Two kinds of Shellharbour block
Shellharbour blocks tend to fall into two groups. The older blocks closer to the village and toward Warilla are usually deeper, with the house set forward and real choice about where a flat can go. The estate lots around Shell Cove and Flinders are often a good size, but their shape and the position of the house can leave only one compliant corner of the rear yard.
On either one, the sewer line, any easement and the side setbacks decide the position before the floor plan does. That is why we walk the block first. A plan drawn before anyone has measured the yard usually gets drawn twice.
Approval and title checks
A flat that meets the state standards is approved through complying development by a private certifier, which keeps it out of a full council assessment. If the block misses a standard, the application goes to Shellharbour City Council as a DA. Newer estates add one more step: restrictions on the title can limit what you build and sometimes need the developer's approval, so we check those alongside the planning rules.
Built for salt air
Being close to the water changes what goes into the build. We choose fixings, flashings and external hardware for the coastal exposure, and design the flat to the wind rating for the site. You get a fixed-price proposal that already includes that specification, so nothing gets downgraded later to hold a number.
Questions from Shellharbour
Our estate has a covenant. Can we still build a granny flat?
Often, but check it first. Many newer estates carry restrictions on the title that cover materials, setbacks or second structures, and some need the developer to sign off on a design. We read the title documents with you before any drawing starts, so the design meets the covenant as well as the planning rules.
Do you travel to Shellharbour for granny flat work?
Yes. Shellharbour is about 20 minutes from our base at Unanderra, and we work across the Shellharbour area, including Shell Cove, Albion Park and Warilla.
Which approval does a Shellharbour granny flat need?
A flat that meets the state standards, including a lot of at least 450 square metres and no more than 60 square metres inside, can be approved as complying development by a private certifier. Anything outside those standards goes to Shellharbour City Council as a development application. We prepare the documents for either.
What changes on a block close to the water?
The specification. Fixings, flashings, gutters and window hardware are chosen for salt air, and the flat is built to the same wind rating as a house on that block.