GRANNY FLATS - Surveys you'll need

Granny flats, also referred to as Secondary Dwellings or Auxilliary Units are often separate additions within older, and well established properties, or an extension of the existing home.

As such they require a building approval and are subject to building setbacks and other regulations such as fire.

Being a Building Approval [BA] process a Survey and Certification must  be carried out.

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Bear in mind this is always project dependent and your consultant will advise. If you do not have a professional consultant feel free to contact us for some helpful advice.

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Surveys you will likely need:

• Partial site plan - for planning & design.

• Set out - prior to construction.

• Boundary Identification Survey - if building on the boundary

• Certification  - on completion.

 

Typical other situations where these same things may also apply are:

• Carport - especially when close to a boundary

• New Deck

• Sheds

• Swimming pools

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Some extensions and additions to your home may be difficult to fit within the existing site while maintaining good access and privacy.

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Our partial site plan will highlight potential problems that should be solved in the initial design process. Remember, the design can always change, but some things such as your site's boundaries will not. Other things may be able to change, such as a significant tree, but at what cost? Shade? Views?

This is or should be the very first step in your Granny Flat journey - be wary of falling in love with a particular design first. When you go to Granny Flat vendors armed with a Site Plan they will be much better placed to show you designs that will fit and a much better idea of likely cost. They will also realise that they are dealing with someone to be respected and not to be fooled with.

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Unfortunately we have been to sites to setout granny flats and the buildings do not fit in the area available. This often occurs when the true property boundary is not where it seems. You cannot rely on fences.

In such cases the buildings needed to be redesigned or relocated and then resubmitted for building approval, resulting in additional expense and delays, which could easily have been avoidable had correct process been followed in the first place. 

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For best results some things you should consider are

1. Planning for building in a restricted area.

2. Sensible design for privacy, comfort & safety. Vertical separation is often one consideration overlooked, as well as steepness of access and stormwater

3. Access to the site for builders.

4. Ongoing access for the proposed future occupants that may impact the privacy & enjoyment of the main dwelling occupants - this is especially true if you propose to let out the Granny Flat

5. Integration with existing buildings and site features.

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