New home; east aspect

Zulu

So I looked at a new build over the weekend.
Unfortunately both myself and the missus fell in love (which isn't very helpful).
There's an opportunity to buy in the next phase, but contrary to my ideal situation (a SW facing garden) there would only be N, NE, E, and ESE available.

East would give sun in the garden until noon I'm guessing. Perhaps the tail end of the garden would keep sun into the afternoon - but I dont know as I don't have the height (2 story) of the house or length of the garden (at a guess 5-8m).

How bad would an E/ESE aspect be for a garden? Is it worth considering?

We both very much enjoy our back garden presently which is S facing.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions and experiences welcome.

spaceHopper

We have a long E facing garden so get sun most of the day, if it was short I'd pass, also down the line it would be harder to sell.

Cloudio9

really depends on the length. Ours get sun at the back until 6-7 in the summer and is not overlooked so happy enough with it. In Ireland it's generally too cold to sit outside by this time anyway.

Zulu

Now I know this is a serious ask, but...
...anyone have an equation? "House height:Garden Lenght"?? Factoring in the sun height....

68 lost souls

Zulu wrote: »

Now I know this is a serious ask, but...
...anyone have an equation? "House height:Garden Lenght"?? Factoring in the sun height....

http://suncalc.net/

might help

Zulu

MVP!!!

sweetie

I would leave it, I live in a similar aspect and we muss having it. The backyard never dries fully. There's a website Suncalc.net

Ayuntamiento

spaceHopper wrote: »

We have a long E facing garden so get sun most of the day, if it was short I'd pass, also down the line it would be harder to sell.

I'd say the resale aspect depends on a lot of other factors. Our garden is North facing but it never even factored into our consideration because we live a 5min walk from the biggest park in the country and a 20min walk into Dublin city centre.
Do we really get enough nice weather in this country that it's worth paying over the odds for a garden that faces a certain direction?

Spanish Eyes

East in front, West in back is the very best orientation EVER

Worst is South in Front, North in back.

To OP, if your back garden is small it will not get much sun in the afternoon really.

I am anal, so I turned on the compass on the phone every time.

Depends on your needs and wants I suppose.

Spanish Eyes

For those who are as bad in the head as meself.... I can dry clothes on the line in the middle of winter once the sun is shining it's a hotspot here South facing back.

But overall, being able to sit out on your patio/grass/whatever of a late Spring/Summer/Autumn evening is the bizness. (When the sun is out of course!!) Don't underestimate it.

Cloudio9

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

East in front, West in back is the very best orientation EVER
.

Most people would disagree with that. Generally accepted as second preference behind south facing.

I won't even go to see a house if it was North facing rear.
Currently living near the phoenix park, in a house with a North facing back garden. The back of the house never gets a ray of sunshine. It's dark and it's colder then the front of the house.
The garden is cold and wet. Even though I'm right next to a huge park, it's always nice to sit in your own garden!


My last house had a south east facing back garden. The very end of it kept the sun till evening. It was lovely during the day. Evenings not so much

Spanish Eyes

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Most people would disagree with that. Generally accepted as second preference behind south facing.

Well I just think (having lived North front and South back). That in an East/West house, the front gets sun in the morning,(East) and back gets sun in the afternoon/evening. (West) For a lot longer than true South facing.

True South facing backs have dark fronts. Not that it matters too much it's only where you park the cars after all!

But each to their own. I am anal about orientation though, so sorry about that!!

little bess

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

East in front, West in back is the very best orientation EVER.

Totally agree, I've lived in south and currently in west facing. West facing you get the sun until the end of the day which is great as it's still there when getting in from work. South is gone by late evening and front of the house never gets sun! West is best! ðŸ˜႒

Spanish Eyes

Yes I often wonder why people think South facing is so great.

Maybe they are at home all day and can avail of the sun for most of the day in the garden.

Then when the grafters come home, the South facing sun is Gone, Gone, Gone really from the back so what's the story?

PhoenixParker

I'd be as much if not more concerned with sun into the house then into the garden. As others have said, east/west tends to be better for that then north/south.

OP, what's to the south of the house? In a lot of cases an east facing back garden will also get sun from the south so you'd end up with sun into the afternoon.

If you look up the planning permission you should get the house height and the heights of surrounding houses so you can use sun calc, or better yet sketch up to see how the sun will move through the house and garden.

bbari

Learnt something new today as I always thought the South facing gardens are the best.

What would be your opinion about the house where the garden is marked in red ? would that be a North-West facing garden ? Would you get any sun in it ?

April 73

I've had two west facing back gardens which got sun most of the day and until last thing at night. Lovely aspect.

We compromised when we moved to our current house - east facing back garden. But we're not overlooked to the south & the garden is a decent size. I've been really surprised but we now have sun in the back in the summer from sun up until about 6.30pm. Really would depend on garden size & what's to your south.

I wouldn't be quite as hung up as I used to be by the aspect. Unless it was a north facing back garden or N/E. Then it would be a flat no.

April 73

bbari wrote: »

Learnt something new today as I always thought the South facing gardens are the best.

What would be your opinion about the house where the garden is marked in red ? would that be a North-West facing garden ? Would you get any sun in it ?

I'm not sure that you would get a lot of sun with that aspect. Especially in the middle of a row like that.

bbari

April 73 wrote: »

I'm not sure that you would get a lot of sun with that aspect. Especially in the middle of a row like that.

The houses in the row behind are at a lot lower level i.e. the ground floor of this house would be at the same height of the 1st floor of the house behind... Would you not get sun from the left side (south-west) as there's nothing to block the sun ?

PhoenixParker

bbari wrote: »

Learnt something new today as I always thought the South facing gardens are the best.

What would be your opinion about the house where the garden is marked in red ? would that be a North-West facing garden ? Would you get any sun in it ?

It's clearly getting sun in the photo so can't be too terrible. Am I right in thinking that's not Ireland?

bbari

PhoenixParker wrote: »

It's clearly getting sun in the photo so can't be too terrible. Am I right in thinking that's not Ireland?

You are right, I never noticed that, you can see the shadow on the East, that means its getting sun from the west. No - it is in Ireland.

Spanish Eyes

North facing back gardens can work. If they are long and can get the evening sun up top. But who wants to walk up there.

On our road, the SSW side of the road sells like wildfire, even though the houses are smaller than the opposite side of the road with much longer North facing back gardens.

Zulu

Well south west would be my ideal.
South so you get the sun, and west so you get the setting sun.
Idea being you get the sun from approx 10am through to sunset.

Zulu

bbari wrote: »

What would be your opinion about the house where the garden is marked in red ...

As someone else posted, I'm guessing thats NOT Ireland. It looks from the shadows to be a lot closer to the equator? (Portugal? Spain?)
But as the sun comes down the shadow from those houses will swap the garden I'd have thunk.

Shedite27

Bought a north facing home last year. The only downfall I have currently is that the grass suffers through the winter.

If it's a new build, they likely will have a shadow analysis on the planning permission application, see if you can find that and it will tell you how much of the garden will be in the shade throughout the year.

As for heating, a new build will be fine regardless. New houses aren't as reliant on sunlight for heat as old houses. New houses also likely have skylights too which are great for more light in the back.

And finally, it's Ireland, we don't get that much sunlight

Zulu

Yeah it's a new build so I'm not concerned about "indoors".
We enjoy an outdoor life where possible, so it'll be down to the amount of shadow cast on the garden and if we'd be able to sit out in the summer and grow plants.

And to be honest I think I've already made up my mind against it. I think.

Butters1979

OP,

Have you tried this site?

http://suncalc.net/#/53.3473,-6.2756,12/2017.03.07/17:00

It shows sun direction at any given time or date. Useful for figuring out when you will and won't get sun.

Zulu

Thanks but "68 lost souls" got in there before you

bbari

Zulu wrote:

And to be honest I think I've already made up my mind against it. I think.

Best of luck with it.

bbari

Zulu wrote:

As someone else posted, I'm guessing thats NOT Ireland. It looks from the shadows to be a lot closer to the equator? (Portugal? Spain?) But as the sun comes down the shadow from those houses will swap the garden I'd have thunk.

Its in Ireland.