01 / Design and approvals
The duplex was resolved on paper first.
Planning, engineering, mirrored layouts and the subdivision strategy established the framework for two balanced three-bedroom homes.
New build · duplex · subdivision
A 3+3 bedroom duplex delivered from first approvals through construction and subdivision.
This Woongarrah investment project delivered two complete three-bedroom homes under one coordinated programme, from approvals and slab construction to internal fitout, external works and subdivision.
Project overview
Two complete rental homes delivered as one coordinated development.
The project began with planning, surveys, engineering and site preparation, then progressed through the slab, lightweight steel framing, roofing, external envelope, services, wet areas and internal fitout. Both dwellings were completed to the same inclusion level so the duplex presents and performs as one balanced investment.
Each side provides three bedrooms, a garage, ensuite and main bathroom, laundry, open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, plus a covered rear terrace and private yard. Construction was followed by the subdivision process, coordinating the documentation and authority requirements needed to separate the two dwellings.
Scope delivered
- Planning, approvals, surveys and project coordination
- Site preparation, slab and lightweight steel framing
- Roofing, rendered external envelope, windows and insulation
- Plumbing, electrical, wet-area construction and internal fitout
- Two three-bedroom dwellings with garages and covered terraces
- Kitchens, bathrooms, storage, flooring, lighting and climate control
- Driveway, fencing, landscaping and external completion
- Subdivision documentation and coordination
From footprint to finished investment
Watch the duplex take shape.
Choose a stage to follow the project from design and approvals through construction, fitout and completion.
02 / Site and slab
The footprint moved from drawing to ground.
Set-out, the moisture barrier and service points established the footprint for both homes before the concrete slab was placed.
03 / Steel structure
Two mirrored homes rose together.
Lightweight steel framing established both dwellings at the same time and created the structure for the coordinated service and fitout sequence.
04 / Services rough-in
The open frame made every service visible.
Plumbing, electrical and ventilation runs were coordinated through the structure before wall linings concealed them.
05 / Roofing
The homes moved under cover.
Roofing and the covered rear terraces established weather protection and the external form of both dwellings.
06 / External envelope
The finished form became recognisable.
Windows, external wall finishes and the covered terraces enclosed the structure and defined the contemporary exterior.
07 / Wet-area waterproofing
The concealed work was recorded before finishes.
Bathroom floors, junctions, niches and service penetrations were waterproofed before tiles and fixtures covered them.
08 / Bathroom tiling
Durable wet-area finishes took shape.
Wall and floor tiles established the clean, easy-care bathroom finish repeated across both homes.
09 / Alfresco tiling
The terraces became outdoor rooms.
Tiled covered terraces extended the living space and provided a practical low-maintenance finish for each dwelling.
10 / Drainage and services
The site work continued outside the walls.
External drainage and service trenches were completed before paths, ground finishes and landscaping closed the site.
11 / Kitchen fitout
The main living spaces moved into final fitout.
Cabinetry, stone surfaces and appliances were installed to the same inclusion level in both kitchens.
12 / Bathroom fitout
Fixtures completed the wet areas.
Vanities, baths, shower screens, tapware and lighting brought the bathrooms from tiled shells to usable rooms.
13 / Landscaping
Private outdoor areas were shaped for rental use.
Garden beds, paths and low-maintenance ground finishes completed the side access and private yards.
14 / Driveway preparation
The final external surface was prepared.
Formwork and reinforcement established the shared driveway before the completed concrete finish tied the two frontages together.
15 / Complete
One coordinated build became two finished homes.
The completed frontage gives both dwellings equal street presence, separate entries and garages within one coherent design.
Stage 01 of 15
Design and approvalsInvestment inclusions that matter
Where base-range shortcuts can create more work later.
Not every upgrade changes the ownership outcome. For this duplex, the specification focused on lower-cost inclusions that can create extra cleaning, replacement work, tenant discomfort or a second round of spending before a property is ready to lease.
Structure
Frame choice changes the long-term termite-management picture.
Published base-range example Investment specifications use different framing systems. Some use treated timber wall frames and roof trusses, while others include steel. A correctly built timber frame can perform well, but it remains a termite food source and places greater importance on ongoing termite management, inspections and warranty conditions.
Selected here: lightweight steel frames and trusses. The principal structure itself cannot be consumed by termites, reducing one significant long-term exposure for the owner.
Windows
Single glazing can make tenant comfort harder to manage.
Published base-range example Single glazing appears in some investment specifications. Compared with double glazing, it generally permits more heat transfer through the glass, although total performance also depends on the frame and complete building envelope.
Selected here: double-glazed windows combined with an insulated rendered wall system and two-zone ducted air conditioning, giving both homes a more complete comfort strategy rather than relying on the mechanical system alone.
Flooring
Carpet can become a recurring turnover cost.
Published base-range example Value and investor specifications commonly combine hard flooring in living areas with carpet in bedrooms. In a rental, spills, tracked dirt, furniture marks and repeated cleaning can make it harder to maintain a consistent presentation between tenancies. Carpet can also retain dust and house-dust-mite allergen that vacuuming may not completely remove. Some prospective tenants, particularly people managing dust-mite allergies, may therefore actively look for a home without carpet.
Selected here: hybrid flooring through the living areas and bedrooms, with tiles in utility zones. The continuous hard surface is easier to clean, avoids carpet across the rooms exposed to the greatest day-to-day use and broadens the home's appeal to tenants who prefer a carpet-free interior.
Kitchen surfaces
Laminate benchtops can be difficult to repair after water reaches an edge.
Published base-range example Laminate kitchen benchtops remain a common entry-level starting point. They can perform well when kept intact, but damage around a joint, cut-out or exposed edge may allow moisture into the substrate, causing swelling that is difficult to repair invisibly.
Selected here: stone kitchen benchtops with a 40 mm profile in both dwellings. The kitchens receive a more substantial non-laminate work surface in one of the hardest-used parts of a rental home.
Kitchen ventilation
A recirculating rangehood leaves cooking moisture inside the home.
Published base-range example Where a rangehood is configured to recirculate, it filters some airborne grease and then returns the air to the room. Heat, odours and moisture remain indoors and can increase the cleaning load on nearby cabinetry, ceilings and finishes.
Selected here: ducted rangehoods. Cooking vapour is carried through a dedicated duct rather than relying on a recirculating filter in each kitchen.
Bathrooms
Partial tiling and shower tracks add surfaces that need attention.
Published base-range example Investor ranges often limit wall tiles outside the shower and use semi-frameless screens with additional framing and channels. That leaves more painted wall in a humid room and creates extra edges where water residue, soap and grime can collect.
Selected here: floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiling, frameless shower screens and built-in wall niches. There are fewer painted wet-area surfaces to maintain, while the niches provide integrated storage without relying on later wall-mounted accessories.
Power and lighting
A fixed electrical allowance can become an early upgrade.
Published base-range example Electrical allowances vary by design and schedule. Where a base plan does not suit the intended furniture, appliance or home-office layout, adding outlets and lighting after handover requires retrofit work.
Selected here: additional ceiling lighting and additional power points were coordinated in both homes during construction, when the work was easier to plan and complete properly.
Ready-to-rent scope
A low headline price may not include everything needed before leasing.
Published base-range example Blinds, complete fencing, rear landscaping, tiled outdoor areas and other finishing items vary widely between investment packages. When they are omitted, the owner faces another round of quotations, trades and holding costs after the main build has finished.
Selected here: zebra blinds, automatic garage-door openers, tiled alfresco areas, fencing, landscaping, clotheslines and rainwater tanks were completed as part of the coordinated duplex scope.
Published investment ranges change and inclusions vary by builder, promotion, design and site. The examples above describe common entry-level starting points, not every builder's offer. Current written specifications should always be compared line by line.
Floor plan & subdivision layout
Two mirrored three-bedroom homes planned as one development.
The duplex floor plan shows the matching three-bedroom dwellings, each with its own garage, bathrooms, open-plan living area and covered terrace. The subdivision layout shows how the two units, shared driveway and private yards were organised across the site.
