New Build - Terraced vs SemiD

[zachariahs]

Interested to get some opinions on the following hypothetical situation from this sub:

Given the choice between 2 new build house types in the same estate which would you choose: A 110sq.m 2 storey 3-bed semi-d or a 134sq.m 3 storey 3-bed mid-terrace?

Some things to consider:
- The price difference is about 25k (semi-d is more expensive)
- Semi-d includes 2 parking spaces on drive. Mid-terrace has shared communal parking.
- Semi-d has side access to rear, mid-terrace has no external access to rear.
- Mid-terrace includes a (small) utility room, semi-d does not.
- Mid-terrace has 2 en-suite rooms and a main bathroom. Semi-d has 1 en-suite room and a main bathroom.
- Mid-terrace master bedroom includes a (small) walk-in closet. Semi-d does not.
- Semi-d has marginally bigger garden than mid-terrace.

My preference would lean towards the mid-terrace because of the price, slightly larger space and room layout. My only concerns would be around parking, garden access and whether the semi-d would retain or gain more value than the mid-terrace.

What would you choose in this situation?

 

[weeble_weeble]

@zachariahs Semi-d all day for me personally.

The big thing you’re missing in your things to consider is neighbours and noise. Mid terrace you’ve got a neighbour on either side of you, and the potential for a hell of a lot more noise depending on how well built the house is.

Access to the garden makes a huge difference if you ever have to do any building work in the house, you don’t have to drag stuff throughout the house.

Communal parking would drive me mental as well

 

[zachariahs]

@weeble_weeble Good point on noise & neighbours. Chances of getting shit are reduced in a semi-d but then again in a new build its luck of the draw - could end up with hellish neighbours in a semi while the terrace down the street lives in peaceful tranquility.

 

[rissa0264]

@weeble_weeble If you are a light sleeper then this is important consideration. Is the bedroom of the semi d on the party wall or exterior wall? From experience, new build timber frame you can hear loud snoring, loud talking, etc through the timber frame party walls. For the most part its only an issie if you are a light sleeper with the bedroom on the party wall

 

[diamondmike]

@weeble_weeble

depending on how well built the house is.

I'd imagine new builds should be alright. Don't have first hand experience though.

 

[weeble_weeble]

@diamondmike Wouldn’t so sure about that at all to be honest, completely depends on the developer, but there’s a lot of new builds literally being flung together

 

[timq]

@weeble_weeble would all the insulation in a new build not mean it was quiet?

 

[joew1983]

@timq I can confirm that living in a new build terrace I don’t hear anything from either neighbor

 

[grace4nan]

@zachariahs Personal preference plays a huge role but for me, a key factor when buying was a utility room. Often rented apartments and hated having the washing machine in the kitchen.

Seems there's pros and cons to both here, you'll be the one living in it so prioritise what's important to you.

 

[zachariahs]

@grace4nan Yeah my preference would be to have washer/dryer out of the way aswell. By the time you squeeze washer, dryer, dishwasher and oven into the under counter space in the semi-d you won't have much room left.

 

[getyourhopesup]

@zachariahs Unless you're planning on moving again in the near future pick the house that is more livable for you now.

That said we just moved into our new build semi-d about 3 weeks ago but I can say from looking at houses for the 18 months proceesing this (anecdotally at least) terraced houses definitely sat on the market alot longer while Semi-d 4 beds seemed to move the quickest.

Personally, I would rather a smaller space and only one neighbour to deal with than two but the deal breaker for me would be communal parking. On our new estate 2/3rds of the houses have communal parking - we thankfully have space for 2 cars in our drive. I'd say maybe only 1/3rd of the houses on our estate are actually being living in full time at the moment and its already mental the amount of cars parking out there (even twice had chancers block our drive). I dread to think what full occupancy will be like...

Very best of luck with your house hunt!

 

[zachariahs]

@getyourhopesup Congrats on your new house!

Good point on being more livable right now. Neither the semi or the terraced would be a forever home (ideally). No kids at the moment and probably won't be for another few years. If we did end up in a situation where we were "stuck" in this house/estate in a few years time I suppose the semi would be preferable but I'm not really able to look that far into the future unfortunately!

 

[jayre]

@zachariahs Semi-D all day. I was in the same boat as you last year. I had a choice between a mid terrace or semi-d. 3-bed Semi D was 25k more for the same size house but bigger drive, side gate and a side door.

Now that I moved in a month ago, having the bigger drive, side gate to hide the bin, get stuff in and out and a side door have been great. So happy I paid the extra for the semi-d and have zero regrets as I plan to live here for years. The outside is also more spacious and feels less crowded.

You won't regret getting the semi d but you may regret getting the terrace in my opinion. If you can afford the semi-d thats the one to get.

Again this is my opinion and I've not seen the 2x houses so its based on generalisations.

 

[gentilerain]

@zachariahs If you want an electric car, you'll need to have your own driveway and charger

 

[zachariahs]

@gentilerain Good point, hadn't considered it!

 

[cowfan1966]

@gentilerain Yeah was gonna say the same, if the mid terrace had parking on the driveway, I'd pick it over the semi-d but solely for the reason that I'd want to put in a home charger for an electric car, I'd choose the semi-d.

 

[papajo]

@zachariahs Take the extra space in the Terrace.

Paying €25,000 MORE for 20sqm LESS floor space sounds insane no matter what parking or neighbour situation you have.

Irish people are unnecessarily obsessed with Semi-D’s, don’t fall into the trap.

 

[louismartin]

@papajo Agree 100%.

Re. the semi D obsession in Ireland - it's always viewed as being better in every facet. But a big benefit to mid-terrace is that the house will be warmer due to being "insulated" on both sides.

Another point - I think an additional en-suite will be a much bigger benefit than OP realises. Even if it's not used now, it will be a godsend for a teenage child, or when visitors stay with you, etc. A self contained space is huge.

 

[zachariahs]

@louismartin Yeah I forgot to mention the slightly lower energy bills as a result of being stuck in the middle, good point!

The extra en-suite might also be preferential in the case where we rent out a room. The tenant would have their own space and we'd still have access to the main bathroom and an en-suite

 

[papajo]

Only caveat to that would be if the Semi-D has a large side garden you could extend into in the future. Most new build estates don’t have that anymore through