Whether it is a growing family, an inefficient space layout, or an outdated design, your home demands an upgrade sooner or later. When it comes to enhancing the appeal and functionality of your home, Sydney residents have two effective choices – Home extensions and Granny flats.
Both of these home addition options come with their own benefits and unique challenges. So the question arises here is which one is right for you? So if you are also looking to upgrade your Sydney home and are confused between a granny flat and home extension, this blog can help you out.
Here in this blog, we will understand the pros and cons of both of them so you can make an informed decision.
Granny Flat
A granny flat is a secondary living space different from your home but within the territory of your property. Granny flat includes hall, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and all the other required features of a living space. Granny flats are used for extended family members, and guests, and for renting purposes.
Pros of Building Granny Flats
Additional Home
A granny flat provides you with an additional home with all the required facilities. This secondary living space can be used by your guests and elderly so that they can live comfortably without any disturbance.
Secondary Income
One of the top benefits of granny flat is they can be used for additional income. Granny flats can be used as guest houses and rental properties to start a secondary source of income. Since granny flats are separate from your primary home, both you and your tenants can ensure privacy.
Enhance Home Value
Granny flats can significantly increase the resale value of your property. If you are thinking of selling your home in future, a granny flat can be an investment for you that can ensure high returns.
Versatility
Granny flats are highly versatile and can be used in many ways. Whether you have guests at home, want separate bedrooms for children, or want a quiet space for study or office work, you can use a granny flat.
Cost of Building a Granny Flat in Sydney
The average cost of building a granny flat in Sydney ranges from $60,000 to $180,000. The final construction cost depends on the number of bedrooms, the total area, the quality of materials, and your design preferences. Larger flats with premium materials can cost you more than small flats with standard materials. You can get a clear idea of the cost by consulting a granny flat builder in Sydney.
Challenges in Building Granny Flats
Building a granny flat in Sydney comes with certain challenges. Firstly, you have to obtain the necessary permits and approvals from the local authorities, which can be a time-consuming and hectic process. Moreover, the maximum size for building a granny flat in Sydney is 60 square metres. This can result in space constraints and affect the design layout and functionality of your space.
Home Extension
Home extension is the process of creating additional space in your home to increase its area. This can involve adding rooms or extending existing ones horizontally or vertically. Home extensions are done to create extra bedrooms, larger kitchens, or additional living areas without purchasing or building a new home.
Pros of Home Extensions
Increased Living Space
The most obvious benefit of home extension is it increases the living space of your home. Expanding your home provides additional room to accommodate a growing family or new lifestyle needs without changing your address.
Improved Looks and Functionality
Home addition can help you improve the overall appearance and functionality of your home. A fresh layout enhances the functionality and flow of your home, potentially improving your quality of life and daily comfort.
Customisation Options
Home extensions provide you with various customisation options. Whether you want to extend your space vertically or horizontally, you have numerous design options that match your requirements and unique preferences.
Cost of Home Extension in Sydney
The exact cost of a home extension in Sydney can vary based on the size and your requirements. However, an average home extension in Sydney can cost you between $150,000 to $ $350,000. Moreover, home extensions might surprise you with some additional costs during the construction process. So you should also take into account the emergency costs to tackle such a situation.
Challenges of Home Extension
One of the major challenges of home extension is seamless integration with the existing structure. Also, while making home additions, you also need to consider the structural issues before starting the extension work. Lastly, when making an extension, you need to take some approvals and permits. Moreover, in some cases, home additions do not go with the old property, affecting both aesthetically and functionally. This can be avoided by hiring experienced home extension professionals in Sydney.
Things to Consider When Making Your Decision
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Your Budget
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Budget is the most important factor that you need to consider when deciding between building a granny flat and a home extension. Both of these projects require a complex construction process starting from initial consultation to design, and finishing touches. Moth the projects can have varying costs.
Consider the various costs involved in both projects before making the final decision. These cost factors can include consultation fees, labour charges, expenses required for getting the necessary approvals, costs involved in building and finishing materials, and emergency funds for addressing unwanted issues. You also need to take into account that these costs may increase in the future.
You can get multiple quotes from leading building contractors and different material suppliers. This will give you an idea of how will each project cost approximately. Based on this, you can decide whether to get a granny flat or home extension according to your budget.
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Requirements
After understanding the financial aspect and setting the budget, another essential factor is considering your requirements. This is because the inexpensive option is not always right for you. Your requirements play a pivotal role.
It is crucial to know why are you starting this project. Consider these things –
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- Whether your home has insufficient living space
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- You want to have dedicated space for guests
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- You are looking for an additional income source
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- Your home just needs a better look
Understanding your requirements is essential before making your decision to make sure the purposes and functionality of a granny flat or home extension align with your goal. By asking these questions, you can have a clear understanding of your requirements and vision.
Analyse your family needs, lifestyle and space requirements. You can also discuss the pros and cons of each with your family before you come to a final conclusion.
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Long-term Plans
Whether you get a granny flat or make a home extension, in both cases you will invest considerable time and money. This makes it super important to consider the future aspects of these projects while deciding between these two.
Whether you are expecting a new family member or looking to sell your property in upcoming years. You should consider your long-term plans when deciding whether to build a granny flat or make a home extension.
Granny flats provide versatility, serving multiple functions over time such as housing elderly family members, functioning as a home office, or generating rental income. In contrast, a home extension adds permanent square footage to your home, potentially increasing resale value and meeting growing family needs for the foreseeable future.
So when making the decision, consider how each option aligns with your long-term goals for the property and whether it effectively meets both current and future lifestyle requirements.
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Permits and Approvals
Another crucial consideration is the different permits and approvals required for the construction process. In Sydney, there are separate building codes and approval requirements for granny flats and home extension projects. These requirements may vary based on the complexities and size of the projects.
These approval processes can have an impact on the timeline and budget of your projects. So before you decide, make sure you find out what permits and approvals you will need to get for each project. Also, understand the process of getting these approvals to know the complexities and time required.
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Property Layout
Before making the decision, you should also consider the property layout to make sure whether a granny flat will be good for you or a home addition. Because both the granny flat and the home extension will affect the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your property.
Apart from that, especially in the case of home extensions, you need to consider the structural integrity and layout of your home so the extended part seamlessly blends with the existing home without creating any safety concerns. By consulting an experienced residential builder in Sydney, you can get a better idea.
Conclusion
Both granny flats and home extensions can be helpful in improving the functionality and value of your home. However, depending on your requirements, budget, and lifestyle preferences, you can opt for a suitable option.
If you are still not sure, you can consult Edyco Building and Construction. We are leading home builders in Sydney, specialising in both granny flat builds and home extensions. Our experienced and skilled professionals will thoroughly understand your goals and examine your property to help you provide helpful assistance. So do not wait any longer, contact us and talk to our specialists today!