Half houses

[bohrsatom]

We?re property hunting in the East Dulwich area and have seen a number of ?half houses? listed on Rightmove etc.

They do seem rather unusual as we?ve not come across anything like this before when searching in other areas.

On paper it looks like a regular house, just with a shared front door. But I was wondering if there are any residents on here who could share their experiences (especially in terms of noise from next door!). Any regrets?

Thanks

[sheff]

I lived in one in West Norwood, and in an turn of fate, my now wife lived in the one nextdoor. So, we ended up with one big house!!

Noise was never really an issue, certainly not downstairs because you are separated by the hallway.

Security wise, as long as the main front door is a good one then we found it felt more secure. You get to know our neighbor well and as such tend to watch out for them.

They are fairly easy to extend into the loft if they haven?t already as well. Depends whether you are looking at one with a bathroom upstairs, or at the back of the kitchen.

As they are freehold, one will often a room overhanging the hallway which I had the freehold to. So you may have some questions from a lender on he floating freehold aspect. One owner usually has in their deeds a clause on allowing unrestricted access to the hall.

Similar I guess to terraces which share an alley with an overhang.

But, in general we never had noise issues, no more than the usual in a terrace I.e a bit of carry through floorboards etc.

[Pugwash]

There are a number of them in ED - my aunt used to live in one in Pellatt Road. Only 2 bedrooms - lived there well after her girls married and only left when husband died. She loved the house. As long as the front door has good locks should not be a problem

[reds]

We lived in one for years and no regrets at all. Maybe wrong but I think the ones on landells/Sylvester roads are slightly smaller with bathrooms upstairs whereas those on the nunhead side of Peckham Rye Park on Waveney Avenue have bathrooms upstairs. Noise wise there was little difference to a regular house although we did have excellent neighbours and we never had any security issues. As freehold the houses can be extended into the loft as well as having kitchen extensions. Have a look at rightmove for example's of those that have sold that have been extended.

[fishbiscuits]

They're about 1 metre narrower than typical Victorian terraced houses. You often don't have your own hallway downstairs, and they can feel a little cramped. Bedroom #2 is often rather small. In terms of space, they're really an alternative to a 2-bed flat rather than a fully-fledged house (but a lot more expensive than a 2-bed flat).

On the plus side, as others have said, they can often be extended, and some of them end up feeling quite spacious if done well. And of course you get a garden.

[johnie]

Aren't these called maisonettes? Anyway, I lived in one in Brixton and, like sheff , ended up marrying my neighbour.

sheff Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I lived in one in West Norwood, and in an turn of

> fate, my now wife lived in the one nextdoor. So,

> we ended up with one big house!!

>

> Noise was never really an issue, certainly not

> downstairs because you are separated by the

> hallway.

> Security wise, as long as the main front door is a

> good one then we found it felt more secure. You

> get to know our neighbor well and as such tend to

> watch out for them.

>

> They are fairly easy to extend into the loft if

> they haven?t already as well. Depends whether you

> are looking at one with a bathroom upstairs, or at

> the back of the kitchen.

>

> As they are freehold, one will often a room

> overhanging the hallway which I had the freehold

> to. So you may have some questions from a lender

> on he floating freehold aspect. One owner usually

> has in their deeds a clause on allowing

> unrestricted access to the hall.

> Similar I guess to terraces which share an alley

> with an overhang.

>

> But, in general we never had noise issues, no more

> than the usual in a terrace I.e a bit of carry

> through floorboards etc.

[sheff]

Johnie, that?s made me laugh!

[hammerman]

Yes they are called maisonettes.

So funny to see Right Moves describing them as half houses.

[alice]

Maisonettes have their own front door. Half houses don?t.

[Carrie]

Maisonettes are divided horizontally - half houses are divided vertically.

[intexasatthe moment]

Half houses have an alliterative nomenclature ,maisonettes don't .

[B&G]

I think there should be more focus on Sheff marrying his neighbour and having both halves of the whole house. Awesome story!

[Sue]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Half houses have an alliterative nomenclature

> ,maisonettes don't .

:))

[Seabag]

Half houses have an other half, unlike sulky solo maisonettes