Housing Styles in the USA and Canada
If you are considering removals to America or Canada, then you’ll have to get used to a lot of different traditions and customs – including how they refer to their homes. Here the Moving Partnership, who can help if you are thinking of moving house to either country, explain how the terms (and some of the housing styles) differ across the Atlantic.
The Apartment or the Condo
In the UK, they would usually be called flats, but in the US or Canada they are usually separated out into apartments or condos (which is short for condominiums). Apartments are almost always rented out by a landlord and usually have communal facilities like laundry rooms, the use of a caretaker or handyman and (in upmarket options) pools and gyms. All repairs and maintenance are the responsibility of a building manager or the landlord.
Condos, on the other hand, (pictured) are generally owner-occupied, so you would be responsible for any maintenance and upkeep inside your property (although you may still have use of communal facilities and services). You may be able to make internal changes as long as it doesn’t affect the whole building’s structural integrity.
If you are considering removals to New York, Washington, Vancouver, Ottawa or any of the other big cities in either the US or Canada, these types of homes are more common because of the shortage of available space in densely populated metropolitan areas.
The Townhouse
What the Americans and Canadians call townhouses, the UK would probably call terraced houses; the official definition is “rows of houses sharing walls on either side with neighbours” – such as those pictured above.
However, in the USA and Canada these types of properties are usually larger and more spacious than their English counterparts. They usually come with a yard or garden, a patio, and often have access to a nearby garage, even if it’s underground. Some townhouses share communal facilities with other properties on the same street.
The Split-Level House
If you are considering removals to Canada, then there are a large number of properties which fit into this category (although there are a number in the USA as well). The living areas are split across several different levels, usually via a short series of steps; it means building upwards and maximising vertical space.
Common features include integrated garages, large living areas and family rooms, while retaining plenty of yard or garden space. However, they aren’t being built ‘as new’ as much as they were in the past.
The Duplex, Triplex and Fourplex
A duplex is a single property which has been split into two separate units, a triplex into three and a fourplex into four. (There’s some debate as to whether this makes the property a semi-detached home or not). However many units the whole property has been divided up into, each one usually has its own front door. Like split-level homes, though, new ‘plexes’ are increasingly rare.
Detached and Semi-Detached
Americans and Canadians make these distinctions, just as the UK does. Tudor and Victorian homes can be found in both countries, just as they are in the UK, both dating back to the equivalent period of UK history and with similar characteristics.
However, there are plenty of different styles, particularly when it comes to detached properties, and particularly in America. They include:
- Colonial – these are a simple rectangular structure and can be traced back to the 1600s. They are usually at least two storeys tall and with a grand central entrance.
- Cape Cod – so called because they take their name from the Massachusetts city, and dating back to the 1700s. They were originally built to withstand rough New England winters, with wood sidings, roof shingles and at least one window each side of a central door.
- Federal – these are similar to the colonial style, and are inspired by Greek and Roman architecture, with square or rectangular shapes and Palladian windows and columns. The Oval Office in the White House is an example of this style.
- Contemporary or Modern – the former refers to the present, while the latter has already passed. Both styles, however, are relatively recent compared to those listed above; they have clean and simple lines, neutral colours, and more recent examples make good use of eco-friendly materials.
Removals to the USA and Canada with The Moving Partnership
Whichever country you are moving to, and whichever house style you eventually end up moving into, The Moving Partnership can help get you there. Our network of contacts in the international removals industry mean we will be able to come up with a competitive quote which will be tailored to your exact needs
If you’d like to know more about our removals to America, click here; and more information about our international removals to Canada can be found on this page.
