Granny Flats
OVERVIEW
Granny Flats
Granny Flats have been a popular project across NSW for many years with traction continuing to build across Sydney today. They are an increasingly popular build for their versatility in use and wide range of benefits including
Financial benefits | In NSW our laws allow owners to rent out Granny Flats separately through a real estate agent or by private agreement. Rental prices for Granny Flats in NSW can range from $300 – $550> a week generating a substantial passive income.
Property Value | A Granny Flat will positively impact your property’s value and in many cases add usable equity.
Keeping Family Close | They are also a fantastic way to keep family close while allowing privacy and independent living.
How do I get started?
To start things off we would do an online assessment. Our FREE online assessments can give us a detailed picture of what can be done on your block using cutting edge technology. There are a few things we look at when assessing your block for build permissibility, block size, assess points, and potential zones of influence like the sewer mains. We take the time to evaluate your block to determine if a build is permissible and to identify any potential issues before we get started.
In order to determine what can be built on your block the following documentation is required.
- Section 10.7 or Zoning certificate – This certificate provides information on any controls, requirements and restrictions that may impact how the property is used; for example, if the property is heritage listed or not. Zoning certificates are issued by your local council and can be applied for online via the NSW Planning Portal (Link to the NSW Planning Portal Welcome to the NSW Planning Portal | Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment) These certificates are valid for up to three months as requirements and zoning is subject to change. We always recommend keeping current information about your property. This will ensure you are kept up to date with any changing council regulations affecting your property.
- Sewer service diagram – A sewer service diagram or an SSD shows the location of private waste service pipes on a property. They are required as part of any building application. This can be easily obtained through Sydney Water (Link to Sydney Water Sydney Water Tap in)
- Title Search – A title search is required to confirm the property's legal ownership
- DEPOSITED Plan – Defines property boundaries accurately to avoid disputes over landownership and provide the basis for property title registration
- Detailed Survey – A detailed survey will define the location and heights of any number and variety of features on a site as well as the contours of the site (level and slopes)
- If you have recently purchased your property, you may already have this documentation. Check your sales contract or with your legal team/conveyancer and they will be able to let you know whether you have these or not.
- If you don’t that’s ok, we can arrange all of this on your behalf as part of our pre-approval package.
CDC or DA?
In 2009 NSW rolled out the Affordable Housing State Environmental Planning Policy to free up the planning process and expedite development. Approval through a private certifier or CDC (Complying Development) is a cost-effective and streamlined way of obtaining approval to build. If your property meets the requirements for a CDC you can expect approval in 2-4 weeks!
A complying Development or CDC is approval through a private certifier that does not require a separate council development application (DA) or a construction certificate. CDC applies to homes, businesses and industry and allows for a range of things like the construction of a new dwelling (House or Granny Flat) alterations and additions to a house, new industrial buildings, demolition of a building, and changes to business use. To determine if a CDC development is permissible on your block we need to consider the following. Block size, size of proposed dwelling, floor space ratios, set back requirements and easements.
Below is a table outlining the size and setback requirements for your Granny Flat
Additional Requirements and Regulations
There must be a primary dwelling on the block or approval for a primary dwelling must have already been obtained before the construction of your Granny Flat. Only one secondary dwelling can be built on a block of land, the Primary Dwelling being the main house and the secondary dwelling being the Granny Flat. The soft-to-hard ratio means that your Granny Flat design needs to cater for an open space of at least 24m2 in addition to the floor space of your Granny Flat. The maximum size of your secondary dwelling cannot exceed 60m2. This does not include a Garage or outdoor entertainment area. However, these areas will count towards your hard-to-soft ratio.
What if my block or design doesn’t comply with CDC requirements?
If your block or design doesn’t meet the requirements for a CDC, approval may be able to be obtained through your local council via a Development Application. A Development Application or a DA is a formal application submitted to your local council for permission to carry out a new development where a CDC is not permissible. Approval through council takes a considerable amount longer than a CDC to obtain and we estimate between 6-12 weeks. DA approval also costs significantly more than approval via CDC. We will go over the costs associated with your job before any commitments.
Are there any additional other fees I need to pay before construction?
When building a secondary dwelling there is an unavoidable fee called a council contribution. Council contributions are financial levies imposed on developments that will lead to a net increase in population within a specific area. These fees are outside of the costs associated with design and approvals as well as construction and are paid directly to your local council before the commencement of construction. These fees will vary from job to job and depend on the council area plus estimates made based on construction costs associated with your job. We will obtain the cost of your contributions before any contracts or tenders being signed. Open and honest communication is at the heart of what we do and when you build with us you can rest assured you will be kept fully informed at every stage.
What next?
Fill in the contact form below and we will arrange a free online assessment of your block. Book your online assessment (As above can we have a link to the widget where clients can pick a date and time and book themselves an appointment)
Commonly Asked Questions:
This will vary depending on multiple factors, the size and location of the build and any impact on the zone of influence ie the location of the sewer, block size and level, the materials selected ect. A standard 2 bedroom 60 m2 vinyl cladded Granny Flat built on a flat block with adequate access will cost from $126,000 plus GST
Not always, approval to build a secondary dwelling such as a Granny Flat does require approval but this can be gained through a private certifier under a complying development (CDC). In some cases a DA (Development Application through your local council) is necessary. Our design team will let you know how approval for your job will be obtained.
A standard build will usually take between 11-14 weeks. One of the perks of building with an exclusive builder is the faster build times! Our building process has been perfected over the years and we can guarantee a faster, streamlined build.
Yes! Take a look at Our Designs (Hyperlink to the Designs page) which can be modified to suit your individual needs.
We can give you a detailed quote to build your Granny Flat based on your plans.
A volume builder is a builder that takes on a large volume of projects and can run upwards of 100> jobs a year. An exclusive builder like us, only takes on a limited number of projects. By running fewer jobs at once our builder can be hands-on and personally run jobs closely supervising all work and ensuring the highest quality of workmanship. We can also turn over jobs in almost half the time it takes the volume builders as our resources aren’t stretched over many jobs, and we never need to use “fill-in trades.