The increasing price and lack of available greenfield blocks is leading more families to consider building multi-dwellings on their existing property. But building a multi-dwelling home can be more complex than you think. You need to take into consideration your family’s needs, your land size, aspect and topography, and the regulations set by your local council.

Dual occupancy homes are defined by the NSW State Government as two separate dwellings on a single plot of land.

There’s currently a strong trend towards multi-generational living, particularly in Greater Western Sydney, where property prices continue to rise. And it’s happening in a couple of different ways, with young people staying at home longer, older generations sharing their homes, and others looking for affordable investment opportunities.

The four types of multi-dwelling homes

There are four popular multi-dwelling options – a multi-generational home under one roof, a house with a stand-alone granny flat, a duplex, and a dual occupancy home. So, which one is the best fit for your needs? While our expert team at ZAC Homes can help you find the best option to suit your land and your needs, here’s our guide to the differences between each of these four types to get you started.

Multi-generational home under one roof

Once the norm in Australian households, where the young help care for the older generation, the custom of multi-generational living has experienced a downturn in past decades. However, recent studies indicate that many Australians once again live in multi-generation households, and that trend is on the rise.

There are several reasons you and your family might want a multi-dwelling home, such as extra space to accommodate elderly relatives; private space for teenage children; a separate studio/office; or a rental property with short or long-term tenants.

A multi-generational household is often just a large house where several generations share all the common areas of the home like the living room, kitchen and outdoors. But it can also mean a large home with a separate apartment attached with its own bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and compact living area.

Stand-alone granny flat

A stand-alone granny flat is a fully detached, self-contained dwelling on the same land as your main house. It usually contains a bedroom with a bathroom, as well as a small kitchen, dining and a living area. The size is dictated by local councils, but in most cases doesn’t exceed 60 square metres.

Granny flats are, as their name suggests, popular among people looking to help their ageing parents or grandparents, allowing them to continue to live independently but have their family nearby.

They are also a great option for teenage children who want some extra space but can’t afford to move into their own home, and perhaps don’t want to go too far when they make their first move. And like all multi-dwelling options, a granny flat can add to the household income as a rental property.

Duplex – two separate houses under one roof

The terms ‘duplex’ and ‘dual occupancy’ are often used interchangeably, but there is one key difference. A duplex contains two dwellings under one main roof and can be built on a single piece of land or a subdivided block.

The benefit of a duplex on a subdivided block comes in when you want to sell one or both of the dwellings. However, a duplex is also still technically a dual occupancy home because it can be two dwellings on one block. Because of this, confusion over the two terms can still creep in.

Custom-built dual occupancy homes by ZAC Homes are designed to optimise your available space and make the most of your valuable land.

In the Sydney building market, the term ‘duplex’ is generally used to describe two homes of similar size with a common wall, like ZAC Homes’ popular Daintree designs. The Daintree range of duplexes has been developed over the more than 20 years that we’ve been building duplexes.

Dual occupancy – two separate dwellings on one block of land

Dual occupancy homes are defined by the NSW State Government as two separate dwellings on a single plot of land. They exist in two versions – attached and detached.

While it can limit your buying and selling options, it often means lower building and council costs, and for rental and monitoring purposes utilities can be separated.

You and your family could consider a dual occupancy if you have an existing home with enough land to build a separate granny flat on the same block, or if you want to knock down and rebuild a brand new home that incorporates two separate dwellings that are either attached or detached.

Custom-built dual occupancy homes by ZAC Homes

Custom-built dual occupancy homes by ZAC Homes are designed to optimise your available space and make the most of your valuable land. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service and make the journey of building your new home as fun and exciting as possible.

ZAC Homes builds with trust, respect, integrity and pride, which we work hard to deliver to every client. Call us on 1300 350 793 or send us an online enquiry and our team will work with you to design and build your dream home.