Triplex, Fourplex, Multi-Family House Plans

Triplex & fourplex house plans are part of a bigger family of styles – the multi-family unit. They have either 3 or 4 families living either side by side or separated by a floor. It creates an entire building that provides significant amounts of rent with a small investment. An investor could typically not otherwise get this amount of rent. It’s especially the case when the land in the area is very expensive.

Here are some normal considerations when building, with several of them being applicable for triplexes.

Some of the multi-family designs are done more traditionally, resembling duplex style. Those share sidewalls. At the same time, some of them may be built-in apartment-style. It means they’re built on top of each other. They may not provide the same amount of privacy as a duplex with a garage in the middle may. It makes sense as they’re sharing walls. Some situations mean it makes more sense to squeeze more families in on a narrow lot than would otherwise be the case.

Suppose you’re looking for something that will quickly start generating income and can be rented out. Maybe your lot is in a college town. Renters there aren’t all too concerned about having a unique home. In that case, we encourage you to check out the various triplex and fourplex house plans on this page.

Check out our selection of Mediterranean alternatives as well.

Who is it for?

• Investors
• Homeowners that want to have several units
• Multi-generational living
• People that love hosting

Breezeway

Sometimes you want your guests or in-laws close, but not necessarily too close either. You may think it is a little close to having them stay inside your main residence. You don’t want it to feel like the guest house is detached from everything. That’s where the house plans with a breezeway to the guest house come in perfectly. This way, you’re still able to have your privacy in your main residence while having those you love nearby.

Whether building a single-story or a farmhouse, a breezeway is a great solution. It will ensure someone isn’t exposed to massive amounts of rain if it’s pouring down. Still, you’re also not building a dedicated garage house for them to stay in. It’s a great multi-generational option, should either of your kids choose to return after college. If they return after college, you have just gotten used to having the entire home to yourselves again. A breezeway is a hallway you might not have thought you wanted when building your home. It covers the passage between the two buildings with either just a roof or perhaps glass panels on each side.

Some of the advantages

Building either a triplex or a fourplex has a range of advantages that you will enjoy. Whether you’re building this type for yourself or because it makes for an exceptional investment opportunity.

As an investment opportunity, you’re not just getting something easy to rent out. It is also a place that will give you a great return on investment if you keep your costs reasonable. It does not matter if it’s a triplex or fourplex you’re choosing.

You’re also getting a place that won’t have crazy utility costs because of the smaller exterior walls. Other comparable detached homes have higher utility costs.

Do you think you will have to sell it in the future? You’ll be happy to know potential owners may even be able to qualify for the advantageous conditions of an FHA loan. It means your buyer pool will be bigger!

Benefits:

• Good investment option
• It offers a lot of privacy
• Great for renting it out as an Airbnb.

Cons:

• A larger lot is required than a smaller home
• It may be challenging to rent it out.
• More management than smaller homes.
• Higher maintenance costs than a singular home

Building to live in it

Suppose you’re building a triplex to live in it. You are going to rent out the other two or three units. You will find you are likely to cover your payments on the loan from the rent you receive from the two other units. Effectively it means you may end up living there entirely for free. If you buy a detached house, you will have a larger sum of money you’re spending out of pocket every month.

There are advantages to triplexes and detached homes. You must still figure out your priorities to find the house design that best matches your needs.

Are you in an area where house prices are continuously going up? There you will often find that detached homes may go up in value more than triplexes do. Still, triplexes will provide you with a lot better cash flow than a detached home will. If your main priority is generating cash flow, consider a multi-family unit. It will be a cheap place to live in. The plans on this specific page may be just what you’re looking for.

Symmetrical or not?

It is very common for a triplex to be symmetrical in how it is built. There’s often a central unit that has neighbors on both sides. You can also find units on this page where one unit has a different floor plan than the two others. It can be convenient if it is a place that you’re looking to live in yourself. Suppose you know that your family is likely to be increasing in size. It might be a good idea to make sure that the unit you intend to use for yourself has the necessary amount of bedrooms in it. Otherwise, you may soon find yourself looking for a bigger place.

Features to include:

• A flexible unit
• Consideration for the size of the rooms
• Good soundproofing
• Adequate natural light
• Private outdoor living

A great first house

Many families tend to consider fourplexes because of how versatile they are and their advantages. Homeownership is a great way to build wealth over time. This option provides many benefits for families with wealth building as one of their main priorities.

The many different options

We’re continuously increasing our offering of these. You should still be aware of the many options available and how to best use this platform. You can find different 3-unit and 4-unit apartment plans. We have the triplex and fourplex plans you’ve been looking for.

They won’t stand out the same way an L-shaped or H-shaped alternative will. They will rather provide you with many great, economical options. Styles include single-story and modern options depending on your preferences. We have options where the bottom floor includes a garage. In that case, it comes with the living area being on the second floor or third floor. You can find very contemporary options. You can also find about 900 sq ft that are perfect for renting out.

With a triplex, there are often a lot of decisions that have already been made for you. However, maybe you’re choosing to build it near the beach and rent out a couple of units. There are certain things you’ll need to keep in mind. Besides the beach aspect, here’s a list of factors that may end up impacting your choices.

Multi-family units and apartment buildings

The triplex and fourplex multi-family layout is commonly done with the side of the unit by side. No one says they have to be built like that. In contrast, you may appreciate that units are stacked on top of each other in an apartment.

These units may be made to be efficient. No one says you can’t get the style that you want. You might want a Mediterranean style, or you would rather want something more modern.

Mistakes to avoid:

• Not considering the size of the rooms
• Ignoring functional layout rules
• Too little storage space
• Not adhering to local building codes

Single-story or small?

You will often have to work with the lot you have. You may not want a single-story option among our various triplex and fourplexes if it is very narrow. Something that is 2 stories or taller is likely better in that situation.

Don’t give up on that dream of having your garage.

There are certain obvious limitations when you are building these homes. You’ll see that walls may be connected to your neighbors, and it limits your tranquility. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to give up on that dream of having a garage.

A garage is a place where you can either park your car or use it as your place to store things. You don’t want to have all your clutter in the middle of the house. The inclusion of a garage in this design will mean that the living area is on the upper floors instead. It can also provide some privacy, which many people like when living as close as they are there.

3 bedroom?

You can get all sorts of variations of this home. 3 bedrooms to more futuristic additions – the choice is yours.

We see many people choosing row houses and multi-family units because of the ROI they provide. Some users steer away from upgrades that they believe are too contemporary. They don’t think they’ll be able to recoup their investment should they choose to sell the place in the future.

If you scroll through our options, we’re sure you’ll find something that suits the needs you may have. If you find the ultimate triplex or fourplex where you need small alterations, we can also help you with that.

Compliance

Are you aware of the various compliance requirements for building multi-family homes? It doesn’t matter if you’re building triplexes or fourplexes. When you’re building something for several families to live in, there are requirements the building has to live up to. 

When creating your budget for this project, you must include compliance requirements. When building one of these multi-family homes, you must have the foundation in place. It means you will want to make sure you’re starting with blueprints that are easy to go off.

It may seem unfair that the compliance requirements are significantly stricter with this type. It does make sense. Luckily, the return on investment you will see with this type still warrants the construction.

Think about it. If a family in one of the homes acts dangerously, it may put others at risk. You will want to ensure extensive initiatives to keep people safe. It could be that there are requirements when it comes to sprinklers to avoid the spread of fire. Certain building codes are usually accepted. You will still want to make sure that you comply with the relevant building regulations. Regulation is usually more significant for this type of home that isn’t only intended for your family to live there.

We work with skilled architects to help make it happen. We want to ensure you can easily obtain the necessary building permits for the project you’re building. The architects that work on these multi-family units know about the specific regulations you will run into. It won’t ensure that there aren’t requirements you live that need to be accounted for. It still greatly diminishes the risk that you will be struggling to obtain the necessary building permits.

Even if you’re building a triplex for the potential financial gain, there are still various styles to consider:

The role of the architect

The architect’s role is important whether you’re building a triplex or a single-family blueprint. When you’re building something of the size of these units, you are putting a lot of money on the line. It becomes even more important to use blueprints developed by a skilled professional.

There may be certain needs that you want to ensure are included in the blueprints. If you’re building in a specific market, there is one person that knows that market better than us – you! We don’t know what the typical requirements are for multi-family units there.

Maybe the most common option has 4 bedrooms. Perhaps 3 bedroom options are more common. Perhaps you know the 2 bedroom, a multi-family unit you’re building needs bedrooms of a certain size. You may find the blueprint on here that has those exact bedroom requirements. It may also be that the best option is to get one of the designs customized slightly. This way, you can build it exactly the way you see fit. No matter what, we want to help you out. You shouldn’t build a multi-family unit, but the one that’s right for you. It’ll help ensure you get the highest rate of return on your project.