On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 22:18:59 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
OldBill wrote:
Avoid semis/terraced properties. When you've lived in a detached, even
when the gap is only a metre or so, you'll never go back (until you're
gaga)

Easy to say. But in many Victorian areas detached houses are either rare
or extremely expensive. And the alternative newer house - although
possibly better sound insulated - is likely to be very much smaller.

I would go further and say that it's not just victorian areas where
detached houses are rare or prohibitively expensive.

As to answer the OP I would definitely say that all semis should be
designed with the main living area away from the party wall. This is
to avoid noise from the living area of one house affecting the
bedrooms of the other.

The only reason that semis were built with their main living areas
together was to save a few pennies by only having one chimney stack!

Rich.