What is a twin home, and how is it different from a duplex?
Short answer
A twin home is one of two houses joined by a shared wall, each with its own entrance and garden. A duplex is a single unit spread over two floors, with no neighbour beside it.
What is a twin home vs duplex, in plain terms?
A twin home is one of two houses built side by side and joined through a shared wall. Each house has its own entrance, its own plot and its own garden on its side. Nobody lives above or below its neighbour, so it reads as a house with a shared party wall rather than an apartment in a block.
How is a duplex different?
A duplex is one unit spread over two floors. It may sit inside a building, or it may be a two-storey house inside a compound. The two floors belong to the same owner, and the staircase inside the unit joins them. The key difference from a twin home is that a duplex does not have a neighbour beside it on the same plot, and its second level is part of the same home rather than a second house.
Does the twin home share anything with its neighbour?
Yes, the shared wall is the main thing. The two houses are built with a common structure along that line, so works on one side affect the other. Before any change to that wall or the roofline, a buyer should read the unit's contract and the compound's own rules, since the two houses share it.
Which one suits a family that wants a garden?
A twin home is the stronger choice for a garden, because each house has its own outdoor space that opens from its own living room. A duplex can have a terrace or a roof space, but it does not give the same open ground on every side. A family that wants a garden to use daily should check the plot sizes in the listing, not the floor count.
How do the two compare on privacy and upkeep?
A twin home gives more privacy outside, since the garden is not overlooked by a flat above. A duplex gives more privacy inside, because the bedrooms can be on one floor and the living area on the other. For upkeep, a twin home has an outdoor area to maintain, while a duplex has a second floor to clean and a staircase to keep in good repair.
What should I check before I buy either?
Check the layout drawing to confirm where each room sits. For a twin home, confirm the exact boundary of the plot and which side of the shared wall belongs to the unit. For a duplex, confirm the stair's position and the built-up area on each floor. Ask the developer whether the unit is delivered finished, and read the delivery stage, because the two types in one compound can be handed over in different phases.
Updated 25 October 2026