A duplex is a house divided in half and designed for two families. Each part has a separate entrance, plot and may have several floors. Both sides of the cottage are considered dwellings, only one wall and the roof are in common, each part has 8-30 acres of land. The common wall is not always between living rooms. For example, it can combine garages, in which case the neighbors will not interfere with each other.
Features of a Duplex
Modern duplexes have several distinctive features.
One-piece facade. The inside of the house may have different renovations and furnishings, but the outside of the duplex looks like one long cottage.
Sections have individual meters for electricity, water and heating, which means that everyone pays separately for their living space.
Floors. The standard floor plan provides for a two-story building, but sometimes developers make a duplex and a floor higher.
Each part of the house has a separate entrance. Sometimes you can find duplexes with a common entrance, but the most popular are still two doors on both sides of the house.
In addition to duplexes, there are also triplexes (three houses joined together) and quadro houses (four-family house with corner apartments). A house with more sections is a townhouse.
Advantages of a duplex
Square footage. One half of the duplex is about 200-300 square feet, not including the porch, balcony, and terrace.
Plot. Each building is accompanied by a plot of land, 5-15 acres.
Affordable price. For his own homeownership cost of duplex very nice, moreover, the buyer receives not only a country house, but also the adjacent area with space for parking or a personal garage.
Neighborhoods. Duplexes are ideal for a large family who want to live next door, but still do not share the same living space (for example, parents and their children who already have their own families), or for friends who also want to live next door.
Infrastructure. Most often duplexes are built in the suburbs with a developed infrastructure nearby.
Convenient for renting. You can buy both parts - in one part owner lives, and the second rents to tenants.
Disadvantages of duplex
Neighborhoods. If strangers will be living next door, it may be uncomfortable. After all, it is not completely private territory, as if the house is just you. But it is not an apartment townhouse and a lot more so a high-rise where the neighbors will be at least three sides. In this case, many owners choose to isolate themselves behind a fence and soundproof the adjacent wall. Before buying, it is worth getting to know your neighbors to understand how easy and pleasant it will be to interact to solve common issues.