Feedback on a granny flat design

[devo76]

Hi all.

I have been hitting endless roadblocks with my development so i thought i would punish myself with looking at my under performer for a few days.
Its a well located two bedder that is limited in rent due to the 2 bedrooms but being less than 200 meters to the CBD. A granny flat will achieve almost the same money as the main house.
Due to a sewer line i have a building envelope of only 4 meters by 10 meters.
I could build over the sewer but thats $15,000 i dont want to spend and the suggested envelope actually gives a better yard layout.
Now the plan.
It is open plan with two upper bedrooms on a mezzanine style floor. the space above the lounge is open right up to the ceiling giving a more open feel.
Plan is roughly to scale.
The windows will open out over the very established and quite impressive gardens. Flat will also have its own parking but not attached.It will also be done in weatherboard to match the main house.

What do we think ?
Its my first attempt so tell me what works and what does not and if i will have any issues getting the 10 day approval.I know a two story is not the cheapest option but i am limited to how i can do this.
Look foward to some feedback.

Cheers

 

[vaughan]

What state is this in?

In NSW there are strict height restrictions if you want to go for the 10 day approval. I think only single story is allowed.

 

[vaughan]

From the legislation:

Schedule 1 Development standards for secondary dwellings
Part 3 Building heights and setbacks
6 Building height
Development for the purposes of a secondary dwelling must not result in a new building or a new part of an existing building having a building height above ground level (existing) of more than 8.5 metres.

 

[devo76]

From the legislation:

Schedule 1 Development standards for secondary dwellings
Part 3 Building heights and setbacks
6 Building height
Development for the purposes of a secondary dwelling must not result in a new building or a new part of an existing building having a building height above ground level (existing) of more than 8.5 metres.

Flat roof so it should be fine height wise.

 

[devo76]

Mmm. No comments on the design.
Anybody out there with granny flat experience?
Does my design work? Is it big enough ?
Is it cost effective to build. Would you rent it ?
Any input will be appreciated .
Cheers.

 

[battler]

Coupla things, second bedroom is very small.

Not sure about the proximity of that bedroom door to the stairs.

Difficult to install then use the washing machine.

Is that a cupboard to the RH side of the washing machine or the WC?

 

[Propertunity]

OK here is my criticism:
When I wake up in the night to go to the bathroom I have to negotiate the stairs when I'm half asleep.
The open space gives a nice open feel but it is a waste of space which is already at a premium.

 

[devank]

You may have to spend more than 15K for going two floors!

I think setbacks also need to be a bit more if you build above certain hight.

There may be some regulations regarding the space between room entrances and staircase entry for safety reasons.

If you really don't have any way of building a single floor granny flat then this option is not that bad

 

[devo76]

You don't like my design you can get stuffed .... I'm joking thanks for the feedback.
Room size
Yes second room is small but I thought it would be no worse than most project homes. I could rejig things to get a little more.
Space at the top of the stairs
Good point but again I could widen things a little creating more first floor space but I would have to subtract this space from the ground floor to maintain the 60 sqm.
Washing machine etc
Yes this is incorrect but I posted before I noticed. This will have to be moved around a bit but I think the bones of it will work.
No toilet upstairs
Yes this is not ideal but my building envelope is limited.
Also I'm not really wasting space the two upstairs rooms + the ground floor = 60 sqm. The upstairs open area is not part of the 60 sqm so it's an open feeling at no cost.
cost
Yes this will cost more but hopefully it will be unique. The view will be great yet private + a 2 minute walk to pubs and cafes.
I will check for setbacks but I'm sure it's ok.
Staircase landing probably will be an issue so I will rejig things a bit.

Thanks guys . Anymore before I make some changes and repost ???

Cheers

 

[brazen]

From the legislation:

Schedule 1 Development standards for secondary dwellings
Development for the purposes of a secondary dwelling must not result in a new building or a new part of an existing building having a building height above ground level (existing) of more than 8.5 metres.

Yes but there's more. Any height above 3.8m (measured from lowest natural ground to the top of the roof) must be tripled and added to the nominal 3m rear setback as quoted from the SEPP:

Development for the purposes of a secondary dwelling ....where the new or existing building will, at the end of the development, have a building height at any part of more than 3.8 metres must not result in the new building...... having a setback from a rear boundary of less than the sum of:
(a) 3 metres, plus an amount that is equal to three times the additional building height above 3.8 metres, up to a maximum setback of 8 metres, if the lot has an area of at least 450 square metres but less than 900 square metres


We've only ever had one granny flat approved as 2-storey and that was in Orange NSW, on a huge block. 8 mtrs rear setbackas are just way too much for Sydney so we've never been able to do them Im afraid.

P.S. Sewer encasement is more like $7,000, not $25,000.

 

[moyjos]

Hi
I don't mind your plan

Daughter lived in a similar apartment in Lonsdale St with no problem about the bathroom being downstairs.
(similar to this...http://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-melbourne-406106146)

My only critisism would be that the bathroom opens directly into the kitchen (I didn't think that was allowed)

You are never going to please everyone...so as long as the building complies with your council requirements..who cares about the plan We all live in different homes..some of the "best seller" plans that some builders have I would live in

Good Luck

 

[devo76]

That's a show stopper. Max setback I could do would be 5 meters but anything over 1 detracts from the idea.
Looks like I will be encassing the sewer and building a single story. I just encased a sewer at another place for $17,000 but that was 20 meters Long and almost 4 meters deep. This new pipe is under half as long and half as deep. Total cost should come in between $10,000 and $15,000. Not ideal but workable. Brazen can you confirm that encasing and building over a sewer to council guidelines does not effect the 10 day complying development. I don't think it does .l

Yes but there's more. Any height above 3.8m (measured from lowest natural ground to the top of the roof) must be tripled and added to the nominal 3m rear setback as quoted from the SEPP:

Development for the purposes of a secondary dwelling ....where the new or existing building will, at the end of the development, have a building height at any part of more than 3.8 metres must not result in the new building...... having a setback from a rear boundary of less than the sum of:
(a) 3 metres, plus an amount that is equal to three times the additional building height above 3.8 metres, up to a maximum setback of 8 metres, if the lot has an area of at least 450 square metres but less than 900 square metres


We've only ever had one granny flat approved as 2-storey and that was in Orange NSW, on a huge block. 8 mtrs rear setbackas are just way too much for Sydney so we've never been able to do them Im afraid.

P.S. Sewer encasement is more like $7,000, not $25,000.

 

[brazen]

That's a show stopper. Max setback I could do would be 5 meters but anything over 1 detracts from the idea.
Looks like I will be encassing the sewer and building a single story. I just encased a sewer at another place for $17,000 but that was 20 meters Long and almost 4 meters deep. This new pipe is under half as long and half as deep. Total cost should come in between $10,000 and $15,000. Not ideal but workable. Brazen can you confirm that encasing and building over a sewer to council guidelines does not effect the 10 day complying development. I don't think it does .l

Sewer has no effect on the granny flat approval.
Sewer encasement is around $800/linear mtr with the guys I use.

Overall SEPP compliance comes down to a bunch of prerequisites. Getting the Section 149 Certificate from Council is the first step. Take a look at this logical mind-map which should help.
http://grannyflatapprovals.com.au/mind_map.pdf

 

[brazen]

Mind Map's location has changed for those interested:
http://www.grannyflatapprovals.com.au/about-us/approval-guide/

 

[alexanderweiz]

The bedroom no.2 is a bit small I think. The rest looks great.