Which way should my house face?

jjlandlord

You need to look beyond your garden to the environment.

Full south facing house does not guarantee longest sun exposure if there are buildings or trees on each side. Neighbours like to line their fence with whatever bushes and trees then they let them grow, and grow...

South west orientation without such obstacles may give you the longest exposure from late morning right until night time, which may be a good match to your use of the garden in summer.

My house is north west facing, but the garden is 130 feet long without major obstacles on each side. Apart from the part near the house it is always sunny and the westward tilt means that even the north side of the house is very sunny on summer evenings.

As B&T suggested, if big enough the orientation does not matter much anymore as long as there are not very tall structures around.

theartfullodger

(There are those who say..) it's not that simple & you should consider a Feng Shui survey on any house you are considering ..

http://www.fengshuisociety.org.uk/find-a-feng-shui-consultant/

ironlady2022

This is really helping guys - thanks. The north facing garden house is a mid terrace in the middle of 3. And it's just a garden either side. The alternative is another plot on a diff site which has a south west facing garden - also mid terrace but it's near social housing - decisions decisions. What would you go for.

t0rt0ise

mayling03 wrote: »

- also mid terrace but it's near social housing - decisions decisions.

LOL. Better not live too near those dirty people in social housing eh?!

I_have_spoken

Riggster

Get one with a massive garden, worked for me.

Davesnave

Riggster wrote: »

Get one with a massive garden, worked for me.

In their dreams! This sounds like new build.

getmore4less

As above bigger picture needed.

Height of buildings/vegetation to the east and west when the sun is low determines the amount of morning evening sun, during the day the sun is higher so shadow less of an issue

We have south garden and a bay window on the north living room.

We get sun in the north window in the morning and the evening(in the summer till very late)
eg mid summer from 5am- 8am then from 6pm-9pm

The garden is great all day and evening(from 5pm) starts to get shadow from next door and our own house(near the south facing doors)

For evening west facing with clear line of sight.

try this or similar

http://www.suncalc.net

there is probably an augmented reality app somewhere.

That will overlay sun on an image on a phone/tablet you could use when viewing.

Worry_Wart

I assume you live in the south. Up here in the outskirts of Manchester it doesn't really matter what direction your house faces, the rain looks the same to me!

MoneyMate

mayling03 wrote: »

I'm asking as there is a North facing garden one. It looks like I want a South facing garden

Sounds like you want a South facing Front of house , BUT this would make any back garden in the shade .