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Positioning a Granny Flat for Privacy posted on the 27th March 2014
CASH IS KING, but so is PRIVACY !
So now you know what sort of property is suitable for a Granny Flat, it’s crucial to design your new Granny Flat with a view to creating privacy between the two households, whether both are investment properties, or a home owner that has built a granny flat investment in his backyard. You need to create visual privacy as well as acoustic privacy.
The idea of building a new, separate stand alone ‘Auxilliary Dwelling’ or granny flat is a no brainer, a great idea! But it does need some strategic thinking and careful consideration and planning to ensure the new building doesn’t detract in any way from the already existing principle dwelling. This means enhancing visual privacy, providing landscaping to suit and improving the over all aesthetic appeal.
There will be occasions, such as can be seen in our Raceview Investment Property Case Study where investors have bought a flat vacant block of land, and built a new 3 bedroom x 2 bathroom x SLUG + 2 bedroom x 1 bathroom + single carport (granny flat) with a common wall in between. Even in this instance, careful design and planning was essential so that both tenants have visual and acoustic privacy, ensuring that both also have separate backyard space and appropriate privacy. If good design is applied at the beginning of the planning stage, this can be achieved so that it’s a WIN / WIN for both tenants. And we all want happy tenants!
CASE STUDY EXAMPLE :
We have a good example of a work in progress in the early planning stages.
Check out our YouTube videos : Ipswich Investment Property Project Diary: Newtown – Part 1 and 2.
This property is a reasonably flat level site of just over 1500m2. The owners have nearly completed the sub division that will result in two separate titles : a rear lot of approximately 1,000m2, and front lot that has an existing highset Queenslander on the front right hand corner. The end product : two clear titles. Unfortunately we have had to clear the site because of the position of the trees, but we now have a great building envelope in which to commence building work, 20m x 43m + driveway access.
The trick for the rear lot (newly created vacant land) was to be able to position a new main dwelling of 4 bedroom x 2 bathroom x DLUG with reasonable yard space and privacy, whilst still allowing for a new separate stand alone granny flat that also had to have a private back yard and not be encroaching on the main house. And not end up with two new houses that were dark and dingy with no private space. One of the key benefits of using an architect : a designer whose absolute passion is being able to provide an affordable product that uses sustainable building principles, passive solar orientation and yet still not compromise on good design principles.
This then brings us to the existing front lot. We have a highset Queenslander positioned in the front right hand corner of the block, leaving us a reasonable size backyard. The newly created access drive way sweeps down the left hand side of both properties, thus enabling rear yard access via the newly created drive slipway into the front lot. New dividing fence between the existing Queenslander and soon to be separate stand alone Granny Flat in it’s backyard !
The Queenslander is in the process of having a new front verandah which has a prevailing breeze and magnificent views across Ipswich – imagine sitting there at the end of the working day sitting, complete with glass of wine in hand …
Maximum use of the original whole property – great for the interstate investor concerned. His investment is now extremely cash flow positive. Great design without compromising on sustainability or budget. But still achieving complete privacy for all concerned – truly a WIN / WIN / WIN …