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Benefits of having a roof top?

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    52

    Benefits of having a roof top?

    Hi all,

    I am thinking about of moving to an apartment with private roof top, so far I haven't had a roof top. This roof top however can only be accessed by a public stair case.

    Now I wonder, if you don't have access through your apartment, how beneficial would it be? For all those, who have a similar set up, would you mind sharing your experience? I.e. how often do you use it? Do you sometimes skip using it, as it too inconvenient? How about the hot Hong Kong summer?

    Any insights would be much appreciated.


    Cheers!


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    7,517

    Nobody will live above you, so no noise comes down from above. That's the main benefit.

    emx, Tom007 and imparanoic like this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    4,713

    we also use the common staircase to the roof top. we use it once a week, for larger gatherings. the wife plants a lot of stuff. the dogs goes up there daily. laundry gets dried in the sun.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Tsim Sha Tsui
    Posts
    3,963

    I live on the 5th floor of a walkup, with the rooftop directly on top of us. The rooftop is actually of the building I'm staying in, and the adjacent building, but nobody ever goes up there. So that leaves around 2000q ft of open space for my dog to run around.

    As with HK law, the doorway to the roof is just open, you cannot lock it. In theory, anybody can go up there, but nobody ever does.

    With the approval of my neighbours, and keeping my rowdy friends turned down a bit, I've had BBQs up there, and one time even had a hotpot for several hours up there (just threw an extension cable down to my kitchen window, and there's a set of table and chairs up there already).

    It's great to hang your clothes up to dry as well. There have been times I just grabbed a cold drink and sat up on the roof, soaking up the sun, its just within my wifi range so I take my phone or laptop with me sometimes.

    The downsides are:

    - The flat gets hot quite quickly from the heat soaked up during the day from the sun baking it down
    - HK air has a huge amount of dust, so you'll see everything up on the roof get covered in it, if you don't clean it off, during the rains (like it is right now) the dust will turn into mud and clog up the drains
    - With the rooftop being public access, you don't want to keep anything not chained up up there

    TheBrit, Tocs, imparanoic and 1 others like this.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    930

    Make sure your roof doesn't leak!

    shri and Claire ex-ax like this.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Tsim Sha Tsui
    Posts
    3,963

    Also, with the staircase from my floor to the roof, no one uses that as well. I keep it clean and have ashtrays on the window sill, and there's a spare chair just in the nook inside the building as you go to the rooftop.

    Right now, I've sitting just inside the building on the rooftop, listening to the relaxing rain.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Tai Wai
    Posts
    1,376

    I remember when I was a kid visiting HK, me, my brothers and cousins would play soccer up there. Was a pain in the ass whenever the ball goes over and one of us have to go down to get it.

    drumbrake and imparanoic like this.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    6,076

    I always take rooftop flats. Plenty of benefits, as described above. I think I would feel shut in if I moved to a place without a roof terrace.


  9. #9

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    6,531

    Lucky you! I hope you'll enjoy growing some plants (which will help cool things down). You can have practically free organic veg!

    jayinhongkong likes this.

  10. #10

    one critical issue, make sure da fences on da rooftop is high enuf. in case. to protect yr jumpy puppy.
    once my dog almost killed itself. while its rear legs alredy in de air at de edge. i screamed, fortunately its front legs gave up pushing. otherwise..........


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