Studio Flats

IamtheWalrus

Hi all,

I am currently sharing a flat with 4 other people and would like to move out. I am currently researching 2 options.

1. Flat with 1 other person.
2. Studio flat

I really don't know which to choose.

Does anyone have experience with studio flats? Are they a bit claustrophobic?

If I moved in with one person, would we get cabin fever?

Any input welcome.

Walrus

IamtheWalrus

Lonely no?

JustAThought

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Lonely no?

!!!!
Think how lonely it'll be in a Bedsit :0

I'd say go for the share ; I'd even go for a
Share in a house with a total of 3 : that way there's always a third in case of issues / fatigue: cabinfeaver.
Youd probably be able to get a
3 bedded house with large rooms downstairs so more space for everyone & less crush & cabinfeaver all round!! ( no couples thou ; you always loose innbeing
The third of a couple share!!)

In a one bedder or a Bedsit the spaces
Are Much smaller including living rooms and the bills are All yours too ; Boone to share them with! It's nice to have company & someone to hang out with so I'd go the economical ,social & more spacious route !!!


There's my tuppenceworth!
Daft.ie team up

IamtheWalrus

JustAThought wrote: »

!!!!
Think how lonely it'll be in a Bedsit :0

I'd say go for the share ; I'd even go for a
Share in a house with a total of 3 : that way there's always a third in case of issues / fatigue: cabinfeaver.
Youd probably be able to get a
3 bedded house with large rooms downstairs so more space for everyone & less crush & cabinfeaver all round!! ( no couples thou ; you always loose innbeing
The third of a couple share!!)

In a one bedder or a Bedsit the spaces
Are Much smaller including living rooms and the bills are All yours too ; Boone to share them with! It's nice to have company & someone to hang out with so I'd go the economical ,social & more spacious route !!!


There's my tuppenceworth!
Daft.ie team up

Thanks but I think I'm too old to share with 3 people. Need my space.

edellc

then you have answered your question you need your space, if you share with one other person what happens if you dont get on think of the long days or nights uncomfortable silences getting pissed off, nope think its time to set up on your own, bedsits are okay but its really all one room so maybe a little flat for yourself but do your research and view a good few as lots can be really poor quality and over priced also be aware in most bedsits and flats the heating is included in the rent which is not always a good thing as it means the heating comes on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening between sep and april and gets switched off in the summer months regardless of how cold it is and when it is on it may not be the hottest as most LL turn thermostat down to save on costs, this really only occurs in a flat or bedsit that is in a converted house so be aware....also if your budget can stretch why not teat yourself to a one bed apt, some are not that more expensive than a flat and for the quality you get its well worth it.

ebixa82

edellc wrote: »

then you have answered your question you need your space, if you share with one other person what happens if you dont get on think of the long days or nights uncomfortable silences getting pissed off, nope think its time to set up on your own, bedsits are okay but its really all one room so maybe a little flat for yourself but do your research and view a good few as lots can be really poor quality and over priced also be aware in most bedsits and flats the heating is included in the rent which is not always a good thing as it means the heating comes on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening between sep and april and gets switched off in the summer months regardless of how cold it is and when it is on it may not be the hottest as most LL turn thermostat down to save on costs, this really only occurs in a flat or bedsit that is in a converted house so be aware....also if your budget can stretch why not teat yourself to a one bed apt, some are not that more expensive than a flat and for the quality you get its well worth it.

10 lines and only one full stop. Impressive!

ebixa82

Have a look at daft.ie and see how depressingly small irish "bed sits" are. Little more than a cupboard in which you make a cup of tea, brush your teeth and turn off the TV while lying in bed.

Tend to be rented out by cowboys trying to exploit people.

Go for a two bed. Take your time, spending 30-45 minutes talking to someone as well as giving the place a decent inspection, asking relevant questions should prevent any future arguments/cabin fever issues.

JustAThought

ebixa82 wrote: »

Have a look at daft.ie and see how depressingly small irish "bed sits" are. Little more than a cupboard in which you make a cup of tea, brush your teeth and turn off the TV while lying in bed.

Tend to be rented out by cowboys trying to exploit people.

Go for a two bed. Take your time, spending 30-45 minutes talking to someone as well as giving the place a decent inspection, asking relevant questions should prevent any future arguments/cabin fever issues.

I still think..three is a magic number : )
Argue with 1-other ; problem. Argue with 1 another and there's another there; someone will be a peacemaker/ make the tea/ help fix the issue!!

Agree with other person re the cost & terrible Bedsit-Land! But there you are ; maybe headspace is more needed than the extra cash... To every thing there is a season!!

Good luck!!!
: )

IamtheWalrus

Have any of you lived in a bedsit?

edellc

ebixa82 wrote: »

10 lines and only one full stop. Impressive!

I can do more than 10 lines, its an acquired skill.

Jerrica

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Have any of you lived in a bedsit?

I lived in a one-bedroom apartment for three years. I loved living on my own, loved not having to suit anyone else and kept the place exactly how I wanted it. But I found a one-bed small after a time, so I can only imagine a bedsit being even more confined. I hate the idea of cooking in the same room I sleep in, that alone would be enough to make me say I could never do it. My bedroom was always separate from my living/ eating/ cooking area and that was of extreme importance to me. Might be something to think about?

ebixa82

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Have any of you lived in a bedsit?

Would you really want to live in a place like this?

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=1174895

He uses the Irish Times to put the size into perspective. And he's charging €600 a month in a not so nice part of town. For the same money you could get this large en-suite

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=690243

As has been said above, sleeping in the same room as your kitchen is just mank unless you have an industrial strength fan.

Also you don't get to split the bills or possibly invite anyone around.

Do the maths!

Solair

Also always remember that studio I am Ireland and England usually translates as pokey bedsit.

I've rented studios elsewhere which have been small but perfectly formed.

See if you can find an actual one bedroom apartment if you can. They're probably more practical than a house conversion.

Sharing very much depends on your personality and on the people you're sharing with!

IamtheWalrus

Never thought of the cooking smell thing.

No, I would never move into a tiny bedsit. It'd have to be biggish. I could probably do a one bed flat but they tend to be small too.

username123

I lived in a one bed apartment for 2 years, I LOVED it.

It was like a mini house, the bedroom (ensuite) was 1 room, there was a hallway, a corridor with a kitchen off it (a proper room with a door!), and the corridor led into a sitting room that had patio doors leading out to a decking area. It WAS small, but it was lovely.

It was really private too, the entrance was hidden so no junk mail, no unwanted callers and not overlooked.

It was small, but it was laid out in such a way that it worked. The sitting room had a 14 or 15 foot ceiling and the entire back wall was glass (patio doors and a window next to them). The bedroom was a good size too.

Solair

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Never thought of the cooking smell thing.

No, I would never move into a tiny bedsit. It'd have to be biggish. I could probably do a one bed flat but they tend to be small too.

Also bear in mind that a lot of landlords cheap-out and put in recirculating cooker hoods. These use a charcoal filter and grease filter to remove cooking smells.

Unless it's a really top-of-the range hood (unlikely) and well maintained with new filters (unlikely) they basically just blow all the cooking smells back into the room again.

Amazingfun

I have lived in a bedsit now for a few years and it suits me fine. I knew after previous experiences with flatmates that it simply wasn't for me.

The way mine is set up is my landlord has partitioned off the tiny kitchen and bathroom into 'separate' rooms (just know it's a one-person only room, lol) and it means the main area is just my bed, a big window that looks out on the main tree-filled street, and my dresser, etc. I call it my 'treehouse' which my nephews find hilarious.

I like spending time alone and I love my internet. I live a simple life and am happy with it for now

I think the key is 'knowing yourself'. I knew I would find the daily aggro and various quirks of 'roomies' too distracting and drama-filled, so I opted for the smaller choice and am glad I did.

sunnysoutheast

Whilst living with flatmates you get on with is fun never underestimate the sheer pleasure in coming home after a hard day at work and not having to worry about whether the washing machine is full, kitchen is in use, flatmate A has fallen out with/is banging away with flatmate B etc.

Sharing is a young person's game!

dearg lady

ebixa82 wrote: »

Have a look at daft.ie and see how depressingly small irish "bed sits" are. Little more than a cupboard in which you make a cup of tea, brush your teeth and turn off the TV while lying in bed.

Tend to be rented out by cowboys trying to exploit people.

There is an awful lot of absolute dumps on bedsits out there, but there are also some decent ones. I recently moved into a bedsit, it's a fairly decent size,and it works well for me. I don't think it will be a long term thing, but it suits me well for now. Bear in mind OP, that the price difference between bedsits and 1 beds is often small, so if you're flexible with your budget, you might find a 1 bed.

ebixa82 wrote: »

Would you really want to live in a place like this?

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=1174895

He uses the Irish Times to put the size into perspective. And he's charging €600 a month in a not so nice part of town. For the same money you could get this large en-suite

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?id=690243

As has been said above, sleeping in the same room as your kitchen is just mank unless you have an industrial strength fan.

Also you don't get to split the bills or possibly invite anyone around.

Do the maths!

That's so weird with the newspaper! But tbh, even though that second place is a beautiful apartment, there's no way I'd ever pay 600 pm to share with strangers, for that, you could deffo get a 1 bed. And Cabra Park is a grand area, certainly no worse than Kilmainham

JustAThought

I lived in Bedsit set-up abroad ; 3 different times.

Once I had Long dealing to floor windows overlooking a park .& great view.
Once a tiny balcony with amazing view & windows off both sides of the house.
Once it was just bog-standard clinical.

In each different spot it came down to;

-Sitting on you bed looking at TV
-Sitting on your couch looking at your bed
-Smell of garlic/meat/boiled pasta /beans etc in your sleep
-Having " stuff" everywhere in sight night & day or having to be clinically tidy
-Not being able to dry clothes on radiator cos it was choice of heating room with radiator or blocking heat & drying clothes
-Sitting on your bed looking at drying clothes on rack weeping into carpet
-the noise of the fridge humming or knocking itself on for a powerboost in the middle of the night
- not ever having enough space or storage for anything
-not being able to ask people over for fear of looking like a slum-lord or having to worry about where my pyjamas/socks/etc are
- the stress of the bed being just there when people came over ; sitting with " friends" on the bed ..etc ... Never an issue until you re in that position

- the depression of it. Ever stayed in a caravan ; it's 1,00O times better designed, better equipped & more comfortable and spacious. Even the tiny ones ;(

OP
No matter what the view, balcony or location; Bedsits : seriously. Don't go there.

IamtheWalrus

I think a one bed might be the way to go. I have concerns about feeling cramped in a bedsit. Staring at the same walls all day.

ebixa82

Another classic Irish bedsit...

http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=1238822


One thing you need to remember about 1 bedroom flats is that often they are not much cheaper than two beds, usually only 20% or so less than an equivalent two bed, and you don't get to split the bills which are often constant e.g. wifi

Caroline_ie

I was in a granny flat studio for the past 3 years. I just moved out. I rented this because I had a bad experience with a housemate stealing from me. I wanted to have my own place and that's all I was able to afford as I was repaying a loan then.
It was 'cute' when I visited it, but once all my stuff was in it, it was cramped. I got lonely. You can't really have people over when you live in a studio ... it was dark with only 1 window and velux ( it was it was between a wall and a garden shed. ) In the winter it was even more depressing. I was living in a shed ...

I moved to a proper 1 bed apt now. A little more expensive but worth it.

IamtheWalrus

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I was in a granny flat studio for the past 3 years. I just moved out. I rented this because I had a bad experience with a housemate stealing from me. I wanted to have my own place and that's all I was able to afford as I was repaying a loan then.
It was 'cute' when I visited it, but once all my stuff was in it, it was cramped. I got lonely. You can't really have people over when you live in a studio ... it was dark with only 1 window and velux ( it was it was between a wall and a garden shed. ) In the winter it was even more depressing. I was living in a shed ...

I moved to a proper 1 bed apt now. A little more expensive but worth it.

Did the move to a 1 bed cure the loneliness because you could invite friends over?

IamtheWalrus

*Gulp*

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/it-consultant-lay-dead-in-city-bedsit-for-fortnight-3220124.html

Caroline_ie

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Did the move to a 1 bed cure the loneliness because you could invite friends over?

I just moved in 3 days ago. So far my BF and I have been able to enjoy each other's company a bit more.
It's hard to spend quality time and unwind when he's over and we're cramped on the **** faux leather 2-seater sofa 1.5 meters from the TV. Now we have a sofa each! I live on my own, he doesn't share with me, but he's over a few times a week generally.

It's bright, I can see outside through the massive windows. I have a real bedroom, a real kitchen, a full size fridge and a freezer! Doors! I have doors!

The only downside is that ... my TV that seemed so big in the studio looks very small in the bigger apartment.

steel_spine

I love the idea of a proper one-bed flat, but they're desperately hard to find in Ireland from what I can see - most of what is advertised as a one-bed or 'studio apartment' actually turn out to be horrible tiny bedsits.
You'd probably have an easier time finding a two-bed for not a huge amount more: you'll actually have proper rooms and a spare room is always handy for a study/visitors/storage. The biggest downside to this is the added expense, depending on budget. I find it's manageable when renting as a couple, but for one person it may well be too pricey.
I sympathise with you though, I'm not sure I could go back to flatshares either, I got sick of drama and mess over the years, and I really need my own space too.