What to Consider Before Building a Dual Living Home in NSW

Building a dual living home comes with criteria that make it suitable for specific lifestyles and needs. While it might work for a multigenerational household and elderly couples, it mightn’t for a young family.

Dual occupancy homes can be built in two ways: as a shared lot, detached (like a granny flat), or attached (a main home with a connected smaller home, divided by a common wall). You can build both with Everyday Homes with our dual living homes on display for inspiration. However, no matter how you develop your dual living setup, there are always practical requirements involved alongside various functionality considerations that influence the decision-making process.

Read the six priority factors you should consider before building a dual living home in NSW.

Practical Requirements

Practical requirements are factors that are non-negotiable, legal, technical, and structural, ensuring your home build is compliant and functional with local legislation. As a criterion for a dual living home build, these factors can influence the comfort and usability of the home.

1. Council Regulations and Zoning Laws

Dual living homes are a popular choice among NSW residents, but every council has its own rules. These can include minimum land size, block width, and the location of the second home. In some cases, you might need to check both the NSW state rules and your local council’s guidelines before you start planning. 

However, some home builders, like Everyday Homes, look after this so that you can enjoy the simplicity of locking in your contract and taking the next step in the building process. Browse our council-compliant home designs here.

1. Parking Requirements

Parking requirements can be tricky to navigate in some local and NSW council areas. In most of Sydney and NSW, you need at least one off-street parking space for each home in a dual living design. This can be a driveway space, carport, or garage, and it needs to meet size and safety standards. 

To ensure your dual living home aligns with council requirements, look for a home builder who takes care of this factor as part of the building process and location. Everyday Homes provides expert home building planning with compliance to ensure every aspect of your dual living setup works for you and your chosen community.

1. Rental and Resale Value

If you’re considering building a dual living home, there are many benefits, including rental potential. Layouts like Everyday Homes’ attached and detached dual living designs, and co-living designs are ideal for multi-generational families with older children or parents who prefer to live close by, making these homes a popular choice for new home builds and improved buyer appeal when reselling.

Ultimately, a dual living setup can offer great rental capabilities and increase income potential.

Lifestyle Considerations

Lifestyle considerations involve criteria that impact the design and comfort choices of the home, influencing how the house feels for both dwellers, its livability, and its appeal to all occupants.

1. Design and Functionality

There is a delicate balance between maintaining comfort and usability for both the main home and the secondary dwelling. If done right, dual living setups can work harmoniously for all households, as seen in designs like Everyday Homes. 

While usability prioritises the home’s performance for diverse lifestyles, comfort combines aesthetics with experiences. Consistency across these things allows for an optimal layout and excellent resale value.

1. Privacy For Both Households

Privacy is a vital part of dual-occupancy houses. Without it, it can make both dwellings feel intrusive, especially if occupants aren’t well-acquainted. Privacy involves soundproofing the common walls between the primary and secondary residence, separating entrances and windows, and, in some cases, installing fencing to maintain separation.

For Everyday Homes, attached dual living homes are designed with the entrance located to the side, without altering the house facade. For detached dual living designs, privacy features like adequate fencing allow for separation between occupants and dwellings, alongside other features. These layouts are fantastic for families with older children or parents who want privacy while living under the same roof. 

To see other dual living arrangements that prioritise privacy, see more designs here.

1. Open Plan Solutions

Open plans are key to multi-functional spaces, especially for smaller footprints like the secondary dwelling. While it is a great way to elevate size and aesthetics in the main home, it is essential to maximise space in small homes.

See how Everyday Homes merges kitchen, dining, and living spaces for dual living homes in both single-storey and double-storey designs. This allows for the following benefits:

• Improved accessibility for elderly people or individuals needing assisted mobility.
• Versatile spaces that are adaptable for diverse occupants’ needs.
• Reduced clutter for improved safety.

Build Your Dual Living Lifestyle With Everyday Homes

Building a dual living home is a clever use of your land, maximising your property’s potential with rental value and functionality. However, it’s important to balance council requirements with thoughtful design choices. By planning your new build and understanding the constraints, you can create a dual living space that freely houses all occupants.

To ensure your new home works for you, talk to a design consultant at Everyday Homes and discuss your dual living home choices.