Detached houses

A detached house is free standing home on a plot. With the exception of smaller homes, detached houses usually have a garage which can be integral, attached or detached garage. Detached new homes can have three, four or five bedrooms and often have en suite bathrooms, a study, utility and family rooms in the larger and more expensive versions. Link detached houses are usually attached to neighbouring properties by a garage.

Many new detached homes are three-storey with a bedroom and en suite in the roof space. Whilst they may have some of the disadvantages of townhouses, they are usually traditional layouts with the main reception rooms on the ground floor.

A new detached house Avoid detached new homes that have no front garden or private driveway and those on very small plots that are overlooked. They can be more difficult to sell when the time comes. Shared driveways are another disadvantage so avoid if you can.

For:

Freehold title - no management charges
Larger gardens and free space around the home
Quieter - no adjoining neighbours
Generally larger houses with more rooms:
Can be easy to sell as they have more appeal
Garage and parking

Against:

New homes are built on small plots even though detached
Premium price - more expensive than other new home options
Can be close to social housing
Little or no front gardens on the newer versions.
More maintenance than a terraced house or flat
More expensive to heat - larger and all walls are external.

Size and value for money

A typical new four bedroom detached new home is around 1250sqft. In 2012 in West Sussex, a detached house was priced at £360,000, equating to £290 per square foot.

Who are they for:

Second time buyers, families, buyers who like a garden. Buy-to-let landlords.

Ground floor First floor

Three bedroom detached house

Who are they not suitable for:

Elderly retired buyers. Those cannot afford the premium prices and a large mortgage.

Ground Floor

First Floor

Four bedroom detached house

Our advice

Recommended! The best new home option. But this still can have many pitfalls for the unprepared. Ensure you know exactly what you are buying and ask questions. Although more expensive, you get what you pay for. See also: What to look for when buying a new home.

Note: Floor plans are illustrative examples only. Any similarity between actual designs, layouts and/or specifications is purely coincidental.

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