Known as a duplex, multi-dwelling, or a side-by-side development, a dual occupancy house is two structures built together whether they are attached or independent. There are various layouts and possible ways you can plan and develop a dual occupancy house. It can be an attached residence sitting side by side (both with a street frontage) or two structures one after the other with a driveway down one side to back of the property.
Dual occupancy houses are often bought by people with families who are interested in having a spacious family home. You may not find such structures much in cities but in suburbs of NSW you can easily stop many houses with two dwelling juxtaposed together. Over the years, this design has becomepopular among the people because you can plan the house to be modern and chic looking. Plus, you can have multiple rooms and aesthetically pleasing buildings.
When Should You Consider Dual Occupancy Structure?
If you are a property owner planning a residential project, here is when you should consider a dual occupancy house.
- When it is suitable to demolition and reconstruct new residences
- You have invested in a big land area where the appreciation value of properties is increasing
- You don’t want to relocate and want a house that is the exact same size but divided.
- By having a dual occupancy house you want to unlock some of the equity in your land
Things You Need To Know
If for any of the reasons mentioned above you want a dual occupancy house here are your options. You can get a new structure constructed after getting council approval if the following scenarios are met.
- There is a block that has a large vacant space in the rear or adjacent to it
- You house in its present state is adequate but you want to expand.
If you plan to construct two residences side by side on a vacant block of land in a greenfield estate, it is not unusual. It is because such land is more economical and the cost of building the second residence is not justifiable. Thus, it is better to construct a dual occupancy house.
How To Start The Process?
You can hire professionals from an urban planning and development company in NEW South Wales to manage the approval and building related matter. Outlined below are details of what the professionals can do to help you. They can aid with groundworkfor the comprehensive Construction Certificate (CC). Plus, the professionals can manage the paperwork and coordination with these things:
- Getting a Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) – certifier.
- Identifying and meeting the different conditions of a Development Application DA
- Disrepair reports.
- Surveying the adjacent properties that were constructed by professional structural engineers.
- Design by the architect thatincludes the in-depth drawings for CC and Tender. It includes thewindow plus door schedules, lighting or power plans, schedule of finishes, architectural specification and other things.
- Structural engineers design
- Mechanical ventilation & air conditioning design
- Hydraulic engineers design
- Subdivision plans/survey
- Sydney Water approvals and management
The Bottom Line
If you are a property owner or builder interested in owning or developing a dual occupancy house, the information mentioned above would enlighten you. Just make sure you seek professional help whenever necessary and get the planning done properly to manage the construction without any hassle or stress.