Everything to Know if You Want to Buy a Quadplex


A quadplex has become a family favorite because not only does it offer space, but it also offers many levels creating privacy between living areas. You can have a large house while still being able to squeeze into the tight city. Before discussing some of the handy things you ought to know should you be interested in buying a quadplex, let’s also not forget the many benefits that come with owning and living in one. Enjoy the following benefits when you buy a quadplex.

What Are the Benefits of a Quadplex

There are many benefits to owning this unique and amazingly designed home. It is beautiful and has so many elements to offer, such as some of the pointers listed below.

  • People often enjoy the quadplex for its major space factor. You can have more than one family individually living in the four sections.
  • You can merge the building to be one home with four levels offering various things for the residing family.
  • As a real estate owner, you may use this four-story property to rent to four individuals and make four times the income on the rent.
  • It’s much easier to manage as it’s one building to look after regarding utilities, maintenance, and the lot. Utilities can be expensive, true, but provided the gas, electricity, and water are made individually for each level; the expenses are less for the owner.
  • It’s often more value for money than buying in four or even three separate places.

Install Laundry Machines

When you buy a quadplex for rentals and have gone through the renovations. Renovations like separating each of the units into three or four fully independent apartments, then you can go ahead and add additions like a laundry area. You may save the bottom room as a gym and a laundry room. A commercial laundry machine will do well in this instance, and your residents can take the liberty of washing their clothing and spinning it dry by simply popping down to the lower level.

If your budget allows for this, then you can first ensure that the laundry section of your quadplex is plumbed and ready for your tenants to use. Include the fee to help maintain the laundry utilities in the rental charge. In this way, you won’t sell yourself short by paying large water bills because of the laundry use.

Opportunity for a Partially Commercial Space

When you buy a quadplex, there are so many possibilities to get the most out of your new property. You can rent out the top spaces and use the lower level as commercial offices or retail. You may even have the space shared amongst doctors and dentists, or hair salons and beauty spas. You may even have the whole bottom section revamped into a coffee shop.

The Tenants Can Pay the Way

Save on paying your mortgage. When you buy a quadplex and rent it out, the tenants you have staying in there can pay your mortgage loan via the rent each month. Having permanent tenants is an awesome way to enjoy the benefits of the one property that can turn a profit and steadily grow your wealth. You can also live on the premises and just hire out the rest of the units.

Keep it Warm

So, with your tenants in place, you want to make sure that you’re able to keep them warm by installing some HVAC systems on each floor. Sometimes, using oil heaters can also help where saving energy is concerned. Instead of an electric HVAC setup for heating the place, you should add heaters and purchase them from your local heating oil suppliers in the area.

You Can Build Your Portfolio in Real Estate

You don’t have to own several properties to get your foot in the door of real estate. Instead, when you buy a quadplex, you can create three additional homes, including the fourth, which will be yours.

You can also get more for less. If you compare buying 10 traditional houses with buying 10 quadplexes, you could potentially have 40 units and only have to look after 10 buildings. Making money off one quadplex is already amazing, and if you can make even more and afford to get more than one of such buildings, then you’re in for a treat. Okay, to be fair, there can be challenges where the expense is concerned since so many things are involved. Still, as mentioned, you can split the utility expenses so each mini-unit within a quadplex is responsible for paying its own utilities.

Check the Roof

Keeping your building in tip-top shape requires regular maintenance. It may sound expensive, but maintenance has a nice way of saving you in the long run, since it is an investment. Checking and repairing the roof will go a very long way to ensure you have protection from the elements. The insulation is on point from the ceiling down. You can also enjoy an excellent ROI when you’re in the market to sell your property again. An entire roof replacement is sometimes required, which can be the key to that ROI boost with time.

Get quotations from your local roofing contractor and check with them about what should be done. They can quote you on what you need to be done that is more urgent than other things. If the costs are too expensive in one go, you can always repair the other aspects of the roof with time (if they’re not urgent), and as you’re making income from your new tenants.

Foundation Fixes

When you buy a quadplex or any new property, for that matter, you must ensure that all aspects of the building are in check and in shape to use. Making the correct fixes for your property is essential, including any work like foundation repair. Since the quadplex is standing with three times the weight, the foundation is very critical and must be reinforced accordingly. After a few years of doing the foundation tweaks, you can have better peace of mind knowing that your home is secure and stable.

AC Service

If you buy a quadplex in a warmer region of the country, then you should consider installing a cooling system for your units. An air conditioning installer can help you get the correct products that suit your needs and budget. Still, there are alternatives to staying cool in summer or on any warm day. You can have ceiling fans installed and think about how they affect space. It may use solar or other forms of energy, or it can be linked to regular grid energy. Still, ceiling fans might be a cheaper option compared to HVAC.

If you have heating and cooling AC systems installed, ensure they are serviced regularly to maintain their efficacy. This may also be where expenses are seen the most because of HVAC systems. That said, you would need a company to bring out their guys to do maintenance or replace parts. Ceiling fans are pretty much plug-and-play.

Check Electrical System

Just like plumbing and water, for your quadplex recently purchased, you must also ensure the electrics are working properly. Electricity can be hazardous when the connections are not done correctly, and there can be many concerns. Get the local electrical services to check if your building passes all the tests.

Keep Out Animals

Depending on where your quadplex is located, you may need to consider using a wildlife control company to help set things in place to protect the residents and the animals from each other. Some places will install durable mesh to allow air in when the doors and windows are open, while also keeping wildlife out. Everything from monkeys, snakes, scorpions, and spiders is often in and around the area if this is an eco-estate or wildlife area.

Special fencing may need to be included to some extent, but if the dwelling is within wild nature, then we cannot really put barriers up but can secure entrances as mentioned. If you ever have to deal with an unwanted guest in your home, the wildlife control company can assist. They specialize in safely removing animals and returning them to their natural habitat.

Don’t Just Set up Shop Anywhere

If you want to attract certain people, then you need to be in the right area. For instance, attracting families with children may be better suited to suburbs with schools nearby. If you have commercial space running in your building, there should be a busy street that is certain to get customers. In other words, being located on a main road or city center is a better option.

Prime locations like high tourist destinations, places with amazing views, and being close to the beach are all travel goals for many people. Before you say yes and buy a quadplex, first, take some time to check out the location to attract the tenants that you’re looking to have rent your place.

You May Need to Spend on New Landscaping

You can buy a quadplex, and perhaps you’ve got it for an excellent price; still, there are concerns about having to redo some things. For instance, a fixer-upper might need a lot more work than something just needing a few touches here and there. To encourage and improve the look of your property, take the liberty to recreate a beautiful garden. Landscape lighting companies can help you light the way for your tenants. Lighting outdoors is also important if you’re implementing shared BBQ areas and maybe a fire pit and pool.

Make sure that you tend to any trees on the property; perhaps some should be removed if it has become diseased or risk affecting the other plants. You can also go ahead with professional landscapers to design a hardscape outdoors for easier maintenance. Still, if you have a gardening service that you intend to use to help with the upkeep of the outdoors and garden, then you can go ahead and indulge in a beautiful garden.

Install an EV Station – Your Tenants and Holiday Guests Will Thank You

If you’re running a well-equipped and off-the-grid place, you could add an electric vehicle charging station. You don’t have to be off the grid to have one, but it will look all good tied into an off-the-grid theme. Having an EV station ensures that even your guests with electric cars can have a place to charge their vehicle and not always have to drive to a different point to do so.

Check the protocols and regulations within your state regarding EV stations for electric vehicles. You can also get trusted companies to install these stations for you, and if your premises are large and you own several quadplexes on the property, you may think of installing more than one electric vehicle charging station.

Updated Plumbing and Maybe New Bathrooms

Plumbing is one of the major points to check and see that it works 100% in your building. When you buy a new quadplex, you need to get plumbing contractors out to check the condition of all the plumbing and to replace and upgrade any existing pipes that need repairs and updating. You can also use plumbers to help you redesign the bathrooms of the place. Perhaps you’re looking to spend some money on upgrades so you can charge more, seeing as the place is renovated; you can get more for your units if renovated. Get the plumbers to assist with the bathrooms and kitchen plumbing.

Some Disadvantages of Quadplexes

They can be expensive

When you’re running them individually but paying each quad building utilities on its own, the expenses can rise quickly. Opt to separate each unit’s utilities.

You live in close access to tenants

For issues that arise, living right with your tenants in the same property can cause consistent issues and complaints to resolve should they come up. A bit of distance is handy for many owners, but if you don’t mind this, then by all means.

Have you been looking to buy a quadplex for your real estate investment? Remember these pointers and enjoy all the benefits of running such a property. Your long-term investment doesn’t have to be hard to come by. You can get more for your money and go in for this unique four-story building approach to real estate.


Leave a Reply