Types of Houses

Types of Houses

I think you will agree that everybody needs a home. It should not be just a shelter protecting you from bad weather, but a place where you can feel safe and confident, a place where you can relax and recreate your energy.

Fortunately, there are many types and categories of accommodation to choose from.

The largest and the most expensive type is a detached house. It’s a private house which stands alone and is not joined to any other houses. It has a lot of space around it for a yard or a big garden. Most of detached houses have at least three bedrooms and one or two bathrooms. And a separate dining room. Living in a detached house gives you a lot of advantages. Your neighbours do not disturb you, so you can always have some privacy. You can plant trees and arrange flowerbeds, you can make any possible renovations. However, the upkeep of such houses can be more than most people can afford as all the expanses and repairs are yours to pay.

Semi-detached houses (or just semis) are much cheaper. Such houses are built in pairs – one house is joined to the other along one side, while the other side is detached. The houses are identical, so they are like “twins” having a common wall. It goes without saying that one part is owned by one family and they also have separate gardens. Semi-detached houses can still give you enough privacy since you have only one neighbor. The disadvantage is that you cannot just plan some renovations without discussing it with the owner of your twin house.

Cottages are small period village houses. They have thick walls, small windows and small ceilings. Such dwellings usually come with one and a half storeys and the top floor is smaller than the ground floor. Bungalows are small modern detached houses. They usually have only one floor which makes them especially popular with senior citizens.

In Great Britain you can also find terraced houses. Four or more houses are joined together in a row. They are cheap, small and have very little privacy. They usually have no yard or garden and the front door opens onto the pavement.

The most common type of accommodation in Belarus is a block of flats. Such houses have many storeys (sometimes over twenty) and several flats on each floor. The flats can be of different sizes, but as a rule they need lots of repairs and have problems with noise.

One more type has recently appeared in the UK – so-called shoebox houses. They are so tiny that you can clean the house, wash the dishes and answer the door at the same time! They are certainly cheaper, yet living in cramped conditions can cause various health problems like different infections or even depression.

Besides, there are many unusual types of accommodation these days. It seems that many people want to stand out and live somewhere out of the ordinary. Some can build a brand-new castle. Others choose to inhabit a former underground water tank. And some even prefer a tree house six meters above the ground.

It goes without saying that some houses are older and some are newer. There are those who won’t give a period housea chance – because of low ceilings, bad electricity wiring and water supply or problems with central heating. However, others are crazy about the style and charm of an old house. As for modern houses, they definitely have all modern conveniences, but also lack character, are made of cheap materials and won’t stand the test of time.

As you can see, we all can find something according to our tastes. Although, in my opinion the most important thing is to make your place as homey and cozy as possible. If you feel happy coming home, every house becomes a dream.

Answer the questions:

1) Does everybody need a home?
2) Should a home be just a shelter protecting you from bad weather? How should you feel in it?
3) Are there many types of accommodation?
4) What type is a detached house?
5) What kind of house is it? How does it stand? Is it joined to any other houses?
6) Does it have a lot of space around? What is it for?
7) How many bedrooms and bathrooms do most of detached houses have?
8) Do they have a separate dining room?
9) Does living in a detached house give you many advantages? Do your neighbours disturb you? What can you do with trees and flower beds?
10) Is the upkeep of such houses cheap? Who should pay for all repairs?
11) Are semi-detached houses cheaper than detached houses?
12) How are semi-detached houses build? Are the two houses identical? What common thing do they have?
13) Is one part of a semi-detached house owned by one family?
14) Do semi-detached houses give you enough privacy? Why?
15) What should you do before planning any renovations in your semidetached house?
16) What kind of houses are cottages? What walls, ceilings and windows do they have?
17) How many floors do cottages have? Is the top floor smaller than the ground floor?
18) What kind of houses are bungalows? Are they popular with senior citizens? Why?
19) What houses can you find in Great Britain? Are they joined in a row? What do they have? What do they not have?
20) What is the most common type of accommodation in Belarus? Do they usually have many floors? What do they have on each floor? Do they have any problems?
21) Are some houses older and newer? Why don’t some people like period houses? Why are other people crazy about period houses?
22) Do modern house have all modern conveniences? What do modern houses lack? What test will they not stand? Why?
23) Can we all find a house according to our tastes? Should you make your house cozy and homey? Why?

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