The granny flat question
Balgownie is a residential suburb at the foot of the escarpment, with houses on a mix of lot sizes. A granny flat here can house family or earn rent. Before anything is drawn, the block has to meet the NSW rules, and those turn on lot size, zoning, setbacks and where the sewer runs.
The basics are in our guide to granny flat size and setback rules in NSW. A secondary dwelling is capped at 60 square metres of floor area (measured to the outer face of the external walls), on a block usually at least 450 square metres. The approval route is explained in the post on granny flat council approval.
Choosing a design
With 60 square metres as the ceiling, design is about what the household needs. Studios suit a single occupant, one-bedroom flats suit most tenants and downsizing parents, and two-bedroom flats suit small families. Look at granny flat designs and the floor plan guides for one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts to see how the rooms fit together.
Kit or custom
A kit often looks cheaper because the price on the brochure covers the building only. Slab, connections, approvals and site work usually sit outside it. Our page on kit versus custom granny flats explains the difference, and what a kit price covers lists the exclusions. For the full picture of costs, see the granny flat cost guide.
Granny flat or extension
Sometimes the real need is another room in the main house. An extension can serve a growing family more directly than a separate dwelling. The home extensions page and our post on ground floor extension ideas show the options. If the block is large enough for either, think about who will live in the space and for how long.
Who the flat is for
The answer to this decides most design choices. A flat for a parent needs level access, wider doorways and a bathroom with room to move. A flat for a student or young tenant can be compact, with a studio layout and good storage. A rental aimed at a long tenancy rewards a private outdoor space and a separate entry, so the tenant is not looking at the main house door. We ask about this at the first meeting, since it is hard to change once the slab is down.
Orientation also helps. A living area that takes winter sun from the north is comfortable for much of the year and cheaper to run than one that faces a shaded boundary. We place the flat with that in mind where the block allows.
The wider city
Balgownie is in Wollongong City Council. Our page on granny flat builders in Wollongong covers the city as a whole, and Fairy Meadow borders Balgownie to the east, and Keiraville is a short way south past Mount Ousley. See the gallery for finished work.
Questions from Balgownie
What size granny flat can I build in Balgownie?
A secondary dwelling in NSW can have up to 60 square metres of floor area (measured to the outer face of the external walls). Common sizes are a studio of 35 to 45 square metres, a one-bedroom of around 50 and a two-bedroom of up to 60. Setbacks and the shape of the lot can reduce the size your block will take.
How many bedrooms fit in a granny flat?
One or two, inside the 60 square metre limit. A two-bedroom uses the whole allowance, so rooms are compact. Our floor plan guides show what fits.
Should I choose a kit granny flat or a custom build?
A kit is simple and priced up front, while a custom build fits the block and can match the main house. Our kit versus custom page compares what each covers, since a kit price often leaves out site costs.
Do I need council for a granny flat in Balgownie?
Only if the block or design falls outside the complying development rules. Otherwise a private certifier can approve it. Overlays such as bushfire, flood or heritage send the job to council.
Can you add a room to my Balgownie house instead?
Yes. Whether to add a granny flat or extend the house depends on who will use the space. A granny flat gives a separate dwelling, while an extension adds to the main house.