Does Garden Aspect Make much difference?

Lived in a north facing house with trees at the back. Back of house was dark, mossy and had to have lights on at 11am am in the day. Had no idea about orientation so did not know why house got no sun. Sun was going over the house to the end of the garden. The back of the house was dull and depressing.

Moved and making sure was not caught again, bought south facing house, paid premium I think was 20k.

I've no problem paying it as it is for the life of the house. No extension, rooflights or renovation can bring the light in when it does not come in.

Front of house needs to be kept clean, as it gets damp and mossy. I feel sorry for he houses opposite as their back gardens are like that. I do get the sun in front, very late in evening, but you cant beat sitting out in the mornings in the back with a coffee and having the garden bright all day. . Sunlight makes things seem more positive.

100 percent would only buy south or west. Too big a compromise.

One thing that no one pointed out is that is it in some respect ideal if at least one side of the house faces pure south. Many houses only face east or west and they get solar installed but it doesn't perform so well because it lacks noon sun. If you have a south facing garden you can get solar discreetly on back of your house which is great.

anewme wrote: »

I've no problem paying it as it is for the life of the house. No extension, rooflights or renovation can bring the light in when it does not come in.

Ah you clearly never heard of the CoeLux® artificial window. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM8psaLBsr8&feature=emb_title
The future is here

Yellow_Fern wrote: »

Ah you clearly never heard of the CoeLux® artificial window. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM8psaLBsr8&feature=emb_title
The future is here

Its like some sort of rapey tanning salon.

I grew up in a South facing house and purchased a South facing house. Premium didn't come I to it as it was non negotiable. I work from home and the back of the house is always light and airy. I have a lovely suntrap patio etc but it doesn't matter so much to me as I don't like sun bathing and rarely sit out though I love gardening. What I want is a bright warm airy indoors looking out onto greenery. Think! would you buy an apartment that was North or east facing! It's the quality of light inside that makes all the difference to your health and wellbeing. Now add a Seaview and that would be heaven....

Just wondering would I get any decent sun with the plot I have highlighted in the attachment or would the house to the left block it as it moves around?

It has to make a big difference to heating bills aswell, the sun streams in through the patio doors most of the day into our kitchen and with the doors open downstairs it feels like the central heating is on during the day sometimes when you come in even though it only comes on at 7pm.

Interested Observer wrote: »

I have a north facing garden. It's fine. Would I prefer south facing? Yeah absolutely. But it's fine. People saying it's damp and musty or whatever is a load of old rubbish. If in future we decide to move and we find the right house in the right location that just happens to be north facing, it won't stop us.

I grew up in a west facing house and it make the back of the house a furnace in the summer, honestly I nearly found it worse.

But why would you prefer south.

You just said it's a load of rubbish..

. ....

Buying first house myself.

Always living in an apartment (Duplex with south facing terrace/livingroom). I never considered orientation until I went sale agreed and saw one of these posts here. Immediately checked my garden (SE). Out of curiosity I drove to the showhouse to have a look at their garden, as it is the opposite of mine (one house behind another). Both SE and NW garden had enough sun on them in the afternoon. When I drove another day in the morning and another in the evening, the difference was small, in the evening the NW garden would have a bit of shade behind the house. The SE garden lost the sun a little bit earlier than the NW. Bottomline. I didn't see any difference that would push me one way or the other.

It depends on the whole package I reckon myself.
Is it a big garden, is there a big shared space, what is the house itself like, the surrounding houses?
For me, I'd look at the bigger picture and wouldn't rule a place in or out based on garden aspect. Current house has large north facing garden.

cubatahavana wrote: »

Buying first house myself.

Always living in an apartment (Duplex with south facing terrace/livingroom). I never considered orientation until I went sale agreed and saw one of these posts here. Immediately checked my garden (SE). Out of curiosity I drove to the showhouse to have a look at their garden, as it is the opposite of mine (one house behind another). Both SE and NW garden had enough sun on them in the afternoon. When I drove another day in the morning and another in the evening, the difference was small, in the evening the NW garden would have a bit of shade behind the house. The SE garden lost the sun a little bit earlier than the NW. Bottomline. I didn't see any difference that would push me one way or the other.

In summer a north facing garden will have you sitting facing the house to get sun on your face. It’s not a big deal but I’d prefer to face down the garden. It won’t be show stopper to many but it depends on how you use your garden. Mine faces generally west maybe SW we get great sun from late morning till the sun goes down. We don’t have a huge garden and some of the neighbours on the opposite side of the road sit in their front gardens in the evening.