Moving from detached to a semi?

pinkshoes

Oddly, I miss my newbuild flat, as it was built really well by a local builder (not mass built!) who put excellent sound insulation between floors and walls, so you just didn't hear anything!

I now live in a 1970s semi, and can tell you what TV channel my neighbours are watching, and can hear them on the phone sometimes! I've previously lived in a semi where you could hear the neighbour peeing!

If you can get detached, go for it, but don't rule out a semi until you've investigated how good the sound proofing is. Also, check to see if it's rented out or owned, as people who own their own home are more likely to want to keep the peace with their neighbour over noise.

POPPYOSCAR

Having lived in both I have to say I would find it very hard to go back to living in a semi and would rather live in a small detached rather than a large semi.

folkestonelisa

From someone that is having to move due to neighbour issues, the £200 a month for no noise would have me paying for it straight away.

You do not realise how much the noise starts to get on your nerves after a while. In our case things are steadily declining so getting out while we can.

hazyjo

My last property was a Victorian terrace house. Got far more noise through the walls than we do now in our 8 year old semi-detached townhouse.

If you do consider a semi, try and go for 'halls adjoining'. My 2nd from last house was like that and I never heard a peep from next door. The hallways were next to each other (mine and next door) and the staircase, our kitchens and the upstairs bathroom. Our lounges and both bedrooms were on the outside walls. Just think about what living space is next to what.

Definitely detatched if you can get/afford it, but 'halls adjoining' is a pretty fair compromise and I certainly wouldn't write one off.

Jx

Gwhiz

I'm noise sensitive. Having lived in detatched all my adult life, I bought a semi some years back. I sold within a year due to inconsiderate neighbours with tiled floors and metal bottomed dining room furniture. Hearing that and high heel shoes clumping around at 1am was too much for me.

All I can say is "never again".

Mazzawa

I would say to check the thickness of the walls/standard of construction. In my experience, chunky victorian terraces and earlier, the ones that were well build and had 'drawing rooms', insulate the sound well as you have a good foot of stone between you and next door. However, the workers cottages style properties have quite thin brick walls in comparison so perhaps not so good at keeping the noise in the right property. I think you'll have to judge each house on its merits - I hate hearing my neighbours so understand exactly where you are coming from!

spannerzone

I'd say that if nothing else, try to get a semi where your bedroom is as far from the neighbours side as possible (if that's possible) then at least you should get a quiet nights sleep. I live in end of terrace and can hear quite a lot of next door (her being in a near state of drunkeness doesn't help) - so at 11pm we hear the son come in, run upstairs and take a wee, light cord bangs against the wall etc.

However it's a great house in a good location and the neighbours (while a bit noisy) do look out for us when we're not about so I weigh up the slight noise vs helpfulness and so far I'm still happy where I am.

If I could afford it I'd go detached without a doubt though,

Davesnave

There's no definitive answer. We like outdoor space as well as indoor, and at the detached house we rented recently there was little outdoor privacy compared with our old semi. It was 'worth' 80k more too.

We've only recently moved to a detached of our own, but this is the first place where we've had a bit of a noise problem.....and there's 5 acres between us and the bu99er with the dogs!

It's all luck of the draw, though a substantial build will help. I suppose I've lived in 10 or more semis and terraces over 40 years or so and never once had a problem.

Beware barn conversions though....Other issues there, so choose carefully.;)

Orpheo

Fancy having to come down to living in a semi. I'd be horrified and ashamed. I hope it has an en-suite, I couldn't take the humiliation of having to walk a couple of meters from the bedroom to the bathroom. Imagine the neighbours too. Filthy commoners, I shouldn't wonder. Drum kits, loud music, shouting whelps, the headboard banging against the wall while the dirty scum are rutting. Oh well. On the upside, if it is an older house, it may actually have walls constructed of brick instead of rice paper.

My advice? Max out your borrowing.

FTBFun

Orpheo wrote: »

Fancy having to come down to living in a semi. I'd be horrified and ashamed. I hope it has an en-suite, I couldn't take the humiliation of having to walk a couple of meters from the bedroom to the bathroom. Imagine the neighbours too. Filthy commoners, I shouldn't wonder. Drum kits, loud music, shouting whelps, the headboard banging against the wall while the dirty scum are rutting. Oh well. On the upside, if it is an older house, it may actually have walls constructed of brick instead of rice paper.

My advice? Max out your borrowing.

I don't think the OP is asking to borrow that chip on your shoulder.