Help choose between these two houses!

[helpchoosinghouse]

House 1:
4 bed semi detached over 3 floors
Two double rooms and two singles
Smaller living room
Large kitchen diner
Lots of storage in every room
Considerably cheaper

House 2:
3 bed
3 rooms of similar size (one large master bedroom and two other rooms both equal size, somewhere between a single and a double)
Equal size living room and kitchen
Some plots have a garage
Couple of built in storage cupboards
More expensive

We are a family of 3 with one young child and hope to have another in several years time.

Thanks in advance!

House number 2. Detached over semi. Good luck with your move!

ETA I would also want to be on the same floor as my childrens bedrooms.

Well,area,garden condition,price could make a huge difference.

Are they similar in location and price? I think having a spare room is alway v handy but we have family overseas who come to visit and can also double up as home office so the first one would be good for that. But the 2nd one if you really feel you need a garage or could convert that to another room the you could potentially have 4 decent sized bedrooms rather than 2 singles.

I cant choose as info is missing:

How many floors is house 2?
Is house 2 also a semi or detached?
Are either on a quiet lane or busy road?
How do the locations compare?
Garden sizes?

Unlikely that everything else is the same but based on that.
House 1.
Cheaper, extra space, spare room, storage.
House 2 sounds like a new build and I’d choose an old semi over a detached new build box any day.

@fuggetaboutit @Icanseeasquirrel I've clearly missed it, but where does it say house 2 is detached?

sorry for lack of info!

both on same new build development, second one is over two floors and they have detached and semi detached both similar to my description

I like a 3 storey house. Flexible and generally cheaper because more house on smaller footprint.
I’d go for house 1 and if that gives you more money for other options go for best site and best garden and a garage.

Personally I wouldn't touch a new build due to multiple issues.

-No to 3 floors. I wouldn't want to carry bedding/clothes/hoover etc up and down
and the top floor might be incredibly hot
-I'd always go for a detached house over a semi (obviously if funds allowed)
-Have you checked the deeds and sub-laws (possibly wrong term) to see IF you could extend house 2 in future if needed to add another bedroom?

Are they in the same area?

Is the price difference considerable?

Normally I’d say detached, but I like a big kitchen diner and plenty of storage. Four bedrooms would be helpful if you want another child. The bedrooms on different floors would be less of an issue when the child(ren) are older.

Is there parking at house 1?

Always a detached for me.

Does the one over 3 floors have 3 proper floors or is it 2 bedrooms in the attic? Attics tend to be cooler in winter and hotter in summer. Also if that's the case you won't have storage up there.

Detached every time

House 1. More spacious and storage. It’s also more practical for a family as they get older / if you have visitors.

Never understand the obsession with detached.

I would also ask.. What are the gardens like? Is there scope for an extension perhaps?

House 2 as it’s detached (and you could possibly alter to have a kitchen diner?).

Give serious thought to the quality of new builds . DH has an eagle eye for details and we were horrified by some of the finishing when we looked round some .The plot will be tiny and also the rooms will probably be considerably smaller than an older property .

Location and being detached are my priorities normally

They are both over 3 floors? You need to have a fire safety check before anything else. There are specific regulations regarding fire doors opening onto stairs, fire escape regulations etc. Be very careful and have all fire doors checked by a specialist.

House 2, we are in a detached house now and would never choose to be in a non-detached ever again

OP doesnt say house 2 is detached?

House 1, although I wouldnt want 3 floors, very impractical

What do you mean by smaller living room, smaller than what? Whats the measurements?

I wouldn't have 3 storey house with young children, or even teenagers.

Oh sorry, it is! I’ve edited a few times so maybe I took it out by accident, but yes 2 is detached