So you want to know how to get a granny flat approved?
Whether you are building a new home, house extension, or granny flat – it can be a confusing process getting your project from the design stage to construction.
Good news: we’re here to help.
Not only are we happy to share our insider knowledge on how to get a granny flat approved – we can handle almost everything for you if you prefer.
First, let’s get into the basics…
What Is A Secondary Dwelling?
A secondary dwelling is the Council’s term for a granny flat – although the terminology does differ slightly in some States.
When it comes to designing a secondary dwelling, there will be a set of standard rules and restrictions depending on your State, Local Council, and Residential Zone.
Every Council and State has different rules to follow, but here are some general points to consider:
- Maximum Size: Most Councils have a max size requirement for your granny flat’s Gross Floor Area (GFA) – usually between 50-100m2. Keep in mind this limit does NOT include your deck or carport/garage. These are in addition to the max size requirement.
- Location: Some Councils don’t allow secondary dwellings to be in front or to the side of your main dwelling where it can be seen from the street. However, some Councils do allow this. Granny flats are usually located in your backyard.
- Property Setbacks: Depending on your Residential Zone, there will be rules on how close your dwelling can be to the front, side and rear boundaries.
- Dwelling Setbacks: There is also a minimum setback from your primary dwelling with a detached granny flat (for fire protection purposes). There may also be a maximum setback from your main dwelling.
- Site Cover: This is mainly a concern if you have a small property such as 500m2 or less. Site cover is the total percentage of your block that is covered by structures with roofs. This includes your main home, garages, carports, sheds and your new granny flat. It doesn’t include structures with open roofs such as a pergola. Your allowable site cover maximum will be determined by your Residential Zone, and normally between 40-60% of your property. This can affect the size of your granny flat as you cannot go larger than your Council’s allowable site cover percentage.
- Maximum Height: Height is calculated from your lowest level of ground slope to highest point of the roof apex. Council may require you to have a greater setback from property boundaries when building a two-storey. It may also be applicable when building on a sloping site requiring high stilts/stumps to sit your granny flat on.
- Driveways & Car Spaces: Most Councils require you to use just one driveway/crossover from the street for use by your main dwelling and your granny flat, and do not allow a second driveway. Exceptions to the rule are where there’s already an existing second driveway on the property or you’re in a rural zone with a large block dependent on street front length. Most Councils require you to have 1-2 additional car spaces on your block for use by the granny flat.
- Bedrooms: Some Councils have restrictions on maximum number of bedrooms. However, most accept up to two bedrooms.
- Kitchen & Laundry: If your new dwelling includes either a full kitchen or laundry space you can expect it to be classified as a Secondary Dwelling. Otherwise, you may in fact be designing a detached House Extension instead. It is important to think about your needs here as Council rules for a house extension are often a lot more relaxed than with a secondary dwelling. For example, there’s no additional car parking required for a house extension, there are no maximum dwelling size limits, and no restrictions on the number of bedrooms.
You should know all these points before you start designing.
What If I Don’t Follow These Rules?
In addition, not adhering to any of these rules may lead to one of two scenarios:
- Trigger the need for a Council Relaxation through your Private Certifier
- Trigger need for a Development Application (DA) with your Local Council
There will add costs and time to your project. While it’s always preferred to stay within the rules, sometimes it cannot be avoided.
To start your journey, you can call your Local Council for clarification, a private certifier or town planner.
Or make it easy. Ask us about ordering a Site Investigation Report – chat to our team today to learn more.
The Essentials You Will Need
Now that you know the basic rules for building a secondary dwelling, what’s next?
Regardless of whether you’re building a granny flat or house extension, you’ll need a few essentials to get your granny flat approved:
- Set of Working Drawings & Material Specifications – Completed by your designer
- Site Survey – Completed by a land surveyor
- Soil Test – Completed by a geotechnical engineer
- Structural Engineering – Completed by a structural engineer
- Energy Assessment – Completed by an energy assessor
- Building Approval & Plumbing Permit – Completed by a private building certifier
Some design/construction companies, including Funky Little Shack, can help organize all the above for you.
However, it is quite common for properties to have certain additional factors that affect how and where your granny flat can be built…
Property Factors To Keep In Mind
This is where things can get tricky…
If you have ordered a Site Investigation Report from us, or talked to a local expert, you may know of some property overlays or factors already.
These will need to be addressed through either the design itself, or with a consultant report that analyses the situation.
Here are some of the most common property factors we deal with frequently:
- Bushfire Zone
If you’re building in an area prone to bushfires, you’ll need a bushfire consultant to complete a BAL Report, and a BAL rating will be given to your property. A high BAL rating will affect the type of building materials allowed to be used in construction, which in turn can affect the cost of construction.
- Environmental Overlays
Many properties are affected by environmental overlays. These may include Koala Habitat, Protected Vegetation, or Wetlands & Waterways Buffer Zones. Building near or clearing vegetation in these areas may trigger a Development Application with your Local Council, as well as Environment Consultant or Arborist Reports. It is best to avoid clearing natural vegetation where you can.
- Flood Zone
If you live in an area prone to floods, you be required to know your Probable Maximum Flood level. This will determine how high off the ground your granny flat must be, and if the footings must be designed to withstand a flood. Depending on your State, you may also require a DA to build in these areas.
- Landslide Hazard Zone
Building on a considerable slope normally requires a Slope Stability Risk Assessment to be completed by a geotechnical engineer. This will inform how your granny flat must be designed from an engineering standpoint, the amount of bracing/tie downs, and the depth of footings required.
- Stormwater Drainage
How stormwater drains on your property needs to be addressed, especially when living in close proximity to neighbours. If you can’t find a way to drain to the street or existing infrastructure, you’ll need to find a way to safety discharge stormwater. A plumber can assist with this.
- Wastewater
If you are not connected to town sewerage, you’ll require an onsite wastewater treatment system (eg. biocycle tank). To ensure you have the right size system for your granny flat, you’ll need a hydraulic engineer to create a Wastewater Design & Report for your project. If you have an existing wastewater system on your property you may be able to use it. However, it will depend on its size and whether it has the capacity for an additional dwelling to be linked to it. The hydraulic engineer will determine this.
Do I Need Approval From Council?
Have you heard about the dreaded Development Application (DA)?
We promise it’s not as scary as some may say – but Councils can throw a spanner in the works from time to time.
Some Council areas always require a DA before building a secondary dwelling.
But in most situations, you’ll be able to avoid the DA process by sticking to the Standard Building Rules for your area.
Here are a few situations that may trigger the need for a DA:
- Exceeding the Council’s maximum size limit for a secondary dwelling.
- Building too far away from your main home.
- Building outside the normal setback rules.
- Building in an environmental protected zone or clearing protected vegetation.
- Building in a flood zone or near wetlands and waterways.
If you want to know whether or not you need a DA to get your granny flat approved, ask our team about ordering a Site Investigation Report – call us today.
Can My Granny Flat Be Attached To My Main Home?
The short answer is: Yes.
However, if your granny flat is attached (or within 1.8m of the main dwelling) there must be some form of fire separation between the two homes. This often comes in the form of a fire separation (or parti) wall
An attached secondary dwelling can be more expensive to build than a detached dwelling. It’s because your builder needs to spend time on the connection point of the two homes. This often includes alterations to your main dwelling and roofline to suit.
Funky Little Shack has successfully designed both attached and detached granny flats that local builders have completed.
If you’re unsure what will be best for you, talk to our team today.
How Should I Get Started?
You might be feeling overwhelmed by the points covered in this guide.
Thankfully, you don’t need to go it alone… get your granny flat approved with us.
Funky Little Shack are professionals in the granny flat business. We’ve been designing luxury custom granny flats for 6+ years and have extensive experience dealing with Councils and certifiers.
Or, call our friendly team to discuss your granny flat needs today.
If you’re unsure about your property rules for building a granny flat, ask us for a Site Investigation Report to find out all your essential information.
Fill out our contact form here.
You can also call on 1300 377 744 or email us directly at hello@funkylittleshack.com.au.