Malta has become a popular destination for investors and ex-pats alike due to its favorable climate and tax regime. If you walk down the stress of Gozo or Malta, you will see a lot of townhouses that have stood for generations. Some belong to the pre-war era, while the rest belong to the post-war era. Regardless of their era, most townhouses in Malta have a similar floor plan. Once you decide to invest in a townhouse in Malta, you will find a lot of the floor plans to be identical, barring the size of the property. Here is what the house plan looks like in a typical townhouse in Malta.
Number of Floors
Maltese townhouses are typically small, with one or two floors. That said, it is still possible to find a property with up to four floors, but that is usually the limit. Many of them also have rooftop access where you get additional space, but this is not usually considered a separate floor. That is unless there is a separate room on the roof, and many buildings have to make the most use of the available space by building vertically.
The Plot
Although not considered a part of the floor plan, it is important to know how much additional space you get when you buy property in Malta. Unless you are looking at a very traditional townhouse, the property will typically have enough space for one or two cars. There might also be enough space for a swimming pool, but that is often reserved for the more expensive properties.
The Ground Floor
When you walk through the front door, you will be met with a large open space. This is the main living area with enough space for several pieces of furniture including sofas and a TV stand.
Many Maltese townhouses employ an open plan so you will likely have easy access to the kitchen when standing in the living room. The kitchen will likely be located beside the living space if there is no dining area. Houses with a dining area will typically have both behind or in front of the living area depending on the arrangement.
The ground floor will also open into a bedroom if the townhouse has multiple bedrooms. Note that most townhouses have one or two bedrooms, but that depends on the number of floors as each floor can have a bedroom and larger open space. That said, some houses do have multiple bedrooms, especially on the upper floors.
The ground floor will also have a bathroom, which is usually designated the guest bathroom. The bathroom might also be accessible through the ground floor bathroom. Next to it, you will find space for a washing machine and other appliances that are typically located in the utility in other types of houses.
The stairs will be located in the back. They can be inside the house where the homeowner gets additional storage underneath them. These stairs will lead upstairs to the first floor. The stairs might also be located at the back, but they lead to the upper floor and continue to the roof.
The First Floor
The first floor is where you will find the bedroom and access to the balcony, which many townhouses in Malta have. The number of bedrooms will vary depending on the space available. The bedrooms will be located opposite to each other, with a hallway leading to each bedroom which also opens to a balcony.
Each bedroom will also have a shower and toilet, although the size of each will depend on the space allocated for the bedroom as well as its accompanying accessories. Some townhouses will have a larger open sitting area.
The Second Floor
What you find on the second floor if the house has one will be interchangeable between the first and second floors. Here, you will find a dining area and kitchen, or a bedroom and bathroom depending on the particular floor plan in question.
Additional Spaces
Because many of the townhouses in Malta are from the pre-war era, it is possible to ask for changes to the floor plan depending on whether the property owner is open to it. If you decide to follow this route, you should consider what additional spaces you can add to the house.
Many people who need an office in their homes can turn some of the space they have into a study area. This is quite common in houses with a second floor that does not have dedicated space allocation and is instead left open. You can also convert some of the space into an extra bedroom. Do note that the new bedroom might not have a dedicated bathroom and shower due to plumbing limitations.
The other area you should think about is the roof. Many people use the roof as a lounging area where they place seats and a table for use when they are up there.
You should always look at the floor plan when you buy property in Malta. You might find interesting use of the space, or space that you can customize and use however you like if it is easily accessible.