University of Exeter
Exeter
Lafrowda vs Birks Grange Village
Hey guys,
I was at an open day at Exeter yesterday, and loved it
It's likely to be my firm choice, but I'm not sure on accommodation. We visited Lafrowda (en suite), but I'm wary of spending a bomb on accommodation. As such, I'd choose the standard option for Lafrowda. The only issue is that I've heard all of the standard rooms at Lafrowda are in the old building, and I didn't visit that/heard it's not the best. I'm almost afraid of the risk of sharing with only 2 other people! Nonetheless, I'd rather not pay over £5,000 a year on accommodation.
The other option I like the look of are the Birks Grange Village Townhouses. I've not physically seen these though, and am a little worried that living in a house with 3-4 people on your floor could prove unsocial. They're also almost £1,000 more expensive. I like that there are 12 in a house though, and I've heard some good things. The price is just putting me off a lot, as it's almost £20 more a week than the rent I currently pay.
On another note, what other accommodation would you suggest for me? I have to pick a top three anyway, so I need another option. Here are some facts/criteria.
- I'll be on Streatham campus
- I want self-catered
- I want to avoid spending more than £5,000 a year
- I want a lot of housemates
- I want 'sociable' accommodation
I'm in uni this year, and am considering changing. I was pretty unlucky this year with accommodation, see. I was originally sharing with 5 people, one of which went home after a month, another who doesn't associate with us, and the other two are pretty quiet. Lovely people, but we rarely socialise. I'm worried of that happening again, hence my fears of the 3 person flat in Lafrowda!
I feel like I've made this post way longer than necessary, so apologies for that, but any help/advice is massively appreciated
I was at an open day at Exeter yesterday, and loved it
It's likely to be my firm choice, but I'm not sure on accommodation. We visited Lafrowda (en suite), but I'm wary of spending a bomb on accommodation. As such, I'd choose the standard option for Lafrowda. The only issue is that I've heard all of the standard rooms at Lafrowda are in the old building, and I didn't visit that/heard it's not the best. I'm almost afraid of the risk of sharing with only 2 other people! Nonetheless, I'd rather not pay over £5,000 a year on accommodation.
The other option I like the look of are the Birks Grange Village Townhouses. I've not physically seen these though, and am a little worried that living in a house with 3-4 people on your floor could prove unsocial. They're also almost £1,000 more expensive. I like that there are 12 in a house though, and I've heard some good things. The price is just putting me off a lot, as it's almost £20 more a week than the rent I currently pay.
On another note, what other accommodation would you suggest for me? I have to pick a top three anyway, so I need another option. Here are some facts/criteria.
- I'll be on Streatham campus
- I want self-catered
- I want to avoid spending more than £5,000 a year
- I want a lot of housemates
- I want 'sociable' accommodation
I'm in uni this year, and am considering changing. I was pretty unlucky this year with accommodation, see. I was originally sharing with 5 people, one of which went home after a month, another who doesn't associate with us, and the other two are pretty quiet. Lovely people, but we rarely socialise. I'm worried of that happening again, hence my fears of the 3 person flat in Lafrowda!
I feel like I've made this post way longer than necessary, so apologies for that, but any help/advice is massively appreciated
Original post by Dear_Rhian
Hey guys,
I was at an open day at Exeter yesterday, and loved it
It's likely to be my firm choice, but I'm not sure on accommodation. We visited Lafrowda (en suite), but I'm wary of spending a bomb on accommodation. As such, I'd choose the standard option for Lafrowda. The only issue is that I've heard all of the standard rooms at Lafrowda are in the old building, and I didn't visit that/heard it's not the best. I'm almost afraid of the risk of sharing with only 2 other people! Nonetheless, I'd rather not pay over £5,000 a year on accommodation.
The other option I like the look of are the Birks Grange Village Townhouses. I've not physically seen these though, and am a little worried that living in a house with 3-4 people on your floor could prove unsocial. They're also almost £1,000 more expensive. I like that there are 12 in a house though, and I've heard some good things. The price is just putting me off a lot, as it's almost £20 more a week than the rent I currently pay.
On another note, what other accommodation would you suggest for me? I have to pick a top three anyway, so I need another option. Here are some facts/criteria.
- I'll be on Streatham campus
- I want self-catered
- I want to avoid spending more than £5,000 a year
- I want a lot of housemates
- I want 'sociable' accommodation
I'm in uni this year, and am considering changing. I was pretty unlucky this year with accommodation, see. I was originally sharing with 5 people, one of which went home after a month, another who doesn't associate with us, and the other two are pretty quiet. Lovely people, but we rarely socialise. I'm worried of that happening again, hence my fears of the 3 person flat in Lafrowda!
I feel like I've made this post way longer than necessary, so apologies for that, but any help/advice is massively appreciated
I was at an open day at Exeter yesterday, and loved it
It's likely to be my firm choice, but I'm not sure on accommodation. We visited Lafrowda (en suite), but I'm wary of spending a bomb on accommodation. As such, I'd choose the standard option for Lafrowda. The only issue is that I've heard all of the standard rooms at Lafrowda are in the old building, and I didn't visit that/heard it's not the best. I'm almost afraid of the risk of sharing with only 2 other people! Nonetheless, I'd rather not pay over £5,000 a year on accommodation.
The other option I like the look of are the Birks Grange Village Townhouses. I've not physically seen these though, and am a little worried that living in a house with 3-4 people on your floor could prove unsocial. They're also almost £1,000 more expensive. I like that there are 12 in a house though, and I've heard some good things. The price is just putting me off a lot, as it's almost £20 more a week than the rent I currently pay.
On another note, what other accommodation would you suggest for me? I have to pick a top three anyway, so I need another option. Here are some facts/criteria.
- I'll be on Streatham campus
- I want self-catered
- I want to avoid spending more than £5,000 a year
- I want a lot of housemates
- I want 'sociable' accommodation
I'm in uni this year, and am considering changing. I was pretty unlucky this year with accommodation, see. I was originally sharing with 5 people, one of which went home after a month, another who doesn't associate with us, and the other two are pretty quiet. Lovely people, but we rarely socialise. I'm worried of that happening again, hence my fears of the 3 person flat in Lafrowda!
I feel like I've made this post way longer than necessary, so apologies for that, but any help/advice is massively appreciated
First things first, the old Lafrowda blocks really aren't that bad. They are a bit bare but the fixtures and fittings in your rooms and the kitchens are all still up to the same kind of standard as newer accommodation blocks, and quite frankly the atmosphere in old lafrowda can be pretty awesome, I knew a lot of great groups over there in my first year.
The downside is that a flat can be up to 12 people and they all have 3 toilets and 3 showers, so potentially you're sharing with up to 3 other people. This could be completely fine but you could end up sharing with some truly disgusting people and unfortunately it's just the luck of the draw.
Personally I lived in a Birks Grange Townhouse in my first year and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Price wise they are just over £5k by about £100, but they're only about £800 more expensive than a standard room in Lafrowda for next year.
Positives, well there are two bathrooms/showers per floor, so you're only ever going to be sharing your bathroom with one other person. You get a good size kitchen and lounge so there's a proper space for socialising in your flat. Having the bedrooms split over 3 floors actually is pretty good too, unlike in a regular flat where there are going to be people walking back and forth past your door all the time, in a Townhouse that's not going to happen, now it may not sound like much but when you've got work to do or are having an early night while the rest of your flat are having a night out, not having a whole group of drunk people stomping past your door in the middle of the night is fantastic!
As for the social aspect, I loved it down in Birks. Went to loads of good house parties in various townhouses, because they've got a big lounge area they're really good for that kind of thing, and I think because you're a little bit further away from all of the other accommodation on campus it seems like people form a bit more of a group with their flatmates because quite frankly nobody wants to be trudging up the hill all the time to go and hang out in other peoples flats (not that the hill is particularly bad, but if you're lazy and/or a bit drunk it's not always the nicest thing to walk up!).
As for other accommodation, if you're trying to keep it under (or close to) £5k, your options are very limited and really not very good if you're wanting to stay on Stretham.
Other than Lafrowda the only cheap accommodation are standard rooms in Rowancroft (which is in town near to St. Lukes Campus), St David's (which is down by the train station, about a 20 minute walk away from Stretham all of which is uphill) and Cook and Llewellyn Mews (which is at the bottom of the same hill as St. Davids but about 5 minutes further away from campus).
Every other option beyond Lafrowda & a Birks Grange Townhouse is going to be more expensive because you're in to En-Suite accommodation. The only three cheap options there are about £5200 and are Point Exe, James Owen Court and Nancherrow, all of which are off-campus, the first down by St. Davids train station and the other two in the middle of town near St. Lukes campus, and after that you're looking at a minimum of £5,500 for your room.
If I were you I'd apply for Birks Grange Townhouse as your first choice and Lafrowda standard as your second but if you can attach any kind of note to the application say that you'd much prefer to be in a larger flat in Lafrowda if that was possible, and if you can't attach a note like that then email the accommodation department to make that request.
Hope this helps.
University of Exeter
Exeter
I'm living in a townhouse at the moment and (I know I'm biased but) it's one of the best value-for-money accommodations there are. It's super social living with 11 other people, and it isn't an issue being on a floor with 3 others as you're usually downstairs anyway. It's the closest thing to the Lafrowda en-suite as you're only sharing a bathroom with one other person, I've never had to wait to use the toilet anyway. The lounge area you get is also the biggest by far for all of the self-catered accommodation on campus.
You also get to know the other people in the neighbouring townhouses really well, the whole block usually does pre-drinks in one kitchen and go out as a block together, it's good fun!
Old Lafrowda is great for socialising and kitchen storage is the same, but it's just a little more cramped as you don't have the sofas or a separate dining area. The rooms also aren't as nice, a bit smaller with breeze block walls. Although if you're not too bothered about that then it shouldn't be an issue, plus they have a sink in the rooms which Birks doesn't. The townhouses are only 3/4 years old so you're going to get newer/nicer things in general, but it's the price you pay, I would definitely say it's worth it though.
Like above, I would put the townhouse down as a firm and old Lafrowda down as second. Lafrowda en-suite is basically identical to the townhouses as far as rooms and bathrooms, it's just a slightly smaller kitchen and on corridors rather than a house. If that's too far out of your price range then don't worry. I have a part time job to help pay the rent which isn't as horrible as you think as you'll have a lot of free time in first year and you can save up some money for the summer/next year if you wish.
You also get to know the other people in the neighbouring townhouses really well, the whole block usually does pre-drinks in one kitchen and go out as a block together, it's good fun!
Old Lafrowda is great for socialising and kitchen storage is the same, but it's just a little more cramped as you don't have the sofas or a separate dining area. The rooms also aren't as nice, a bit smaller with breeze block walls. Although if you're not too bothered about that then it shouldn't be an issue, plus they have a sink in the rooms which Birks doesn't. The townhouses are only 3/4 years old so you're going to get newer/nicer things in general, but it's the price you pay, I would definitely say it's worth it though.
Like above, I would put the townhouse down as a firm and old Lafrowda down as second. Lafrowda en-suite is basically identical to the townhouses as far as rooms and bathrooms, it's just a slightly smaller kitchen and on corridors rather than a house. If that's too far out of your price range then don't worry. I have a part time job to help pay the rent which isn't as horrible as you think as you'll have a lot of free time in first year and you can save up some money for the summer/next year if you wish.
Heya, sorry for the late reply I have the same problem as you, deciding on what will be my "first" choice of accommodation at exeter! I definitely wanted Birks Grange, but I wasn't sure whether to apply for catered or self catered! Idk if you saw, but birks also has some studio flats which look quite new and is right opposite the reception! I found that information on a video called "Exeter University Room Tour, Birks Grange Village. NIA's Studio Ensuite Self catered" by francesca michaud, it might be worth checking out because I was just going to apply for self-catered but i might apply for a studio now. Hopefully this helps xxxxx
I have the same problem as you, deciding on what will be my "first" choice of accommodation at exeter! I definitely wanted Birks Grange, but I wasn't sure whether to apply for catered or self catered! Idk if you saw, but birks also has some studio flats which look quite new and is right opposite the reception! I found that information on a video called "Exeter University Room Tour, Birks Grange Village. NIA's Studio Ensuite Self catered" by francesca michaud, it might be worth checking out because I was just going to apply for self-catered but i might apply for a studio now. Hopefully this helps xxxxx
Original post by jessicaden3465
Heya, sorry for the late reply I have the same problem as you, deciding on what will be my "first" choice of accommodation at exeter! I definitely wanted Birks Grange, but I wasn't sure whether to apply for catered or self catered! Idk if you saw, but birks also has some studio flats which look quite new and is right opposite the reception! I found that information on a video called "Exeter University Room Tour, Birks Grange Village. NIA's Studio Ensuite Self catered" by francesca michaud, it might be worth checking out because I was just going to apply for self-catered but i might apply for a studio now. Hopefully this helps xxxxx
I have the same problem as you, deciding on what will be my "first" choice of accommodation at exeter! I definitely wanted Birks Grange, but I wasn't sure whether to apply for catered or self catered! Idk if you saw, but birks also has some studio flats which look quite new and is right opposite the reception! I found that information on a video called "Exeter University Room Tour, Birks Grange Village. NIA's Studio Ensuite Self catered" by francesca michaud, it might be worth checking out because I was just going to apply for self-catered but i might apply for a studio now. Hopefully this helps xxxxxThe thread is from 2016 ... if you have 9am lectures then Birks is not the place to be! Much better not to have that hill early in the morning.
I’m currently in the same situation at the mo - I’m definitely applying to Birks townhouse and lafrowda standard but I’m not sure which to put as my first choice. Lafrowda will obvs be perfect for the location and social aspect, and about £800 cheaper for the year than Birks so I’ve got an extra £20 a week, but Birks I think will generally be more homely and comfortable as it’s a lot nicer and more modern with bigger kitchens and social areas. Any advice?
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