Why a granny flat?

• Do you have an aging family member you need to provide for?
• Or an adult child who needs some independence?
• Or … are you looking to make some extra cash by renting out a secondary dwelling on your property?
• Or perhaps becoming an Airbnb super host?

An affirmative answer to any of the above means that adding a granny flat to your property could be the perfect solution for you.

Access

The next thing to consider is your block’s suitability and access. If you are building to accommodate a family member separate access might not be an issue, but if you are building to rent you might want to ensure that everyone has some privacy.

Properties on a corner block or with back lane access are perfect, but there are ways to incorporate access on standard blocks. Discuss access with your designer – it is a consideration that should inform the overall design.

Available space.

For rentals in particular you need to ensure you have enough space to avoid the two properties encroaching on each other, particularly if the main dwelling is also a rental. The idea is to create maximum income from your investment without affecting your initial investment or income. Often your designer can suggest innovative ways to maximise the potential of your site.
You also need to consider where the services for your existing home are. Power, water, stormwater drains, sewers, easements and more can all have an influence on your build and on approvals. Again, your designer can help you with this.

Speaking of approvals …

Council requirements differ across regions and states. In NSW there is nothing too problematic and in many cases you can have a building certifier approve the build without the need for lodging a development application. Your designer can walk you through the approvals process or take it on as part of the contract.

The fun part.

Once you have dealt with these initial considerations you can start working with your designer to flesh out your granny flat design. Bear in mind that NSW has a maximum square meterage of 60sqm for these kinds of secondary dwellings.

Inclusions.

Granny flats can be simple one room structures – basically a freestanding bedroom, rather like the garages converted for teenagers in the 80s – or they can feature multiple rooms plus amenities. Many are simply small homes, with bathroom, kitchen, living and one or two bedrooms.

Also think about other inclusions your granny flat might need. These could include features like outdoor living areas, storage, landscaping and parking space. Or they might be specific to the intended use – for example if you intend to accommodate an elderly relative you will have to consider their level of mobility, both now and in the future.

Lounging areas

Outdoor sitting areas are no longer the domain of vaguely uncomfortable chairs and rickety tables. The range of furnishings available for outside is almost as varied and luxurious as those for your living room.

Integrating an outdoor living area with your indoor living areas makes a lot of sense in terms of maximising usage and available space. Consider glazing that opens up to your outdoor area and a flow of seamless flooring. In essence this creates one large indoor/outdoor area, perfect for casual summer living.

Outdoor living areas can include everything your indoor space does. Flat screen televisions are easy to hang anywhere, including outside as long as they’re in an enclosed space. Ideally this means undercover, but you could also house your tv in a custom, waterproof unit.

Another trend in outdoor living is fire places. There is a huge range of options for outdoor fires – simple firepits, wall hung gas fires or a full fireplace with chimney. All options are great for creating a focal point for your outdoor living and ensuring people linger and enjoy the space in all seasons.

Some things to think about

Establish what the traffic patterns of your new home and outdoor areas will be. You want to ensure that access is easy, that permanent features are placed conveniently and don’t hinder movement around your home.

Smaller spaces can work just as well as large but perhaps need more forethought. If you don’t have space for an outdoor kitchen and dining area, consider opening up your indoor kitchen to an outdoor bar with seating. This can be just as satisfying while taking up a fraction of the space.

The same goes for living spaces. A modestly sized outdoor area that can open up seamlessly to the indoors will see a lot more use than an isolated, and inconveniently small, area. Also consider having a range of small terraces leading off different interior spaces for different uses – a breakfast terrace off the kitchen, or a verandah with a daybed off the master bedroom.

Think about your outdoor living requirements at the time of planning your home. Outdoor areas should be subject to the same thought process as your interiors spaces with regards to design, orientation, materials and buildings codes. And well integrated outdoor living can add significant resale value to your home, not to mention the lifestyle benefits you’ll enjoy.

The Early Stages

Building a new home, or renovating your current one, is one of the biggest financial commitments you will make. With this in mind, you should take the time to consider certain things that are important to you.

At Alba Creations, we take pride in delivering your dream home, starting with your ideas and making them a reality. We will help you develop a flexible design that fits your lifestyle and reflects your current requirements, while also accommodating for potential future changes such as a growing family.

At Alba Creations, we take pride in delivering your dream home, starting with your ideas and making them a reality. We will help you develop a flexible design that fits your lifestyle and reflects your current requirements, while also accommodating for potential future changes such as a growing family.

What are your needs?

Spend some time identifying the fundamental elements of your project. Rather than rushing into the most exciting part, the actual design of your floor plan, start off with the basics. Spend some time identifying your building needs and, even more critical to your success, your limitations.

Knowing your reasons for moving forward with a new build, and anticipating your future plans, helps you develop a design brief that your designer can turn into a viable house plan. If you are unclear of your requirements or you try to accommodate conflicting needs, you may be disappointed with the outcome.

To get this stage right, consider the following:

• Your budget. You need to have a realistic idea of how much you can afford.
• What you currently want out of your home compared to what you will need in the future.
• Style. Decide whether you want a single, double or a multi-storey home, and choose an architectural style. For example, do you prefer a contemporary or a traditional style home? The type and style of home you want largely influences the house plans and budget.

Developing a design brief

Now you are ready to start thinking about the design of your new home. Taking into consideration the aspects from the first two stages, think about the following inclusions:

• Privacy
• Living spaces
• Furniture
• Home study / Office
• Chef’s / entertainer’s kitchen
• Parent’s / teenager’s retreat
• Guest accommodation
• Games / rumpus / hobby rooms
• Utility room
• Media room / Home theatre
• Storage
• Outdoor spaces
• Access

Determine your budget

Building is not a cheap exercise but with good planning and the right advice from both your designer and builder, you can minimise the chance of a large cost overrun.

A builder will price every part of the build from the drawings but during the design phase, it is impossible to estimate the cost of all works, this is where a square meter (sqm) rate is implemented.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, and whether it is a new build or a renovation, $1,800 – $2,500/sqm is a good general figure to guide you regarding construction cost.
Once a project progresses this figure can be refined.

Communicating your ideas

Now that you have developed your design briefs and have an idea of budget, you need to convey these to your designer. Here are some great ways to communicate your thoughts:

• Pen and paper. You don’t need to be an architect to draw a simple house plan. Simply put pen to paper and scribble down your ideas.
• Social media. Sites like Pinterest can be fantastic for users to ‘pin’ their favourite images to a virtual pin board and share them. This very popular site is a great resource for effectively communicating your design ideas.
• Existing houses. If you see a house that you love or a style of house you’ve always wanted to live in take a quick photo for reference.
• The more information you can give to your designer, the easier it will be to indicate the direction you would like to head in.