85m2 garage/shed conversion to a 60m2 granny flat.

[MTR]

Here is Virgo's post. She managed to squeeze around $30k circa build..

http://somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90203&highlight=virgo

THanks so much, lots of reading.

I have another builder who was recommended by a BA and he sounds like he has lots of experience and will do things by the book.

Will keep you posted.

Cheers, MTR

 

[imsavvyinvestor]

Hi MTR - how did you go...
I have a massive council approved shed at the back of the property and I'm wondering if I can use the existing structure and add on to that to convert it to a granny flat with 2 beds. It will be great if you could share your experience and the builder you used to get the work done it will really help me with my work I'm looking to get done.

Thanks in advance!

 

[brazen]

Hi All
Dug up this thread which is a gem.

I am currently considering converting an approved double garage, into a granny flat......

This is what one builder said -

Don't bother with Council, just go ahead and convert the garage to g/flat, make sure you have electrical/water metres in place and then get it certified at the end as this is the easier option to get it through Council.
Really..... I am not about to spend $ to find out the project will not get approved....

MTR

Give me a call and I'll give you a free, no obligation assessment of whether it will be approved or not. The money you spend on your approval is also 100% money-back guaranteed, as advertised. No other approval service offers a guarantee on State SEPP compliant approvals.

You'll need to answer the following:

1. Is the internal wall height at least 2.4 m, measured from the floor to the ceiling. Hallways, bathrooms and kitchens can be 2.1m high.

2. Are you willing to provide a waterproofing membrane above the slab if it's not adequately sealed? If so the wall height must be high enough to accommodate this additional concrete (100mm). Also, are there adequate vents in the building and if not, are you willing to have them installed

3. If the building is <0.9m to the boundaries and main dwelling, are you willing to have them fire rated? This means brick/masonry or a fire proof cladding solution. This can be expensive!

4. If the slab is not min. 150mm above the surrounding soil/turf and 50mm above surrounding concrete/pavers are you willing to excavate around the slab to achieve this? The surrounding levels must fall away from the structure, not towards it. This is to avoid water inundation.

Bottom line is that Conversions can be good and bad. Mostly they are a bad idea. I say this because the cost can get pretty close to what a new build will give you.

What most people have is a non-compliant slab, a garage skeleton (frame) and some skin (cladding). It's about 10% of the finished habitable structure and not much more than that.

The exception is where either:

1. The existing structure is almost habitable, meaning it has a wet area and a well-sealed and well-built frame.

2. The new granny flat setback rules would make erecting a new granny flat impossible due to space restrictions.

Brazen.