The same news article reported that iBuild delivered 10 times more grandmother`s apartments in Sydney than in Melbourne, thanks to the highly streamlined approval process in Sydney. In Victoria, grandmother`s apartments can only “provide housing to a person who depends on a resident of the existing dwelling” (and are therefore called dependent units). Backyard Pods founder Melanie Williamson says the COVID-19 pandemic has already sparked renewed interest in cost-effective modular kits for grandmother`s home extensions and apartments sold by her company in the Eastern states. The crisis is complex and multifaceted. There are no easy solutions to address this in its entirety and for all demographic groups. Grandma`s small houses and apartments are not suitable for all households. But the status quo is not a solution. The same rules apply to a mobile unit as to a DPU. You can consider a prefabricated grandmother`s apartment – one that will be built off-site. Buy construction plans or a kit – you can design your grandma`s apartment plans with a builder, architect, designer or draftsman, who will then help you throughout the construction process.

Alternatively, you can buy a commercially available or custom-made prefabricated construction set. Try to get at least three quotes before deciding on a plan or kit. A grandmother`s apartment is a second apartment on your property that is separate from your main house. These buildings are known as “grandmothers” because they are usually used to house sick or elderly relatives. Under most Victorian laws, a grandmother`s apartment is called a dependent person unit (DPU). Victoria`s legislation places restrictions on dependents who live in and rent grandma`s apartments, commonly known as dependent units (DPUs). For example, in some municipal areas, grandmother`s apartments can only be occupied by one person who depends on the resident of the principal residence – usually a family member. As soon as they leave, it must be removed. Some council rules state that grandmother`s apartments cannot be privately occupied or rented. Each board is responsible for enforcing these rules under the implementing provisions of the Planning and the Environment Act. To meet the needs of many people who need to build grandmother`s apartments in Melbourne, Victoria is adopting accelerated permits for secondary housing units such as Backyard Pods to provide more affordable housing at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has prompted many families to rethink their accommodation options.

Do you want to build a grandmother`s apartment on your property? This new experimental program will make things easier. Grandma`s apartments are considered “do-it-yourselfers” for your property and should therefore be included in your usual home and household insurance. You can use tools such as RACV`s construction calculator and content calculator to determine how much you need to insure your entire property. Current Victorian building laws require a grandmother`s apartment or a DPU: Talk to your local board – laws and permit procedures vary from one local board to another, so make sure you understand the building codes, regulations, permits, and exact application processes in your area. Confirm if you need a building permit, a building permit, or both for your grandma`s apartment. According to the Code, a grandmother`s apartment (officially called a second home) must meet a number of site and construction requirements, including a gross floor area of 60 square meters and a maximum height of five meters. “But the Melburnians kept calling us and telling us it wasn`t fair that the people of New South Wales could have grandma`s apartments if they couldn`t. We started connecting these customers with professionals like Nam who could support their applications. Many of our clients in Melbourne have succeeded despite the difficulties,” says Williamson. Victorians may soon find it much easier and more lucrative to build grandmother`s apartments – also for investment and downsizing purposes – following the introduction of a new trial planning code in four municipal areas. Granny`s fixed prices can range from $100,000 to $150,000 or more, depending on the size and type of structure.

When deciding on your budget, ask yourself if these fees are included in the cost of your grandmother`s apartment: these include easing planning restrictions on small and non-traditional houses, the ability to rent grandma`s apartments to anyone, allowing landlords to rent spaces to tiny landlords, and perhaps even subsidizing the construction of grandmother`s apartments or changing houses for double occupancy. Due to the 2018 Building Code, you may not need a building permit if your grandmother`s apartment meets certain criteria. You can prove to your local board that your planned grandmother`s apartment is mobile or easily removable by making sure that: Get a survey report for your land – A building appraiser must come to your property and make land boundary and height measurements to confirm if you have enough space to build a grandmother`s apartment and how high your grandmother`s apartment must have soil. The Victorian government is currently testing a planning code for grandma`s apartments in Grand Bendigo and Murrindindi (regional councils) and Kingston and Moreland (Melbourne metropolitan councils). Smart Planning has already presented a code that allows to build small dwellings in the area of “granny flat or garden studio” on the same land where there is already another apartment in a residential area. Important elements of the code that governs the location and overall design of the second home are: The state quietly launched a pilot program in late August that allows owners to place small units in the style of a “grandmother`s apartment or garden studio” of up to 60 m² on the same plot as their existing residence through an optimized approval process. Grandma`s apartment is built on tree stumps or pillars and not on a solid concrete slab that employs workers and craftsmen – decide which builders and workers are suitable for your construction. You`ll also need an electrician and plumber to connect your grandma`s apartment.