The Ultimate Cheat Sheet to Build a Granny Flat on a Budget

Making another (smaller) residential object on your property is usually a good idea for those who want to have family members stick close without actually sharing the same living space. This keeps family relations intact in community-living situations, but it also creates a number of interesting opportunities. For instance, some people want to sublet a part of their property without renting an actual room in their home. Others prefer to enjoy the safety of numbers (living in close vicinity to others) without sharing their personal space.

Whatever your motivations may be, here’s all you need to do in order to build a granny flat on a budget.

1. Get the right permits

The first thing you need to do is get a permit to build this granny flat. While this is your property, it’s an extra structure that requires approval. Now, it probably won’t take longer than ten days (or two weeks) to get a permit. Still, there are reports of people waiting up to two months to get one finally.

It’s also important that you consider the size of the project itself. The property needs to be of a certain size in order for you to be allowed to build a granny flat to begin with. This minimal requirement is up to the state in question. Just remember that there’s both minimum and maximum size for a structure to be classified as a granny flat.

2. Find a designer

Another thing you need to keep in mind is the importance of finding a company specializing in custom granny flats construction and talking to them about your ideas. You see, it’s not just about having the right design. Granny flats are a different kind of built. They need to be situated on a specific area of your property (all according to the regulations). 

Moreover, depending on your needs, you might ask for something specific/extra to be included in the design. The process itself is pretty inexpensive, but some customizations might slightly increase the cost. The most cost-effective method to test this out would be to download a virtual room design app and see what the end result would look like.

3. Ensure privacy

Regardless of who’s going to live there, a granny house needs to have its own privacy. This is why the window placement, investment in blinds, and even landscaping around the area make a world of difference. Some even decide to completely close off this area by building a fence and gate access. This means that you have to allocate more space to this structure, virtually making a property inside of a property. Another thing you need to keep in mind is that a granny flat is a one-story building. When it comes to windows, this makes things a bit more complex. You need a compromise between visibility and privacy, which is not that easy to find.

4. Budgeting makes a difference

When budgeting, you have to consider the purpose of the project. What do we mean by that? Well, if you want to rent it out, you need to consider the construction cost through precise calculation. Consider all the factors and make the most cost-effective decisions. On the other hand, if you intend for this to be a home of your elderly parent, you need to put an emphasis on safety, convenience, and comfort. Quality of life investments and ROI investments are not one and the same. So, handle your budget accordingly.

5. Think about versatility

The last thing you need to keep in mind is that your granny flat is allowed to have more than one function. What does this mean? Well, it doesn’t have to be the place for your elderly. It can also be an area that you plan to rent out. It can also be a guest house or a playroom for your kids. Also, keep in mind that it can be all of these things at the same time, in different stages of your life. By investing in versatility and planning ahead, you can get the most value out of this area. Not to mention that the resale value of a property will skyrocket with every new structure.

In conclusion

Lastly, it all comes down to why you’re building a granny flat, how much space you have, and how big of a chunk of your budget you can allocate to this. In other words, every situation is different. Also, one of the things you might want to check out is a tiny house movement. Despite the fact that this place is compact, it can still be quite pragmatic. If anything, the fact that it’s smaller in size might reflect positively on the utility bills.