Which direction back garden is the best?

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Nikkiii

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Im currently debating between two plots in an estate. Plot 55 and plot 80.

55 has a SW facing garden and it is slightly longer but is overlooked whereas 80 is NW facing and not over looked. Which would be the best option for sunlight?

Thanks

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Nikkiii said:

Im currently debating between two plots in an estate. Plot 55 and plot 80.

55 has a SW facing garden and it is slightly longer but is overlooked whereas 80 is NW facing and not over looked. Which would be the best option for sunlight?

Thanks

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whether plot 55 is for you or not, DO NOT go with 80 unless you like the idea of a cold dark back garden.

South west is an ideal aspect for afternoon and evening sun.
 
Think about solar gain and the windows that will face the sun through the day. If like many families most time is spent at the back of the house in the kitchen, the north-westerly one will be colder and darker all day.
 
Leo said:
Think about solar gain and the windows that will face the sun through the day. If like many families most time is spent at the back of the house in the kitchen, the north-westerly one will be colder and darker all day.
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Leaving aside what its like inside the house, your garden will be all be unusable all summer in most cases as well (assuming relatively tall houses and relatively short gardens if its a new build).

So on a warm day it could be like the canaries across the road in their back garden and yours would be too cold to sit out in.
 
Blackrock1 said:
So on a warm day it could be like the canaries across the road in their back garden and yours would be too cold to sit out in.
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Bear in mind energy efficiency of new build is very high. Buildings are very good at trapping and retaining heat now in the way that was unthinkable for a 1970s bungalow.

Direct, sustained sunlight (even in Ireland!) can leave you with uncomfortable heat levels indoors.
 
NoRegretsCoyote said:
Bear in mind energy efficiency of new build is very high. Buildings are very good at trapping and retaining heat now in the way that was unthinkable for a 1970s bungalow.

Direct, sustained sunlight (even in Ireland!) can leave you with uncomfortable heat levels indoors.
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i know i live in one, but regardless of your aspect you will get that direct sustain sunlight into some part of your house which tends to heat all of it up, only thing for it really is top open every window top to bottom and get a breeze going,

the point about the garden there is no solution to it, and it makes a massive difference.
 
As well as the sun in the garden, house 55 is in a little cul de sac. It is nice an private. Kids can kick ball on the road without worry about cars. House 80 is on the main road in the estate, so expect more traffic. It may be nothing but it also backs onto the drainage system. If something goes wrong with it, it will flood the garden/ house.
 
Steven Barrett said:
As well as the sun in the garden, house 55 is in a little cul de sac. It is nice an private. Kids can kick ball on the road without worry about cars. House 80 is on the main road in the estate, so expect more traffic. It may be nothing but it also backs onto the drainage system. If something goes wrong with it, it will flood the garden/ house.
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Totally agree. I didn't see the attachment until I wondered how Steven knew so much about the estate!
OP - your name appears on the iCloud attachment! Might want to delete or amend that!
 
Steven Barrett said:
As well as the sun in the garden, house 55 is in a little cul de sac. It is nice an private. Kids can kick ball on the road without worry about cars. House 80 is on the main road in the estate, so expect more traffic. It may be nothing but it also backs onto the drainage system. If something goes wrong with it, it will flood the garden/ house.
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And it seems to be backing onto a public park or somesuch, which can always be a bit of a hassle.
Defo +1 to the cul-de-sac, and the orientation of the back garden is hard to beat!
 
newirishman said:
And it seems to be backing onto a public park or somesuch, which can always be a bit of a hassle.
Defo +1 to the cul-de-sac, and the orientation of the back garden is hard to beat!
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Sustainable drainage system (SuDS). Councils want all surface water to have a drainage system and keep it out of the sewerage system.
 
Steven Barrett said:
Sustainable drainage system (SuDS). Councils want all surface water to have a drainage system and keep it out of the sewerage system.
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Ah, thanks for that. That is a very good idea from the council! In my mid-50ies ex-council gaff, all the surface water goes straight into sewer system. I was rather surprised when I found out....
 
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Going for a north facing back garden myself, no option really as all of the houses of the type of house and in phase 1 of the development we are interested in have north facing back gardens.

Not overly concerned by it as have a north facing back garden at the moment which does get the sun in the summer but this one will get a lot more as we won't have a house to our west as we do now.

Also in current and new house the office is in the box room and south facing which significantly cuts down on heating required from Autumn to Spring as any sunshine heats up the room very quickly. Have had very frosty mornings here where just need the heating on for the first hour and then the sun does its work!
 
Leesider32 said:
Going for a north facing back garden myself, no option really as all of the houses of the type of house and in phase 1 of the development we are interested in have north facing back gardens.

Not overly concerned by it as have a north facing back garden at the moment which does get the sun in the summer but this one will get a lot more as we won't have a house to our west as we do now.

Also in current and new house the office is in the box room and south facing which significantly cuts down on heating required from Autumn to Spring as any sunshine heats up the room very quickly. Have had very frosty mornings here where just need the heating on for the first hour and then the sun does its work!
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the issue with a north facing garden and modern builds is the height of the houses and the size of the gardens (which tends to be small).

Depending on your circumstances you could get no sun at all in the garden, hopefully not in your case.
 
Blackrock1 said:
the issue with a north facing garden and modern builds is the height of the houses and the size of the gardens (which tends to be small).

Depending on your circumstances you could get no sun at all in the garden, hopefully not in your case.
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Well I hope not, standard 2 story and not a 3 story but don't have the height measurement. I do think in the evening it should get some decent sunshine as no house beside it and the house is not straight line at the back, it extends on the eastern half so should leave an angle for more sun to come through from the southwest. Of course definitely going to be part of the back that gets no sunshine all year round.
 
You can use a site like this one to calculate shadow lengths. In your case if you're relying on westerly sun to hit the garden in the evenings, it's probably worth noting that a 1.8m tall fence running north/south will cast a 4m+ shadow at 5pm in the middle of August.
 
Steven Barrett said:
As well as the sun in the garden, house 55 is in a little cul de sac. It is nice an private. Kids can kick ball on the road without worry about cars. House 80 is on the main road in the estate, so expect more traffic. It may be nothing but it also backs onto the drainage system. If something goes wrong with it, it will flood the garden/ house.
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+1 from me. SW is a perfect orientation, you will get lovely afternoon and evening sunshine.
 
Have the measurement now, it is 8.5m, I'm presuming that is fairly standard height but please someone correct me if I am wrong.
 
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