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Has anyone here ever built a simple side by side duplex?

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#21 ·
A bathroom for each bedroom is a feature that people really like. I'd lose the walk in closets, do some re-arranging and squeeze in two, also much better to have the doors from the bedrooms not dumping directly into the kitchen and the living room. A small hallway is not wasted space.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Rio said:
A bathroom for each bedroom is a feature that people really like. I'd lose the walk in closets, do some re-arranging and squeeze in two, also much better to have the doors from the bedrooms not dumping directly into the kitchen and the living room. A small hallway is not wasted space.
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Yeah I dont like the walkins either. The way KAP drew it up has me thinking its much better than mine.
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
Jaws said:
I'd be happy with 20 gs for 2 systems. I paid 17k for a 3.5 ton variable speed system for 2413 ft this week, I paid deposit for a 16k system that's a hair oversized for 2056 ft in the River House I'm building

I am word for word with @SouthonBeach post
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That $20 gs hurts worse when its coming out of my pocket tho :)
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
KAP said:
Well, if you want a washer/dryer in that amount of SF, you're going to have to get it from somewhere.... remember, you want to keep the rental along the same lines of having things that they would want in a home, and most people don't want a stackable unit anymore (less capacity = more work), so you need a workable area for laundry (a laundry closet is quite workable as it can have the two units, storage above it and a drop down shelf and/or ironing board for folding and/or pressing clothes if needed)... most used appliance centers have a hard time selling stackables and don't want to buy them or offer you very little for them... my last rental that had a stackable, I gave it away to a local guy who does some of our landscaping work... good guy...



A multitude of programs for different applications, but for simple drawings like that, any illustration program will do... the one I did that drawing on was Serif DrawPlus x8... low cost, low learning curve program and based on your use of grids, a useful layout tool for quick layouts... not really for full design...
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Good insight into the stackables. I have very little experience with them.
 
#27 ·
wazez said:
I would assume the hvac systems in TX have larger ac units and smaller furnaces? House I built last year we put in a 80000btu furnace for a 1500sq.ft. house. I feel it was oversized but.....
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Heat pumps. I like 8-900 ft a ton with variable speed for spray foam and dood windows
 
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#29 ·
Rio said:
A bathroom for each bedroom is a feature that people really like. I'd lose the walk in closets, do some re-arranging and squeeze in two, also much better to have the doors from the bedrooms not dumping directly into the kitchen and the living room. A small hallway is not wasted space.
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I don't like guests having to go thru BR to get to bath

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 
#31 ·
I've framed a couple dozen, but this was my first drawn using Chief. The guy thought $600 for my time was more than fair...........ha! This one I completed and have kept as a reminder.......talk price almost immediately. Manage expectations.

This was for a long/skinny lot.

Fire separation and sound transmission reduction are the main diffs from a new home.


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#33 ·
KAP is solid at all kinds of things. I like your layout, K.

Here's KAPs design in chief. Not sure if the kitchen wall was supposed to be the party wall or the bedroom walls.........easy change while it's on the computer.

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#34 · (Edited)
So the problem is something I run into often.

People will draw a schematic plan on graph paper and they will not factor in the thickness of walls.
That's OK if you want to pull dimensions from over one wall to the face of the next.
They just have to be informed that a room that is a certain dimension will end up being less than that dimension by the thickness of the wall(s).
For this to all work the way it looks, the plan is larger than the original one on the graph paper.

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#35 ·
wallmaxx said:
So the problem is something I run into often.

People will draw a schematic plan on graph paper and they will not factor in the thickness of walls.
That's OK if you want to pull dimensions from over one wall to the face of the next.
They just have to be informed that a room that is a certain dimension will end up being less than that dimension by the thickness of the wall(s).
For this to all work the way it looks, the plan is larger than the original one on the graph paper.

View attachment 521318

View attachment 521327
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Mine was a quick drawing to give an idea of living space... final dimensions of course would have to take into account walls, windows, etc. but good point for OP in case that wasn't obvious... (y)

The drawing I provided had the party wall on the bedroom side (which is why the window in the kitchen was where it was), for shared plumbing in the bathrooms, potential noise consideration, avoiding potential dead space in the corner in the kitchen, and also would keep the entry doors further away from each other on opposite ends for more of a feel of their "own place" as opposed to a joining one with consideration for a shared porch with a divider as discussed in post #15... also mentioned window placement would be important (as to where and size was up to him with the exception of the kitchen)... personally, I'd add a Bay Window by the dining area (a lot of this assumes he is doing as much of the work as possible) as it would help add natural light to the rooms as well as be a natural delineation from room-to-room and again, a low-cost upgrade over the long-term that increases likelihood of keeping it rented all things considered...

By adding 1-2 feet in all directions it also opens up more design considerations of which he could add a second shared bath...

It was all a jump-off point with considerations as to what makes a rental pop while keeping initial upgrade investments reasonable in the scope of the overall outlay versus potential ROI...

Nice detailed drawings in Chief!... :giggle: OP got more than he bargained for there... (y)
 
#36 · (Edited)
I like your layout. I'm not great at the design stuff as opposed to the structure it takes to frame/build it.

Bedrooms are typically quiet so that would be a great place for the party wall.
In apartments, most of the plans would offset each unit 2' or 4' so the street view had a bit of breakup and not a long continuous wall.
Same everything, just the structure is pushed or pulled to offset.

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#37 ·
wazez said:
Today I started to draw a preliminary floor plan for a duplex I am considering to build and was looking to see if anyone has any insight on my plan before I go to a professional to have it drawn. What I am considering is a overall footprint being 32x56 with each side being just under 900 sq ft. I would intend this to be a long term build and hold in a solid B-class neighborhood.

I am looking at 2 bed 1 bath floor plan and am trying to squeeze everything in the small footprint so if anyone has suggestions to optimize space it would be appreciated :)

I am hoping someone would have some alternative suggestions for heating and cooling. In this area gas forced air is most prevalent and electric is not considered desirable. Since I want the units metered separately I need two heating systems. A year and a half ago I paid $8k for a 80,000 btu hvac system for a 1500 sq ft. house and I would expect it to be higher now. Have not spoke with any hvac companies yet but from past conversations seems there is not much savings with a smaller furnace. My house is similar sized and I have a 10k gas wall heater for backup which is sufficient when the woodstove is not burning and I would go heavier on the insulation on the new than what my personal home is. I was looking at some gas direct vent options online and was considering weather that would be a proper way of heating??? That would still leave the cooling part of it unfulfilled? Maybe I'm over thinking this but a potential $20k for two systems seems crazy.
Whatever I do needs to make sense according to build cost versus rental income or proposed project gets scrapped!

Have at it boys...tear my plan apart :cool::D

Attached floor plan shows only one side with other side being identical.
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I have built several 2, 4, and 6 unit buildings. Not sure the climate where you live? I have use heat pumps on all the units over a 25 year span and have been well pleased. The frost line where I live is 16” if that helps with comparison.
 
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Ed Corrigan
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