There are many types of houses in the UK property market, which vary in size, layout, and value. There are around 27 million residential properties across the UK, so there is plenty of choice for people looking for a new home.
If you’re buying a property, you’ll want to make sure you get the right type of property for your needs, as not every type of property will be suitable for everyone. Our below guide identifies the different characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks of the types of UK houses, so you can make an informed decision about what property you want to buy. Likewise, our guide will also help sellers get a rough idea of expected rates. At SOLD.CO.UK, we are an online estate agent that can help you sell your house, whatever type, quickly.
What Is a Detached House?
A detached home will not share any walls with another property – as the name suggests, it is completely detached. They often have a lot of space, including large front and back gardens and a driveway. They can also provide residents with more privacy, as they are often not overlooked by other properties.
Detached houses are popular with larger families, due to the amount of space they can provide. This type of property is more common in rural and suburban areas, where there is a low population density. A benefit of detached homes is that it can be easier to build an extension or undertake renovations, as you’ll require less approval. However, a downside to detached houses is that there will be more maintenance and upkeep to be done when compared to smaller properties.
Detached homes are typically more expensive than some other types of properties and are usually in high demand. The average price for a detached house by UK region can be viewed below:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £423,450 |
| Scotland | £285,801 |
| Wales | £283,155 |
| Northern Ireland | £232,917 |
| London | £966,217 |
What Is a Semi-Detached House?
A semi-detached home will share a wall with a separate property that is owned by someone else. This type of property is more common than detached homes, as they can save a great deal of space by being paired with another home.
Semi-detached houses will often come with a front and back garden and can still give owners an opportunity to extend, as there is more space available than with some other property types. There is also still a good degree of privacy, although less so than with detached houses, due to being joined to a neighbour’s home.
Semi-detached homes are usually more affordable than detached houses but can still be on the expensive end of the property market. The average price for a semi-detached house across the UK is as follows:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £259,186 |
| Scotland | £174,925 |
| Wales | £178,631 |
| Northern Ireland | £148,083 |
| London | £628,401 |
What Is a Terraced House?
A terraced house will be attached on both sides to other properties. Terraced houses are a row of uniform houses built in a line, with each property being joined to the next one. This type of property is one of the most common types in the UK. Terraced houses save a lot of space and are popular in cities and towns with a high population density.
Terraced houses will have less space, so may not be suited to larger families. It can also be harder to extend or renovate due to being so close to neighbours. However, as there is less square footage, there is also less maintenance. There is less privacy as people who live in terraced homes will have neighbours on each side, which can also mean more noise. However, they can be more secure as there are usually more people close by than compared to detached houses.
A terraced house is one of the cheaper types of property you can buy in the UK. Below are the average prices for a terraced house across the UK:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £226,369 |
| Scotland | £138,174 |
| Wales | £145,457 |
| Northern Ireland | £107,240 |
| London | £541,889 |
What Does End of Terrace Mean?
An end of terrace home will the property situated at the end of a row of terraced houses. So, these homes will only share one wall with another property.
An end of terrace home will usually be slightly more expensive than a terraced home, as it will have slightly more space and a bit more privacy, as there is only one neighbour connected. They can also provide more light, as the side with no connecting neighbour can have windows installed instead. Due to these benefits, end of terrace homes can be as much as 18% more expensive than terraced homes.
What Is a Flat?
A flat is a property made up of a collection of rooms, typically on a single floor although sometimes split over two. There are usually several flats within a single building, and there will be shared areas such as entryways, stairwells, and lifts. A flat will be self-contained and usually include a private bathroom and kitchen.
Due to there being a number of flats within one building, they are incredibly space-saving and so are one of the cheapest properties available. However, there is usually very little privacy as flats can be surrounded by neighbours on all sides, including above and below. Flats will commonly be more secure than houses, with multiple layers of security needed to be passed to enter the property.
There is typically no outside space, although some flats may have a balcony, patio, or shared communal garden. However, due to there being less space, living in a flat will mean you will have less maintenance and also utility bills will often be lower when compared to larger properties.
Flats can be better suited to individuals or smaller families, who require less space and have a smaller budget. However, some flats, especially those in newer blocks in cities, can be quite large and expensive. Below are the average prices for a flat across the UK:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £235,439 |
| Scotland | £115,218 |
| Wales | £119,432 |
| Northern Ireland | £117,823 |
| London | £425,304 |
What Is a Studio Flat?
A studio flat is a flat where everything is in one open space, including the kitchen, living area, and bedroom. The bathroom will usually be the only room that is separate. Studio flats are better suited to individuals or couples, as there is less space and less privacy within the property.
What Is a Maisonette?
A maisonette is a flat that has its own private entrance. So, unlike some other types of flat, there will not be any shared entryway with anyone else. They are often split over two storeys, but not always.
Sometimes a flat will be referred to as a maisonette because it is two storeys. However, if it doesn’t have its own private entrance, it is not a true maisonette and should instead be referred to as a duplex or split-level flat.
What’s The Difference Between a Block Of Flats And a Flat Conversion?
Flats are commonly in a purpose-built block that has been designed to accommodate numerous dwellings. But sometimes a large house that was once one single dwelling will be converted to hold flats. Converted flats can often be more noisy than a block, as the house wouldn’t have been designed to be as soundproofed as a purpose-built block might be.
What Is a Bungalow?
Bungalows are houses set across one single level. Bungalows are also usually detached from other properties. Bungalows are typically smaller than other houses but will often have a sizeable front and back garden space.
A bungalow can bring a lot of the benefits of a detached house, with more privacy and space to extend. However, they are also easier to maintain as they will have less square footage than typical storied homes.
Bungalows are become much less common, as property developers prefer to build taller, storied homes which can offer more space on the same footprint. As such, although bungalows would usually be cheaper due to the smaller size, they are becoming more expensive as they become rarer. The average price for a bungalow across the UK is below:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £959,000 |
| Scotland | £319,500 |
| Wales | £515,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £434,500 |
| London | £1,835,000 |
What is a Chalet Bungalow?
Many people who live in a bungalow convert the loft into more rooms, which is known as a chalet bungalow, or dormer bungalow. This creates more living space and can also make it easier to sell the property.
What Is a Cottage?
Cottages are typically found in rural areas. A cottage is a small house and will usually be quite an old building. As such, it has strong, thick exterior walls and smaller windows, which can help to insulate it against the cold during the winter. Cottages will have normally have one or two storeys and a large garden area.
Cottages can often provide more privacy as they will often be separate from neighbours and be situated in a large area of land. However, the rooms can sometimes be smaller than other types of properties, especially on the second floor, if the cottage has one.
Cottages in rural areas can be quite expensive when compared to other properties with the same square footage, as they are sought after due to their traditional design and are often used as holiday homes. The average price for a cottage across the UK is as follows:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £919,250 |
| Scotland | £282,500 |
| Wales | £440,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £409,000 |
| London | £840,000 |
What Is a Mansion?
Mansions are the largest type of UK houses and also usually the most expensive. A mansion will be detached and separate from other neighbours, often with a lot of land surrounding it. There will usually be many large rooms inside a mansion.
Many mansions will be old buildings with a rich history, but there are also plenty of modern mansions that have been constructed in recent years. A luxury mansion will often have plenty of extra amenities, like a swimming pool or tennis court. They will provide plenty of privacy for residents but will require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Utility bills will also often be more expensive, due to the large size of the property.
The average price for a mansion in the UK is as follows:
| Region | Average Price in 2021 |
| England | £11,775,000 |
| Scotland | £5,800,000 |
| Wales | £1,837,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £2,550,000 |
| London | £20,625,000 |
How Much Is My Property Worth?
Our guide can give you an idea of what type of UK houses are available, what they can offer a resident, and how much they’re worth. If you’re buying a new home, you’ll want to make sure you’re well informed on every type of property, so you know which one is right for you.
If you’re selling a property, what type it is will contribute to how much it’s worth. However, there are a number of other factors that will contribute to the value, like its location and condition.
The UK property market is constantly fluctuating, so at SOLD.CO.UK we use a variety of valuation tools as well as directly liaising with our customers so we can give a realistic value of your property. If you’re looking to sell your house online, we are experts in property sales. The first step is to get a free instant valuation. We’ll then contact you to get more information and give you a better idea of what you could get when you sell your house.
