Petersham is a small inner-west suburb on the railway line, adjoining Stanmore, Lewisham, Marrickville and Leichhardt. Victorian and Federation terraces and semi-detached houses fill most of its streets, with low-rise apartment buildings closer to the station.
Party walls and shared lines
The semi-detached pair is the building type to understand here. Two houses share a wall, and frequently a stretch of drain, a trench or a roof drainage line. If your neighbour's kitchen is renovated, or a tree on their side grows, your side can feel it. Before major work, ask whether any pipe crosses the boundary, and who is responsible for it. Back-to-back bathrooms and kitchens along a party wall are also a common cause of noise and, occasionally, moisture travelling between homes.
- Ask the neighbours early when a drain or downpipe runs across the boundary.
- Record where your drain leaves the house, even if only on a hand-drawn sketch.
- After a bathroom renovation, watch the adjoining wall for damp over the following months.
In the neighbourhood
Lewisham and Annandale are the nearest guides on this site, and Marrickville lies to the south. See the Lewisham guide, Annandale guide and Marrickville guide for similar housing in different settings.
Keep reading
Return to the Inner West region, read burst pipes for what to do when a supply line fails, and keep the emergency guide handy.