What type of Property is Right For Me: House, Bungalow or Flat?

Decision made on the location of your new home? Great. Just that next little consideration of what type of property would suit you and what you would ideally like to live in. But it may not have even occurred to you that you have options, maybe your default thought was ‘Let’s go house hunting’, rather than ‘Let’s look at the options of the different properties we could live in’.

The choice of property we move into will usually be influenced by our lifestyle, the general design of the properties in our chosen location and, obviously, our budget.

Then, of course, some will be influenced by the preconceptions we have of the demographics who live in certain types of homes.

Bungalows are for the more mature person surely? Apartments are for the younger generation are they not? And houses throw up a whole conundrum of their own, detached, semi-detached, townhouse or terraced.

And we won’t even get started on new build, self-build, cottages, mobile homes, converted barns or churches………. Shall I go on? Best not.

So, would you rather live in a house, bungalow or apartment and what are the benefits of living in a house, bungalow or apartment? Let’s find out…………..

Average Property Prices – House vs Apartment vs Bungalow

Just to give you a rough idea of the differences in prices for different 2-bedroom home types, we looked at 3 locations around the UK, and these were the cheapest homes in each category.

Truro

• Flat: £70,000
• Bungalow: £155,000
• Terraced House: £185,000
• Semi-Detached House: £100,000
• Detached House: £150,000

Swindon

• Flat: £168,000
• Bungalow: £180,000
• Terraced House: £265,000
• Semi-Detached House: £185,000
• Detached House: £144,000

Aberdeen

• Flat: £195,000
• Bungalow: £135,000
• Terraced House: £125,000
• Semi-Detached House: £233,000
• Detached House: £100,000

Living in a Flat, House or Bungalow – What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?

Let us look at the three main categories of home you may consider moving into, and the pros and cons of living in a bungalow, house or apartment. Then we will also consider the associated implications of moving costs and the execution of a successful moving day.

Apartments (or Flats as we used to call them before we adopted Americanisms!)

Trivia #1. Where does the word ‘Flat’ originate? An early 19th-century word meaning floor or storey. Adapted from the Germanic word ‘Flet’ meaning floor.

Generally, flats will be located in city centres or areas of concentrated population, although in recent years many old dockside warehouses have been converted into very desirable apartments. They will most likely be within the vicinity of where all the action is and therefore will attract those drawn to that type of lifestyle. But that is a generalization as there are even old mill factories in the Peak District for example that are converted to very desirable apartments. Usually, easy access to work and leisure activities is a major attraction of those seeking a flat, as are the financial benefits, flats generally being more economical to live in than houses or bungalows.

Pros of living in an apartment

• Rental or purchase prices will be lower than a comparably sized house.
• There will be no exterior maintenance costs.
• One-level living.

• 

  There will usually be a higher degree of security.

• Heating costs will be lower.
• Location will usually mean little or no commuting.
• Better security than a house or bungalow.
• Some will have leisure facilities – gyms etc.

Cons of living in an apartment

• Noise from neighbours.
• Lack of privacy.
• No or very little outdoor living space.
• Not so convenient to have cats or dogs.
• Parking your car can be problematic.
• Less living space than a house usually.
• Fire safety concerns if the flat is on higher floors.

Houses

Trivia #2 Where did the word ‘house’ come from? Middle English h(o)us, Old English hūs; cognate with Dutch huis, Low German huus, Old Norse hūs, German Haus, Gothic –hūs.

Usually, these can be found anywhere, with the exception of most city centres. The design and vast range of configurations mean that there will be a house type to suit most tastes and lifestyles. So having decided that you want to live in a house you then have to decide what style of house you like. Of course, the house type you choose will each have its own pros and cons list, so the list below is generic. Living in a terraced or semi-detached house may expose you to the same noisy neighbour problem that you may experience in an apartment. In some cases, it may be no better to live in a house than an apartment.

Pros of living in a house

• Huge range of configurations – terrace, townhouse, detached, semi.
• More choice of available properties.
• Noisy neighbours may be less of an issue.
• Parking is usually easier.

Cons of living in a house

• More expensive than flats to rent or buy.
• Less square meters for your money.
• Not normally centrally located in a city, so would involve a commute to work.
• Noisy neighbours may be an issue, especially in terraced houses.
• Upper-floor exterior maintenance is problematic.
• Higher maintenance costs.
• Larger heating bills.
• Safety concerns for children on stairs.

Bungalows

Trivia #3 Where did the word ‘bungalow’ originate? First appearing around 1670 in the English language, bungalow is from the Hindi word ‘Bangala’, meaning a home in the Bengal style – a single-storey with a large surrounding verandah. Originally built for European settlers in Bengal.

Bungalows are associated with the more mature person in the UK, but in places such as the USA and Australia, they are some of the most popular homes for young families too. And with good reason. Bungalows are well suited to families as you will see from the pros and cons of living in a bungalow list below. The most common concern to be aired about living in a bungalow is the security aspect, as all windows are on the ground floor. But that is easily resolved with a good alarm system and window locks. The security concern is more than offset by the advantages of being on the ground floor in the event of a fire.

Advantages of living in a bungalow

• More outside space.
• Usually more private.
• Rooms are generally larger.
• Options to extend upwards and outwards.
• Bungalows tend to hold their value.
• No stairs – no vacuuming, safer for children.
• Everything is all on one level – children can use their bedroom as a playroom.
• Easier exterior maintenance.
• Could be a life-long home.
• Better fire safety – any window can be used as a fire exit.
• Most have a driveway and/or garage.

Disadvantages of living in a bungalow

• Perceived as an older person’s home.
• Some people may have security concerns with all windows on the ground floor.
• Children could access the kitchen during the night – easily solved with a stair gate in the doorway.
• Grounded teenagers could easily escape!

Average Moving Costs

There was not a big difference in the removal company quotes we were given between houses and bungalows. Apartments are obviously more problematic to move out of, and the price is dependent upon ease of access (is there a lift or how close can they get the removal van to the flat, for example) and which floor the apartment is on.

To give you an idea of average removal costs we requested some estimates from reputable removal companies.

A Luton van, with 2 men, for 8 hours, is going to cost about £400 plus VAT

A Luton van with 3 men, for 8 hours, is going to cost about £550 plus VAT

The average cost for a professional packing service from a removal company, to pack the contents of a 1 bedroom property, is about £150.

The average cost for a removal company to pack the contents of a 2-bedroom property was about £200.

Moving within a radius of 50 miles from a 3 bedroom house will cost on average between £500-£900. A professional packing service will add about £300 to those prices.

For more in-depth information on how to calculate removal costs just follow this link.

Further information on removal costs from a 1 or 2-bedroom home, can be found here.

A comprehensive guide to average removal costs from a 3-bedroom property is here.

Preparing for Moving Day

Whatever type of property you intend to move out of, good planning and organisation is vital. One of the first things you will need to do is create a moving budget, quickly followed by a home moving checklist and planner.

There are many resources available to guide you every step of the home moving way and to make moving day as stress-free as possible, our library of guides and tips is there to help you.

Of course, hiring a reputable removal company will make the transition to your new home so much easier. To receive an estimated removal company cost just click on this link here.

There is a guide here that will help you make the decision as to whether you move yourself or hire the services of a reputable removal company.

Once you have received your estimates, you are then just a click away from being able to read what other users of the removal company have to say about their services.

We would recommend you read this guide on how to use removal company reviews to get the most benefit from them.

What Type of Home do you want to Live In?

Apartments, houses, and bungalows all have advantages and disadvantages, and at the end of the day, it will come down to personal preference. Personally, I have lived in each, and have no real preference. Currently, I live in an apartment and it is quieter and has more privacy than some houses I have lived in. Ultimately, it is your neighbours who make all the difference.

Usually, it is cheaper to live in an apartment than a house, bungalows are more expensive to buy as they use larger plots of land than the average house, some people say bungalows are colder than houses to live in (a larger roof is usually cited as the main reason for being colder but good insulation will resolve this) and if anyone were to ask me now, should I  live in a house or apartment, the answer would be apartment – and I am no spring chicken!

So, why not come back and tell us in the comments box below, how you chose the type of property you moved into, what it is like living in an apartment, house or bungalow, and why it works so well for you? Others may find your reasons will help them consider a property type that they had previously discounted or not even considered.

Happy home hunting and don’t forget to also come back and leave a review for your removal company.

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