What You Need To Know Before Adding A Granny Flat To Your Property

If you’re considering making an investment with your current property, you may want to explore the many benefits of building a granny flat. Making the decision to expand or renovate your existing home is a big undertaking, but at Smart Choice Granny Flats we pride ourselves on ensuring the entire process runs as smoothly as possible for our clients. 

Before hitting play on a project of this size, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might be leaning towards building a granny flat on your property:

• Adding a granny flat to your property is a great long-term investment that could provide you with a healthy additional source of income by renting out the space or listing it through a short-term rental business. This kind of regular cash flow can help you pay off mortgages and add to your nest egg. 
• Updating and expanding your existing square meterage will add value to the overall property. Further down the track if you decide to sell, you can expect to see exponential growth in the valuation by adding a granny flat to your property.
• As parents grow older we look to alternative living situations for them. A granny flat could be custom-designed with their comfort in mind, all while helping them to retain a sense of independence. You’ll be able to rest easy knowing they are close by, should you need to check in.
• We all know how difficult it can be to get into the property market today, so plenty of homeowners are helping their adult children save by providing a space for them to live in on their property. A granny flat can give your children all the comforts of a home while paying a subsidised rent while they save for their future.
• Let’s be honest, some people just like getting stuck into an exciting new project. For those with a keen eye for detail, adding a granny flat to your property could be a fun hobby whilst at the same time giving value to your assets across the board.

Know your permits and restrictions

Once you’ve decided a granny flat is a great investment to you, it’s important to do your due diligence and check into any council permits or restrictions that might need to be approved before exploring your build options. Your best bet is to get in touch with your local council organisation to speak with them about residential building restrictions to avoid any unnecessary fines or legal repercussions. 

Know your budget and timelines

Before moving forward with building a granny flat, it’s important to clearly understand your budget, timelines, and how you’d like the project to be managed. A master budget will help you determine finite details like granny flat size, building materials, appliances, inclusions, interior design and when the project will be finished by. 

At Smart Choice Granny Flats we work with our clients to create reliable, quality, timely, customised, expertly designed builds to suit your budget. In order to deliver on our guarantee, we work through a thorough 7-stage process to ensure our clients’ needs are met at every step of the project. From the initial on-site consultation with one of our specialists to choosing a granny flat design, to follow up meetings and breaking ground on construction right through to handing you the keys to your new granny flat, we will provide you with quality service from start to finish.

Know your granny flat design styles

At Smart Choice Granny Flats we specialise in creating custom design layouts to suit our customers. Before consulting with a member of our team, you might want to ask yourself a few introductory questions to start getting an idea about what kind of design you’d like:

• How many square metres would you like your granny flat to be?
• How many bedrooms would you like?
• How many bathrooms would you like?
• Cladding or brick?
• Concrete tiles or Colorbond roofing?
• Will you be needing a garage?
• Will there be any specific customisations you’ll need for the intended dweller?
• What kind of storage options will you need?

We have a number of design templates to help spark some ideas for your granny flat, just in case you’re feeling a little stumped on where to begin the layout conversation. Keep in mind that everything is customisable and we can work with you to conceptualise your dream granny flat.

If you’re still needing some inspiration, we encourage you to get in touch with a member of our team to arrange a meeting to check out one of our display homes. You’ll be able to visit the space to get a real look and feel for the exceptional craftsmanship, quality finishes, premium materials and overall functionality of our granny flats.

Know your inclusions

You’ll start to feel like your grand plans for a granny flat are really coming together when you consider the creature comforts to include in your layout. The checklist can sometimes become a little overwhelming, so we are on hand to provide support, assistance, and advice. In addition to creating affordable and quality builds, at Smart Choice Granny Flats we understand there are plenty of things that need to be arranged before the space becomes a home. 

We work with trusted suppliers like Smeg, Boral, BGC and more to include power, lighting, gas, water, joinery, windows, moisture control, data connections, insurance and appliances. 

Choosing a quality granny flat builder

Ultimately the biggest decision you’ll need to make is finding a trusted granny flat builder to make your dream a reality. With over 35 years of experience in the building industry, Smart Choice Granny Flats have become leaders in creating high-quality and affordable custom granny flats for clients across Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and Wollongong. Since 2012, our family-run business has created over 400 expertly built granny flats for happy customers. 

If you’re ready to begin the exciting new journey of adding a granny flat to your property or if you have any questions about our services, get in touch by calling 1300 176 278, email info@smartchoicegrannyflats.com.au or fill out our enquiry form.