Ground floor or first floor?

CathA

Which is better, ground floor flat or upstairs one? If both flats have the same footprint etc which is better? Would you pay more for one or the other?

My daughter has looked at two flats, both have communal gardens, parking etc but one is ground floor, one is first floor with no-one above it.

All opinions welcome, thank you!

Jimmithecat

Definitely first floor - can leave windows open at night, feels much more secure and get warmth rising from flat below

Lucky_Duck_2

+ 1

(Plus some other characters)

karcher

First floor for me.

No one banging around over your head.

Also from a security point of view I'd feel safer on the first rather than ground floor.

elsien

Depends on the outside space access.
First floor because I'd rather have noise coming up from below than someone stomping around overhead.
Downstairs if I have French windows to throw open into outside space without upstairs guests being able to peer in.

bouicca21

My local police have been very clear in stating that burglars target upper floors, because once they are in they feel safer. Though having once been burgled (at a previous house) i would always install a burglar alarm, no matter what sort of home I have.

A ground floor flat is no more vulnerable than a bungalow. And my experience is a garden demised to a flat on an upper floor is never used.

DigForVictory

Not wanting to stick out from the crowd, I too am all for a first floor flat, whilst my knees will still cope with stairs.

Privacy, thermal advantage (hey under-floor heating paid for by someone else!), the opportunity to dry my smalls on a frame by the window with less concern someone will reach in & help themselves, better view of next doors fireworks display plus any unauthorised entrant on the stairs is trapped & much easier to hit with a flung domestic article whilst you phone for help...
If the said unauthorised soul comes in through a window though (a) have a good burglar alarm & (b) a hefty bathroom door & lock from which you make any needful phone calls when in doubt.

Roland_Sausage

First floor flat will be a lot harder to get things like washing machine, fridge, couches and other heavy furniture into.

Does she have kids? Will she have to struggle with getting a pram up the stairs every day?

Also she will have to lug shopping bags up the stairs every week.

Mutton_Geoff

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

First floor flat will be a lot harder to get things like washing machine, fridge, couches and other heavy furniture into.

Does she have kids? Will she have to struggle with getting a pram up the stairs every day?

Also she will have to lug shopping bags up the stairs every week.

First issue, once moving in, once moving out. Secondly, pushchairs are easier to get up and down. And kids are not pushchair bound forever.


Finally, it changes your shopping habit. Pick bits and pieces up every day and get the heavy items delivered by your online weekly shop.


Top floor for me everyday.

freeman3030

I would rather a ground floor purely for ease of day to day living, its quicker to get in and out. You don't have to lug shopping up stairs... likewise, taking a bin/recycling out would be quicker and easier etc. I know it probably only adds 30 seconds onto each chore but personally I'd rather ease of access.
With regards to noise, I'd agree that stomping from someone above wouldn't be that great, but id rather only have to contend with someone above rather than someone above and below if there happen to be more than 2 storeys.
Just my opinion, but ground floor all the way!

KazMack

Ground for me depending if there is gardens etc as the front garden belows usually to ground (or driveways) and those are bonuses if you can get them. Depends on type of flats as that doesn’t apply to all.