Questions: About living on HDB flat top floor

Marcus

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Hi all, is it wise to get a top floor in HDB flat? heard that it can get very hot as the roof is subject to sun blazing the whole day, but someone also tell me the newer flat is better insulted so this is no more a problem, true?

Pls come in and share with me if you have experience in this..


Pros:
higher ceiling, no rubbish/ water dripping from neighbour above...

cons:
warmer?, potential mobile phone transmitter that emit radiation...
 

loanspecialist

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HDB top floor woes

Hi all, is it wise to get a top floor in HDB flat? heard that it can get very hot as the roof is subject to sun blazing the whole day, but someone also tell me the newer flat is better insulted so this is no more a problem, true?

Pls come in and share with me if you have experience in this..


Pros:
higher ceiling, no rubbish/ water dripping from neighbour above...

cons:
warmer?, potential mobile phone transmitter that emit radiation...

Hi Marcus, in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros when choosing a top floor HDB flat. Leakage, heat from the ceiling are just some of those. I would rather choose a flat on the 2nd top floor as most home seekers would do.
 

Axioaxio

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Hi Marcus, in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros when choosing a top floor HDB flat. Leakage, heat from the ceiling are just some of those. I would rather choose a flat on the 2nd top floor as most home seekers would do.


Yes,

i agreed with you....
 

hobbes187

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I stay top floor and I find that there are more pros than cons.

Pros: No ugly pipes in toilets, kitchen and balcony. No neighhbours above so wont hear stamping feet, dragging chairs, slamming doors etc. No laundry dripping from above or tissue papers thrown down. Empty lift everytime.

The cons you mentioned I dont feel them cos newer flats have an additional storey or two above the top floor which are access corridors to water tanks. So wont have direct sunlight or rainwater hitting. Older flats maybe but recent flats mostly have the extra levels on top (mine has 2 levels - one is corridor and another is for the tanks). As for radiation, I'm not sure cos i'm getting pretty weak mobile signals so the basestation is prob not at my block.
 

Densocool

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Hi Marcus, in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros when choosing a top floor HDB flat. Leakage, heat from the ceiling are just some of those. I would rather choose a flat on the 2nd top floor as most home seekers would do.

I support that, always choose the 2nd highest storey and never the highest or lowest of the block.

The highest floor always have had issues with minor/major reno noises on the roof or immense heating.
 

tekster

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if there should be a leak, you know that town council has to repair it.

if top floor is neighbour, he can choose not to repair it or you bear the full payment and you llst.
 

devilish_me

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this one heng sway one. some people complain about hot ceilings but many have no issues whatsoever. some people got leakages but some people ceilings dry like dunno wat. but like what some have pointed out, if top floor got ceiling leakages....usually you won't have to bear the repair costs. much trickier when the damage is between floors....can result in unhappiness if upstairs not willing to share the cost or think it's not their problem. by the way, leakages between floors are just as common if not more common than top floor ceiling leakages. to me, i love the higher ceiling (usually) on the top floor and the fact that there won't be any stomping feet or furniture being dragged above me. some of the new flats have "green" roof to absorb the heat.
 

s7460597

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if there should be a leak, you know that town council has to repair it.

if top floor is neighbour, he can choose not to repair it or you bear the full payment and you llst.

The town council will repair the leaks no doubt. The problem is that some leaks are difficult to fix. A friend had a problem with it and it took years to resolve the problem. There were repairs carried many times but weren't effective. Eventually he moved out.

Thought the HDB has clear rules on repair and share that the parties have to pay for the repairs?
 

tekster

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The town council will repair the leaks no doubt. The problem is that some leaks are difficult to fix. A friend had a problem with it and it took years to resolve the problem. There were repairs carried many times but weren't effective. Eventually he moved out.

Thought the HDB has clear rules on repair and share that the parties have to pay for the repairs?


har? then how your friend sell it? fix already quickly sell? cause if the problem is there, HDB will see that it's not in saleable condition. how old is your friend's place anyway? old type of HDB?

if the neighbour upstairs is nice, then everything smooth. but if the neighbour bo chup, what can you do? call lawyer and sue him? sometimes it's not so clear cut case woh.
 

s7460597

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har? then how your friend sell it? fix already quickly sell? cause if the problem is there, HDB will see that it's not in saleable condition. how old is your friend's place anyway? old type of HDB?

if the neighbour upstairs is nice, then everything smooth. but if the neighbour bo chup, what can you do? call lawyer and sue him? sometimes it's not so clear cut case woh.

Was a while back. Just repaint the place and sell off before it comes back! It doesn't leak permanently just that it comes back a while after the repair.

If there's problems go to HDB. Any party not happy go talk to HDB. Private property is different.

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10324p.nsf/w/HomeMaintCeilingLeaks?OpenDocument

Responsibilities

A common cause for the ceiling leakage to occur is the wear and tear of the waterproof membrane/screed in the floor slab through usage over a period of time. Once this happens, the waterproof membrane/screed loses its waterproofing properties and is no longer able to prevent water from penetrating the floor slab and into the lower floor unit's ceiling.

Under the Lease, lessees of upper and lower floor units share the responsibility of maintaining the party structures, including the floor/ceiling slabs. If the cause of the ceiling leakage is due to the wear and tear of the waterproof membrane/screed in the floor slab through usage over time, the upper and lower floor lessees sharing the use of the slab, are responsible to jointly arrange for the repair works and share the repair cost.

Ceiling Leak at top most floor flat

In this case, the leakage is from the roof of the block. The roof is part of common property maintained by the Town Council. For ceiling leakage in flats at the top most floor, the flat owners may contact Town Council maintaining their block for repairs to the ceiling leakage.

Ceiling Leakage at void deck

The void deck is part of the common property managed and maintained by the Town Council. For ceiling leakage at the void deck, the Town Council and the upper floor flat owner shall jointly engage a contractor to repair the ceiling leak and share the repair costs.
 

Marcus

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Thanks for the advise. :s22:

Decided to take one level below the highest floor.
 

nerdyfrog

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Vested forummer here,

I stay on the top floor.

1. Ya, it is much hotter than everyone else. When other flats feel about 30 Deg, my flat will be at 31 Deg. so much difference.

I thought the Loan Specialist could provide more insight to home buying. Why no advise on

1. Facing.
2. Lay-out.
3. Any developments nearby.
4. If resale, pls go check out the neighbours. Remember the Joo Chiat incident?

I think these factors comes before the floor thingy.
As long not above rubbish chute.

Most importantly, you must connect to the flat. You like it? You buy it. Its your money.

Cheers.
 

sanchin

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I also on the top floor and sure enough the pros are more than cons as some here had said. One different between them for example is:

Heaty? only recent days I feel the heat highest 31.4C. Still this can be resolved by installing aircon. Other than that previously is windy and when rain the room temperature lowest recorded is 25C.

Leaks? Not only reserved for the top floor, every floor will kena one and in fact is heng suay kind. So far I do not have this issue even during heavy rain, still if got leakage can be resolved by some repair works. *touch wood*

No ugly piping in bathroom/kitchen, pipe goes straight down use lesser space.

No issue with water pressure, the water tank is at the other side of the roof. heng else at night sure super heat.

High floor = higher resale price and nice view unblock.

No worry about bathroom maintenance/repair, imagine my kolik his toilet stuck and when repair the pipe someone above flush all S*** into his bathroom. Anyway not to worry as this is not everyday issue. Maybe your one lifetime kena once, so remember S*** do happen

No issue about someone dragging furniture or chair above me, no noise. This one I hate the most cos previously stay at lower floor got one bugger keep on dragging chair and kids running around, the only way to resolve this issue is move out. Again this one is heng suay kind of issue.

Peace.....
 

Danil82

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sorry to revive an old thread, but i feel that i need to share my point, so others would be informed.

For those who think that the top floor unit has more cons than pros, that's a misconception. I have lived in low (4th) floor for 20 over years and my parents have once told me that high floors are good but top floor is not, because of the following possible factors:

1) too hot because of direct sun shine
2) leakage on the roof

I have a friend who also stayed on the top floor for 20 over years, and i went to his house many times. This is what i can deduce from his and my experience:

1) it may be hotter but heat also dissipate faster. When weather is cold, it's colder. in fact, i think the, in Singapore, the keypoint is whether the unit is facing which directions. The units are much hotter if it has a West shine. It would be the worst like my parents' unit, which we have both West and East shine. Meaning half windows are facing West, another half facing East, none to the others.

2) as some pple here have said, leakage/cracks chance on every levels' ceilings. Think my friend house got a crack and used to leak on heavy rain, but HDB did something to it and never leak again. I believe nowadays, new flats have less occurrence of cracks.

3) no noise from neighbours above is a very very important point. You wouldn't find it important until you really experience slamming doors, dragging furnitures, stamping feet from your neighbours above you.

Hence, i have chosen a North facing (East tilt) unit at the top floor from HDB BTO.
 

focus1974

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Don't thnk so much abt the heat issue. JUST GO FOR IT!
You will LOVE IT.

I've been staying in TOP floor all my life till i made the switch to a middle floor.

But now I am waiting for my penthouse to be completed so i can go back to the top floor.

The feeling of the top floor is PRICELESS.
You look up , it is all skies and blue.. not your neighbours lai sa lai kor.
You stomp your feet and your neighbours cringe... your neighbours stomp their feet and you cannot hear a single thing.

The only one who can give you problems is your downstairs neighbour.. if u live middle floor.. upstairs and downstairs also can give you problem.


HEAT IS NOT AN ISSUE generally.. UNLESS YOU OWN A WEST-FACING UNIT. That one is mid floor or high floor also abas.
 

valancefairy

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Nowadays hdb build roof garden on the top floor of some blocks. Any pros and cons if u are living at the last floor which is right below the public roof garden? Pls share..
 

Danil82

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Nowadays hdb build roof garden on the top floor of some blocks. Any pros and cons if u are living at the last floor which is right below the public roof garden? Pls share..

the roots of the plants will grow through the ceilings?
 
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