The Detached House
A detached house has no walls in common with other residential structures. It sits on its own building lot with front, rear and side yards. They can be size from small to large.
Semi-Detached House
A semi-detached building is 2 single family homes linked together with each other by a common wall. They are often called a “side by side” duplex. Sometimes they are built in a front to back layout.
Duplex Home
A duplex is two distinct properties that are connected either side by side (a semi-detached house) or with one unit above the other. They are often applied for income properties or in city locations where higher density is attractive.
Townhouse Complexes
In BC the title “townhouse” is commonly used to refer to a group of dwellings (frequently two-storey) linked together by common walls. Every unit generally has its own entry from the exterior. Normally they have a private courtyard as well.
Apartment Unit
An apartment is one of many properties (most of the time single story dwellings constructed one over the other) joined together by common wall structures, with each one having an entrance from a common hallway. The structure containing the apartments may be any size. Some are 3 storeys while others can be sky-scrapers.
Mobile or Manufactured Homes
A manufactured home is a factory built residential structure. It is developed to be transported from one destination to another, though wheels are not necessary. It is typically positioned on a rented space called a pad in a manufactured home park.
Conclusion
Reviewing things it’s pretty obvious that buildings come in different shapes and sizes. Function dictates form. When the requirement is simply housing the building is usually small, or dense. Once luxury enters the equation the buildings get bigger and less dense.