Building a Granny Flat - Part 2 - Construction

From what I understand you are able to build the granny flat right up to the garage if you want, but the walls will need to be fire rated.

However if you leave a gap (not sure what the minimum gap is) then you should be fine.

However Im not sure how you go about making a double garage into a single, though im sure that wouldnt be a problem.

The best thing to do is to get Wally and Cid from Granny Flats Australia to come by your property and have a look and see what they can do. They'll be able to advise you what is possible and get back to you with an indicative cost.

Then if you decide to proceed, they'll get it all approved for you and get it constructed.
 
New pics!

Getting closer to having this completed.

AGL finally put in the gas line on Friday :)

Anyway, here are some pics.

Before painting and kitchen


Kitchen is in
 
just a random thought from someone older who is surveying a number of options right now.
space in a granny flat is limited i know and dosnt allow for a bath and seperate shower.
to me the lack of a bath tub would be no problem (only the dog has ever used the ones in my last two houses LOL)
but for some less than agile people .....hopping into a bath tub to shower is less than safe
therefor if i build a granny flat for whatever reason...........it will have a shower recess only and that way i can be sure that all people can safely shower. i often wonder how many people actually do bath these days.

i looked at a house the other day (PPOR) with the idea of putting a granny in the yard but both bathrooms had showers over bathtubs.
in one room it was a huge spa bath that held the shower.

it went off my list of possibles immediately as renovating two bathrooms was NOT on my agenda for the price of the house.
for younger people it is perhaps not an issue

just a random feral thought :)
 
A granny flat does not mean a granny needs to live there ;)

I looked at it from the same perspective. I'm not a fan of shower over bath, but at the same time, its either

1. Appeal to young families
2. Appeal to the elderly.

I would think there are more young families renting than elderly renting. The elderly usually already have their own home.
 
neK said:
A granny flat does not mean a granny needs to live there ;)

I looked at it from the same perspective. I'm not a fan of shower over bath, but at the same time, its either

1. Appeal to young families
2. Appeal to the elderly.

I would think there are more young families renting than elderly renting. The elderly usually already have their own home.
Click to expand...
\

i guess you have your market sorted out LOL.....my granny flat will hold a very able bodied family member but will have a shower.
it would be longer term a rental prospect however.

i think this is an interesting discussion but as i am new to it i have to bow to those around longer than me who are more experienced.
i wonder if the answer for both groups is one of those deep showers that were around a few years ago.??
kids can bath in them and the less able can step over the edge .

anyway good luck with the open house. your house looks good and i like the idea of the higher ceilings. that is clever
i am attending another that they are holding elsewhere that day and look forward to seeing some options.

i see a LOT of older people renting in some work i do voluntarily.....which is one of the reasons i raised the issue.
and simply because i dont know anyone much of any age who spends much time in a bath.
sadly
except the kids probably

:D
 
I dont use the bath either. Its usually use to either

1. Put my mop bucket in
2. Put my laundry in.

That said, the existing house on the block also has a shower over bath and I havent heard any complaints about it since ive owned it.

Im sure there are some people turned off by it, but my previous tenants have been

1. Early 20's couple
2. Early 30's couple (lady was also pregnant at the time)
3. Early 20's couple
4. Single lady late 20's
5. Couple with 3 kids (the guy had a bit of a limp in his walk).

The area also has some oldies, but they have been living in the same house for the last 50 years, so i doubt they are renters. I've been present (sitting in the car and watching) for a few of the open houses over the years, the only elderly ones looking are those who live around the corner and have come in for a sticky beak :)
 
neK said:
Thanks to those who showed up today.

Hope it was informative!
Click to expand...

No, thank you!

neK and partner have done a fantastic job not only adding this flat to their property portfolio, but in how they have shared it with this forum. It may be just a small development, but also a really huge incentive and motivator for others.

This thread is a great start to demystifying small developments for property investors (and without the mega-bucks workshop with book and DVD).
 
If you are interested in building one, I have left Cid and Wally a set of keys and they can show you a time that suits you :)
 
neK said:
Thanks to those who showed up today. Hope it was informative!
Click to expand...

Thanks Ken
It was a good opportunity to talk to the builder.
I want to do something similar but I can't decide if I'll build a granny flat or a house.

With the house I simply have to get a project home
and that way I get the best value for money but it means
having to use a lot of the yard so this will upset my current tenants (and their dog).

Maybe I need to give them notice to vacate and then fence the yard off for the next tenants....
 
For those who were there, I was wondering if I could get some feedback on the place. What you liked and what you didnt liked.

And please be honest, I'd rather have blunt feedback so I don't make the same mistake twice :)

I'll start. Bathtub is not wide enough. I should have went for a wider bathtub. I stood in shower section and it felt really cramped. If I had to shower there I would probably end up moving in the section without the glass just so I would have more room to move.
 
Last edited:
Granny flat

Hiya Ken

That was an amazing granny flat you have.

What i liked:

a) high ceiling that makes it feel so spacious

b) full length window in the bedroom

c) foyer entrance WOW!

d) a small patio in front (would prefer it at the back tho!)

e) combined huge bathroom cum laundry (giving the bathroom an enormous feel about it...

f) clever choice of colours (you have to thank your wife!)

What i would have done for myself

a) scrap the bath and stick to a shower (but that's personal preference)


Hope you get the rental you wanted!:p

Thanks once again.
 
There's absolutely nothing I would have done differently. You've got your bedrooms to the south and the kitchen and living areas to the north so the whole place is bright and airy. Also a fan of the high ceilings which create a feeling of space. Dining table space might be somewhat limited, but I don't think there's much you can do there when you're working with 60sqm. A nice to have would be a small deck at the back so that there's room to have an outdoor table for 6/8.
 
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