A granny flat is a self-contained building with a kitchen, bathroom, living area and room(s). It’s separate from the primary residential building, but on the same land.
You may choose to build a granny flat in your backyard for many reasons.
Whatever your reasons, this is no small project to embark on. Building a granny flat that meets your needs and provides the most value requires careful planning.
Not everyone with a backyard can build a granny flat – you must have enough land.
How much land exactly?
This rule changes, depending on government requirements in your jurisdiction.
In NSW, at least 450 square metres of land is needed for a granny flat that’s no more than 60 square metres. This doesn’t include the garage and additions such as verandas or patios.
Let’s assume your land is big enough…
This doesn’t automatically make your location suitable for building a granny flat in NSW.
Your property may contain obstacles that make the building process more complex (and expensive).
Examples include:
Another important consideration:
It’s generally not possible to put a granny flat on a property with a duplex. Homeowners can only have one secondary dwelling on a plot of land. A granny flat is considered a secondary dwelling, and so is a duplex (you can’t have both, but there are some exceptions).
Finally…
If your property is suitable for a granny flat, you need to consider how you want to approach this.
Do you want to build a separate detached dwelling from scratch, or is it best to have it attached to your existing residence? A reputable granny flat builder will help you make this decision.
You need to get certain approvals before you start the construction process – via a Development Application (DA) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC).
Are you a homeowner in Sydney, the Central Coast or Newcastle?
Our company Amescorp builds granny flats in these locations. We handle the entire approval process on your behalf, so you don’t need to worry about preparing or submitting paperwork.
How long does approval take?
It’s not uncommon for projects to get the green light within 10 days of applying, but you could wait between six to eight weeks (depending on the individual situation).
This is a big investment, so consider your budget and any unexpected costs that may arise.
Expect to spend between $140,000 and $200,000 when building a granny flat in NSW. The exact amount depends on various factors such as the number of bedrooms, site location, site conditions and design choices.
Certain site conditions can lead to higher costs, as more complex planning and construction work is required. If your property is in a bushfire or flood zone, you may need to pay more for a specialist consultant to conduct an assessment and choose suitable materials.
To this end, it’s crucial for a consultant to inspect the site and ultimately review the Council Planning Certificate and other documents early on. This will help to identify any possible additional site costs, so these can be incorporated into the plans and your budget from the start.
The best granny flat builders in Sydney (and across NSW) will be transparent, with no hidden fees!
Having said this, sometimes unexpected costs are impossible to predict until a project is actually underway. If you can, set aside a budget that’s a little bigger than the quote, so you have a safety buffer.
When it comes to financing the project, we recommend you choose a lender that’s experienced with financing granny flats. You should have the option to apply for a construction loan or access property equity.
Before building a granny flat, think about its intended purpose.
Are you planning to rent the property, use it for office space or turn it into a home for relatives? If you have a specific purpose in mind, you can tailor the design around it. For example, you may want to install railings and ramps if elderly relatives are moving in, or possibly have wider doorways and easy access bathroom facilities.
Don’t forget about general access too. In cases where the property is hard for residents and visitors to access, you may need to move existing items such as hot water systems to provide a wider access .
It’s also important to position the granny flat to create privacy for everyone living on the land (residents in the main property and granny flat).
We suggest you find a building company that offers customised designs to maximise space, functionality and privacy.
Instead of buying a new investment property, many homeowners choose the more affordable option of building a granny flat to rent out.
This can attract a return on investment of around 10 to 20 per cent. However, there will be a period when the property is unoccupied, and you won’t receive any rent (it takes an average three to four weeks to find a suitable tenant).
You will need to find other ways to pay your loan repayments during this hiatus, so plan ahead.
Amescorp has been setting industry standards for affordable, quality granny flats for decades.
Our licensed and insured builders are committed to transparency and take pride in every project.
You can expect:
We offer customised designs, layouts and plans. In fact, many of our standard inclusions are optional upgrades with other granny flat builders.
Call us on (02) 8798 9858 or fill out this form to get an immediate quote.
GOOD Based on 47 reviews Priya Uday2023-06-13 Ron (site supervisor), you've given us a pleasant customer experience with our granny flat build You've been a game changer particularly when we had several professionals who were given the cap to manage our project for only brief times for reasons many Your signature attributes which does not limit to the friendly connect with your customer, transparent, timely and clear communication, go-get attitude, willing to go the extra mile for your customers, your eye for detail and giving us more than perfect examples. Liana Totian2022-12-02 Knock down rebuild of duplex in Denistone NSW. As this was our first build, we spent a lot of time speaking and researching builders. When we met with James, we felt at ease from the very first visit. James is the most honest, calm, easy going, and accommodating person. I am very fussy and would a times change my mind and never was it a problem with James. No issue was too big or small. I Highly recommend Amscorp and the wonderful, caring, dedicated, professional team. I’m absolutely wrapped with the workmanship and service from start to finish. You’re welcome to view my beautifully built family home to see for yourself. Mick Patrovski2022-10-05 Amescorp completed my granny flat in Hornsby, It was hassle free from start to finish. The site manager was brilliant in keeping me posted. Excellent professionalism. Very impressive construction. I highly recommended these guys as they deliver what they promise Mick. Sam Fernando2022-09-25 Amescorp built our granny on our investment property this year. Their communication, quality of work and attention to details has been amazing throughout the whole process from the time we walked into the showroom right up until we were handed our keys. James the director was great to deal with and was hands on throughout the whole process. We highly recommend using these guys if you are looking to build a quality granny flat. Thank again Sam Tina Milovic2022-08-17 We have just had our home built by Amescorp. We would like to Thank James and his team for a Beautiful home, from the design to final handover James and all his team and staff have done an amazing job. Thankyou Tina and Zoran Gregg Thor2022-08-08 Great place to look at granny flats. Good helpful staff willing to give you time and advice.
Copyright Amescorp 2025. Home & Granny Flats Builders Sydney NSW Australia. Website by – The Branding Lab |
SEO by E-Web Marketing
No need to wait days, fill out the form below and submit and we will come back to you with a quote.
Get a Granny Flat quote immediately!
No need to wait days, fill out the form below and submit and we will come back to you with a quote.