One of the most important criteria when choosing an apartment is its location. Each floor has its pros and cons depending on the preferences of the potential owner or tenant.
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Advantages and disadvantages of an apartment on the top floor
Let's talk about the good first - the advantages of living on the top floor. And there are quite a few of them:
- There are no upstairs neighbors who could flood.
- No one screams under the windows; the apartment, as a rule, is quiet and calm due to the height.
- There are very few people walking in the upstairs stairwell, this helps maintain silence and privacy.
- Mosquitoes and other insects do not fly into the window.
- It is very light in all rooms located on the south side, they are closer to the sun, nothing prevents the passage of ultraviolet rays.
- Excellent panoramic view from above of the adjacent courtyard and street.
- Nobody looks in the windows.
Today, a common trend is for developers to place the best and most expensive apartments on the top floor. Luxury apartments have high ceilings, panoramic windows, a terrace, and sometimes even an elevator. This is the best seat in the entire building.
The apartment is on the top floor.
However, it should be remembered that an apartment on the top floor, in addition to many advantages, also has some disadvantages:
- The roof may leak and flooding is possible, especially in an old house. In a new building, such risks are minimal, but leaks can be expected in the future.
- If the elevator breaks down or is missing, it will be very difficult. Especially elderly and sick people, parents with small children.
- In case of flooding, other residents are not interested in repairs, which means the reconstruction of the roof will fall entirely on the shoulders of the apartment owner.
- There is a high risk of robbery by high-rise thieves, due to the fact that break-ins are not as noticeable on the top floor as on the first.
- It is the responsibility of the owners to monitor the heating system; if it is purged, regular visits from plumbing services are required.
- In old buildings, it takes a long time to drain the water to get hot water.
- If the house has a garbage disposal, then the smoke from thrown hot cigarette butts and bad odors go directly to the top floor.
Most of the disadvantages associated with living on the top floor apply to apartments in older buildings. Currently, housing upstairs in new buildings is in high demand and is more expensive than those located below.
Such premises make up only a few percent of real estate. The vast majority are apartments on the fifth floor.
Features of the technical floor
Some residents expand the premises to two levels and create attics at the expense of the technical floor. This will require a lot of time, money and legal authority. First, you need to privatize the apartment, then do major renovations; it won’t be cheap, but it’s clearly worth it.
If desired, the apartment can be sold after the expansion; this will be a profitable deal; housing will cost more than before combining the floors, and will more than pay for itself. Please note that usually older houses are equipped with technical floors.
The pros and cons of an apartment on the top floor are presented in the video:
New ones usually don't have this, but they do have private access to the roof and other features, so check for details before purchasing. Without a technical floor, there will be a constant hum, clearly audible when the elevator is operating.
There is also a risk of extreme heat from a hot roof in summer and low temperatures in the apartment in winter. Roof leaks without technical floors will be frequent, as a result of which problems with the occurrence of fungus and mold are possible, which has a harmful effect on health.
Panel houses
In Soviet-style panel buildings, there is often a layout with “routing” of pipes at the top. The ceilings in the apartments on the upper floors are noticeably lower, which reduces their cost. In modern economy-class “panels”, the cost can be either lower or higher by five percent relative to similar housing located in the center of the house.
On forums on the Internet it is noted that roof leaks often occur in panel houses if the situation is not taken under control. Another disadvantage is that the roof overheats in the summer, but when installing an air conditioner, the problem disappears.
The quality of housing in “socket houses” depends on the conscientiousness of the developer; with strict adherence to SNiPs, it is no worse than that in brick buildings.
Newly built houses
In new panel buildings, the price for apartments located on the upper floors is higher than average. In Soviet times, there were many shortcomings in design and construction, today many of them have been taken into account and corrected.
For example, with high ceilings, the risk of roof leaks has decreased by an order of magnitude due to the presence of technical floors in new buildings. Therefore, it is quiet in the living area and on the landing; the elevator does not interfere.
How to choose an apartment on the top floor, watch the video:
In new panel and brick houses, the flow in water supply systems comes from above - the stream in the tap is powerful and strong. As a result, in winter the heating pipes are hot, the temperature in the apartment is high, much warmer than at the bottom of the building.
Living in a corner apartment
The undeniable advantage of buying a corner apartment is the absence of neighbors on the street side. However, due to the fact that there is no room on the side, dampness and moisture enters the outer wall, saturates it and penetrates into the room. It is worth taking care of the insulation of such housing in advance; it is cold in winter.
Often in corner rooms there is an additional window, which has an undeniable advantage. Please note in advance that many corner apartments have additional communications, which interferes with the free use of space and also spoils the interior.
Features of the apartment on the top floor
Not so long ago, apartments on the upper floors were considered not the most comfortable. They received such fame because of the poor quality of their houses. In spring and autumn, the roof could leak, but in winter it was much cooler in them due to poor thermal insulation; we should not forget about the attic with all its “charms” in the form of dampness and parasites. And with a broken or missing elevator, the picture looked even more deplorable.
However, today modern construction and renovation methods, coupled with current technologies, have eliminated all the disadvantages that in the past inevitably accompanied apartments on the upper floors. Instead, people discovered a number of significant positive aspects: no neighbors above, good lighting, fresh air and much more.
Nowadays, the price of an apartment on the top floor varies significantly, it all depends on the building in which it is located. For example, in an old Khrushchev building it will cost very modestly, and in some elite high-rise building a penthouse will cost 10–15% more than a regular apartment.
Nowadays, apartments on the top floor are no longer considered a bad option and, as a rule, there are no discounts on them. When purchasing such an apartment, special attention should be paid to the appearance and condition of the ceiling.
As a result, we see that the cost of an apartment directly affects its location, both in the direction of increasing prices and in the direction of decreasing prices. So before you buy, you should determine for yourself all the pros and cons of such housing, and also pay attention to your financial capabilities.
First, we will look at the pros and cons of apartments located on the top floors of the Soviet era, because as can be seen from practice, most of the claims are made against them.
Recommendations from residents of the upper floors
Before purchasing housing upstairs, you should check whether there is a technical floor above the apartment, which protects the room from the heated roof in the summer, leaks, and loud and intrusive sounds of a working elevator. It is necessary to check the condition of the garbage disposal.
Is it worth buying an apartment on the top floor?
Its serviceability and absence of odors are a plus when buying an apartment. The key point is the presence of an elevator. You can reach an agreement with the management company and use the technical floor area for personal needs.
In conclusion, I would like to say that buyers need to decide for themselves whether it is worth taking an apartment on the top floor with all the listed advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is that the purchase of a new home is successful, giving property owners the joy of living in comfortable conditions.
Advantages of living "on the ground"
Living on the ground floor is not so bad, contrary to popular belief, and has many advantages. Real estate here can be purchased for up to 20% less, and if necessary, it is easy to transfer it to non-residential stock. Problems with elevators do not concern you, delivery of large goods without going up to the floor is cheaper, there is always good water pressure, and audibility is lower: the walls at the base of the building are usually thicker (with the exception of panel houses). You don’t risk flooding your neighbors, ruining their expensive decoration, and you can allow yourself (or your child) to stomp as much as you like - there will be no one to complain about you. If you find a parking space under the window, the car will always be under control, and in the event of a fire, you can easily leave the building and grab other things with you in several visits.
Disadvantages of a “mundane” life
However, there are several tablespoons of ointment in this ointment. The first floors are always noisy, not only from the street, but also from the front door, which, due to high traffic, is often very dirty. Exhaust from cars and passers-by smoking are harmful to your health, and the basement and garbage disposal in some homes smell terrible. In addition, these places are a magnet for insects and rodents, with which few people would want to live next door. Street trash cans are sometimes located right under the windows. Apartments on the first floors almost always do not have a balcony, and little light enters the rooms because of the trees, but the glances of curious passers-by and mosquitoes, which, due to the proximity of the basement, can easily penetrate your home all year round. And there is also a risk of insomnia in the summer, the cause of which is gatherings in the courtyards.
pros
Price
Typically, the cost of apartments on the so-called extreme floors is 10 percent lower than that of apartments on the middle floors.
Therefore, if your budget is limited, but you want to buy an apartment in a good area and with good square footage, you should take a closer look at the upper floors. Such apartments usually take longer to sell, and owners may agree to negotiate in order to sell faster.
No upstairs neighbors
— How many people, so many opinions. Some people prefer to live exactly “in the middle” of a high-rise building, others prefer to live closer to the top. Some people are attracted to the third floor: you can always easily go up to the apartment and, if something happens, leave the house,” says Alexandra Vasilevskaya. — The choice of one apartment or another depends on the buyer’s priorities. But absolutely any choice will have both positive and negative sides. Whether we like it or not, our comfort from living in an apartment building half depends on the lifestyle of our neighbors. Therefore, when choosing an apartment, you need to abandon stereotypes and consider every option you like from all points of view.
“Dangerous” proximity to the ground, the unpleasant smell of exhaust from cars warming up in winter, insufficient sunlight in the apartment due to the treetops and possible proximity to the most accessible place in the house - the entrance doors and the elevator landing - are the usual arguments of opponents of the lower floors. Hence the question: is it possible to look at the first floor differently?
— In my opinion, the first floor has a number of advantages, but prevailing stereotypes make it difficult to see them. You shouldn’t give up this option right away and just because of everyone’s opinion. Apartments on the ground floor are completely different, and their characteristics depend on many factors: the age of the building, the project, the location of the house, etc. Take a look and then draw your own conclusions. But apartments on the ground floor really have advantages. There is a small child in the family - there is no need to select a stroller to fit the elevator or drag it along with heavy bags to the top floor. Dissatisfaction with the neighbors below is completely excluded: it is simply impossible to flood or disturb with noise. Elderly people will live in the apartment - there will be no dependence on the uninterrupted operation of the elevator. And this is only a small part of the advantages, but there are more weighty arguments. The most important thing is lower cost. By choosing an apartment on the ground floor, you can save up to 10-15%, comments Alexandra Vasilevskaya. — I’ll give you an example from life. The buyer looked at several options for apartments. The cost is the same, but the condition is better for the one on the first floor. But, unfortunately, under the pressure of stereotypes, the result is predictable in half the cases: the buyer refuses to go and see the apartment in person. The result is the loss of the best option. Agree, in such a situation you cannot make a decision without viewing it: you must definitely look at the object - and, perhaps, a number of concerns will disappear by themselves. And this is a very real chance to beat the price and get good housing,” the expert comments. — When considering apartments on the ground floor, one cannot help but mention more specific advantages. I'm talking about the possibility of using them for commercial purposes after being removed from the housing stock. In this case, their cost increases significantly, which not only allows you to recoup the costs of removing them from the housing stock, but also makes a profit.
Stereotypes also affected the upper floors. The inconveniences brought by both a working and non-working elevator and a leaking roof are standard concerns of potential buyers of square meters. What can attract apartments on the upper floors? What do you need to know to avoid some problems?
— The list of advantages and disadvantages of the upper floors of the house also largely depends on the year of construction and altitude. For example, modern high-rise buildings, as a rule, do not have problems with roof leaks or noisy elevators. However, sometimes high-rise buildings can suffer from insufficient water pressure in apartments on the top floor. Therefore, before purchasing, you must definitely check whether the house has a water pump. If not, then this minus is a reason for bargaining. The only condition is the buyer’s willingness to put up with this kind of inconvenience,” comments Alexandra. — Another disadvantage associated with an apartment on the top floor is increased audibility of the elevator. But it is not always the case. Modern houses, as a rule, have good sound insulation, and elevators in general have become less noisy, the expert adds. — The positive aspects of living on the top floors include the absence of neighbors above, which means you won’t hear any loud sounds from objects falling on the laminate or construction noise. In addition, looking out the window, you can admire an almost panoramic view of the city. In this case, the sun will look at you first in the morning. Interesting fact: there are practically no mosquitoes and other flying creatures at the height of the 9th floor. Therefore, there is no need for mosquito nets on the windows. And curtains on the windows for residents of the upper floors are more of a design move than a necessity. And most importantly: the upper floor, just like the lower floor, will please you with a lower cost.
Today, an opposite opinion has emerged and is gaining strength: apartments on the upper floors are more expensive. How true is this and what is it connected with?
— This statement does not apply to all houses. We are talking about new buildings. The main reason is the layout of the apartments. Adopting global experience, our developers began to use the top floors to build penthouses and apartments with panoramic glazing. And the view is beautiful from the window at any time of the day, and there is complete freedom from neighbors,” says Alexandra.
Choosing a floor is a really serious matter. There will always be something to be happy about or something to complain about. One thing is clear: before making a decision, you definitely need to see in person what you are giving up, talk to the seller, look at the condition of the house, entrance, porch. Last but not least is infrastructure. Everything must be weighed and assessed objectively.
“There are very few frankly “bad” apartments on the market,” continues Alexandra Vasilevskaya. — Each has its own “pros” and “cons.” After all, it can only be so categorical on paper, but in life, as a rule, there are always nuances and exceptions to the rules. The main thing is to see them and take them into account when purchasing. This is what we help our clients do. And therefore, an apartment on the ground floor, despite all the usually remembered nuances, may turn out to be exactly the “ideal” option that you have been looking for for so long. And an apartment on the top floor will allow you to admire the unforgettable beauty of sunsets and sunrises, not to mention the festive fireworks,” the expert concludes.
Something about the bonuses of upper floors in new buildings
What are the pros and cons of an apartment on the top floor
? We briefly discussed both points. But it is worth noting that some of the above shortcomings have been successfully eliminated in new buildings. The elevator shaft in new buildings is limited by the hall, which reduces the noise level. As part of modern engineering, both the water supply system and the heating circuit have been improved. Laying communications from top to bottom solves the problem of poor water pressure and heat problems.
The technical floor becomes a barrier between your apartment and a leaking roof, as well as mold. There are no such problems in new buildings. But there is access to that very roof, if you are an extremely romantic person.
Healthy! Some buildings have 2 types of elevators: passenger and freight. On the one hand, there will be more noise, on the other hand, if one elevator fails, you will be able to use the second one.
