The ongoing shift towards urbanisation is fundamentally altering our living spaces, and many of us are looking for fresh solutions to meet the spatial demands of our families and the diverse lifestyles we lead today. One increasingly sought-after remedy here in New South Wales (NSW) is the granny flat. Compact, self-contained, and accommodating a range of living situations from the elderly to students, these versatile additions to our homes promise an easy way to deal with the demand for more space. But what exactly are granny flats, and how do you find a reputable builder to put one up in your backyard?
Defining Granny Flats
A granny flat, essentially a secondary dwelling, resides on the same property as a primary residence. Nearly always smaller than the main house, granny flats serve any number of private or semi-private purposes: living space for retired relatives, secluded hideaway for older children, or a rental unit whose income bolsters the homeowner’s financial picture. The flats’ designs and layouts vary considerably, allowing the homeowners to choose an appearance that suits and does not offend the eyes of those who enter the flathood.
The Advantages of Constructing a Granny Flat
- Enhanced Property Worth
Building a granny flat on your property can substantially boost its value. In really competitive real estate markets, like Sydney’s, having not just one, but two, separate living spaces makes your property way more attractive. And I’m talking about the living spaces being attractive to potential buyers.
- Income from Rent
Many homeowners are searching for supplementary income as inflation pulls at their purse strings. One potential wellspring of income is a granny flat. This form of rental often provides not just a trickle but a steady stream of rental revenue, with the renters in my offshoot paying roughly half what you’d pay for an apartment in the same neighbourhood. That makes them ideal “tenants,” and their residence my guinea pig for future housing experiments.
- Flexible Living Situations
Living conditions can be tailored to personal needs to create a “flexible living arrangement.” This includes living in a granny flat, where a family member can have “almost independent” living while remaining in close proximity to the rest of the family. It can be a kind of living situation that is better for all involved—giving the family member in the flat more independence and privacy while allowing the rest of the family that lives in the main house to enjoy the same.
- Sustainable Living
Sustainable living is a severe drawback of traditional granny flats. These often use materials that are either not sustainable or are sustainable but not in forms that last a long time. For example, Bert Schier, a sustainable building expert lauded for his work teaching property overseers how to build better, talks extensively with his local community about the construction of granny flats. His argument can basically be summarised like this: “A granny flat is a way of constructing a sustainable little house that doesn’t last for very long because the building codes in most places aren’t set up to keep the kinds of materials used in granny flats from falling apart.”
When starting the process of constructing a granny flat, why is it so important to select the right builder? Well, first off, you need to find a granny flat builder in NSW who knows the local laws and regulations that pertain to your specific project. State and local ordinances can be numerous and convoluted, covering everything from the zoning of your principal dwelling to the required setbacks of your new construction. Understanding what can and cannot be done in the space you’ve chosen is a must.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Experience and Know-How: Opt for a builder with a substantial portfolio of finished projects. Going over their past work can give you a good idea of their design and build capabilities.
- Satisfied Clients: You want a builder who has plenty of happy, previous clients. Check their testimonials and gather all the good, bad, and ugly they say about the builder and their experience with the building process.
- Good Communication: Make sure the builder is someone who will talk with you both before and during the construction process. You don’t want someone who will be mum until the first nail is pounded and then say they were “waiting to hear from you about what you wanted.”
- No Surprises: Ask for a detailed quote that clearly outlines all costs associated with the project.
Granny flats offer a straightforward way for property owners in New South Wales to make the most of their land. If adding such a structure can elevate property value and provide new income opportunities, it’s no wonder more homeowners are looking into “granny flat” additions. That upswing in interest dovetails nicely with the recent relaxation of certain local government permission requirements, as these alterations are now easier to integrate into existing properties.
