Semi-detached housing is building where a home is attached to another home on one side and stands free on the other, with space up to the plot boundary. It sits between detached (fully free-standing) and terraced (continuous row) housing.
Characteristics
In semi-detached housing the home shares one party wall with the neighbour, while the other side wall is free. Typical examples are the two-under-one-roof house and the end unit of a row. The free side keeps a distance to the plot boundary, leaving room alongside the house.
The shared wall lowers building costs and energy loss compared with a fully detached home. At the same time, the free side wall provides more daylight, space and access to the rear garden than a terraced house offers.
Applications
Semi-detached housing is widely used in residential areas that seek a balance between spaciousness and efficient land use. Zoning and development plans often prescribe this building type explicitly, together with rules on the building line, distance to the plot boundary and building density. It is a popular choice for family homes because it approaches the feel of a detached house at lower cost.
Related terms
- Two-under-one-roof house
- Detached house
- Terraced housing
- Building line
- Building density
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