How to Choose the Right Level of Finishes for Your Duplex

One of the most common questions we get from clients is simple but important: I want to build a duplex in this area, but I don’t know what level of finishes I should be aiming for. What do I do? This decision matters more than most people realise, because choosing finishes without a clear strategy can either leave money on the table or push your build cost higher than the market will support.

At Neogen Homes, we start with context, not guesswork. The first thing we look at is the area. Every suburb has a different buyer profile and price ceiling. What works in one location may be completely wrong for another.

Next, we look at the budget you have to work with and, just as importantly, your intended outcome. Are you planning to keep one dwelling and sell the other? Or are you selling both? That single decision changes the entire strategy. From there, we determine whether the project should be positioned for the mid-market or the higher end of the market.

To support that decision, we complete a detailed feasibility assessment. This includes analysing recent resale data from the last six months. We look at patterns, trends, and actual sale prices. What finishes are achieving top value? Where is the mid-range price point sitting? What buyers are responding to right now?

Once we have that data, we sit down with you and define clear targets. This is the price point the duplex needs to achieve. This is the level of finishes that make sense for that market. And this is the realistic construction cost range that supports both the design and the outcome you want.

That information becomes the foundation of the entire project. Design does not start until the strategy is clear. Every choice, from layout to materials, is guided by market evidence rather than assumptions.

This is how we help our clients build duplexes that are well-positioned, well-designed, and financially sound.

If you are unsure what level of finishes your duplex should have, or you want clarity before you start designing, reach out to Neogen Homes. We’ll help you make decisions based on real data, not guesswork.