What is meant by a duplex house? Good question, well, although they have become quite common in Indian real estate, a lot of confusion persists, about the meaning of a duplex house, the difference between a duplex house and a normal house and the cost of a duplex house in India. As they are often confused with two-story homes, let us find out what a duplex is and how it is different from a two-story home.
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A Duplex house layout is for a single-family home that is built on two floors, having one kitchen and dining. Usually, a duplex has a villa vibe, with an open plan and more carpet space. If there isn’t much carpet space, like in a small duplex, then you get more height and this is used for storage, hence adding to the appearance of more space depending on the duplex house construction cost in India.
What is a Duplex House?
Confused about what is meant by duplex house? A duplex house is a residential building constructed on two floors. As per the duplex apartment meaning, it has a single dining room and a single kitchen. It has a common central wall and consists of two living units, either side-by-side or on two floors, with separate entries. While there are two floors, it is sold together and owned by an individual. It may have separate entry points for both floors.
In India, duplex and semi-duplex house designs generally have a kitchen, hall, and bedrooms on the lower floor while the upper floor houses the master bedroom based on the duplex house construction cost. A duplex always has two floors and never three or four floors, in which case it would be called a multiplex. It has a single dining room and a single kitchen. It has a common central wall and consists of two living units, either side-by-side or on two floors, with separate entries.
Read: What is a Duplex House? Exploring Layouts and Benefits
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A mini duplex house is a residential building constructed on two floors. It has a single dining room and a single kitchen. It has a common central wall and consists of two living units, either side-by-side or on two floors, with separate entries, now when this has a lesser square foot as it is a mini duplex, and when it is shared with two separate individuals it is called semi-duplex, or split duplex.
In western countries, duplex homes may even house two families, where each floor is a separate dwelling altogether. Duplexes can provide healthy rental returns because the owner’s family can always rent out one section of their property to tenants. In such cases, the entrance will be separate and a common wall will divide the large house into two.
What is a duplex apartment, you ask? Well, individuals are now investing in a duplex house and then renting out parts of it as apartments which work well for both parties. Apartment units are usually part of a high-rise, unlike a duplex which is essentially a two-storeyed structure, which may have two living units and two different entry points, as well. Hence many people who have the means prefer Duplex houses, and they are also a great investment opportunity.
Difference Between Duplex and Double-storey Building
A duplex house is always a two-storeyed structure but all two-storeyed buildings may not be categorised as duplexes. In duplexes, the floors are connected through a staircase, while two-storeyed properties may be independent of each other and may or may not be connected.
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Duplex House in India?
However, for a duplex house, that falls in between 1700-1800 sq. ft. For a G+1 construction in 20 by 40 Plot, for a duplex house of 1800 sq. Ft., with construction, the cost is about 28.8 lacs. Generally, with a sufficient budget, a 3BHK Duplex house can easily be constructed on a G+1 floor. It is noteworthy that the final construction cost, again, depends on the clients’ specific requirements and the architect’s way of executing the requests.
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Luxury homes have always been appealing to people. People own them in the form of villas, penthouses and duplexes. Owning a duplex can be a great investment for landlords and homeowners. A duplex is a two-story building that has two separate complete apartments on each floor with a common central wall. The two floors have separate entrances and are generally connected by an inner staircase. Duplex apartments can serve many benefits to their owners; however, they have certain drawbacks too. If you are also thinking of buying a duplex apartment, but are still confused if it is a good option for you, we hope this article will help.
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The Types of Duplex Houses
While you know what is a duplex house, depending on the design and the stacking of the property, there are many types of duplex houses you can go for. That said, you would find most varieties falling within two main categories – a duplex home design can have two adjoining garages on either side or a single bigger garage in the centre.
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A side-by-side duplex home, for example, has either garages or the entries of garages forming a shared wall between the two home units. This reduces the amount of noise that can be emitted from the two units and ensures a wall of silence. While a centred entry or garage way can also be horizontally levelled with the duplex house design and is more suited for a single joint family. The side-by-side type of duplex houses can also be multistories, with a shared wall dividing bedrooms, bathrooms, and other areas such as the garage and living room. Similarly, in a stacked duplex house, the horizontal shared area forms the floor of the upper unit and the ceiling of the lower one, where sound can easily transfer through the shared spaces.
You may also find a mix of side-by-side and mansion-style duplex houses featuring either/both separate porches, paths in front of the doors, and even identical lawn spaces.
Duplex Dreams: Unpacking the Expense, Tenant-Friendliness and More
Is a Duplex House Really That Pricey?
Let’s face it, owning a house is a huge investment and with so many options available in the market, it can be tough to choose the one that fits both your budget and lifestyle. Duplex houses have been gaining popularity in recent years, especially in cities where land is scarce and the population is ever-growing. But is a duplex house really that expensive?
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Well, the answer is not as straightforward as a yes or no. The cost of a duplex house depends on several factors such as location, size, and the materials used for construction. A study conducted by real estate consultants Knight Frank (2021) revealed that the average cost of a duplex house in Indian cities ranges from INR 35 Lakhs to INR 2 Crores.
To give you a better idea, let’s compare the cost of a duplex house with other types of houses. On average, a 1 BHK apartment in a prime location in a metropolitan city costs around INR 50 Lakhs to INR 1 Crore, while a standalone house can cost upwards of INR 1 Crore. Hence, a duplex house can be considered as a budget-friendly option when compared to other types of houses.
Moreover, owning a duplex house also has several advantages such as higher rental income, lower maintenance costs, and an increased sense of privacy. Hence, it can be considered a wiseinvestment in the long run.
Duplex Houses: A Tenant’s Paradise?
If you’re a landlord or planning to rent out a portion of your duplex house, you may be wondering if duplex houses are tenant-friendly.
A recent survey conducted by NoBroker (2022) revealed that duplex houses are one of the most preferred types of houses among renters. This is because duplex houses offer a sense of privacy, ample space, and a separate entrance for each unit, which is not possible in apartments or standalone houses.
Additionally, duplex houses are usually located in prime locations, making them easily accessible to key facilities such as supermarkets, schools, hospitals, and transport. This makes them an attractive option for families and working professionals.
Here are some of the factors that make duplex houses tenant-friendly:
- Separate entrance for each unit
- Ample space
- Prime location
- Higher privacy
- So, if you’re planning to rent out a portion of your duplex house, you can expect higher demand and a better rental income.
What Is a Half-Duplex House?
As the name suggests, a half-duplex house forms a single side or half of the duplex units. That said, in a duplex with two half duplexes, you will have two separate owners of each half, instead of a single owner of the two units. Half duplexes are also known as ‘halfplexes’ and are a great way to find a property where two owners can share the cost of the common areas, utilities, or amenities shared.
If you’re considering buying a half duplex or semi duplex house, here are some factors to keep in mind:
- Size of the unit
- Location
- Cost
- Maintenance costs
Difference Between Penthouse and Duplex
While a duplex can be situated on any floor, a penthouse is typically the apartment unit reserved for the highest floor of an apartment building with multiple storeys. While duplexes are affordable due to the shared spaces, a penthouse of an apartment building can occupy the entire floor and are generally expensive, given that they offer a great view of the top floor, and are generally the best-designed housing unit in the building. Also, unlike duplexes, you will find creative and unique layouts such as high ceilings, garden apartments, sky lofts etc.
Difference Between Duplex House and Independent House
To know about duplex vs independent houses, you must know that while a duplex building has units stacked side by side or on top of one another, they can have separate owners for each of the units. An independent house, on the other hand, is constructed on a land area based on a single owner’s choices and preferences. Similar to duplexes, however, independent houses can be completely self-occupied or even be open partially leased or rented out.
Difference Between Duplex and Townhouse
Both townhomes or townhouses and duplexes have a shared wall between housing units. That said if you want to know the difference between a duplex and a townhome, you must understand that while a duplex has two units, townhouses have rows of units stacked one after the other. Naturally, this means between townhouse vs duplex, while the cost of each unit of a duplex is more or less equal, the cost of purchasing a townhouse at the end of the row will be much higher and at a premium cost than one that is positioned in the middle.
Difference Between Duplex House and Villa
When we think of luxury living, we think of a villa as it incorporates the fine amenities of a resort with ensured privacy, facilities, and extravagant décor that is not limited by budgetary constraints. To be succinct, villas are independent houses standing on their own piece of land but are also included within secured gated communities. In terms of villa vs duplex, a duplex will be more affordable as the cost can be shared by separate owners. Similarly, in a duplex vs villa comparison, villas are complemented with numerous posh amenities including swimming pools, playgrounds, cycling/jogging tracks, concierge facilities etc.
What is a Semi-Detached House Vs Duplex?
If you want to know what is a semi-detached duplex, you must know that while duplex properties are on a single plot with isolated living spaces, semi-detached houses allow for the building of a secondary unit. Here a resident of the semi-detached house shares a wall with a single person as most areas are common, whereas the common areas in a duplex are clearly demarcated.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Renting a Duplex Apartment?
Duplex House Advantages: Pros of a Duplex Apartment
1. Privacy
Privacy is the utmost thing that everyone is worried about. Duplex apartments have large spaces and the yards can be divided into smaller sections to increase the privacy of the residents within.
2. Source of Additional Income
Since duplex apartments have two separate buildings on each floor, one section of the building can be given for rent, if you own it. In case the apartment is owned by mortgaging, the acquired rent can be used to pay off the mortgage.
3. Affordable
Duplexes are surely luxury homes, but the surprising thing is that they are not that expensive. You will be surprised to know the duplex house price in India. Most of them are available at affordable prices in any neighbourhood.
4. Accommodation for Two Families
Two families can be accommodated in a duplex apartment as it has two floors. This way the families can stay close to each other without much interference in each other’s privacy.
5. Large Spaces
Duplex apartments have more living spaces as compared to other flats. They also have large gardens, yards and garages that give you a spacious feeling.
6. Lower insurance cover
By owning a duplex, you can give one portion on rent and reduce the cost of your insurance cover. You can take insurance cover for a single building instead of two single families.
Duplex House Disadvantages: Cons of a Duplex Apartment
1. Disturbance
Since a Duplex has common walls, disturbance can occur due to noise, if walls are not well insulated.
2. No Guaranteed Source of Income
You may earn additional income by renting out one section of the duplex, but it is not guaranteed that you will get a permanent tenant. So, the additional income is not guaranteed.
3. Maintenance
The responsibility of the maintenance and all repairs of the duplex apartments is with the owner or the landlord of the building. So, this is an additional responsibility for you to get all the repairs and expenses done.
4. Getting the Right Tenant
Sharing your duplex apartment with another family may result in some disputes and privacy issues. It cannot be ensured that you always get the right tenant who can relate with.
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5. Limited Options
Duplex apartments are available at affordable rates in suburban areas. As they have large spaces, they are mostly located in outer areas of cities. It is very difficult to get a duplex within the city, and that too at a good budget.
Owing to the benefits a duplex offers, these apartments can be a good investment. If you think that you can manage the drawbacks associated. Keep in mind, that these, drawbacks are very minimal as compared to the benefits it offers, like additional income, and larger spaces. Your decision to buy a duplex or not will depend on what exactly you want. Evaluate your plan by comparing the pros and cons mentioned here and take your final decision. Now that we have laid everything out for you, if you intend on investing in a Duplex apartment, head to NoBroker to get yourself the best deal possible. Click the link below to start your search and you can save lakhs on brokerage!
FAQ’s
Q 1. What is the meaning of a duplex house?
Ans. A duplex house refers to a residential building divided into two separate units, each with its own entrance, living spaces, and utilities, often sharing a common wall or floor.
Q 2. Is it cheaper to build or buy a duplex?
Ans. You have to research your area. Typically, it is more profitable to buy and do some work on a property (depending on the area) to build up sweat equity.
Q 3. What is the minimum area required for a duplex house?
Ans. The minimum area required for a duplex house typically ranges from 600 to 800 square feet per unit, ensuring sufficient space for essential living areas across two floors.
Q 4. How much does it cost to build a duplex in India?
Ans. The cost to construct a duplex in India varies significantly based on location, materials, and design choices, but on average, it can range from ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 per square foot for basic to mid-range finishes.
Q5. What is the difference between a duplex and a storey building?
Ans. A duplex is a type of residential building divided into two separate units with their own entrances, often sharing a common wall, whereas a storey building refers to any structure with multiple levels or floors above ground.
