Granny Flats

Households in Queensland are spending more than $76,000 per year on general living expenses and over 16% of Queensland households can't access $2,000 in any given week.  Even if you're just living alone, or it's just you and your spouse, chances are, you still may be struggling to make ends meet.  If your thinking of downsizing to better manage your bills? Then you'll want to consider granny flats from Pop Up Homes.

What Is A Granny Flat?

“Granny Flat” is a colloquial term for “accessory dwelling unit” (ADU) or some Council’s call it a detached dwelling or auxillary / secondary dwelling. You may also know them as a small home, tiny home, guest houses or mother-in-law quarters. They are basically small flats that are built on a property / block of land that someone already owns. Granny Flats have their own entrances, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

This means theoretically, you can live independently in a Granny Flat without having to interact with the landowners or Granny Flat owner (if you're renting). But this is only realistic in a certain type of Granny Flat (which we'll discuss below).

Typically, there are 3 types of Granny Flats: in-home, home-extension, and detached. The detached type is the one most commonly seen; as you can guess, you'd get the most privacy since you don't share any walls with the main property.

This is the one where you can get away with possibly no interaction with the people who live in the main house.

What Are Some Typical Features of Granny Flats?

The typical features of a Granny Flat will vary, depending on the type you choose. We'll explain more in detail below.

In-Home Granny Flat

An in-home Granny Flat is the easiest type to construct since the only construction you have to do is on the existing house. Typically, you'll make the space for the Granny Flat completely inaccessible by the people in the main area, except through the separate door made for the flat.

This means you may have to drywall part of your home to create a private space for the granny flat. You'll also have to put a door in if the granny flat won't be accessible without one.

Home-Extension Granny Flat

As the name suggests, this is where you'd build upon your existing home. This would generally be building an additional floor for the entire granny flat.

Since it'd be on a higher floor, you'll also have to construct a separate stairway so the inhabitant can get up to their dwelling without having to go through your home.

Detached Granny Flat

The detached granny flat is by far the most popular type, as it gives you a completely separate living space from the main house. There are no adjoining walls, which means you'll get complete privacy in a detached Granny Flat.

Benefits of Living in Granny Flats?

Now that you have some foundation knowledge of what Granny Flats are, we can move onto the benefits of living in one. For the purpose of this article, the majority of the benefits will apply to detached granny flats.

Get More Privacy

Are your kids growing up and enrolling in university soon? Perhaps they've chosen one that's nearby, so they want to stay at home to save on costs. With so many adults in one space, it may feel claustrophobic. And you and your spouse finally want your alone time after raising your children. A great solution would be to build a Granny Flat and have your university-aged child live in it. That way, everyone gets the privacy they want.

Be Closer to Your Loved Ones

If you have family members who are getting older, you might want to keep an eye on them. But it's hard to do when they live hours away. By investing in a Granny Flat and letting them stay there, you can take much better care of them. And if they want to live an independent life, they can, with the added benefit that you're just a few seconds away should they need assistance.

Reduce Your Bills

When you live in a smaller space, you won't use up as much energy. Not only does this mean your utility bills will be much lower, but it also means you won't have to spend as much time doing chores.

Make Extra Income

Maybe you don't want to move out of the comforts of your current home. But you're still struggling to pay your bills and need a way to generate more income. If you have extra land, investing in a Granny Flat is a great way to get that additional income you need to lead a more comfortable life. While it does initially take a significant amount of money to build one, it'll soon pay for itself when you rent it out regularly and generate passive income from this investment.

Consider Getting a Granny Flat

Now that you know what Granny Flats are, their features, and the benefits of living in one, you may be attracted to this type of dwelling. Whether you want to move into one, have a relative who'd benefit from it, or would like to generate some passive income, a Granny Flat is an excellent investment, no matter how you look at it. So, if you can secure financing for purchasing a Granny Flat, we highly recommend you do so, as it'll be one of the wisest financial decisions you make.

Want to know more?  Check out some of our Frequently Asked Questions and get in touch with us now! We'll be more than happy to discuss our Pop Up Homes with you.