1. HOUSES AND THE CONCEPT OF HOME FOR THE BRITISH
Prepared by Group 2 (Olga Domnina, Anton Goncharov, Maria Kulaeva, Daria Kurokhtina, Maria Mishakova)

2. Types of houses A detached house – the most desirable
A semi-detached house
A terraced house
A town house
Block of flats – the least desirable
Preferences of the British are determined by their desire for privacy and the importance attached to ownership.

3. A detached house – the most desirable home for the British

4. Detached houses: main features
Traditional building materials are used: brick for walls and slate for the roof
Irregular, “non-classical” shape with all those little corners, making the house feel “cozy”
A large front garden with trees and bushes, evoking not only the countryside but also giving greater privacy
The garage is hidden away so that it is not too obvious and doesn’t spoil the rural feeling
The front door cannot be easily seen from the street
Too expensive for most people

5. A semi-detached house – the second best for the British

6. Semi-detached houses: main features
One building with two separate households
Each house is the mirror of the other, both inside and outside
Can be found in the suburbs of cities and the outskirts of towns all over Britain
Each house has a separate front garden
At the sides, there is access to the back, where two separate gardens can also be found
Brick is the most common building material
A typical demi-detached house has two floors and three bedrooms

7. A terraced house

8. Terraced houses: main features
two shared (party) walls except for end-of-terrace house units
individual front doors and pedestrian access to dwellings, either directly off the street or from shared driveways or accessways
typically one to four storeys
they can be converted into flats or remain as individual houses
car parking is accommodated within the house (integral garage), in- curtilage(within shared access) or on street
a private rear garden or patio and a front entrance area
consistency in front façade design, building line and skyline
clearly defined fronts and backs with fronts addressing public streets, spaces or accessways. Backs are contained to the rear, and are usually back-to-back in a perimeter block arrangement.

9. A town house

10. Town houses: main features
They often have three or more floors, including a basement or semi- basement.
There is great variety regarding both design and use.
Although they are usually terraced, those that are well-preserved and in a 'good' area may be thought highly desirable.
Many have been broken up into flats or rooms for rent.
Two types: 'self-contained flats’ or ' bedsits'
‘Self-contained’ flats have washing and cooking facilities
‘Bedsits' i.e. bed-sitting rooms ; residents have one room to themselves and share washing and cooking facilities with other residents

11. A flat – the least desirable home for the British

12. Block of flats: main features
Located far beyond the city centre
Residential building consisting of apartments.
Concrete is the most common building material
Thin walls with extremely poor soundproofing
The elevator is accommodated due to number of floors

13. Inside the Houses and Flats

14. Inside the Houses and Flats
Houses and flats are described in terms of numbers of bedrooms, e.g. a two-bedroom flat or a four-bedroom house
In two-floor houses living room and kitchen are downstairs, bedrooms and bathroom are upstairs.
Children usually have their own bedroom or may share a room with a brother or sister
There could be a basement – a part of a building consisting of rooms that are partly or completely below the level of the ground
A studio is a small flat designed to be lived in by one or two people. It usually has one large room for sleeping and living in, a bathroom and possibly a small separate kitchen

15. A few facts about owning and renting
The desire to own the place where you live is almost universal in Britain.
House prices are high.
About 70% of all the houses in the country are occupied by their owners and almost all of these were bought with a mortgage.
Half of these are owned by people who have borrowed 80% (or even more) of their price and are now paying this money back month by month.
The normal arrangement is for the borrower to pay back the money over a period of twenty to twenty-five years.
Before the end of the 20th century, most working-class people lived in rented accommodation.

16. Source: General Household Survey(989-90)

17. Cost of Houses: A big problem in England is the rising cost of houses
Cost of Houses: A big problem in England is the rising cost of houses. In 1989 first-time buyers paid an average of around £40,000, in 2001 this had more than doubled to £85,000 and in 2006 to £151,565.
2003
Average wage per year: £20,000 Average house price: over £120,000.
Cost of Houses in 2005
Average Cost: £182,920
Detached: £282,157
Semi-detached: £169,074
Terraced: £139,122
Flat: £168,571
2007
Average wage per year: £23,244  Average house price: £184,924 
Cost of Houses in 2007
Average Cost: £184,924 
Detached: £285,697 
Semi-detached: £170,650 
Terraced: £143,512 
Flat: £174,052