Granny flats are a fully self-contained, comfortable home with 1- 3 bedrooms, and are an affordable residential option for many looking for accommodation in today’s property market. The construction of a Granny Flat is well legislated in planning regulations
A tiny house is a smaller dwelling, often on wheels so that it can be classed as a caravan. A tiny house does not have a planning definition, and is not actually legislated and there is some scrutiny on that. There is quite a lot of hype about Tiny Homes but buyers and renters need to be careful that dwellings are safe and legal to occupy.
What is a Tiny House?
- No council approval sought as not deemed a house in planning legislation
- Often transportable, on wheels classed as a caravan
- Locate almost anywhere but regulated in how it can be lived in
- 20-32 sqm living space
- No building regulation
- Sometimes off grid capability
- Limited living areas and storage
Vs what is a Granny Flat?
- Not transportable, fixed on a foundation
- Council approval via CDC or DA
- Located in the backyard of existing dwelling
- 40-60 sqm living space
- Conventional building ethos
- On grid typically
- Multiple living areas and storage
The advantages of granny flats vs tiny houses include:
- Lenders will provide finance for granny flats, but probably won’t lend for moveable structures like tiny houses since they are not fixed assets.
- Modern granny flats offer higher levels of comfort including insulation, cooling, heating, and spacious indoor and outdoor living spaces.
- You can choose from a variety of design options instead of being restricted to one standard design – you can even personalise the interior design.
- Granny Flats can often be designed to match the existing home
- A well thought out design will often affect the value of your property in a positive way
There are really few disadvantages to Granny Flats
Tiny houses may offer some advantages like portability, lowered heating, cooling bills, but they have their fair share of disadvantages;
- In terms of size, they’re not much bigger than a caravan, with the living area downstairs and the bedroom upstairs – nearly impossible to have friends or family over because there is simply no room.
- Moving is great – but parking can be a problem with the size and manoeuvrability of the vehicle with a house attached to be considered
- Liveability can be impractical including having to manage composting toilets, having limited water storage and missing basics like laundry facilities
- Living in a tiny house is complicated with many councils not allowing the structure as a permanent dwelling.
In deciding whether to build a granny flat or a tiny house, you need to ask yourself these questions.
- Would you prefer independent accommodation with its own kitchen, bathroom, and laundry, or just an outdoor room?
- Are you looking to accommodate a certain number of people?
- How much are you willing to spend?
- How soon do you need it?
- Do you need to live there permanently and what are your local council rules around caravans and tiny houses?