Three storey town houses, yay or nay?

Shelldean

We live in town house and have for 20+ years.
Moved in when kids were small.
Our layout is ground floor, kitchen, loo, and dining room.
Middle floor is lounge and mid sized bedroom. Top floor is biggest bedroom, box room and family bathroom plus airing cupboard.
When we moved in kids were small so we used dining room as our lounge, as I couldn't leave 18month old twins and a 3 year old alone in either the lounge or garden while I was on a different floor.

This gave us four bedrooms instead. Also a big cupboard on both ground and first floors plus airing cupboard in top floor.

Which as some one else posted means we're very bedroom heavy. However it's worked for us. ( We didn't have much choice but to make it work as it's rented) We even managed to squeeze in another child.
One child has left home and the three remaining now have their own bedrooms. So apart from mealtimes and family gatherings there's rarely more than myself and OH in the lounge.

Our kitchen is also minute which really doesn't help sell this house. Can't knock through as the stairs are in the middle of the house.

As I said we're renting so we really don't get a choice unless we go private renting.

If I had a choice I'd personally prefer a more balanced house.

beedeedee

No chance. If I was under 50, I might consider it just for a year or two......but after that " Oh Those Stairs....." ! Definitely not for me.....

[Deleted User]

Never lived in one myself, I guess we'll be seeing more and more built though as it saves on ground space - build upwards and squeeze more houses in = ££££££££££££ for the developers!

It could help keep you fit though having to go up and down stairs all the time!

Larac

We had one before having children many moons ago - our layout was ground floor - garage, toilet, utility room and study/sitting room. Middle floor kitchen and living room, 3rd floor bedrooms and bathroom. We were fine it as was in 20's and no problem with stairs and liked large rooms.

Disadvantage - if you have children - you can't see them playing in the garden from the first floor - reason why our neighbours moved. Lugging shopping up stairs as kitchen on 1st floor. Three sets of stairs to clean, garden very narrow and scaffolding required for any basic maintenance jobs on outside of house.

Not a house to buy after age of 60 IMHO

jennhg88

We love ours but have all the "living space" is on the ground floor including small toilet, middle floor 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, top floor large master bedroom and ensuite. Also own drive that can fit 3 cars and a garage.

movilogo

It is very subjective questions.

In general developers prefer town house because it has less footprint on ground so cheaper for them to build as they are saving on land cost.

Because they go up, mostly you don't get a large lounge + adjacent dining room.

You have 2 stairs to vacuum.

As you have rooms in loft, you need a space for your junk items. Unless it comes with a garage too, you are stuck.

Usually less potential to extend later.

hazyjo

Deleted_User wrote: »

It could help keep you fit though having to go up and down stairs all the time!

Mine was four storeys and OMG it definitely helped with fitness!


We had nice high ceilings too - nothing cramped. Good sized rooms too - no small kitchen or anything.

I never really got over the fascination of rooms on different floors. But then I do remember that feeling from when I was a child. A few of my friends lived in townhouses and I thought they were just brilliant! I remember going on about them to my mum and always thought I'd own one.

Also, remembered a downside. I sprained my ankle while living there and was on crutches. That was a nightmare! I couldn't put any weight on it at all. Those stairs were tough to negotiate on crutches! :eek: I slept on another floor - the top one was a complete no-go.

Penelopa.Pitstop

Can't comment on Town House part but can on three storey ones. All depends on layout. In my area there's plenty of 3 storey or even 4 storey, houses due to the hills. Often ground floor is only visible from one side as other side is hidden in the hill.

Our house has:
Ground floor with: 5th bedroom (used as gym), storage room, bathroom, big utility room which has no windows and garage. It means we only walk through this floor when entering and leaving property, checking boiler, exercising or running laundry. We treat it a bit as a basement.

First floor: big kitchen, dining room (office) and lounge. We live on this floor most of the time.

Second floor: 4 bedrooms, which we use only when sleeping.

Of course, if you forget to bring something with you, you have to walk up and down the stairs, but you can get used quickly to exercising memory rather than legs ;-)

I've seen other houses that had different layouts:
GF: kitchen, diner, lounge,
FF: bedrooms
SF: master bedroom

Personally I would prefer to live in house on one level, but there's not a lot of them to choose from.

powerful_Rogue

Lived in a townhouse for the past 14 years and love it! In fact, when it's time to move one day, I wouldn't buy anything but a townhouse!


It's perfect being a shiftworker, I can be in bed at the top, the missus can have friends round, play music, watch TV etc on the ground floor and can't hear a thing!

hazyjo

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

It's perfect being a shiftworker, I can be in bed at the top, the missus can have friends round, play music, watch TV etc on the ground floor and can't hear a thing!

Also loved mine for that reason. We used to have a lot of my ex's punk friends/band members visit or stay after performing. You can imagine the noise :eek: I didn't hear them