Flat floor preferences?

luvchocolate

I rented a ground floor flat in a 3 storey building. 
For 6 months I had 2 toddlers above me with hard floors. It drove me crazy. 
Now in a first floor of 2 storey.with own entrance..unbelievable the difference 

user1977

newlywed said:

If you are looking at any ground floor flats… push the main door and any back door open relatively hard and see if they slam against the wall of the flat… also see how loud the door slams shut…. Then imagine that at various hours of the night when others may have had a drink or two.

We live in a ground floor purpose built flat. Front door bangs open hitting onto our bedroom wall, both fire doors opening hit onto the kitchen door, as does the back entrance door.  Really not a great architect or designer!

We pretty much know exactly who is in or out of the block though!!

In general, having a think about how well separated your habitable rooms are from the landing/stairs is a good idea - bedroom adjoining the stairs isn't great. Having a vestibule within your flat helps to insulate from the noise immediately outside your door, as does each landing having fire doors to the stairs (so noise doesn't travel all the way up/down the building).

NeverTooLate

Top floor flat to reduce neighbour noise, plus you may get a loft for extra storage.

youth_leader

I remember living on the first floor in a three level block of flats in Acton many moons ago.  There used to be a rubbish chute down to the bins and the noise was loud throughout the flat. 

Indigo_and_Violet

Assuming no other benefits I'd go for top floor, and probably the smaller building (fewer neighbours = less risk of anyone turning out bonkers).

That said, we currently live very happily in a ground floor flat, chosen for the lovely garden. 

TripleH

I've lived in ground floor, middle and top floor flats.

Top or bottom makes sense in that it limits your exposure to above or below for noise.

I would choose a purpose built flat over a conversion.

Biggest noise issues we had were in a brand new flat full of 'young professionals' whilst the council block was peaceful until squatters moved in and made everyone's lives a nightmare.

genericn17

I've moved from the top floor of a three storey block to the ground floor of a two storey block - it's actually MUCH quieter! It's a smaller block, my bedroom doesn't share a wall with another flat and my neighbours don't stomp around too much upstairs. So think about layout/size as well as where it is.

It does seem much colder though. Although again that might be the smaller block and the fact that the back of it is very shaded. I hope that's an advantage in summer at least!

Gers

In the typical four-storey tenement flats in Glasgow and Edinburgh the first floor is usually the most expensive with the fourth floor and ground floor the cheapest. Second floor comes in as the middle price.  Mostly down to lack of lifts!

https://www.clancys-solicitors.co.uk/first-floor-ground-floor-top-floor/

bouicca21

I’ll go against the flow - I’m on the ground floor of a older purpose built block.  The neighbours from hell live above me but it’s the second floor flat that suffers most from their noise.  Sound travels up…

The major benefit of being ground floor is that I have direct access to a huge garden. 

The major drawback is that delivery people and visitors who can’t get into the building almost always ring my bell.

sheramber

My son went for top floor for security- less chance of  intruders.