The duplex boom in Sydney’s South has left many homeowners closer to their neighbours than ever before. With tight boundaries and smaller backyards, the need for a high performance privacy screen has skyrocketed; for this new home, TrendWall was the perfect finishing touch and saving grace for their family.
True privacy is acoustic privacy
When Nick first considered his new outdoor space, the first thing that came to mind was privacy.
“Privacy for me in a duplex is a huge thing…we took a standard house and a standard block of land and we’ve basically cut it in half, so I’m living closer to my neighbours than I ever have before,” Nick reveals. “I’ve got three noisy kids…so whether I’m trying to keep the noise in, or the noise out, either way it works for me.”
The TrendWall system is one of three modular fencing systems in ModularWalls’ residential range. Offering heights of up to 2.4m and offering a typical 25dB noise reduction (or a fourfold reduction in audible noise), they are among the best performing privacy screens and fencing products on the Australian market. As lot sizes shrink, boundaries get tighter and backyards get smaller, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for acoustically rated dividing fences; especially within duplex developments.
Premium aesthetics
Aesthetics was also a major factor, after having painstakingly designed every inch of the Hamptons style duplex with FutureFlip construction company.
“I didn’t want a timber fence, I didn’t want a metal fence,” explains Nick. “I’ve just spent a million dollars building a duplex – why would I cheap out on the framework of the garden?”
“I’ve got 2.4m, and it provides that privacy and creates a very sleek look in the backyard; I’m not taking up too much space – because it’s a duplex, I haven’t got a lot of space! And you can emulate the look of a solid wall.”
Each of ModularWalls’ fencing systems offers a unique aesthetic, including the sleek SlimWall, the high performing TrendWall, the versatile VogueWall and the grand EstateWall. They also offer various customisations including integrated retaining, capping options and the ability to integrate wall lights, slats, decorative infills and unique wall finishes.
The ability to also paint the boundary fencing in the same colour scheme as the house was a huge advantage. It connected the garden with the rest of the development and supported an aesthetic harmony that allowed the small space to feel bigger.
Integrated retaining saves costs by more than half
As is common with renovations, there can be some surprising details along the way. For Nick, it was when they uncovered an unexpected amount of retaining after removing dense scrub and an old collapsing boundary brick wall from the backyard.
“We’ve got up to 750mm of retaining and the builder came up to me and said look, we can do this in blockwork, it’s going to cost you about 700 bucks a lineal metre – which is significant, when you’re on a budget and you’re trying to keep the costs down,” admits Nick. “Not to mention the access problems and the time that block would have taken!”
Luckily, TrendWall offered a seamlessly integrated solution to the unexpected retaining requirements.
“We used our TerraFirm retaining panel on the base, which retained up to the 750mm, and then I continued the fence on top. So, $750 a lineal metre for brickwork; we would have come in less than half of that! And on the low side, it’s perfectly integrated, seamless; I can’t tell I’ve got a retaining wall!”
Invest in your peace and quiet
From duplexes, to townhouses, to smaller lots in brand new community developments; our backyards are getting smaller. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your privacy. By choosing an acoustically-rated dividing fence or privacy screen, you can create a peaceful oasis amongst the suburban bustle. For instance, with our acoustic privacy screen solutions, you can expect a typical 20-25dB noise reduction; decoded from ‘acoustic engineer babble’, that’s a whopping fourfold reduction in audible noise.
On top of the acoustic properties, our SlimWall reaches heights of up to 2.4m, with our TrendWall, VogueWall and EstateWall reaching even higher still to 3m. With those heights, you’ll never have to catch another glimpse of your neighbour evening out their tan lines ever again (and safely avoid them from catching you doing the same!).
So go ahead; invest in your peace and quiet today.