Different Types of Houses

10. Different types of houses

1. Let’s talk about different types of houses. Tell me about the house/ flat you live in.

There are many types of housing: detached houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses and flats. Some of the detached houses are cottages and bungalows.

It must be understood that a detached house can take on any form or style. It does not matter if the house is a bungalow, a cottage or a mansion. As long as it is not joined to another house, it is a detached house. One advantage of a detached house is the fact that the free space surrounding the building is belongs to the family. You can do whatever you would like to be done in your house. The disadvantage is that all repairs in the house should be made by the owner.

A semi-detached house is a pair of houses that share one common wall. The two houses are built to mirror each other. One advantage of living in a semi-detached house is that there is still some privacy even if one wall is shared by the two houses. A disadvantage is that you are responsible for the upkeep of your side of the house. Another disadvantage is that you cannot just plan repairs or renovations as you have to consider your twin house.

Terraced housing is also known as townhouses. The origin of this type of dwelling was in the 17th century in Europe.  A row of identical looking houses share side walls. In the past, terrace housing used to be only associated with the working class for this type of housing was cheap, small and had very little privacy. As time went by, terrace housing became known as townhouses which were more associated with the rich.

One of the major advantages of terrace housing is that it is relatively cheaper than a semi-detached built in the same location. One great disadvantage is that there is typically no yard or garden that comes with a unit. As two walls are shared, there is less privacy too.

A flat or an apartment is a part of a larger building. Such building is called an apartment building or a block of flats. A flat can be a studio unit, a one-bedroom, two-bedroom or three-bedroom unit.

We have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat is on the fourth floor. It has all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot running water, a lift and a chute to carry rubbish down. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. The living-room is the largest and most comfortable room in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square-table with six chairs round it. To the right of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves. At the opposite wall there is a piano and stool before it. Between the two large windows there is a little table with a colour TV set on it. Near the TV set there are two cosy armchairs. A small round table, a sofa and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner. This small table is for newspapers and magazines. My father is used to having a rest sitting on this sofa reading books, newspapers, magazines or watching TV.

The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room there are two beds with a bedside-table between them. An alarm-clock and a small lamp with a pink lamp-shade are on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing-table with a big mirror. In this room we have a built-in wardrobe with coat-hangers to hang clothes on. There is a thick carpet on the floor and plain light-brown curtains on the window.

It’s really wonderful to have a room for yourself. My room is not large but very cosy. There isn’t much furniture in it, only the most necessary. It has a writing-table and an armchair before it. In the right-hand corner there is a bookcase full of books, magazines and newspapers. A small table with a tape-recorder is standing in the left-hand corner. Near it there is a sofa with some cushions. In my opinion, the study is the best room in our flat. But the warmest place in our flat is the kitchen, I think — the place where the whole family gathers every evening not only to have supper together, but also to speak and rest. I like the English proverb: “My home is my castle” because my flat is, indeed, my castle.

2. Does the place where a person lives reflect his/ her personality? Why (not)?

Some people think that one’s home is as much a reflection of his personality, as the clothes he wears, the food he eats, the friends he spends his time with. I agree that many homes reflect the ways of life and habits of their owners. In my view to live comfortably doesn’t mean to live in luxury in a detached house with all modern conveniences and appliances, which is well furnished and nicely decorated. Certainly it won’t do any harm to have all these things, which make our life easier, more enjoyable and pleasant. Good housing conditions are very important for creating a good quality of life. But I’m convinced that all these things are not so important as the relaxing friendly atmosphere at home.

3. What questions will you ask your friend who is going to move about his/ her new home?
4.   Is your flat far or close to the centre of the city?

- How many rooms are there in your flat?

-Is it far from our school?

-  How much time will it take you to get to your school?

4. Your friend wants to decorate his/ her new flat. Give him/ her some advice how to furnish it.

I think it will be reasonable to surf the Internet in search of some examples of a design. If you choose a certain style then it will be easy to decide about the furniture. I wouldn’t recommend to overcrowd the room with the furniture. There should be everything that is necessary. In this case you’ll have enough space and air in your room. Besides it’s easier to clean such rooms.But the most important thing about the design of any room is to make it cosy.

5. What type of house would you prefer to live in? Why?

I would like to live in a detached house with a big garden …First of all there are/is ….  Secondly,…On the one hand …, on the other …. Another thing is that … As a result ….