Backyard Granny Flats – Things to know before building one

Deciding to build a granny flat can be an exciting and revelatory experience, adding space to your floor plan, value to your home and quality to your lifestyle. Granny flats can have the fit-out of a full and complete cabin with a bathroom and kitchen or be as simple as an open room to serve as a studio or multi-use area. If you’re looking to build a granny flat but have questions about council approval, potential resale profit, costs and how to get started, read on as we answer your questions and you’ll be one step closer to your granny flat goals.

Can I build a granny flat in my backyard according to the NSW government?

Building a granny flat in your backyard is easier than you may think with no council or NSW government approval needed when building a granny flat in Sydney or NSW. If your plans are to build in other areas of Australia such as Melbourne or Brisbane, the project falls into a different category and will require council approval. There are requirements to abide by according to the Building Code of Australia when building within Sydney or NSW and we have an array of designs available to suit your property, ensuring all requirements are met.

The main issues to consider during the process of creating your plans are to do with the location of the granny flat within your block and how much of the surface area is taken up by the flat. For example, granny flat designs must remain within the scope of your space and be built within the same block as your home, existing in conjunction with the main home. Generally, if you have a space that will allow for a 3m gap between the main dwelling and your proposed granny flat and if your block is a minimum of 450m2, your granny flat can be installed and be up to code. We go into further detail about all the requirements of building a granny flat in NSW over on our blog – Top Rules to Consider when Building your Granny Flat in Sydney NSW.

How much does it cost to build a granny flat?

The cost of a granny flat can vary greatly between building projects and is determined by many different factors, with some examples being:

• Is the granny flat a one or two-storey dwelling?
• Will the granny flat be powered and have plumbing?
• Are you building your granny flat in conjunction with the main home build?
• Will the flat have all the comforts of a home such as a kitchen and a bathroom?
• What finishes and materials will be used in the design and construction process of your granny flat?

Granny flats can cost from $80,000 up to $250,000 for a two-storey powered site and the cost is adjustable to your budget and the requirements of your project. All clients have different ideas and specifications around what they’re planning to do with their new addition and we can work with you to design a flat that will suit your specific needs and requirements, keeping within your budget and the parameters of your backyard.

We go into further detail about the costs of adding one and two-storey granny flats to your NSW property on our blog – How Much Does a Granny Flat Cost.

Can granny flat designs add value to my property?

Adding a granny flat or backyard cabin is one of the quickest and easiest investments you can make to increase the resale profit of your property. A granny flat project can add up to 30% onto the resale profit of the property and increase the rental price by up to 27%. It’s important to ensure that the granny flat won’t take up the entire backyard space if your main goal is to impress potential buyers. We can work within the scope of your backyard to build up instead of out or to fit your ideal granny flat design in the area provided while still leaving plenty of backyard for play and BBQs.

Granny flats and backyard cabins improve the design of your property and can be created in a way to suit almost everyone that would view your house for potential purchase. Potential buyers will view your property as diverse, expansive and able to grow with them. A granny flat or backyard cabin adds diversity for guests and growing children or opportunity for an extra income stream through a home office, Air BnB, professional services, a multi-purpose room or studio.

The diversity, high-quality build, display, smart design and other details that are chosen by you to suit the rest of your house will result in potential buyers, renters or investors being impressed by the potential of your property.

Start the building process today

Adding a granny flat, cabin or studio onto your house is an excellent choice to bring in investment opportunities, cash flow potential and space for extra projects or to service the needs of your growing family. At Granny Flat solutions we understand that the prospect of adding to your house can be daunting, whether it is a new bathroom or an entirely new space such as a granny flat. We care for our clients and offer excellent customer service beyond the build. We can have a builder hand-selected for your project to your area as soon as possible to bring ideas and inspiration to start your build.

We know what it takes to build the right granny flat to increase the profit of your house and to meet and exceed council expectations. We can include your unique touch to create a space that will suit the needs of your and your family, leaving nothing out. Our builders are experts in their field, and we are available to service the Sydney Metropolitan region, the Central Coast and Illawarra NSW and have many happy customers enjoying their granny flats all across NSW.

To get started on your granny flat build, to learn about our process and to see some examples of what we have created for previous customers, click here.

To chat with us about what we can bring to your property, message or email our Sydney based team here and we can have a builder or team of builders in your backyard, ready to build your dream granny flat.