One House Two Suite

Shelley, “I had been through a house fire and a divorce and many subsequent moves/transitions, and I was hoping to settle with my kids long-term. We were very new in our relationship, so living together with five kids didn’t seem wise, for us or them.”

Shelley explained in one of her TikToks that two-suite homes are much more common in Canada, where she and Peter live.

“When I found this place, I couldn’t believe how ideal it was for two families. We could be close by but have our own family units. We looked at the house once and put in an offer. It resulted in us both spending less money on a home than if we’d bought separately.”

Each suite has its own kitchen and living room. Shelley’s has two bedrooms and one bathroom, while Peter’s has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The only shared space is a hallway and laundry room, and each suite has its own separate entrance. Shelley told she and Peter are completely separate when spending time with their kids, unless they do a planned activity together like a game night or blended dinners twice a week.

And as for how they split duties and costs, Shelley said, “That’s the best part of this type of setup: We know exactly what we’re responsible for, and we handle our own shit. We are responsible for our children and suites. I make sure my kids are ready, fed breakfast, off to school, to their extracurricular activities, to all appointments, fed dinner, and ensure they have everything they need in life. Peter is the same. We clean our own spaces. We arrange childcare for our own children. Sometimes we ask each other for help, but it’s always exactly that: an ask.”

“Our finances are separate. Peter’s suite is bigger than mine, so that’s how we’ve determined the percentage of the bills we each pay. I pay 42% of the mortgage and utilities and taxes. He pays 58%. It’s what we agreed was fair.” GO TO THE NEXT PAGE TO CONTINUE…