QUAD HOUSES

Can those of you who live in Quad houses comment on the pro´s and con´s? We are moving and I´ve fallen in love with a quad, but friends say they can be noisy.

I´d appreciate your thoughts!

Irene

 Yes they are good sized and well laid out, but having lived in one for four years and luckily managing to sell it recently

As regard the noise levels!!!! This depends on your tolerence to possibly having three noisy families/rentals in the other three houses .

 The stairwells are noisy, noises from ajoining  bathrooms  and access can be got to the roof level from ajoining properties!

Think very carefully before you decide.You may be lucky and have two quiet little old ladies IN ALL THREE ( MAYBE!!!), but remember this is Spain and the sound insulation is not what you get in UK. 

Don't do it! I've never heard anyone talk about living in a quad without them saying 'God, the NOISE!'  We've looked at gorgeous ones, very spacious & each time the seller's neighbours could be heard & it certainly put US off.

Think very carefully as the seller would, of course, not tell you how it really is to jeopardise the sale. They may say 'well, we do sometimes hear our neighbours but the other three owners are rarely there' which'll mean likely the properties are let out.

 We've had a quad for coming up to 4 years. Our three neighbours are from the UK. We've had no problems. We've lived in the place a lot over the last year and cannot think of an occasion where we have had a problem. However, I don't think I would like it if our neighbours were Spanish. They seem to always be shouting at each other whilst the TV is turned up loud and go to bed real late. I hear from others on our estate where the four owners are from different countries. Kevin

I was told years ago, by an insider in the building industry, that noise levels are related to the quads'  foundations. The better quality quads sections (houses) are built on individual foundations. To keep costs down (or maximise profits) many quads share the one foundation, which assists noise going from one quarter to another.

what exactly are quad houses?

 Look like large detached villas from a distance but are divided into two ground floor and two upper floor apartments.  The downstairs usually benefit from gardens and the upper will have roof terrace and or solariums.   We have had one for sometime and are very happy with our downstairs purchase.   Noise is not a problem, and we have Spanish neighbours as well.  We thought that they would offer more privacy than a standard apartment block and have seen no reason to change our opinion.   The noise level is high in summer because everyone is outside and windows are open.   Inside - it is fine, though I have to admit, if we had known how much we would love the area and how much time we would be spending there, we would have gone for a detached much bigger villa.  In our community one of the issues (not for me but a legitimate concern) is to do with dogs barking.  I guess in apartment blocks you have fewer animals so the quad community attract dog owners.   So, plus side - tend to be attractive, traditional architecture and they have their own outside space.  Downside, you are still living close quarters with other people and the two upstairs apartments actually share the steps up.  I am sure there are more positives and negatives, but those are the ones that spring to mind.  

then as regards noise would it be any different to say living in an apartment?

 That is what I am now wondering.  I have always simply referred to our place as an apartment - and an apartment block would not have individual foundations either would they?  I think to be honest, I would say in general, if you want peace and quiet in Spain you have to go very rural and be on your own.  The Spanish are noisy - we love the noise - though the all night fiestas can get a bit wearing at times!!  Don't choose Spain if you want quiet people!!

 What Brian is describing is not a Quad house. It sounds more like a maisonette or a ground floor and top floor apartment in a low rise block. A quad house is as described by lobin. Think of a pair of semi detached houses, then add another pair at the back. each has some garden and generally each has its own roof terrace or solarium. I would say it is like living in a terraced house at home. Hope this helps. Kevin

 oh ok.  So a quad has 8 apartments in it?   Ours is more like a semi, but up and down apartments.   I thought this was a quad because there are four properties.  But the problems with noise will be the same, no?

 Just re read and still four houses.  So it is like a terrace as kev says.   Ours is just four apartments.   But I think the issues are still the same - it is about living close to each other in a small area.     

This site gives a really good description of the different types of house in Spain and a little plan of a quad.   Well well well.  We have a semi detached apartment not a quad!!!    Still an apartment to me.

 mirodaliproperties.co.uk/pages/EN/HouseType.asp

Oh dear, what have I started?

A quad house is one of four joined together in the middle, so imagine a large square, cut it into four and each quarter is a house. You have two sides attached and two sides facing outwards.

Taken from the link already given http://www.mirodaliproperties.co.uk/pages/EN/HouseType.asp

I must say this is all very confusing and sounds more like a maths class or trying to solve a rubiks cube!

But then is a quad house any dffferent to say a terraced town house on an urbanisation - ie you are joined on both sides?

In any of these situations you always run the risk of having a neighbour from hell.

The only alternative is to buy a fully detached property and to be on the safe side in the campo with no neighbours or buildings in sight.

 Brian I think you are right you have a semi detached apartment. In Spain I think they are sometimes called bungalows. 

I think a quad house would be quieter than an apartment as you do not have someone walking or moving furniture about on top of you or noise coming from below.

Faro: If we all had endless amounts of money we would all buy detached properties so that there is no chance for the neighbour from hell being attached. For the rest of us it is trying to find the best we can with the money we have for a place in the sun nad our attempt of living the dream! 

If anyone is thinking of buying one, try renting one out before and that will help you decide if it is what you want and if you would be happy living in one. That is what we did.

Kevin

The Spaniards are noisy especially the younger ones we had some next to us for a while and the baby cried all the time the parents just left it for hours on end Imglad theyve gone.

These quads seem ok perhaps not as good as a semi detached house, it all depends on the quality i suppose

Rod

Sounds like everyone is in agreement the Spanish are a noisy bunch!