Hi all

I wanted to get the thoughts from the people on here about a potential new house.

The house is a 2 bed new build in a really nice little village and in the perfect location for me and my girlfriend travelling to work

The project is a one off by a private developer and we can choose the internal spec for the house, ie kitchen and bathrooms.

The best thing about the house is an existing double garage at the bottom of the garden

Im a an architectural assistant and working towards my full chartership at the moment so I have checked out the build spec of the the house and made sure everything will be build to the correct standards, the house will come with full structural warranty and building regs anyway so no worries there.


The only concern I have at the moment is there is an existing electrical sub station about 1.5m away from what will be the side of the new house. something like this has never bothered me and I'm certain there are no health risks from such a thing.

What worries me is the the re-sale value of the house in the future, since after a little reading online, there are people out there that are convinced such things have links to cancer and the like. However these are people with no experience of such things and I think the health scare about power lines over people houses years back has made people believe that anything electrical is unsafe.

So my question is: Would you buy a house next to a sub station? would it put you off what is potentially our dream first home?

Many thanks

Patrick

Depends on if the price reflects the sub-station and how long you’re planning to stay there.

In our area houses are still taking ages to sell and even without a sub-station it’s difficult. However little sense it makes anything that could put a potential buyer off is to be avoided if you’re considering selling in the future.

We bought a bungalow with a large flat roof extension and that puts enough people off.

I guess the fact that you’re sufficiently worried to ask on here says something.

John.

I can't say personally it's put me off, espescially if its on a side thats not overlooked from eithin the house or garden,but to some it might spoil the frontal aspect of the property.

I'm surprised their allowed to build quite that close, and even if they are there are normally Permenant access rights for the electricity board which may be worth looking up.

Could be a bonus having a 3 phase supply so close to the property. My only concern might be noise/heat from the substation. Low frequency buzzing would drive me mad! Go listen and see what it's like. Other than that I see no issue!

(would substation be accessed via your property?)

I used to be an estate agent in Stevenage, and there was a development there that had pylons right in the middle of the estate with power lines running over the top. Every house was occupied so obviously enough people thought it was safe or it didn't bother them. But, and here is the but, when it came to selling them we had nothing but problems with either people not wanting to be near the cables, or the local searches would put them off. I can't say what the local searches said because I didn't own the content, but it stated that they were there (obviously) and also access to the cables by the power company had right over access to property.

However, we did sell every one, all were occupied and if you are considering the house your talking about, then when it comes to sell there will be someone else who does not have a problem. Might just take a bit longer to find them.

Thanks for the quick replies guys

The access to the sub station is via a side lane so no problems there.
also no windows overlook it except the landing window but this is obscured glass anyway.
as for buzzing, I visited the site and the sub station gives off very little noise at all.

Another possible advantage as pointed out by a colleague at work is that no one can build another house on that side.

As I said it didnt put me off and we are in the very last stages of securing the deal, but its the opinions of others that I wanted to consider when it come to selling in the future.

I have the same opinion really that, although some may be put off buying it, there will be others like me that are not bothered by it.

We are buying at the optimum time really and wont be looking to move for at least a few years, I do believe the house is priced to reflect its close proximity to the sub station looking at similar houses in the area.

It would make me think twice, but the double garage would win me over, the wife is another matter.

From an agents perspective (10 years in the industry and now run a Lettings business) I would say it would be a concern for potential buyers.

All you'll be doing is limiting the number of potential buyers, it won't put everyone off. Personally I wouldn't buy that house, but that's because I get enough headaches from the buzzing of the house wiring so the idea of a substation buzzing makes me feel queasy!

When we first looked for a house, we saw one with a pylon just on the other side of the fence, we walked away immediately but the house still sold for the asking price that same week.

When you say it's a new build, does that mean there will be others? What I'm thinking is that if the substation is fairly light loaded at the moment but planning to service more houses in the future it might get louder as it works harder.

There wont be any more houses being built, its a one off plot of land and is being built onto an existing end of terrace.

the big question for me would be how big a substation are we talking about ?

I'm guessing its something like this:


and not this:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.660457,-0.341606&spn=0.003141,0.006834&t=h&z=17&lci=com.panoramio.all

or this:


[Edited on 12/2/2013 by mcerd1]

Haha, its a fenced off sub station within a small brick building the size of a large garden shed

Like this:

my folks have a house with a sub station at the bottom of the garden, I lived there since I was 6 weeks old until adult, they're still there. It's maybe 40/50ft from the rear elevation. when my room was on the back you couldn't hear it. when in the garden you wouldn't hear it in the day due to general ambient noise on the [quiet] estate. only time it was obvious was when we slept in a tent in the garden when we were kids, then it wasn't obtrusive 15 feet away with only a wooden panel fence. It does mean you have no issues with neightbours on that side for sure! I can only ever remember seeing someone there a handful of times in 20 years
Anyway, what about the double garage, what are the plans for that!

^^ that wouldn't put me off

just grow a nice big hedge around it (if you can) to hide any bits you see form the garden etc.. and absorb any noice

or if you've not got that much space maybe some trellis with climbing plants - a mix of clematis, honeysuckle and jasmine works well (lots of green and flowers for most of the year - if it looks pretty enough it'll hide alot of sins)
and they only need cut back if they get too big, so no major maintinance

any plants like that will take a few years to mature, so better planting them sooner than later......

[Edited on 12/2/2013 by mcerd1]

As long as the garage is suitable that would do me

The brick substation wouldn't bother me a jot.

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys

I think the general consensus is that it wouldnt bother most on here but may be an issue for SOME potencial buyers in the future.

There is definitely room to throw some hedges around the perimeter to not only hide it but to absorb some of the noise so thats something Ill most certainly do.

I have just visited the site again and although there is a hum, it really isnt all that loud and the house will be to current building regs with well insulated windows and doors so the only time im likely to hear it is when in the garden. And even then it isnt that noticeable

Although its not ideal and I would prefer if it wasnt were it is, I think I can live with it.

Many thanks again

Power lines, Tetra, Mobile Masts, Sewage Works, Neighbours and Roads all have negatives for buyers. Selling anything is very difficult (I managed to sell, but at one helluva financial cost).
The substation would be another reason for potential buyers to walk away, but in my experience if anyone seriously wants the house (schools, shops, location, etc.), it'll be a minor issue for them. Shortage of seriousness out there though.

It's all personal really.

If you're being different and living in the house as a home, rather than buying it to reward you with a 10%/yr capital gain (ha ha), then I'd go for it.

If you're not in the public sector and therefore at risk of a job loss/finacial oblivion, etc., and that would affect you, then might be worth having another think.

The substation wouldn't bother me at all but is the plot big enough to build on if the substation was decommissioned? Would that impact on your property?

If its contained in the building its less of an eye sore and fire risk than an external fenced off one would put me off less

I'm a Chartered electrical engineer with 30 years experience and I wouldn't buy.

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Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I'm a Chartered electrical engineer with 30 years experience and I wouldn't buy.

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Originally posted by tegwin

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Originally posted by big-vee-twin
I'm a Chartered electrical engineer with 30 years experience and I wouldn't buy.

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You cant make a statement like that without explaining.... come on... why not exactly?

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quote:

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I'm a Chartered electrical engineer with 30 years experience and I wouldn't buy.

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Electrical and mechanical engineer for 20 years, buyer and seller of land and property...... I'd buy and build there!!!
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I've designed structures for substations for the last 10 years.... I'd buy and build there too!!