Do you need more room in your house but don’t want to put up with a renovation or construction? If you have an adult child or parents who need to move in with you, privacy and suitable space can be an issue in a cramped house.

Putting up a granny flat can be a good solution if you choose the right one. Use these tips to select the right flat for your needs.

Determine How Much Space is Available

Before shopping for a flat to build on your property, you need to determine how much space is available for the structure. Look over the property decide where the best places are for a granny flat and measure the spaces.

If you’re not good at using a measuring tape, consider hiring a contractor for accurate measurements and to answer any questions that you have about building a flat on the property. After selecting an appropriate space, then you can start looking at flat designs. Golden State residents like to look for California accessory dwelling units that fit seamlessly within their existing property layout while maximizing available space. These units often meet local zoning regulations and can be customized to suit various design preferences and practical needs.

How Much Room Is Needed?

If only one person is going to be living in the unit, then a studio or one bedroom flat may be an appropriate size.

However, if both parents are moving in with you, then you may want to consider a two-bedroom unit, so they can have a guest room or an extra space to go to when they need to relax.

Most people need 100 to 400 square feet of space to live in, but you don’t need to double the size of two people. Two people can easily live comfortably in about a 550-square-foot house. If your parents are moving from a house to a flat, they will need to cull what moves with them.

Attached or Detached?

If you want to avoid construction at your house, then you’ll probably want to stick with detached housing. However, if your parents need assistance or you want the security of having them close by but with their own space, then you can choose to have the flat attached to your house.

A good granny flat builder Sydney should be able to fit the two structures together without requiring major renovations to your home. A customized flat will be a better choice than one that is prefabricated because the design can fit your specific needs.

Get Everyone’s Input

When choosing materials for the flat, get everyone’s input for the cladding and interior finishes. Along with considerations for increasing the value of the property, your parents or child must like where they are living. The four basic choices for cladding are:

  • Brick veneer
  • Wood
  • Vinyl
  • Metal

Good designers can make the cladding look luxurious from any of these materials, but you should consider its sustainability too.

If the flat is going to be detached, you don’t need cladding that matches your house. However, an attached flat’s cladding should match it as closely as possible.

When building a granny flat on your property, consider its future use as well. What will happen to it after your parents have passed or decide to move again?

A flat can provide additional income for your household or one of your children could move into it while they’re at university. There are several advantages to building a granny flat on your property.