Privacy is not always a given and it’s almost expected that in public you can’t have much of it, but in the comfort of your own home it’s a luxury and one that you should strive to achieve.
With dual occupancy homes, the smaller units are often built adjacent to one another in close proximity or are physically attached like a townhouse, so the matter of privacy can become more challenging but nonetheless essential – especially for tenants you’d like to attract to one or both units.
How can you maintain a reasonable level of privacy for yourself and/or tenants in a dual occupancy home? Here are a few tips:
Soundproof Your Properties
Since dual occupancy homes are often built quite close to one another, it’s important to consider soundproofing both properties especially if there is a shared wall and even if there isn’t.
During the design and construction processes, consider features like double-glazed windows and their placement, installing insulation and/or plaster with acoustic properties, using heavy composite or aluminium doors, and placing hedges and/or fencing around the property line to section off garden space.
Furthermore, consider the placement of bedrooms and living rooms. Bedrooms should ideally be located at extremities of the home such as the rear where ambient traffic noise and neighbours are less likely to interfere with a good night’s sleep. Living rooms, on the other hand, can sometimes be noisy places so having them in a central location is not only practical but it also helps to dissipate and absorb noise from leaving the property and disturbing neighbours.
Install Separate Meters & Appliances
In addition to privacy in the sense of sound and visibility, there should also be privacy in the sense of accountability for energy and water consumption, especially if the units are let out to tenants. As a property owner you may be taking care of these bills and increasing rent to meet anticipated demand or you may leave these bills up to your tenants – either way, their property should be metered separately from the other property.
Part of what makes a dual occupancy home different to a granny flat is that there are separate water and electrical connections to the home, so naturally both should have their own meters as well.
Following in the same vein, make sure to install separate mailboxes for both properties and install separate alarm systems for each. These little tips may seem obvious but many property owners think it’s wise to cut a few corners by just going for one shared mailbox, for example, when this can diminish privacy and potentially lead to problems later on.
Hire Dual Occupancy Home Developers that Understand Your Needs
Perhaps one of the most important tips for maintaining the privacy you and/or your tenants deserve is to make sure that the entire development process for your dual occupancy home is handled by a team of professionals that understand your specific needs.
Trevor Homes is a leading developer of townhouses, multi-unit dwellings, and dual occupancy homes with a large portfolio of beautifully designed properties housing happy and satisfied customers. Our designs can include modern amenities and incorporate layouts that enhance privacy for the dignity of future occupants whilst giving you a home that looks fantastic for many years to come.
Trevor Homes
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