How to choose the right placement of your Granny Flat

It has never been easier for NSW homeowners to build an affordable second mini home, commonly known as a granny flat on their property. Due to the high cost of living partially in Metropolitan areas like Central Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong, these trendy little homes are in high demand, filling a gap in the market by providing a lower-cost option of living.

Granny Flat popularity is growing for many reasons, however, and it has a lot to do with affordable housing options in our major cities. Since house prices are on the rise, many view granny flats as a viable option for a small family — as long as the layout and placement are right.

The good news is that even though they’re called ‘granny flats’, these are not your grandmother’s layouts.

Granny flat designs from Smart Choice Granny Flats, for example, are created with every kind of family or individual experience in mind. Our granny flat designs and floor plans can be used to support an aging parent, of course. But they can also be designed for young adult children transitioning out of the home, married adult children ‘returning to the nest’, or even tenants who are a couple with children.

The fact is that uncertainty is prevailing over our economic and housing markets right now, so there’s never been a smarter or better time to opt for granny flats.

Decide who this granny flat is for

Before you get started with any granny flat design and build, you need to have somewhat of an idea of who this space is supposed to be serving. The fact is that the age, lifestyle, and preferences of certain groups differ. For example, an older or aging person’s priority and concern might be all about accessibility or having a nice garden outdoors.

On the other hand, a younger person may care more about entertaining or having enough common area space rather than a private bedroom space. A couple might need a garage because they have a child. You’ll need to keep these details in mind when you’re viewing granny flat designs.

No matter which granny flat design you choose, you can of course get creative and make the rooms and space work for the occupant’s needs. However, it’s easier to scale down and reuse than add rooms.

For example, you might opt for a larger granny flat design that includes a garage because you plan to have a tenant. However, once that tenant moves out, your aging in-laws or parents can move in and you can convert the garage space into something that suits their preferences.

Double-check local infrastructure

Once you know who you’re building for, it’s time to check your property. Make sure that the orientation and placement of your proposed granny flat design:

• Does not interfere with power lines, sewage systems, water supply tanks, etc.
• Is far enough away from the main street that noise doesn’t become an issue (for the occupants and the neighbours)
• Isn’t under any tall or heavy trees that might snap and damage the roof
• Maintains council requirements about the distance between the granny flat and the primary dwelling while not placing it so far that the occupants, especially if they’re old, have trouble walking to the main house

Make sure to conform to boundary regulations

In New South Wales, boundary regulations are very clear. These include the following:

• Your lot needs to be at least 450 square metres and 12 metres wide.
• The flat requires a height of 3.8 metres.
• The lot should, ideally, retain at least 25% of its landscaping after constructing the granny flat.
• The flat must have adequate stormwater drainage.
• It should be located a minimum of 3 metres from any tree trunks that are at least 5 metres tall.
• If you want an outdoor entertainment area, it should be connected directly to its living room.
• Excavation requirements call for 1 metre if your granny flat is located less than 1 metre from a boundary, 2 metres if it’s between 1 metre and 1.5 metres from a boundary, and 3 metres if located more than 1.5 metres from a boundary.
• Minimum requirements for lots are as follows:
• 450-900-square-metre lots need granny flats to maintain a minimum side setback of at least 0.8 metres and a rear setback of at least 3 metres.
• 900-1500-square-metre lots need granny flats to maintain a minimum frontage of 15 metres, a side setback of at least 1.5 metres, and a rear setback of at least 5 metres.
• For lots more than 1,500 square metres, granny flats must maintain a minimum frontage of 18 metres, a side setback of at least 2.5 metres, and a rear setback of at least 10 metres.

Also, keep in mind that the size of your lot determines how much space you actually have to play with and which granny flat design you can opt for.

• Those with lots between 450 square metres and 600 square metres can have a total of 330 square metres of floor space.
• For lots between 600 square metres and 900 square metres, granny flat designs have up to 380 square metres of floor space.
• Lots over 900 square metres allow for a granny flat with 430 square metres in total floor space.

What about noise?

And, finally, you may want to consider additional insulation or soundproofing for the interiors of your granny flat. Smart Choice Granny Flats relies on a number of high-quality suppliers for quality inclusions such as these. However, if you’re building your own granny flat, make sure to think about building materials that will keep indoor noise projecting outwards to a minimum.

Functional and beautiful spaces start with Smart Choice Granny Flats

With over 400 granny flats already built across NSW, Smart Choice Granny Flats are the industry leader for granny flat designs. Our high-quality work and craftsmanship are just as detail-oriented as our design and build process. We work hard to ensure that our clients receive their exact vision on time and on budget.

Imagine starting and seeing a finished granny flat on your property in just 12 weeks. Get a free quote and site inspection from the Smart Choice Granny Flats team today, or contact us to book a viewing of our display homes for some inspiration!