What to consider if buying a three storey house?

suebfg

I've seen a lovely three storey house for sale but I've never lived in such a property. Is there anything I need to be considering?

It's similar to this one

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32450888.html

Uk_Lover

NIce house, nice car !!

hazyjo

I'm in a four storey house. If the one you're in is as large as the link, you shouldn't really have much to be concerned about.

All I can say is, if a different layout, think about how you'll use each floor. Do you have kids? Would you be happy with them on different floors to you or each other? Does a guest room fall on a separate floor to your bedroom? Would they have their own bathroom facilities?

Make sure you don't end up with one floor that never gets used! Complete waste of dosh.

I don't like the lounge on the same floor as bedrooms. Doesn't sound like that's a problem though.

Will the garden be big enough long term, especially if you have kids.

Don't feel you have to make every room a bedroom if you don't have a big family, make it work for you!

Jx

suebfg

Would you be worried about maintenance and painting of wooden windows? There are lots of windows to replace if moving to PVC

somethingcorporate

The temperature of the floors may vary a lot. Our top floor is by far the hottest even without the radiators on!

Lovely looking house, bargain too!

RAS

Make sure you have a fire escape from the second floor - dropping rope ladder. And that you know how to use it (heels into the back of the rungs).

RandomDan

suebfg wrote: »

I've seen a lovely three storey house for sale but I've never lived in such a property. Is there anything I need to be considering?

It's similar to this one

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32450888.html

How lazy of them not to include a floorplan; especially considering it is half a million purchase. Gorgeous style of house, so if yours will be similar I hope you enjoy it as it looks lovely.

Growing up I lived in a big house like that and as long as there is a bathroom /loo on each floor then you shouldn't have too much to worry about.

You certainly won't be falling over each other. Depending on how many people are in your household you may end up each having your own designated area or "wing" as I used to poshly call mine (which was basically a bedroom, my own bathroom and an extra spare bedroom). However much space you have, I'm sure you'll find a way to fill it!

Stairs will keep you fit!

FireWyrm

Its an awfully long way up and down to carry a basket of washing....trust me. I live in a 4 storey victorian terrace and from the basement where the utility room is up to the top floor bedroom is a long way....

suebfg

Do you think window cleaning would be a problem?

hazyjo

Our window cleaner manages, but doesn't do our top floor. Our fire escape is the top floor - like a hidden floor, you can't see it from the outside on ground level.

Our bedroom is on Floor 3 (top) which can be a nightmare if someone rings the doorbell in the morning!

Our washing maching is ground floor and the washing tends to pile up on floors 2 and 3.

It can be a nightmare if you lay in bed and think hmmm, did I lock the back door/is the cat in/did I turn the heating off...

Somewhat easier in a 3 storey house though. Soon enough, you'll not even notice you're going up 2 flights instead of one.

It's helped my asthma I think; my lung capacity seems to have improved.

What about the positives? I find far more positives than negatives. Always been obsessed with townhouses and when I found out hubby liked a couple we looked at, we pretty much ruled everything but 3+ storey houses out! So wonderful to sit there watching telly when hubby goes to bed and I know he won't be disturbed, or when we have friends over and the other goes to bed or also wants friends over. Tonnes of space to lose ourselves. We have a kitchen/diner and a dining room on the ground, and the lounge and study on the next floor. Works so well for us, especially as hubby's into punk music! If his punky mates are over, they can sit on the ground floor, I can go to bed 3 flights up and not hear them! Fab!

Also, the guest room on the floor below is great for when his snoring keeps me awake

Jx

Grimbal

if the layout of the one you like is similar to the one in the link, then (IMO) I think you'll have avoided the main "problem" with the usual townhouse layout: living areas on separate floors. I sold my town house earlier this year & the main bug bear that I had with it was that the kitchen was on the ground floor, whereas the lounge was on the first. It was very annoying every time i wanted a cup of tea. Not that I would actually know you understand - as my OH is always telling me - his buns of steel are entirely attributable to my tea-obsession when we were living in the townhouse

Plus points of a townhouse is that you get more space for your money than the average house, get a good daily workout up & down the stairs. downsides are that you get a good daily workout up & down the stairs, living areas can be on different levels & (usually) outside space is limited