

North facing garden is fine if there is length in the garden, south facing can be unbearable when it’s really hot.

There's a very real risk of losing both houses. At the moment we are in rented and having to commute 2-3 hours each way a couple of days a week

I can't hear my neighbours through the wall in my new build. They have five young children, two have meltdowns several times a day. It's just like being detached.

DD1 is mid terrace, also new build, and she's never heard her neighbours either side.

There's been nothing wrong with our houses. The "paper thin" walls are a myth.

If you want to buy a semi, don't be put off by PP's comments.

@Soonberaining - who is your developer? Be interesting to know for looking in the future. My friend is Bellway and the walls are very much paper thin unfortunately.

@Sapphirejane Redrow. We have a Bellway estate nearby and the design both internally and externally is poor. I wouldn’t consider one, but most new builds are so well insulated for sound and for keeping the heat in during cold weather. It’s been way below freezing and my central heating hasn’t had to come on. My SiL is a chartered surveyor and can’t find any faults with my development. The houses sell second hand sometimes on day one of marketing.

I'd go for the detached property, especially if the semi-detached is relatively new. You'll hear your neighbours and it will drive you mad. With older homes it's different. I know people who live in much older semis and they tell me they never hear anything through the walls.

I don't quite know what you mean about saying that the living area is in full view of the street? Surely any house will have a room facing the street? Or am I missing something here? Either way, net curtains are your friends.

I've lived in attached houses (terraces/semis) of the following ages:
Georgian/Victorian/1920's/1950s/1960's/1970's/1980s/1990s and in every one bar none, I could hear my neighbours. Being in a stone house makes no difference I have found. I'm sitting here in my Victorian semi and can hear the neighbours voices right now.
Maybe brand new build would be better but given the build quality I wouldn't bet on it.
Detached every time. You can make a dark house lighter but its very difficult to make a noisy house quiet.

What's Barrett homes like?

The risk is, going for the detached house and ending up losing both. We are so near completion on the semi

Look at the Barrett homes complaints Facebook group.

I wouldn't get a new build semi unless it was redrow and double bricked