Do you know the answers?
Granny Flat Auckland – The first and foremost question is do you know all there is to know? Imagine the excitement of building a stand-alone granny flat – just to find out you missed something, or did something wrong. The height of the ceiling from the floor must be more than 2.4 meters as a good example. This could become a time-consuming and very expensive learning curve.
Is building a stand-alone granny flat the right choice?
How much money you have will have a significant impact on the size, appearance and furnishing of the granny flat. You will know how big your granny flat needs to be once you figure out how you are going to use it. Will you rent it? Will your mother-in-law live there? Will you and your partner live there? Depending on the number of people and its function (primary or secondary residence) you will be able to determine the square meter you need.
Firstly, what is a granny flat?
Auckland City council doesn’t have a separate category for granny flat or minor dwelling units, but it simply means any flat that has a kitchen is considered to be a second household unit.
Why you need extra space?
Do you need a room for your child or parent? Perhaps you’re looking to rent out the unused space? If you are just seeking extra space (with the kitchen or bathroom), then adding an extension to your home could also be an option.
There could be other reasons for the extra space, and it may not be a granny flat that you’re needing. It is common in new homes to have a media room, study room/office, recreational area, or a game room – all of which is not considered a second household unit.
You need to determine what kind of room you’re looking for, whether it’s an extra household unit, extra bedroom, a study room, or a recreational room – this will determine the scope of works for the architect.
There are multiple ideas available to use spare space.
In addition – your newly built stand-alone granny flat can have multiple uses:
- Work from the home area
- Gym area
- Gaming area
- Hobby room
- Media room or movie theatre
- Teenager’s room
- Guestroom
- Rented out for extra income
- Home entertainment/bar space
While you do have to make some sacrifice to fit everything in a constrained place, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it comfortable. In fact, such a tiny place doesn’t even need a lot of effort invested to feel loungy.
Basic necessities
What are the two most important rooms in the house? The kitchen and the bathroom. Many people are skeptical when it comes to installing them into the granny flat because they are often small and basic. This doesn’t mean they have to be unpractical. A basic bathroom needs a toilet, shower, sink and a mirror. The kitchen needs downsizing of appliances, but it should be fully equipped for maximum functionality of the household.Where will you park your vehicle if the garage gets converted into the room?
Minimalist décor
Small spaces look better and more open when decorated with a minimalist approach. This means embracing a design style, such as Scandinavian, which focuses on light colors, minimum clutter, hidden storage and plenty of natural lighting. All of this helps highlight and enhance this otherwise restricted space.
Outdoor space
Finally, if you want your granny flat to truly feel like home, you can complete the look with a garden and exterior landscaping. You can amplify the overall look and feel by growing hedges in trenches around the object, putting up lattice on one of the outside walls, planting trees near the foundations and building a gutter garden. Such combination of the interior and exterior turns a secondary home into a primary one.
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