Does Garden Aspect Make much difference?

Dylan94 · 25-06-2020 4:44pm #1

I'm in the process of searching for a house and had been set all along on a house with a South Facing back garden. Our current house has a south facing garden and we have the sun all day long. We don't work traditional 9-5 jobs and would spend a lot of time in the garden.

I've been told that a North Facing garden will get no sun unless its very long, how true is this? We found a house that would be perfect except it has a North facing garden. Its a semi d so we will have houses either side.

So how important is aspect for getting some sun out the back?

Springy Turf · 25-06-2020 5:03pm

Dylan94 wrote: »

I'm in the process of searching for a house and had been set all along on a house with a South Facing back garden. Our current house has a south facing garden and we have the sun all day long. We don't work traditional 9-5 jobs and would spend a lot of time in the garden.

I've been told that a North Facing garden will get no sun unless its very long, how true is this? We found a house that would be perfect except it has a North facing garden. Its a semi d so we will have houses either side.

So how important is aspect for getting some sun out the back?

Compare the front and back garden of your current house to see.

Personally I would say its important, but not a deal breaker. It's quite common for people with north facing rears to set up patio areas at the back of the garden. If you can see that fitting your needs then go for it. Obviously it also means you won't ever really get sun into your back room / kitchen.

awec · 25-06-2020 5:39pm

Aspect is only one factor. You have to also look at what’s around you. Are there houses thatll block sun, walls, tall trees etc.

We are north facing, we get sun in the majority of the garden all day until about 7:30pm. The house behind us is south facing obviously, but they lose the sun at the same time.

The only thing is that the area right outside your back door will be in shade, so you may prefer to put your patio at the far end of the garden. And rooms at the back of the house don’t get direct sunlight.

25-06-2020 5:43pm

You will never have the sun coming in the windows at the back of your house.
If you're garden is long enough & open enough, you might have sum down the end.
I'm currently in a north facing back house & I will never buy one.
Some people don't mind, I love the sun getting in

Dylan94 · 25-06-2020 5:52pm

The Sun not coming into the back windows wouldn't bother us too much. All we really want is that there is an area of the garden where we could sit in the sun for most of the day.

I think I will try sitting in my own front garden on the next Sunny day to see how it works out.

25-06-2020 6:20pm

Why don't you go to see it again in the evening time

pearcider · 25-06-2020 6:32pm

It is incredibly important who wants to sit in their front garden and have a few beers or a bbq? Best gardens face west south west or south. I would never buy a house with back garden with north or east aspect.

jaffa20 · 25-06-2020 6:35pm

I wanted a big garden when i was buying and preferably south or west facing but i actually ended up buying a big north east facing garden. It mostly faces north.

In the summer, i get sun in every spot of the garden except right outside the back door. It's actually perfect because i couldn't in the sun all day long. I have a few seating areas but my favourite is the patio outside the door where i can sit in the shade and enjoy watching the wildlife.

In a south facing garden, i think the heat must be unbearable inside in the summer. It must feel like a greenhouse.

the_syco · 25-06-2020 6:49pm

The house I'm in now is East-North-East front facing. Sun in the morning, sun in the evening. Flowers front and back. If I'm looking out the back, the sun would usually set at my two o'clock.

Immy · 25-06-2020 6:53pm

We’re having a similar dilemma, currently in west facing and it’s great for evening sun.

Looking at south east and not sure to take the gamble or not

brisan · 25-06-2020 7:01pm

We made sure we had a south facing garden
My wife is off work for the 3 months of the summer and love to sit in the sun most days
Its nice to have meals outdoors in this weather
You can get coated glass for the windows that stops the sun getting in and making the house too hot
You can get a coating on the inside to reflect the heat back in ,but most modern high end windows have this now

DM1983 · 25-06-2020 7:06pm

I have due South aspect and paid a premium for it. Everyone advised you need a South facing garden. I would actually prefer a bit more west facing! That evening sun is so important. Sun sets for me by 730 ish and would love an extra hour. South West obviously ideal. Personally, I wouldn't consider anything north or east. Having a sunny back garden for bbq, beers, a nice coffee at breakfast etc. is the single best thing about having a house.

Queasy Tadpole · 25-06-2020 7:10pm

Makes a huge differance.

South facing you'll usually have sun all day. This helps with drying clothes, relaxing in the garden and having the sun come into the most used areas of the house.

I would never buy a house that was not south facing.

Dolbhad · 25-06-2020 7:11pm

For some people (myself included) it would be a straight no and some don’t mind. Personally I have decided not to purchase houses due to north facing gardens. And I had actually put a similar query on boards.

I’m currently in a rented house with a east facing back garden. I had to work in an office during lockdown so when we had the gorgeous weather, when I came home the sun was all in the front so couldn’t enjoy it as much (at least the kitchen faces the front so I get the sun). So I don’t think if even go with an east back garden now.

But just because a house is south facing back garden doesn’t meant you’ll get sun either - you have to look what’s around you. If the houses to the back of you etc are higher up, it can block sun. Or if your garden is small, you may not get sun etc.

If you don’t mind not having sun onto the windows and the north facing garden is long and overlooked that you could create a patio at the end of the garden then you could consider it. My parents house is south facing and a sun trap - I took that for granted growing up.

My first preference is west though since I would have sun later in the evening. Then south. I wouldn’t consider anything else. And I would pay extra for it.

James Bond Junior · 25-06-2020 7:14pm

Rear of my house faces WSW and in summer from 1pm to sunset you can sit out and bask. In winter and spring, the sun heats the back rooms and the front rooms are noticeable cooler. I'd be slow to get anything but south or west rear aspect when it comes time to trade up.

Dylan94 · 25-06-2020 7:36pm

So would I be right in saying that

South West is the preferred option,
Then South

Then West Facing is okay as a compromise?

Then North and East are no gos?

I cant visit and check directly as its a new build which hasn't been built.

brisan · 25-06-2020 7:42pm

Dylan94 wrote: »

So would I be right in saying that

South West is the preferred option,
Then South

Then West Facing is okay as a compromise?

Then North and East are no gos?

I cant visit and check directly as its a new build which hasn't been built.

Site map will help if you now which number you are buying
If you have not put a deposit down yet check out the site map and take a note of which houses have a southwest or south facing back garden
Then when bookings are been taken you can go with a list of your preferred houses
Houses with south facing gardens tend to be a bit dearer even in new estates as builders will squeeze every penny out of buyers

Shelga · 25-06-2020 7:42pm

I'm wondering this too! I went to view a house today, I think the back garden is north-east facing, the sun was in it when I was standing out there.

If it's mostly fine during the summer but the sun doesn't really reach there at other times, I could live with that.

brisan · 25-06-2020 7:43pm

Shelga wrote: »

I'm wondering this too! I went to view a house today, I think the back garden is north-east facing, the sun was in it when I was standing out there.

If it's mostly fine during the summer but the sun doesn't really reach there at other times, I could live with that.

In the winter you want the morning sun

Dolbhad · 25-06-2020 7:44pm

Dylan94 wrote: »

So would I be right in saying that

South West is the preferred option,
Then South

Then West Facing is okay as a compromise?

Then North and East are no gos?

I cant visit and check directly as its a new build which hasn't been built.

That would be my preference. Some would pick south first but if your a 9-5 job, west could be better.

I turned down a new build as it had a north east aspect. The houses were on a slope so we would had been overlooked also. I’ll admit at the start I was clueless about it but I had an engineer look at the site layout map beforehand to advise me on the aspect. He was able to tell me what others would have been better but they weren’t available.

New build gardens are on the small side and estates tend to be more closer together so bear that in mind.

salmocab · 25-06-2020 7:45pm

Dylan94 wrote: »

So would I be right in saying that

South West is the preferred option,
Then South

Then West Facing is okay as a compromise?

Then North and East are no gos?

I cant visit and check directly as its a new build which hasn't been built.

Personally I think SW is probably best. If the house has a straight up back wall as in no kitchen sticking out or conservatory then N might be a pain however with a bit of an extension it gives a bit of an angle to get more direct sun in, mid summer when the sun is high wouldn’t be too bad but I’d think March/April And late August into September you might Catch a bit of extra shade. I lived in a N facing before and it’s not ideal but really it depends how much, little or how you use the garden.

Springy Turf · 25-06-2020 7:52pm

I mean for those taking a hard line - it's fair enough if its your number 1 priority, but the fact is in most cases, you are paying a premium for the privilege. I would personally prefer a West or South West facing garden, and I check for every house I look at, but it's not a deal breaker at all.

The Bishop Basher · 25-06-2020 7:54pm

Like the poster above, I’ve rented north facing in the past and I’d never buy anything with a north facing garden. It depends on your personal priorities and preferences obviously but if you enjoy sitting a lot then I would definitely think twice.

We’re west facing now and get sun from about 10am through to sunset. It’s a suntrap which suits us perfectly.

DM1983 · 25-06-2020 8:03pm

Fair question though as to what it's worth? Everything has a price. 10% seems reasonable to me. I would pay 50K premium on a 500K house. Beyond that, it becomes very hard to justify. Does anyone know what the price differential is for identical new builds with North versus South orientation?

newirishman · 25-06-2020 8:06pm

Have a west (slight south) facing garden, and I think it is great, especially in summer.
Here's a good page to see the impact of the sun: https://www.suncalc.org/

WSW would probably be perfect, IMO, as you get a bit more sun in winter.

Dolbhad · 25-06-2020 8:08pm

DM1983 wrote: »

Fair question though as to what it's worth? Everything has a price. 10% seems reasonable to me. I would pay 50K premium on a 500K house. Beyond that, it becomes very hard to justify. Does anyone know what the price differential is for identical new builds with North versus South orientation?

Estate we looked in Cork had a premium of 10k for a south facing garden. All sold. 300k ish Mark was the house. However south facing in new builds you still would need to look at what’s around to ensure your not overlooked.

The west ones weren’t extra but due to the slope they were lower down so overlooked by the houses to the back and the gardens were small

awec · 25-06-2020 8:22pm

jaffa20 wrote: »

I wanted a big garden when i was buying and preferably south or west facing but i actually ended up buying a big north east facing garden. It mostly faces north.

In the summer, i get sun in every spot of the garden except right outside the back door. It's actually perfect because i couldn't in the sun all day long. I have a few seating areas but my favourite is the patio outside the door where i can sit in the shade and enjoy watching the wildlife.

In a south facing garden, i think the heat must be unbearable inside in the summer. It must feel like a greenhouse.

Yea same, there appears to be a misconception on here that a house with a garden that orientates anything other than south or west is not going to get sun. I had the same view tbh, was nervous when we bought our house.

From spring right through to mid-late September we get sun in almost the entire garden all day. The only bit that doesn't get sun is the first ~10 feet outside the backdoor. We are only a few degrees off true north.

Have our breakfast in the sun and our dinner in the sun, no problem.

South West is the preference, but north is not as bad as made out. It really varies quite significantly on the individual house as I said before. You could have the perfect aspect but still get feck all sun.

North gets all the bad press, but east is the worst IMO. You'll have a lovely sunny morning but you're going to lose the sun very early in the day.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly · 25-06-2020 10:56pm

We have an east facing rear garden and it is lovely to have breakfast in the sun. Sun stays in it until about 4.30pm.

I often notice in Ireland it can be sunny in the morning before becoming overcast in the afternoon.

Queasy Tadpole · 25-06-2020 11:05pm

DM1983 wrote: »

Fair question though as to what it's worth? Everything has a price. 10% seems reasonable to me. I would pay 50K premium on a 500K house. Beyond that, it becomes very hard to justify. Does anyone know what the price differential is for identical new builds with North versus South orientation?

It's difficult to put a worth to it. For me it's a deal-breaker, I would be prepared to pay 10-15k more to have a house with a south facing garden 100%.

I'm in the process of buying/selling at the moment. Our current house has a south facing garden, so any of the houses we are looking at are automatically disqualified if they are not south/west facing. Even if I was to get a real bargain I wouldn't take it. This is the last house I'll ever buy so I need to be happy with it.

Sitting out in your back garden with the fresh air and tiny bit of sun we get is priceless in my view.

theteal · 25-06-2020 11:17pm

If theres a slope, it can be a huge factor. Our friends north facing garden gets a lot of sun and I wouldn't regard it as overly steep, a few steps at the bottom help.

I would and did pick west over south facing for the main reason being the late evening sun. It's a joy to sit out with a nice glass after the kids have been tucked away. The only "downside" is that the rear bedrooms are very very hot in the summer evenings. Added bonus for us is in front bedroom is waking up to glorious sunshine.

Donatron · 26-06-2020 10:02am

Surely if rear of house is south facing then that would mean no direct sun into the front rooms of the house, i.e. the sitting room where the most time would be spent? Or am I missing something here?

From what I can see if it's a house on a large site then having the front of the house face south/sw is ideal as you will still get direct sun into the main rooms and also sun in the garden.

Pkiernan · 26-06-2020 10:07am

jaffa20 wrote: »

In a south facing garden, i think the heat must be unbearable inside in the summer. It must feel like a greenhouse.

No, it doesn't, not in the slightest.
South facing is much more pleasant and desirable.

salmocab · 26-06-2020 10:09am

Donatron wrote: »

Surely if rear of house is south facing then that would mean no direct sun into the front rooms of the house, i.e. the sitting room where the most time would be spent? Or am I missing something here?

From what I can see if it's a house on a large site then having the front of the house face south/sw is ideal as you will still get direct sun into the main rooms and also sun in the garden.

Well On a large site it’s different maybe but I think in general people here are discussing houses in estates. People in general like to sit out in their garden behind the house in privacy so would prefer the light there.
Not sure people really want sun in the main rooms much anyway.

Dylan94 · 26-06-2020 10:36am

Donatron wrote: »

Surely if rear of house is south facing then that would mean no direct sun into the front rooms of the house, i.e. the sitting room where the most time would be spent? Or am I missing something here?

From what I can see if it's a house on a large site then having the front of the house face south/sw is ideal as you will still get direct sun into the main rooms and also sun in the garden.

It depends on what room you use most. For me anyway we would spend more time in the kitchen, so that's where we would like to have the extra light. I wouldn't be a fan of the extra light in the living room, I like it to be a bit darker for watching TV.

KilOit · 26-06-2020 10:39am

Love my north facing garden, house is lovely and cool all day and my plants and flowers are all along the wall flourishing with the constant sunshine

listermint · 26-06-2020 10:39am

I wouldnt entertain a house that didnt have private outside space where sunshine was guaranteed during daylight hours. Not a hope. By Private space i mean a rear garden not street facing.

26-06-2020 10:46am

KilOit wrote: »

Love my north facing garden, house is lovely and cool all day and my plants and flowers are all along the wall flourishing with the constant sunshine

So you no sun AND constant sunshine in the same place?

awec · 26-06-2020 10:49am

With most houses in developments having the majority of their windows on the front and back, rather than the sides, it really makes no difference in terms of the house overheating between a north or south aspect.

Either the front of the house will be hot or the back. I wouldn't dismiss south facing cause you're worried about the back being hot, if you go north facing the front will be hot and vice versa.

The biggest drawbacks, as someone with a north facing garden, are:

1. No sun for the first ~10 feet outside the back door, but sun all day in the rest of the garden. Really it means you can't have your outdoor table right outside the back door.
2. Glare on the TV as the sitting room at the front of the house is super-bright.
3. Our bedroom is at the front of the house, so it gets warmed up all day.

KilOit · 26-06-2020 10:57am

BrownFinger wrote: »

So you no sun AND constant sunshine in the same place?

Sun doesn't penetrate the house, so small shadow on back of house so my back garden gets all the sun all day. Don't think people really understand how the sun works and just have buzz words like south facing garden is a must etc etc. I will say if your garden is tiny like in a new build the house will cast a big shadow

GreeBo · 26-06-2020 11:19am

I think aspect is vitally important, there is nothing you can do to change it in future.
Now is a bad time of year to be judging the sun though, I grew up in a North facing garden, at the moment its a grand, gets sun nearly all day, but for spring - autumn it doesnt get anything, and its not a pokey garden.

My current house has south facing garden and has sun in it somewhere year round, as an out dorsey, gardeny person I couldnt imagine not having sun in my back garden now.

GreeBo · 26-06-2020 11:31am

awec wrote: »

With most houses in developments having the majority of their windows on the front and back, rather than the sides, it really makes no difference in terms of the house overheating between a north or south aspect.

Either the front of the house will be hot or the back. I wouldn't dismiss south facing cause you're worried about the back being hot, if you go north facing the front will be hot and vice versa.

I disagree with this as the glazing density on the back of most houses is much higher on the back than the front.
The back of the house will typically have double doors, velux, floor to ceiling windows, etc things you dont frequently see on the front of a house.

The Nal · 26-06-2020 11:33am

North facing, you don't get any sun in the back of the house. Ever. And the way most houses are now, the living area is the kitchen and the back of the house. With north facing, most of the garden, the patio, doors, windows etc always seem kind of damp and musty. Moss everywhere. Dark, damp and miserable. Loads of snails and slugs. Last house I lived in was north facing and I couldn't wait to get out.

Its a non negotiable for me.

awec · 26-06-2020 11:53am

The Nal wrote: »

North facing, you don't get any sun in the back of the house. Ever. And the way most houses are now, the living area is the kitchen and the back of the house. With north facing, most of the garden, the patio, doors, windows etc always seem kind of damp and musty. Moss everywhere. Dark, damp and miserable. Loads of snails and slugs. Last house I lived in was north facing and I couldn't wait to get out.

Its a non negotiable for me.

This is honestly bollocks.

OP: north facing definitely not as desirable as south or south west, but also definitely not as bad as being portrayed on this thread. It will vary a lot per house.

BrokenArrows · 26-06-2020 12:00pm

It's important if you care about a garden. Most people who are buying a house care about the garden, otherwise they would get an apartment.

In Ireland:
North facing usually means the house casts a shadow on the garden, so of it's only a few meters long it will never get the sun. 10+ meters you will get it at the back of the garden at lunch. Before or after midday it depends on how tall the buildings are around you.

South facing means you will get it most of the day.

West facing means you will get it after lunch.

East facing means you will get it in the morning and it will start to be covered in shadow after lunch.

I'm buying an East facing garden. The garden is 25 meters long. I worked out that the back of the garden will still be in the sun until about 5-6pm.

The Nal · 26-06-2020 12:03pm

awec wrote: »

This is honestly bollocks.

OP: north facing definitely not as desirable as south or south west, but also definitely not as bad as being portrayed on this thread. It will vary a lot per house.

Last gaff I rented was north facing. Horrible. Was in a south facing house before that and in a south facing house now. No comparison. A couple of my neighbours across the road spend their sunny evenings in their driveway.

Glinda · 26-06-2020 12:30pm

We moved last year from a house with an East facing back garden (where we'd lived for years) to one where the back faces SSW.

In the first house, the garden was fairly long, so we had set up a seating area at the end of the garden, where we got most sun. The garden near the house was in constant, deep shadow. The bit at the back got sun until about teatime in midsummer, but much earlier in winter. We used the garden fairly rarely - the trek down to the other end of garden was more offputting than you'd think and we found we never just wandered out casually. There was full sun at the front of the house from midday, but we were never the sort for sitting in the front garden (although a fair few of the neighbours set up chairs or benches outside their front doors).

By contrast, in the new garden, the seating area is directly at the back of the house and has the sun all day (until about 9pm). We put in patio doors in both the kitchen and sittingroom that open directly onto the garden, and you find yourself casually wandering out on any fine day with your tea and toast or glass of wine, a beer, a coffee etc.

I'd describe it as a very significant improvement in quality of life.

Having said that, I know people who paid a premium for a south facing garden in a new estate, only to find the house behind was so elevated that the back fence was double-height and there is no sun in their garden, ever. So check the site map for hills!

Bio Mech · 26-06-2020 6:13pm

Glinda wrote: »

We moved last year from a house with an East facing back garden (where we'd lived for years) to one where the back faces SSW.

In the first house, the garden was fairly long, so we had set up a seating area at the end of the garden, where we got most sun. The garden near the house was in constant, deep shadow. The bit at the back got sun until about teatime in midsummer, but much earlier in winter. We used the garden fairly rarely - the trek down to the other end of garden was more offputting than you'd think and we found we never just wandered out casually. There was full sun at the front of the house from midday, but we were never the sort for sitting in the front garden (although a fair few of the neighbours set up chairs or benches outside their front doors).

By contrast, in the new garden, the seating area is directly at the back of the house and has the sun all day (until about 9pm). We put in patio doors in both the kitchen and sittingroom that open directly onto the garden, and you find yourself casually wandering out on any fine day with your tea and toast or glass of wine, a beer, a coffee etc.

I'd describe it as a very significant improvement in quality of life.

Having said that, I know people who paid a premium for a south facing garden in a new estate, only to find the house behind was so elevated that the back fence was double-height and there is no sun in their garden, ever. So check the site map for hills!

It's hardly possible for a house to have no sun ever is it? In summer the sun is almost directly overhead at noon.

My own garden faces north but gets much more sun than the south facing garden behind us due to us having a long garden and them having a massive tree with a protection order on it at the base of theirs .

It's really all the specifics of the house as much as the aspect. Our previous house was south facing but got much less than our current one as the gardens were small and we backed onto a three storey row.

Our current garden will get sun on the patio until about 8.30 this evening as the fences are low and there are no obstructions to the west

CollyFlower · 26-06-2020 11:30pm

Wouldn't it be great if we had 2 suns...

GreeBo · 30-06-2020 7:53am

Bio Mech wrote: »

It's hardly possible for a house to have no sun ever is it? In summer the sun is almost directly overhead at noon.

My own garden faces north but gets much more sun than the south facing garden behind us due to us having a long garden and them having a massive tree with a protection order on it at the base of theirs .

It's really all the specifics of the house as much as the aspect. Our previous house was south facing but got much less than our current one as the gardens were small and we backed onto a three storey row.

Our current garden will get sun on the patio until about 8.30 this evening as the fences are low and there are no obstructions to the west

My family house has no sun hitting the back ever. Sure, in mid summer the garden gets sun, but the back of the house never does. The sun never comes in a rear window and the house is dark and cold because of it.

Eric Cartman · 30-06-2020 10:14am

I find it depends on the kind of people you are.

if flower beds are your thing south/south east all day long.

But if youre more bbq and evening drinks types its west/south west is the real winner and you can save some money as more people will pay for south.

crumble_15 · 30-06-2020 10:35am

Lived in North facing house and it really bothered me how little natural light came into back of house. Garden was big so could sit at bottom of garden, so that was OK.

Live in a SW facing house now. Garden is tiny but the light coming into house now is great and makes such a difference.

Does Garden Aspect Make much difference?

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