Thoughts really on detached Houses!

paul090971

I have noticed the continuing trend of new housing estates having less & less detached houses. There seems to be more 3/4/5 bedroom houses that are semi/terraced houses.

So my question is, in say 20 years time do you think there will be less detached housing available and the ones that are for sale will be sold at a premium.?

John_M_Business

They will always go at a premium... but are more expensive to construct and take up more room for new build. They are also generally more expensive to run (they lose more heat as have more external walls).

With people struggling to get on the housing ladder, and needing as much affordable space as possible - semi and terrace are being increasingly constructed. Also developers are trying to get as much on every sq ft of land as possible.

Hunnymonster

It certainly seems that some detached properties are laughable - I've seen them where it's not actually possible to walk down between 2 "detached" properties on new builds around Newcastle without turning sideways.

The days of decent-sized gardens seems to be over too - thank my lucky stars that I relocated to the Borders and got a detached house on a 500 square metre plot

distilled

The reasons for this lie not with housebuilders. Planning Permission Guidelines (PPG3 to be precise) require a greater density on new developments and this is the reason why 3 storey houses are becoming more common. Purchasers want ever more floor space and the only way we can provide this is to build "up" rather than "out".

DanGeorge

Thanks Distilled for your insight. I find insider info fascinating and genuinely uselful to me and I'm sure so many other moneysavers. I am currently considering new build for the first time too, but find the prospect slightly overwhelming. I too have found a lack of detached properties and could accept a semi or mid-terraced if they were well insulated for sound (bad neighbour noise at the mo and in the past makes this a pre-requisite!)
I know new builds should meet building regs for noise, but just how good are they? And with houses so crammed in, what's the summer going to be like for peace as everybody spills into gardens.
I'd really love to get your input again Distilled, I appreciate it's a little tricky what with your job, but a few pointers if you get a quiet moment would help a lot of us out here immeasurably - moving is an expensive business and no-one wants to get it wrong! Are there any tips, tricks and crucial buying/choosing advice we should be armed with!

Best regards and happy new year to all...

gallygirl

DanGeorge wrote:

I too have found a lack of detached properties and could accept a semi or mid-terraced if they were well insulated for sound (bad neighbour noise at the mo and in the past makes this a pre-requisite!)
I know new builds should meet building regs for noise, but just how good are they? And with houses so crammed in, what's the summer going to be like for peace as everybody spills into gardens.

Best regards and happy new year to all...

But at least in a semi you can put any noise down to the neighbours and not think it's a mad axe murderer coming up the stairs......:snow_laug

distilled

Unfortunately I can't really give generic advice on buying new build but would be happy to answer specific queries. As far as noise transfer is concerned, building regs are so tight now that we probably over specify to make sure random checks leave us in the clear. Garden noise? Depends on your neighbours. We can't be held responsible for that.

geo555

With government setting councils targets for new homes, it will inevitably mean fewer detached houses being built. If you had a large site for say 2 5 bedroom detached houses, the same site could accomodate a block of 15 flats. On paper, it looks good, 15 new homes off the target instead of 2. In reality, people don't want to be cramped up in small flats, being dictated to that "it is how modern people want to live".
Eventually we will all have to live in grey, east european style "accomodation" blocks

mummytofour

geo555 wrote:

With government setting councils targets for new homes, it will inevitably mean fewer detached houses being built. If you had a large site for say 2 5 bedroom detached houses, the same site could accomodate a block of 15 flats. On paper, it looks good, 15 new homes off the target instead of 2. In reality, people don't want to be cramped up in small flats, being dictated to that "it is how modern people want to live".
Eventually we will all have to live in grey, east european style "accomodation"
blocks

Ah but then there are also targets for starter homes and S/O which a lot of the blocks and small homes would fill the requirements of!

nearlyrich

I live in an area where there are lots of terraced streets, semis and detatched houses, over the last 4 or 5 years quite a lot of new (mainly 2 bed) apartments have been built, they sell for just above the average price of a modernised 2 bed terraced property but the developer can get maybe 40 units where they would have put about 6 to 10 houses. When they build houses they tend to be very close together and 3 storey to get more in a small area.

The problem is that most people buying their first home struggle to get enough of a mortgage to even buy the apartment or terraced house, they have no chance of moving up to a bigger home.

distilled

nearlyrich wrote:

I live in an area where there are lots of terraced streets, semis and detatched houses, over the last 4 or 5 years quite a lot of new (mainly 2 bed) apartments have been built, they sell for just above the average price of a modernised 2 bed terraced property but the developer can get maybe 40 units where they would have put about 6 to 10 houses. When they build houses they tend to be very close together and 3 storey to get more in a small area.

The problem is that most people buying their first home struggle to get enough of a mortgage to even buy the apartment or terraced house, they have no chance of moving up to a bigger home.

Again, this is not the choice of the developer. PPG dictates the mix of new homes we are likely to be granted planning permission for. Building blocks of appartments is by no means an easy option. Considerations are parking, maintenance of common areas, which means finding management companies, and believe me, it is far, far easier to build a few detached houses than blocks of appartments. As for 3 storey, read my previous post. Its market driven.