Extending V Building a Granny Flat
Extension versus a granny flat
This is the first in a two part series looking at the benefits of building a Granny Flat versus adding an extension.
Extending is an exciting milestone but it often leads to a classic home owners dilemma: Should we extend the existing home or build a stand alone granny flat in the backyard? While an extension can feel like the natural ‘growth’ of your floor plan, the reality of construction tells a different story.
At Great Granny Flats we’ve seen first hand how choosing a secondary dwelling over an extension can save your sanity - and provide a better result for the person living in it. Here is why a granny flat might be the smarter, more peaceful path to your property.
The Construction Zone Factor: Mess and Disruption
When you build an extension, your home is the building site. Extensions: you are living with dust that migrates through every crack, plastic sheets over the internal doors, and the constant noise of hammering on the other side of your living room wall. Your privacy is significantly reduced as tradespeople move through your primary living spaces daily. Granny Flats: The construction is contained entirely to your backyard. Your daily routine remains largely untouched. You can still cook dinner, watch TV, and sleep in a dust free environment while the work happens ‘out the back’. The psychological relief of being able to close your back door and shut out the building cannot be overstated.
Keeping the Lights on: Service Disconnections
One of the most overlooked hidden costs of a home extension is the inconvenience of utility outages. Because an extension is physically grafted on to your home, builders often have to disconnect electricity, water, sewer, gas, sometimes extended periods to safely integrate new wiring and plumbing. This can mean days without a functioning kitchen or bathroom, especially when those rooms need to be modified to accommodate a new layout. It may also require moving out to a relatives or motel for a period. With Great Granny Flats, the services are generally run with new lines from the main connection points. While there is a brief tie-in period, it rarely impacts the livability of the main house. You stay connected, powered up and comfortable for the duration of the build.
To be continued in blog post part two