North facing garden

Sligo1

Hi guys,

We are about to go sale agreed on a property in what we deem a great area of Dublin. We really feel we could be happy in this house. Bought for a good price and only needs minimal renovation. Not like the houses we've been looking at previously which require big renovations and extensions etc etc and still cost a pretty penny.

So basically, this house ticks nearly all the right boxes. Just one possible problem. The garden is North facing. Initially, we didn't really think this would be a big deal. But after googling it and reading lots of opinions and basically people saying stay clear... Just wondering what the wonderful boardies think? We have 2 young kids so obviously, ideally, the garden and kitchen area would be nice and bright. But is this a real must? We probably will spend most time in the back living area and kitchen. But is a North facing garden really that bleak? It's a terraced house, but with a large gap (no building to the west) and the agent said we would get a lot of sun coming in from the west in the late afternoon.

Any opinions on this? I don't want to pay what we are about to pay if it going to be miserable as we would spend a lot of time in the house. But there are just so many more positives about the house and area and it's the best we've seen in a long time.

Thanks very much for any opinions.

April 73

Sligo1 wrote: »

Hi guys,

We are about to go sale agreed on a property in what we deem a great area of Dublin. We really feel we could be happy in this house. Bought for a good price and only needs minimal renovation. Not like the houses we've been looking at previously which require big renovations and extensions etc etc and still cost a pretty penny.

So basically, this house ticks nearly all the right boxes. Just one possible problem. The garden is North facing. Initially, we didn't really think this would be a big deal. But after googling it and reading lots of opinions and basically people saying stay clear... Just wondering what the wonderful boardies think? We have 2 young kids so obviously, ideally, the garden and kitchen area would be nice and bright. But is this a real must? We probably will spend most time in the back living area and kitchen. But is a North facing garden really that bleak? It's a terraced house, but with a large gap (no building to the west) and the agent said we would get a lot of sun coming in from the west in the late afternoon.

Any opinions on this? I don't want to pay what we are about to pay if it going to be miserable as we would spend a lot of time in the house. But there are just so many more positives about the house and area and it's the best we've seen in a long time.

Thanks very much for any opinions.

This thread might be useful for you.
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057569728/1/#post98980647

There's also a link for a sun-calculator which might give you an idea about whether you can expect any sun.

I always swore that I'd stick with a west facing garden but I bought a house with east facing garden last year - we have found that we have sun from early morning til about 6.30pm because we have a clear southerly aspect as well.

I must admit a north-facing garden would be a deal-breaker for me - sorry!

Jentle Grenade

My partner and I are looking at the moment and we were both surprised at how much the back garden and available light affects our impression of houses. We have a list of "wants" the length of my arm but neither of us had considered the back garden at all until we've started physically viewing. Any chance you can view the house at a few different times to gauge the sunlight and how you feel about it? We viewed a spectacular house in our ideal location two weeks ago and the long, narrow NE facing back garden turned us off the house entirely. We viewed on two days, one particularly grey day and one bright enough day and the back of the house appeared dark/cold to us both times. It really depends on how you personally feel about it.

sapper

I live in a house with a north facing garden and nothing to the west and its great. Once you get into the summer months the sun is high enough to shine over the house into the back 2/3 of the garden in the morning until it shines on the whole garden in the afternoon. My favourite thing is that as that EA says you get the sun shining from west late into the evening in the summer, which is the only time I can enjoy it mon-fri - on really sunny weekdays its great to be able to come home from work and have dinner/ a drink in the sun.

Suncalc.net is great to figure it out - just remember the sun gets much higher than it is now in the summer

Sligo1

sapper wrote: »

I live in a house with a north facing garden and nothing to the west and its great. Once you get into the summer months the sun is high enough to shine over the house into the back 2/3 of the garden in the morning until it shines on the whole garden in the afternoon. My favourite thing is that as that EA says you get the sun shining from west late into the evening in the summer, which is the only time I can enjoy it mon-fri - on really sunny weekdays its great to be able to come home from work and have dinner/ a drink in the sun.

Suncalc.net is great to figure it out - just remember the sun gets much higher than it is now in the summer

Thanks all. I have to say I was getting really worried. As this house is so ideal for us and tbh I never really put orientation on a list of priorities. It was parking, garden and facilities and parks etc on the priority list. Not the actual orientation of garden as I hadn't even thought of that. We're not ones to sit out in the garden and I'm not into gardening. It's really only for the kids to play in. But they'd be on bikes, scooters and playing football etc... So they wouldn't really be sitting around getting cold. Was just worried from reading people's opinions it might be a little miserable...

highly1111

If the house is in an estate and there's a green you can be pretty much certain that the kids won't even be in their garden in a few years - they'll spend all their time out on the green!

It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me to be honest if all other boxes were ticked.

OfflerCrocGod

Get yourself the most powerful led bulbs you can find for those rooms e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/AURAGLOW-Super-Bright-Screw-Lumens/dp/B0193LULC8/ref=pd_sim_60_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=41xHhXHt8CL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1AAEYGN1KSWM62X7P184

1900 lumens is nice but you can get even higher, just be careful that they can be bigger and heavier than normal bulbs once you get around and above 2000 lumens but the brightness is fantastic, I'll never waste my money on a sub 1800 lumens bulb again! Going into rooms without those bulbs is like stepping into dark caves.

Villa05

Sligo1 wrote:

So basically, this house ticks nearly all the right boxes. Just one possible problem. The garden is North facing. Initially, we didn't really think this would be a big deal. But after googling it and reading lots of opinions and basically people saying stay clear... Just wondering what the wonderful boardies think? We have 2 young kids so obviously, ideally, the garden and kitchen area would be nice and bright. But is this a real must? We probably will spend most time in the back living area and kitchen. But is a North facing garden really that bleak? It's a terraced house, but with a large gap (no building to the west) and the agent said we would get a lot of sun coming in from the west in the late afternoon.

Jentle Grenade wrote:

We viewed a spectacular house in our ideal location two weeks ago and the long, narrow NW facing back garden turned us off the house entirely. We viewed on two days, one particularly grey day and one bright enough day and the back of the house appeared dark/cold to us both times. It really depends on how you personally feel about it.

NW facing garden is a summer time sun trap

Jentle Grenade

Villa05 wrote: »

NW facing garden is a summer time sun trap

Sorry that was a typo on my part, I meant to type "NE". At the time we did the calculations using the tool April posted above (posted in an earlier thread). My partner, a hobbyist painter who is obsessed with natural light, decided that the shape of the garden combined with the height of the house, the suncalc tool and surrounding foliage would put the back of the house in the shade too often than not. Having viewed it twice, I personally found it quite shaded too. Its definitely a matter of personal preference.

Sligo1

Jentle Grenade wrote: »

Sorry that was a typo on my part, I meant to type "NE". At the time we did the calculations using the tool April posted above (posted in an earlier thread). My partner, a hobbyist painter who is obsessed with natural light, decided that the shape of the garden combined with the height of the house, the suncalc tool and surrounding foliage would put the back of the house in the shade too often than not. Having viewed it twice, I personally found it quite shaded too. Its definitely a matter of personal preference.

Estate agent told us we were lucky the garden wasn't North East facing as we wouldnt get any sun. So you think North facing is ok? Apparebtly as there is a clear gap with no building to the north west of the garden we would get a lot of the sun coming in from the west? Is that the opinion? I'm holding onto hope here...

The house isn't in an estate so no options to be playing on the green. But I'm hoping most mornings we weren't working we would go to the park anyway. When they are older the garden might be used more...

anewme

had a house with a North facing garden. The kitchen and sitting room always felt cold dark and depressing and I distinctly recall having to put the lights on at 10am on a Saturday summer morning. I had no idea at the time about facing whatever way etc but afterwards it made sense.

I have moved since and paid an extra 10k on the price of this house to have a southern aspect. It's worth every penny.

Would never consider a North facing house again.

Rew

Renting a house with a north facing garden ATM gets no sun due to some trees that need to be cut back but when they are only one corner will get any. If it was a house we were looking to buy for sale I wouldn't but it solely because of that. Big north facing gardens tend to be OK.

Jentle Grenade

Will the kids really mind the light the garden gets though? What I mean here is it really depends on you feel about the entire house, and what your impression is of the light the back of the house gets. Some people like darker spaces. For my OH it was too much of a deal breaker, she wanted lots of natural light and sunshine in the area of the house we will probably spend the most amount of time. For me personally? Well like I said I did find it quite shaded but I don't think it would have been a deal breaker for me without her. If its not something that would bother you/your partner/etc then it won't be a huge problem. If it was a large enough space I don't think it would be a big issue. Like you I hadn't considered the light aspect at all!

Andrewf20

We have a north facing back garden and its not an issue. But we have the every day living room and a converted garage (man cave) at the front (South) and these get the sun, which is what we wanted as we spend most time there. The kitchen doesn't get the sun but the kitchen is usually heated more with cooking going and other than eating times we don't spend time in there anyway. So I'd factor this into your descision - I.e. Try and have some sun in the rooms you use most.

In the summer the house casts short shadows so only a third of the garden is in shadow.

josip

First of all, don't believe a word of what the EA says. He/She might be right, but their duty is towards the seller, not the buyer and you really can't trust anything they say.
Does the design of the house suit you to spend your time in rooms towards the front where you will get more light?
How long is the back garden? Anything more than 10m and you'll find the sun is reaching at least the back of it in the summer.
With Irish weather, most back gardens go unused Nov - Feb, but the back of the house will be darker at a time when you might appreciate some cheering up.

Sligo1

The garden is in total about 10-15m long I would say (very rough estimate). The there's a man cave/flat type garden room at the back which stretches the whole way across the back of the garden and is just short of 40sm. I think we would spend the majority of our time at the back of the house if I'm honest. As I would like to keep the sitting room at the front free of toys. The kitchen leads on to a back extension with large open glass so we can keep all the toys etc out there. Last time I viewed it was 2pm and overcast. But it didn't appear extremely dark or anything...