Read This Before Renovating Your Home or Before Considering a Traditional Knock-Down Rebuild.
Thinking about spending big on a home renovation in Melbourne or considering a Knock Down Re-Build? Hold those thoughts. Before you pour hundreds of thousands into upgrading your existing house, there’s a smarter, more profitable move that astute Melbourne homeowners are embracing. We have written about this concept previously, and over the years, we have guided a number of very thankful clients through this “Have your cake and eat it too” home transformation option. In 2025, circumstances are conspiring to further increase the viability of such a clever course of action. It’s called dual occupancy—and, if done well, it could be the biggest property hack of the decade. To be clear, we are not talking about two little units; we are suggesting you massively upgrade your living conditions whilst reducing your debt by building two large, uncompromised family homes with considerable yard space on your property, astutely utilising the Victorian Government’s new “pro-development” regulations.
Read real-life stories on how we have helped some of our clients profit from their property in ways they never thought possible, doing what developers have always done. The projects listed below were actually designed and built well before the implementation of the latest government rule changes aimed at making this very concept even easier. You can find their reviews of our service on Facebook and Google.
Why Renovate or Knock Down Re-Build When You Can Rebuild Twice?
With high construction costs and elevated interest rates, pouring “who knows how much” into a renovation pit no longer makes financial sense for many Melburnians, nor does a traditional knockdown and rebuild to create a single new home. But here’s the hack: build two family homes on your property for only marginally more than the cost of one. This approach, if executed well, not only provides you with a luxurious new residence but also offers the potential to sell or rent the second dwelling, thereby offsetting your expenses and possibly generating a profit. This isn’t just cost-effective—it’s financially empowering. Under this concept, any extravagant choices made for your home, such as a pool, home automation, high ceilings, or pizza ovens, will offer you further profit if repeated in the second dwelling. Flip the script, instead of “penny-pinching” on your dream due to pressures from your bank manager, you are instead, empowered to splurge on both your home and your investment resulting in greater returns.
Dual Occupancy: A Lucrative and Lifestyle-Enhancing Option
Dual occupancy developments, particularly side-by-side (DUPLEX) configurations, are increasingly popular in metropolitan Melbourne. These designs can now create two separate, grander homes with individual street addresses and no shared property. This setup allows homeowners to enjoy a spacious, modern living environment while leveraging the second property for financial gain—be it through sale, rental, or accommodating extended family .
Utilising the new rules, these side-by-side developments can now accommodate 5 bedrooms, 2 or 3 living areas, double garages, and large backyards.
2025 Planning Reforms: Fast-Tracking Your Build
Here’s where the hack gets even better. The Victorian Government’s planning reforms this year introduced a “deemed to comply” system, making dual occupancy developments faster and easier to approve. That means:
- No subjective “neighbourhood character” hurdles.
- No objections from neighbours on compliant builds.
- Faster council approvals.
This streamlined process removes the uncertainty that has historically made multi-dwelling projects complex and nerve-racking, particularly for the inexperienced. Further, a relaxation in some key regulations means we can now fit more real estate on a given property whilst offering a much larger rear garden than the old “Town House Developments” could achieve.
Unlock Hidden Value in Your Block, Hack Smarter, Not Harder
If you’re considering a renovation, stop and rethink. The Great Melbourne Property Hack isn’t about spending more—it’s about developing with a much smarter strategy to “have your cake and eat it too”, creating more of a dream home transformation but with little or no bill at the end. Ironically, this concept is not actually a “hack”; it is standard procedure for developers and has also been successfully implemented by many of our astute clients over the years under our expert guidance. The government just encourages it more now.
Execution matters.
A successful Two House Development Project hinges on smart design and shrewd planning. Getting the layout right, striking the right balance and designing your dream home is what we do at House Design Solutions. We advise you on how to maximise the development potential of your block, navigating local council requirements, and ensuring your project is both beautiful and buildable. From solar orientation to privacy, street appeal to resale value, the right designer will transform a good idea into a great investment. We offer this design service and we offer to steer you through the planning stages like a seasoned developer, all at our relatively modest fees. We offer “client side” advice and expertise to help you reach the “shovel-ready” stage where you can get quotes from various builders in a competitive environment. At that time, we will recommend one or two of our favourite craftsmen but suggest you also source one or two builders from elsewhere to ensure they are all vying competitively to win your build project. This ensures you get a high-quality, value-for-money build from the most appropriate builder. Our expert guidance with this last step should save you tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, as opposed to naively locking in with the wrong builder way too early.
Before you commit to any home renovation, before locking in with a builder, speak to the experts at House Design Solutions. We make it easy to get started, offering an initial design service at a surprisingly low price. Our “client side” advice and service is aimed at empowering owners to profit from their property by developing themselves.
You can discover more by reading the below BLOGs or simply find out how easy it is to get started by calling Paul on 0409 321 940.
Call Paul on 0409 321 940 to discuss your property or fill in the contact form below.
