Granny pods, granny flats and granny annexes are all the fad. A latest survey by Aviva How We Stay discovered that 10% of these surveyed at the moment dwell with older kinfolk and would think about increasing their family to incorporate extra senior relationships if mandatory.
Curiously, the identical survey additionally discovered that 5% of UK households have already got an outbuilding, reminiscent of a transformed storage, transformed cellar or a separate outbuilding, to offer the mandatory lodging. As well as, one other 7% of households say they’ve plans to develop any such house for members of the family. These figures illustrate how common multi-generational dwelling has develop into within the UK.
“The pandemic has modified the best way we dwell and work from home,” mentioned Sarah Cull, senior affiliate director at Strutt & Parker (opens in new tab) in Salisbury. ‘With outbuildings which can be turning into more and more common, as a result of they’ll provide a house the last word in dwelling flexibility.’
In addition they assist to fight the sensation of loneliness that many aged undergo from; be certain that residents know they’ve assist and care at hand when wanted.
So what’s a granny flat? When you’re fascinated by growing your house by making a granny pod for a big household, this is your full information.
What’s a granny flat?
Traditionally, a granny flat is an additional house constructed to permit the householder to maintain aged kinfolk shut by.
(Picture credit score: iHus)
“Outhouses are often self-contained, affording the resident a level of independence whereas nonetheless having members of the family readily available to assist and care if wanted,” mentioned Oliver Wright, NAPC planning supervisor. (opens in new tab) and basic supervisor of iHus (opens in new tab). ‘It’s often a indifferent constructing within the backyard of a home, however they will also be constructed on.’
In recent times, nonetheless, the grandmother’s house has additionally developed right into a sensible, monetary and emotional resolution. With working from house turning into the norm within the UK for the reason that pandemic, an increasing number of individuals are utilizing outbuildings for house workplaces. Furthermore, as the price of dwelling continues to rise and, with unaffordable mortgages for first-time consumers, the boomerang era is shifting again in with their mother and father.
(Picture credit score: Base Architects)
‘Whereas historically constructed to accommodate an older relative, therefore the identify, we frequently see youthful kinfolk or an prolonged household dwelling in it as properly,’ says Oliver Wright. An extension gives the best resolution for each generations in order that nobody lives on prime of one another.
“Flexibility is vital when designing an outbuilding,” says architect Zac Monro of Zac Monro Architects. (opens in new tab) “Our mantra is that in case you design a superb guide, it will possibly deal with something you set it to. So long as it has good pure gentle and would not have an ungainly form, it may be versatile for any use.”
What sorts of grannies are there?
1. Granny flat
That is typically a floor flooring extension added to the primary home, or an present a part of the home, such because the attic, that has been modified to accommodate an aged relative. Often, although not all the time, the extension or reworked house solely provides a bed room and toilet. This leads to shared dwelling areas between the granny flat and the primary home.
(Picture credit score: Future PLC)
2. Granny Pod
Designed to be put in in a backyard, a granny pod is often a prefabricated mini home constructed to maintain aged kinfolk comfy and near house.
The self-contained cabins fluctuate relying on the provider, however they’re usually clad in sturdy supplies and are available full with their very own screened-in patio or deck. Moreover, as a result of any such liveable construction just isn’t everlasting, it may be constructed beneath the Caravan Websites Act, so it falls beneath permitted growth and you do not want planning permission to construct it.
3. Granny Schedule
This can be a indifferent home constructed within the backyard of the primary home or an present outbuilding that has been transformed into everlasting liveable lodging, for which planning permission is required.
(Picture credit score: Future PLC)
What are the benefits of a granny flat?
1. It may well present independence
A granny flat gives a secure place on your aged relative to name house, however on the identical time is near you for peace of thoughts.
‘Ancillary housing within the type of an outbuilding could make caring for older kinfolk manageable,’ says Sarah Cull. “An outhouse gives house for grandparents to dwell, both part-time or completely, whereas additionally creating some privateness and separation – two vital elements for a number of generations dwelling as one family!”
Robert Dye Architects (opens in new tab) designed this contemporary extension (under) for a indifferent Twenties Arts & Crafts home in Ealing, London, with a granny annexe to the aspect. Along with its personal entrance door and glass doorways that open onto a again patio, the annex additionally has a secret inside door constructed into the primary home’s kitchen cupboards, connecting the annex to the primary home.
(Picture credit score: Julian Cornish-Trestrail for Robert Dye Architects)
2. It’s a cost-effective resolution
Whereas shifting right into a care house often is the solely choice for some, it might make extra monetary sense to construct a granny flat or outbuilding in case your aged relative can dwell independently.
On common the annual price of dwelling in a care house within the UK is £33,792 whereas the typical annual price of receiving nursing care in a care house is £42,624 in keeping with carehome.co.uk (opens in new tab). When you rely that towards the price of constructing a model like Norwegian Log (opens in new tab) – whose prefabricated granny outbuildings begin from £88,205 – equates to nearly the identical as an annual value for a care house for 2.
3. It gives psychological and emotional advantages
You may see this as a possibility to enhance household relationships because it offers grandparents the possibility to spend extra time with their kids and grandchildren and vice versa. It may well additionally present childcare to the householder, costing a median of £263 every week full-time, in keeping with NCT (opens in new tab).
“In recent times, many individuals have more and more joined forces with their households to cowl childcare, and bringing the entire household beneath one roof makes this a lot simpler,” says Sarah Cull.
Northstone housing developer (opens in new tab) has realized multifunctional designs for a home with 4 bedrooms and an adjoining ground-floor outbuilding. The concept is that the households share some dwelling areas, but additionally have their very own separate room within the annex. For planning functions, they’re categorised as two separate homes.
“The homeowners might determine they do not need the smaller house and need to get some fairness again,” mentioned Richard O’Brien, design director at Northstone. “Alternatively, as they become old, they might determine to downsize to the smaller house and promote the bigger household house to enhance their retirement plans.”
(Picture credit score: Northstone)
4. You’ll be able to hire out the house
You’ll be able to hire the house to a tenant or by means of Airbnb till you want it. Creating an outhouse for grandma in anticipation of an aged relative needing one sooner or later could be a sensible resolution, particularly as it will possibly typically take so long as three months to get planning permission and one other yr or extra to construct.
“I have been known as to many houses to design a granny outhouse when a member of the family wants it urgently and if it’s a must to undergo the planning it may be a prolonged course of,” says Zoe Grey, regional design marketing consultant at Oakwrights (opens in new tab). “If it is designed as a multipurpose house, it may be repurposed till it is wanted as a granny outhouse.”
Sarah Norton from Hamptons (opens in new tab) in Banbury agrees: “For some consumers, an outbuilding is a bonus and a helpful future-proofing house for his or her household and no matter wants they might have, in addition to financially future-proofing,” she says. ‘The opportunity of incomes cash out of your extension, for instance to repay the mortgage, has by no means been so enticing.’
5. It may well enhance the worth of your house
In accordance with Checkatrade (opens in new tab), constructing an outbuilding in your backyard can enhance the worth of your property by 20-30%. As well as, simply having a constructing allow could make your property extra enticing to potential consumers.
“Having permission for an outbuilding earlier than the purpose of sale helps make your house enticing to the widest viewers and may enhance desirability,” says Sarah Cull. “Planning allow is usually sufficient to extend marketability by giving consumers the leeway to develop and create a versatile house that meets their necessities.”
6. Appropriate for all generations
Granny outbuildings can even present shelter for the boomerang era who’re sadly compelled to maneuver again in with their mother and father as a result of present price of dwelling disaster, rising rental prices and rising mortgage charges. An outhouse can present reasonably priced lodging, whereas on the identical time creating a little bit independence for the grownup youngster and guaranteeing that the mother and father’ lives should not violated
What are the disadvantages of a granny flat?
1. Dropping backyard house
It’s inevitable that you’ll lose a part of your backyard whenever you construct an extension. So you should weigh up how a lot precious sq. footage you acquire versus the lack of outside house to ensure it is value it.
(Picture credit score: Zac Munro)
2. Shut-up tensions
Being near your loved ones may be nice, however you should set boundaries for when each events anticipate one another to ensure there is not any friction. Keep in mind that variations may be amplified in case you dwell shut to one another.
3. It may well forestall future building initiatives
“When you’re constructing a granny outhouse, you may not get plans for, say, a room over a storage sooner or later,” says Zoe Gray. She recommends occupied with what your long-term plan is earlier than committing to constructing a granny outhouse.
How a lot does a granny flat price?
Construct an extension
For many who determine to increase their house to create extra bed room and toilet house, architect Shaun O’Brien of Roar Architects (opens in new tab) recommends budgeting round £4,250 – £5,250 per m2 (together with VAT and costs) for any such undertaking.
(Picture credit score: Zac Munro)
Constructing a granny pod
IHus has a big assortment of attachments accessible, which may be customized in keeping with your needs. Costs begin at £82,669 for The Cantley’s one-bedroom annexe, which measures roughly 26.25m² and features a separate bed room and en-suite toilet and a small open-plan lounge and kitchen.
Design and construct from scratch
For a bespoke self-contained oak framed granny annex, together with a kitchen and lounge space, Oakwrights suggest budgeting between £150,000 and £180,000 together with VAT for the general undertaking. “It might find yourself costing extra or rather less, however that is what most of my oak outhouse initiatives price,” says Zoe Grey.
