Domestic building
The term 'domestic building' refers to a dwelling that has no more than one family unit resident in it, and which is used as a place of permanent or semi-permanent habitation.The most common example of a domestic building is a house.
The term ‘non-domestic building’ refers to any building that is not a domestic building.
A domestic building tends to be home to a ‘household’, which was defined in the 2011 Census as being: ‘one person living alone; or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and share a living room or sitting room or dining area’.
By contrast, the term ‘residential building’ has a wider application and can be used to refer to blocks of flats, homes of multiple occupancy (HMOs), institutions (e.g. hospitals, care homes, prisons), hotels, hostels, student halls of residence, and so on.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Agraharam.
- Apartment.
- Building performance evaluation in domestic buildings.
- Dwellinghouse.
- English Housing Survey 2018-19 reports released.
- Flat definition.
- House.
- Household.
- How much does it cost to sell my home.
- Living room.
- Manual to the Building Regulations.
- Mud room.
- Pantry, buttery, larder and scullery
- Proposed changes: MHCLG consultation on house building statistics.
- Residential definition.
- RIBA domestic building contract.
- Sheltered housing definition.
- Terraced house.
- Types of building.
- Types of dwelling.
- Use class.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems.
ECA calls on members to comment on draft 4th edition.
Bringing together expertise and creating cultural benefits.
CIOB celebrates positive Ofsted report.
The Building Safety Regulator announces a call for evidence.
Government approach could undermine delivery and regeneration.
World's first mass timber data centre.
The overlooked environmental aspect of data centre development.
Introduction to radon awareness
New technical information sheet published by CIOB.
Updated supplier guide can help electrical contractors engage with NHP.
CIAT confirm the winners of the 2026 architectural technology awards.
Government launches a one stop shop for flood preparedness.
Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's greatest architect? Book review.
CIOB publishes free template to help assess and manage risks.