living in a coach flat above garages

poppysarah

carefullycautious wrote: »

Yes I can see your point, but realistically how many coach flats have you heard of that have caught fire. Or are they a new idea?

They are a BTL dream and a tenants worst nightmare.

Some noisy pillock will use the garage 24 hours and drive you mad.
The kids will play football outside against the doors and drive you mad.

OfficeSpace

While i don't live in a coachhouse I do own a garage under one. I have wondered how audible the cars are along with the door being openings and closed. I would imagine the former depends on which way the car has gone in for a start! As for kids playing against them, well they could do that if you lived in a semi so i doubt it's likely to cause any additional issue. The kids round here (who will get up to any mischief imaginable) don't seem to fancy playing by there though.

All in all i can't see any disadvantage vs a flat in a like for like area. You do at least usually get a garage of your own too.

MunnyBoiler

At work, we refer to these properties as 'Fogs' (flats over garages)

Anyway, have never known of a fire occuring in any garage we have, regardless of if the garage is under a Fog or not (I better not come into work tomorrow and hear this has happened.....)

I've never heard of any complaints from tenants who live in a Fog about noise etc.

Thrugelmir

OfficeSpace wrote: »

While i don't live in a coachhouse I do own a garage under one. I have wondered how audible the cars are along with the door being openings and closed. I would imagine the former depends on which way the car has gone in for a start! As for kids playing against them, well they could do that if you lived in a semi so i doubt it's likely to cause any additional issue. The kids round here (who will get up to any mischief imaginable) don't seem to fancy playing by there though.

All in all i can't see any disadvantage vs a flat in a like for like area. You do at least usually get a garage of your own too.

Compared to a flat where noise can be consistent. TV, high heels , an argument spring to mind for eg. A door opens, car starts ,door closes. Then its quiet again.

carefullycautious

THanks again for input. Yes I did think that I could cope with people putting cars away etc. Im not noise aversive as such and we are always up early as we have never been ones for sleeping half the day away.

Kids kicking balls against the doors I can see would be a nuisance, but then again, unless I could afford a detached miles away from neighbours (which I cant ) I am always going to encounter children in some way shape or form. Luckily we havent had problems with gangs that some estates seem to have though that could change in the future.

The fire risk did seem to flag up some problems but you have allayed these somewhat. The only problem may be insurance. Does the above poster have any problems getting this?

Im not sure if these coach houses are a new phenomenom or if they have been around for some time so it is going to be difficult to establish what, if any, problems there are really.

Just to add it seem to be environmental noise versus indoor noise when you are one of many in a block.

Thrugelmir

carefullycautious wrote: »

THanks again for input. Yes I did think that I could cope with people putting cars away etc. Im not noise aversive as such and we are always up early as we have never been ones for sleeping half the day away.

Kids kicking balls against the doors I can see would be a nuisance, but then again, unless I could afford a detached miles away from neighbours (which I cant ) I am always going to encounter children in some way shape or form. Luckily we havent had problems with gangs that some estates seem to have though that could change in the future.

The fire risk did seem to flag up some problems but you have allayed these somewhat. The only problem may be insurance. Does the above poster have any problems getting this?

Im not sure if these coach houses are a new phenomenom or if they have been around for some time so it is going to be difficult to establish what, if any, problems there are really.

My property was built in 1989. No issues with insurance other than it didn't tick the boxes on online systems. Is it a house, a flat what?

When I purchased I had to obtain confirmation from both the other garage owners that they house insurance insurance in place. I insured the whole building in any event in terms of rebuilding. The floor had to be fireproof to conform with building regulations, we did drill through it once to run mains water into the garage. I would say it was at least 8/9 inches thick. Even if the contents of the garages caught light the fire couldn't spread upstairs.

carefullycautious

Thruglemuir (I can see that I am going to keep spelling your username wrong as each time I go to reply I forget how it is spelt)

THankyou so much for your continued input are you still living in your coach house?

I think I will go and have a look at one.

Even if I cant afford it. THis one is only the second I have seen on the market so quite a new idea for my area.

Thrugelmir

carefullycautious wrote: »

Thruglemuir (I can see that I am going to keep spelling your username wrong as each time I go to reply I forget how it is spelt)

THankyou so much for your continued input are you still living in your coach house?

I think I will go and have a look at one.

Even if I cant afford it. THis one is only the second I have seen on the market so quite a new idea for my area.

No I moved on. Lived in it for 2 years. Spent 6 months doing the conversion. Personally I loved it paricularly once the work was done. As I had a kitchen/diner downstairs. 2 double bedrooms, a large bathroom with both a shower and bath, lounge and even a study area which was 8' by 6'. Had a good architect who helped work out the best use of space.

London_Town

Just wanted to add my comments as I bought a Persimmon coach house brand new in 2005 and sold it in 2007. I wouldn't advise someone to buy one of these properties, but it does come down to what's important to you.

My life was made hell by kids playing football, smoking and drinking late at night. The first morning I woke up to a vision that looked like a school playground. As the other garages belong to family homes and the back gates enter on to the courtyard, there's nothing you can really do about it either.

In theory, there should never be a problem with lots of noise in the garages as they are normally leased by the flat owner to the garage user. The lease ensures that no car repairs or business activity that may disturb you can take place. However, I doubt that you could easily enforce this lease. Also a garage opposite to me had a snooker table with a load of screaming kids playing round it, what hell that would have been to be above!

On the plus side, there is very little, if any neighbour noise. I was woken up by a garage door beneath me closing or opening, but it was never a big deal. They will be difficult to sell on I think, as they are expensive for what you're getting. You'll need a buyer to want such a different kind of property. There's also the added bonus in most of them that you get a garage, which is rare for a flat. I don't believe there's a fire risk as they have to put in sufficient fire protection beneath you. Although, as one poster said, they are difficult to keep warm. My carpet was always freezing in the winter, as it was over the cold air of the garages.

I moved to a top floor flat in a nice communal block. I get a little neigbour noise, like if someone slams a door or a distant burble of the tv, but nothing that bothers me. It's no worse than what I've had when living in an end terraced house. Although I only have a parking space rather than a garage.

However, I'm happy now as I'm no longer "under seige" from kids and local youths. Sorry to sound melodramatic, but that's what it felt like, it would have made me ill if I hadn't moved on. If this issue would never bother you, fair enough. Otherwise I would advise anyone to steer clear of a coach house on a modern estate.

carefullycautious

Thankyou for your input LondonTown, a lot of differing views more against than for. hmmmmmm