A Complete Granny Flat Build

[Propertunity]

Hi Propetunity and online agent,

Thanks for replying. I want to covert my garage into a granny and that too approved by council. I am looking for somebody who can give me a good advise.

Tried contacting brazer but it seems he is busy and occupied by work. What do you suggest?

Thanks
Amit Taneja

Sorry Amit, I did not see your earlier post.
If Brazen is too busy, then he may be able to suggest a Private Certifier and/or his Engineer who will need to assess if you can do the conversion - setbacks, ceiling heights and slab suitability all come into play.

 

[santaslayer]

Hi Mindmaster, are you onsite most days or are you getting sent these pictures by the people managing the project? I just wanted to see how much personal/professional(JOB) time you are putting in.

Thanks

 

[brazen]

Why only a 45m flat, surely the site could allow the full 60m? And why did you have to build near the sewer, and not over the left side of the block and save on those costs ?

Location/Siting of the Granny Flat Near sewer
The client wanted to have north-facing living areas. I gave Brendon the choice and he went with that. A good decision overall at an additoonal cost of around $2,500 incl. extra concrete.

Creating Privacy & Separation
The distance from the rear boundary to the back of the house (wall) is only around 12m of usable build space. This is never ideal. You really need15m+ to create separation between dwellings. A 5+m wide granny flat + 3m rear setback only left him 3m to the house- not
enough privacy for my liking.

Built Size
My advice was to either cancel the job (I'd rather do this than create a bad design) OR use a method which i do not like to do very often...approve a shed then turn it into a granny flat. This avoided the 3m rear setback. The only kickback of course, was that on that size block of land (<600 sqm), you're only allowed 45 sq m.

I did advise that perhaps a 1-bedroom design was best here but Brendon insisted a 2-bedroom granny flat is what he wanted.

Everything was going to plan until a technical problem popped up and the size had to be reduced from 52m2 to 45m2 or moved further away from the rear boundary. I went for the smaller design. I probably should not have.

My mistake. Clueless owners like myself would try the patience of a saint and Serge was great. Put up with my panic attacks and inability to understand the facts.

I really think that in the end, it's worked out well on a block that was relatively squeezed for build-space.

Note: The frame just went up and it isnt finished yet- dwellings always look/feel smaller before they're completed. So just wait and see when she's finished. I think you'll be plesantly surprised. Thanks for calling me a saint though Brendon Im not sure I deserve that!


Cheers,

Brazen.

 

[brazen]

Sorry Amit, I did not see your earlier post.
If Brazen is too busy, then he may be able to suggest a Private Certifier and/or his Engineer who will need to assess if you can do the conversion - setbacks, ceiling heights and slab suitability all come into play.

I did speak to Amit briefly yesterday and i had a look at the property from above via Google Earth. I don't believe it's approveable due to a few reasons-

1. Lack of landcaped area to the rear yard
2. Fire-Separation breaches on 2 sides would make it very expensive.
3. The entire site looked like the floor space ratio was breached already
4. Slope of land to the rear with no place to drain downpipes..

Call me again Amit and I'll take a better look (I lost the address sorry!) and I'll try to explain it.

 

[Mindmaster]

The slab was finished earlier this week and the neighbour has not taken them boat out.

Still can't work out how to put a photo in the body of a post

 

[Mindmaster]

Hi Santa, I have never been onsite or even in western Sydney. The builder sends me pics. To get a professional job I'm relying on his reputation and that Serge chose him.

Hi Mindmaster, are you onsite most days or are you getting sent these pictures by the people managing the project? I just wanted to see how much personal/professional(JOB) time you are putting in.

Thanks

 

[devank]

Still can't work out how to put a photo in the body of a post

I think you can upload your images to a website and then insert that image like this

 

[Mindmaster]

The green termite proof frame is up

The builder ordered the windows last Tuesday and delivery was expected 3-4 weeks later. The roof was also ordered then.

Feels like a long time to wait for windows

 

[Mindmaster]

The frame is finished and it is beginning to look like a real building

 

[menty]

I hope you don't run into too many headaches with your build

Good start to your portfolio. I did something similar

 

[brazen]

I hope you don't run into too many headaches with your build

Good start to your portfolio. I did something similar

He's being looked after by my builder + Im watching it to make sure everything is done. he's in good hands. Guillaume has built over 20 granny flats now.

 

[Mindmaster]

As Brazen mentioned, I'm being well looked after. The builder is keeping mye up to date by emails and sending me all the pics included in this thread.

As for portfolio, this IP is my third. Would have been nice as my first but that is part of my learning curve

I hope you don't run into too many headaches with your build

Good start to your portfolio. I did something similar

 

[Mindmaster]

Had a few issues today

1 - The builder organized for a 6 cubic meter bin to be dropped off but the tenant refused to let be dropped off. She did not want the bin stuck in the middle of the drive where the car goes. Builder emailed me last night. I emailed PM last night with builders details. Called PM this morning. PM had already called the builder and the tenant and sorted the issue out. The bin is to be dropped off in a part of the yard that suits the tenant.

2 - Building materials are being dropped off all over the front yard which the tenant does not like. After another bit of 3 way phone calls and emails, a drop zone is organized where a fenced off area in the front yard will be set up.

The tenant knew in advance that the GF would be built but they have kids so their reaction of fair.

Having a gun PM sure makes life easier

 

[oc1]

Had a few issues today

1 - The builder organized for a 6 cubic meter bin to be dropped off but the tenant refused to let be dropped off. She did not want the bin stuck in the middle of the drive where the car goes. Builder emailed me last night. I emailed PM last night with builders details. Called PM this morning. PM had already called the builder and the tenant and sorted the issue out. The bin is to be dropped off in a part of the yard that suits the tenant.

2 - Building materials are being dropped off all over the front yard which the tenant does not like. After another bit of 3 way phone calls and emails, a drop zone is organized where a fenced off area in the front yard will be set up.

The tenant knew in advance that the GF would be built but they have kids so their reaction of fair.

Having a gun PM sure makes life easier

Yep communication and a good team is key with building/developing.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

Cheers
Oscar

 

[Mindmaster]

The sliding door went in today, work on the roof is due to start tomorrow, claddings are also arriving tomorrow and insulation goes in Friday.

That then leaves Giprock, the kitchen, tiling, painting and other stuff.

As long as the weather is good (lucky this is not Melbourne ) everything should be finished by mid April.

The PM is already making plans to get the GF tenanted.

 

[senji]

Hi Mindmaster,

I have sent a PM to you, need your advise about the professional that you engaged. Please advise.

Thanks a lot,
Senji

 

[Paul B.]

Great thread mindmaster! I will be keeping an eye on your progression. Question: who handled the DA for the GF? Does Brazen include that in his service?

 

[Mindmaster]

Great thread mindmaster! I will be keeping an eye on your progression. Question: who handled the DA for the GF? Does Brazen include that in his service?

Hi Paul, Yup, Brazen/Serge does the DA, the pricing on the build and organizes a builder to build the GF.

When I first signed up with Serge, I thought he'd be the builder as well. Easy to get confused at the beginning when you have no idea how things work

 

[brazen]

Hi Paul, Yup, Brazen/Serge does the DA, the pricing on the build and organizes a builder to build the GF.

When I first signed up with Serge, I thought he'd be the builder as well. Easy to get confused at the beginning when you have no idea how things work

haha yes I survey, draft, build and leap tall buiildings in a single day

 

[neK]

haha yes I survey, draft, build and leap tall buiildings in a single day

Could have sworn i saw you leap off a building while drawing plans and being on the phone the other day