Ideally, sockets should be located in separate stud bays, ensuring a natural stagger between socket penetrations on each side of the partition and helping to maintain the integrity of the construction.

Where the use of separate stud bays cannot be achieved, back‑to‑back sockets should be horizontally offset by a minimum of 150mm.

A common challenge arises in residential buildings where successive apartments are mirrored, creating pressure to position sockets directly back to back. This arrangement can result in a localised reduction in acoustic performance.

Acoustic performance within framed partitions is partly achieved by the cavity size, which allows insulation and separation to work effectively. Where back‑to‑back socket penetrations are introduced, the additional lining and containment detailing required around the sockets can locally reduce the cavity depth, leading to loss of performance.