An upcoming granny flat build thread

[saiman]

If I must, I would provide a carspace/carport in the front lawn of your main property for the house and I would leave the driveway to be fully accessed by the granny flat with a carport in the back for them

Remember though, will the return you get from adding a extra carspace (thousands) be worth it?

Whilst on the topic, I remember during my first granny flat build, I spent a lot of energy and most importantly time in obsessing over all the fine details of the granny flat like carspace arrangements when at the end of it all will probably make very little difference in the returns, which at the end of the day, is really all that matters as an investment. This obsession ultimately led to a much longer build time which cost me significantly more in not having the bloody thing up and ready to produce an income - remember to keep things cheap and simple and use logic rather than emotions!

In a current granny flat I have, the tenant who pays me more rent will have the one carspace on the property and the other gets to park on the road

 

[virgo]

Granny Flat build

Hi Saiman

I am planning to build another granny flat but this time in a "cheaper" suburb...

therefore planning to build as cheap as i possibly can as rents would not be as high as my last one...if you do not mind sharing, what is the size of your granny flat and how much was the TOTAL cost? (including all drawings, approval, build costs, connection costs etc) and how much rent did you fetch?

thanks!

 

[menty]

Saiman. I like your idea about the carport. I am moving the carport to a position where I will actually be able to decide which house gets the carport. If the granny flat will give me higher rent because of the carport I will give it to them, if not it can be easily switched (by a fence blocking the carport).

The budget I have for my current build (including landscaping, fences, driveway etc) is about $115-120K. A few questions Id like to ask you guys

1. Is it worthwhile putting a 1m slab pathway around the whole house or just leave it?
2. Can I get a separate gas meter and account if I connect to AGL.
3. If I cannot connect to AGL, would you invest in an electric HWS or LPG bottled HWS?
4. I am thinking about a 3x3m rear concrete 'patio' area outisde my rear sliding door.
5. This would be covered by a shade sail - How safe are these? What if the tenants do not take the sail down in high wind, or it falls on the house?

On another note, I signed my building contract yesterday, so final designs should be complete by the end of this week.

 

[saiman]

Hi Saiman

I am planning to build another granny flat but this time in a "cheaper" suburb...

therefore planning to build as cheap as i possibly can as rents would not be as high as my last one...if you do not mind sharing, what is the size of your granny flat and how much was the TOTAL cost? (including all drawings, approval, build costs, connection costs etc) and how much rent did you fetch?

thanks!

Hi Virgo,

I have a granny flat in Blacktown 100% financed which was $90,400 for everything (drafting, planning, build, connection, HWS, colorbond dividing fence, landscaping, letterbox) inc GST

This is for a 2 bed 60sqm weatherboard, colorbond roof with all inclusions inc. air con and currently rents for $370pw

PM me for builder details

 

[saiman]

Saiman. I like your idea about the carport. I am moving the carport to a position where I will actually be able to decide which house gets the carport. If the granny flat will give me higher rent because of the carport I will give it to them, if not it can be easily switched (by a fence blocking the carport).

The budget I have for my current build (including landscaping, fences, driveway etc) is about $115-120K. A few questions Id like to ask you guys

1. Is it worthwhile putting a 1m slab pathway around the whole house or just leave it?
2. Can I get a separate gas meter and account if I connect to AGL.
3. If I cannot connect to AGL, would you invest in an electric HWS or LPG bottled HWS?
4. I am thinking about a 3x3m rear concrete 'patio' area outisde my rear sliding door.
5. This would be covered by a shade sail - How safe are these? What if the tenants do not take the sail down in high wind, or it falls on the house?

On another note, I signed my building contract yesterday, so final designs should be complete by the end of this week.

1. Yes this will be worthwhile to save on landscaping costs and to avoid tenants getting mud inside the granny flat - make sure you get the slab guys to do it as it will save you $$$
2. I would not bother with connecting gas even if it was available. Electricity is fine and less to go wrong + cheaper
3. Make sure you get a system that meets your BASIX requirements. Solar HWS seems to be the best option. The other is an electric heat pump which make a lot of noise and are more temperamental
4. concrete patio is not necessary and will not increase rent or value - don't bother. Just turf everything. I would easily trade this for an extra carport if I had to choose
5. Again don't bother. More to go wrong and more headaches for you down the line

 

[western_sydney]

Hi Virgo,

I have a granny flat in Blacktown 100% financed which was $90,400 for everything (drafting, planning, build, connection, HWS, colorbond dividing fence, landscaping, letterbox) inc GST

This is for a 2 bed 60sqm weatherboard, colorbond roof with all inclusions inc. air con and currently rents for $370pw

PM me for builder details

Wow - that's quite impressive rent you've obtained there. Is that going through an agent - and if so - which one? And if you don't mind me asking which area of Blacktown?

 

[menty]

Update.

Existing house has been valued at 520K (355K loan). Will be pushing for 85% LVR if we can, and supplementing the rest with cash.

Plans are being drawn up as we speak. Budgeting about 115K all up.

 

[menty]

Loan is currently with ANZ (Breakfree). Currently 70% approx LVR. It would be 80% withouy LMI or 85% with LMI to build the GF.

My broker has suggested we try a different bank.
Lender: Adelaide and Bendigo Bank
Rate: 6.19% Variable\ Fixed at 5.99%

- 100% offset
- This lender allows for 10years I/O as well
- There fixed rates also has an 100% offset attached.

In addition, 20K limit credit card at the rate of home loan.
This essentially means I can withdraw the equivalent of 85%LVR avoiding LMI

Thoughts?

 

[menty]

Dismantled the shed and second 'carport' over the weekend.

Im planning to re use the shed as it is still in decent condition. I will however, need to find one panel for a roof. Hopefully that doesn't cost as much as a new shed.

The colorbond carport will move forward, new concrete put in, and a path to the granny flat made on the side. Hopefully not to expensive, and there would be 2 car spots.

Rubbish

(PS is there any way to resize these facebook photos? They are massive)

 

[menty]

Excavation started this week and the bank loan has been approved.
I just need to work out the cheapest landscaping option now

 

[menty]

Slab is down

The side of the slab is quite uneven. Will the builder smooth it out?
Im worried that exposed concrete like that will look ugly, do most people leave as is, or paint/render over it?Can I put the cladding over it?

 

[brazen]

Slab is down

The side of the slab is quite uneven. Will the builder smooth it out?
Im worried that exposed concrete like that will look ugly, do most people leave as is, or paint/render over it?Can I put the cladding over it?

If it's clad, I'd lay the cladding over it. If it's brick, you can have it painted. Nothing beats flowers/shrubs to enhance the facade of a new building imho.

 

[menty]

Thanks serge
I'll ask my builder about it tomorrow

 

[sammy1]

Don't forget to keep the slab moist for about 2 weeks. Congratulations on starting your GF build .

 

[menty]

Builder reckons that cladding all the way to the ground will be ugly, so we will be painting it.

 

[neK]

I just left mine as is. Looks fine.

Just make sure the builder remembers to cut of the excess plastic thingy they put on (I assume its for waterproofing?).

 

[menty]

Today's progress

 

[westminster]

It's all looking real now. Must be great to see the walls start.

 

[menty]

The roof and outer walls are now on. Electricity and gas connections were put in over the weekend .

I have just been working on a few landscaping ideas. However Ill need to check with council that I can put a car space in front of the front house (concrete), and if I can put a rear patio slab in 12m2. There is a sewer across the rear yard (which is why the granny flat has such a huge backyard)

On another note, my shower is only a diamond shape. 900mmx 900mm walls, but the inner wall only is 400mm. Is this too small?

 

[menty]

First major problem encountered

I have mother screaming that the bathroom is too small, so will need to make some changes. We feel a 900x900 (400mm) side walls internal shower is too small and there will be no room to move to the vanity stuck in the top right. (Just under 600mm walking space between shower door and wall)

1. Remove the BIR on the right. MASSIVE headache as the roof is supported by this wall.

2. Section out a small 'square' right next to the drain pipe and make the BIR 1.5m instead of 2m. From what I can see there is little support to the roof or any other structures, but Im not a builder.

This would allow us to use a bigger shower 900x900 (with >500mm side walls) and more room to access the vanity.