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This page answers some of the most common questions we get about designing or building granny flats, or about building your home extension. Got another question for us? Don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Granny Flat FAQs
When planning your project there are several parts that will need to be considered for your budget. While it’s possible to provide a ‘price’ for the Granny Flat, your project cost will include site preparation, environmental allowances and council contributions that will each be unique to your block.
The first step to understanding your total project cost is book a design consultant to visit the site you would like to build on, they will work with our expert local council planning team to ensure a fully transparent project cost.
Every Granny Flat we build comes with an upfront quote that includes all of these factors, so you know exactly what your total project will cost before you sign any contracts. With no hidden fees and unexpected costs along the way, you know when you build with Cubitt’s you’re getting great value for money.
Every Cubitt's Granny Flat is built by our team of long-term, local, and reliable contractors. When you see a Granny Flat ‘price’ from Cubitt’s standard design collection, the turn-key price covers all the high-quality inclusions right from the concrete slab your Granny Flat will be built on, to the electrical, plumbing, wastewater, right down to a selection of furnishings and fixtures – blinds and even a clothesline and letterbox.
Plus, your Granny Flat comes with a seven-year warranty and homeowners warranty insurance from the moment you sign on with Cubitt’s.
Browse our range of Granny Flat designs or talk to one of our consultants about an affordable custom Granny Flat design. Our design team will gladly work with you to come up with a Granny Flat that meets all your requirements and works within your budget.
The build time for our granny flats once construction has started is typically 12 weeks. You’ll also need to factor in time for site visits, feasibility study and council approvals. Council approval can be time-consuming, taking anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. If possible, our design team will obtain a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) to ensure your project can get underway as soon as possible. Your Granny Flat consultant will keep you updated on accurate time frames and progress so you’ll always be kept in the loop.
Yes, you will need to obtain either Council approval or a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) before building your granny flat.
At Cubitt’s, the council approval process is all part of the service, we’ll handle all the paperwork and certifications for you to ensure you can spend less time stressing about council and more time planning your dream flat! Our dedicated in-house council planning and drafting teams have extensive experience dealing with councils throughout NSW and the ACT.
We also advise you to conduct all required safety surveys such as flooding and bushfire reports prior to beginning construction. We’ll provide advice on all approvals and costs in advance so you know what you need to pay and are aware of everything up-front. We’re here to help you navigate the approvals process and get your project underway as soon as possible.
At Cubitt’s, we’re proud to be the most trusted granny flat builders. With almost three decades worth of experience and a focus on streamlined processes, exceptional service and high-quality results locals have turned to us time and time again. So, why choose Cubitt’s?
- Quality and local knowledge. Cubitt’s offer the best in quality and value-for-money, and have the local knowledge for all projects big and small. We know what locals need out of a granny flat and we’re able to deliver it to the highest standards.
- Spacious, bespoke designs tailored to your needs and budget. Witness the spacious and sophisticated designs of Cubitt’s Granny Flat models at our showrooms. Our designs can all be tailored to your lifestyle, block of land and budget for the ultimate bespoke granny flat.
- Local staff. The staff at our offices are experts at serving the community! Plus, we only use hand-picked local tradespeople to ensure optimum experience and quality for your granny flat.
- 25+ years of experience. With over 25 years in the industry, our team at Cubitt’s are well experienced in building granny flats. Over the years, our team within our family-run business has developed their skills by designing, creating and building a wide range of granny flats of all different sizes and shapes. Let us guide you in the right direction when it comes to building granny flats.
Our Centres have completed, air-conditioned Granny Flat models for you to explore, with local sales and design consultants on-site to answer questions and provide their expertise specific to your region.
Our granny flats come with a range of standard inclusions including appliances, furnishings, amenities, finishes and fixtures. Some of our standard inclusions are:
- All granny flats come with an electric oven and either an electric or gas cooktop with a range hood and bathroom exhaust fans.
- Plumbing and electrical including a 5-star energy saving hot water system and a rainwater tank and recycled water system for use with the washing machine and toilet.
- All bedrooms contain sliding mirrored wardrobe doors
- Colorbond fencing and gates
- Outlets for phones and televisions.
- Termite treatments and high-performance thermal insulation.
- Roller blind window coverings.
A turn-key granny flat is one that is tenant-ready upon completion. At Cubitt’s, all our granny flats are turnkey projects so as soon as we hand the keys over, you’re all ready to move in! Our granny flat builders will have your property ready to roll within a matter of months – talk to our granny flat consultants today to start your granny flat project!
A Section 10.7 certificate (2&5) is otherwise known as a Planning Certificate through council. This document gives us all the environmental information and planning requirements for development of your property/block, for example if you are: Flood affected, Bushfire affected, Mine subsidence, Heritage listed, and any other relevant zoning regulation information.
A Section 10.7 certificate is not a development approval, however, if you're looking to build, the documentation required for your approval will be dependent on what is shown in the Section 10.7 Certificate relating to your block of land. If your property is in a flood zone, you may require a flood report and may need to build the floor level of your dwelling higher, or you may not be able to build at all. Council update this information every 6 months as these factors can be impacted by development in your surrounding area, you can apply online or in person and the cost varies from Council to Council.
Download our Section 10.7 Cheat sheet HERE.
Custom Granny Flat FAQs
Each of our turnkey granny flats comes with a standard range of inclusions including a range of energy-efficient features, furnishings, appliances and more. Your custom-built granny flat will have the following items included as standard:
- Electric oven
- Electric or gas cooktop
- Rangehood and bathroom exhaust fans
- Plumbing and electrical
- 5-star energy saving hot water system
- Rainwater tank
- Recycled water system
- Sliding mirrored wardrobe doors
- Colorbond fencing and gates
- Phone and television outlets
- Termite treatments
- High-performance thermal insulation
- Roller blind window coverings
We don’t charge any extra to design a custom granny flat. The experienced team at Cubitt's can design your customised Granny Flat for the same price as a base model. We’ll take the time to understand your needs and ensure the final product is just what you envisaged. You can work off one of our stunning modern base models or come up with a design that is completely tailored to your unique needs.
Our granny flats typically range in cost from $120,000 to $150,000, however, this price may be influenced by additions such as garages, first floors or verandahs. Our dedicated quotes team will provide you with a detailed, transparent quote prior to commencing your project – we never charge any hidden fees, what you see is what you pay.
Absolutely, we can create a unique granny flat that teams with the original design of your home. A common request from our custom granny flats clients is for their new flat to match their original property. We can finish your flat with custom cladding, brickwork or rendering to match as closely as possible that of your original property. Our design specialists can also look at incorporating elements and materials to gel your new home with your existing property such as roofing materials, windows and design themes.
Our custom-built granny flats usually take about 12 weeks to build. Prior to building we will conduct a site visit and feasibility study and will obtain all council approvals for you. This process can take several weeks or a few months to complete. Your granny flat consultant will provide you with a detailed personalised timeframe for the completion of your custom granny flat project.
The maximum size a granny flat can be built varies depending on which Australian state you live in.
- NSW – The maximum interior space of a granny flat is 60 m².
- ACT – The maximum interior space of a granny flat is 90 m².
The crucial thing to consider is that the space limit for a granny flat only pertains to the interior space, so outdoor areas like verandahs, garages, decks, patios and outdoor entertaining areas don’t eat into this allowance. With some creative design, your granny flat can far exceed your state’s size limits and create a spacious, welcoming custom flat.
To find out more about how to get the most out of your granny flat space allowance book a consultation with one of our experienced granny flat consultants.
Up to 3 bedrooms can be included in your custom granny flat. Our granny flat designs can be made with one bedroom, two bedrooms, three bedrooms or as a spacious studio apartment. Alternatively, your granny flat can be made with no bedrooms at all – your custom granny flat can repurpose bedroom space as a bar, art studio, lounge room, gaming room or anything you can think of!
Absolutely! At Cubitt’s, we’re proud to offer exceptional customer service, starting with our low-pressure design consultations. We can conduct a free site inspection and provide you with a free, no-obligation quote on your custom granny flat. Your consultant can provide you with examples and inspiration to help you create the ideal custom granny flat to suit your needs and your budget. Talk to one of our granny flat experts about the possibilities and let them help you find the right custom granny flat solution for your property.
Yes, our architectural granny flat designs can easily be tailored to suit your sloping or unusually shaped block. We specialise in designing custom granny flats for sloping sites and other difficult blocks. Don’t be deterred by the shape, orientation or angle of your yard, our specialists can assess your property with a free site inspection and provide you with a range of options to cater to your unique property. Book your consultation to find out more.
Yes, granny flats require either council approval or a Complying Development Certificate (CDC). You cannot build a granny flat in NSW or the ACT without obtaining one of these two options and if you try to build without them you may be liable under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and won’t be able to obtain an Occupation Certificate.
At Cubitt’s, we will obtain all council approvals and other certifications on your behalf. No need to fill out endless tedious paperwork! This means more time for you to spend on the fun parts of building your custom granny flat such as selecting furnishings, paint colours and fixtures.
Our highly experienced in-house certifications team has worked extensively with both NSW and ACT councils and can ensure an easy council approvals process for your project. We can also assist you with any additional certifications such as bushfire reports and other safety surveys to ensure everything is ready to go. We always keep our clients informed at each stage of the custom granny flat process, so we’ll provide you with detailed prices and timelines upfront on all approvals and certifications.
A turnkey granny flat is one that is ready to move into. Not all granny flat builders offer turnkey services which may lead to them having slightly lower prices or shorter build times – however, don’t be deceived! This often means you’ll need to spend more time and money adding furnishings, fixtures and utilities to your property before it can be used.
At Cubitt’s we offer a premium turnkey granny flat service, incorporating all the finishing touches you need to have your granny flat tenant-ready the moment we hand over the keys.
Choosing a turnkey granny flat builder like Cubitt’s to create your custom granny flat means your property will be ready to use sooner and can start generating income for you from the moment it’s completed. Plus, you won’t have to find additional tradespeople or source extra materials, everything will be taken care of by our experienced team.
A Section 10.7 certificate (2&5) is otherwise known as a Planning Certificate through council. This document gives us all the environmental information and planning requirements for development of your property/block, for example if you are: Flood affected, Bushfire affected, Mine subsidence, Heritage listed, and any other relevant zoning regulation information.
A Section 10.7 certificate is not a development approval, however, if you're looking to build, the documentation required for your approval will be dependent on what is shown in the Section 10.7 Certificate relating to your block of land. If your property is in a flood zone, you may require a flood report and may need to build the floor level of your dwelling higher, or you may not be able to build at all. Council update this information every 6 months as these factors can be impacted by development in your surrounding area, you can apply online or in person and the cost varies from Council to Council.
Download our Section 10.7 Cheat sheet HERE.
Home Extensions FAQs
At Cubitt’s, we specialise in major home additions and extensions and typically work on projects costing $150, 000 or more. The cost of your project will depend on the amount of work involved and will be calculated based on your unique requirements. Every one of our home extensions is designed, quoted and constructed by our in-house team allowing us to have full control over your building costs. We’ll work with you to come up with a home extension that ticks all the boxes and comes in on budget.
We employ dedicated in-house quote specialists who will put together a tailored quote for your home extension. Your unique quote will cover all associated costs for your project and will be delivered to you prior to commencing work so you’ll get an extremely clear understanding of the costs involved. We never charge any hidden fees or surprise clients with hidden costs, so you know you can trust that the figure we quote upfront is exactly what you’ll pay.
Absolutely, we have a dedicated council planning team who will handle all approvals on your behalf. You won’t need to worry about going through DA or organising Building and Occupation Certificates – we’ll do it all for you! The council approval process can be confusing, with different councils setting different standards on what does and doesn’t require approval, and we find one of the things that most commonly puts off potential renovators is the prospect of going through the sometimes tedious council approvals process. Thankfully with Cubitt’s, you can sit back and relax while we handle everything from bushfire safety reports to liaising with council for you – all you have to do is look forward to enjoying your new home extension!
Major home additions and renovations typically take about 6 months to complete. This timeframe can be impacted by council approvals, planning, waiting on materials and availability of labour.
At Cubitt’s, we’ve developed a 26-week contract for our home extensions so you’ll know exactly where your project is up to at all times. Thanks to our long-established relationships with local suppliers and our vast team of in-house builders and specialists, we’re able to provide a smooth, streamlined home extensions process.
Our 8 step process will see your home extension go from vision to reality in just 6 months, with everything from feasibility studies to certification and construction conducted by our in-house team.
Once you’ve given us your design specifications, budget and selected your finishing touches you can leave the rest to us. At Cubitt’s, we want you to be excited about your new home extension, so we’ll handle all the details while you do the fun stuff! As a full-service home additions and extensions company, we’ve got every aspect of your home extension covered. From our internal design team to our professional quote providers and dedicated council approvals experts we have the personnel and experience to take care of everything for you. Forget chasing after contractors and waiting weeks for quotes to come back, at Cubitt’s we’ll take care of everything in-house for a smooth and stress-free home extension experience.
What you’ll need to do:
- Provide us with your overall budget
- Provide specifications for your new home extension or addition
- Discuss your design choices, colours and finishes with your design consultant
We’ll get your input during the initial design stages to ensure your extension meets all your expectations and works to your dedicated budget. Once we’ve got your input on design choices and project requirements, we’ll handle all the certifications, paperwork, construction and other details.
What we’ll do for you:
- Conduct a no-obligation, 100% free feasibility study and site inspection
- Provide you with a detailed quote with no hidden costs or fees
- Create a unique from-scratch home extension plan tailored to your budget
- Obtain all necessary approvals and certifications including DA approval, CDCs and building certifications
- Prepare your contract and provide assistance with finances if required
- Construct your extension using trusted local builders
Your dedicated Account Manager will oversee every aspect of your extension and give you regular progress updates to make sure you’re in the loop at all times. If you have any questions at any stage of the process please don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re here to help!
The short answer is yes, sometimes. Your ability to stay in your home during the renovation process depends on the amount of work being done and which areas of your home will be impacted. For instance, if you’re having a first floor home addition installed you will need to vacate your home while the roof conversion is in progress.
An important factor to consider is which facilities will be impacted by the renovation and what you can easily live with. Will your kitchen or bathroom be out of action for an extended period? Can you make do with only using half the rooms in your home? If you’re able to live comfortably with some of your rooms out of action then there’s no reason you can’t live in your home while the extension is underway.
At Cubitt’s, we’ll provide you with a detailed timeline of your home extension along with the potential impact it will have on your daily routine so you can make an informed decision about whether to stay or go during the building process.
It’s the question everyone asks when they outgrow their current home – to renovate or to move house? Whether you’re expecting the arrival of a new family member or want to upgrade your home to the one you’ve always dreamed of, it all boils down to whether you improve your current home with an addition or move to a different property.
While every family and every home is different, there are several distinct advantages to extending or renovating your home rather than moving.
- Stay where your memories were made. Your home is so much more than bricks and mortar, it’s where you brought your babies home to, where you’ve celebrated milestones and enjoyed countless precious moments. Home extensions let you stay living where you love but with more room to grow.
- Stay connected to your community. You’ve spent years building relationships in your community, so moving away and starting fresh is a daunting prospect. From settling the kids into new schools to making new friends and joining new sports teams, a lot of energy goes into building community connections.
- Stay with your service providers. Moving house often means having to find new doctors, hairdressers, dentists, physios…the list goes on and on!
- Keep a mortgage you can afford. Taking on a new home loan is costly and can cause a lot of financial strain. By staying in your current home you can maintain a manageable mortgage while still upgrading your lifestyle.
- Increase the value of your property. While you’re not moving home now you may eventually want to downsize, so home extensions aren’t just an investment in your lifestyle, they’re a financial investment for the future. Plus, you’ll increase the value of your home and improve your financial position and potentially increase your borrowing capacity.
- Avoid the stress of moving home. Moving house is widely regarded as one of the most taxing and stressful experiences in life. Between packing your whole life into boxes to arranging finances, juggling paperwork and then unpacking everything at the other end, it’s much simpler to stay where you are and bring your dream home to you with a home addition.
We have showrooms in Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong and Newcastle and build home extensions throughout NSW and the ACT. To arrange your free site inspection and feasibility study get in touch on 1300 721 150.
Home extensions are what Cubitt’s was built on. We’ve been in the business of designing and building premium quality home extensions and additions since 1994 and we’re proud to provide an industry-leading experience and exceptional results to our clients.
- We can do it all. Forget chasing all over town looking for builders, designers, consultants and contractors for your home extension project – we’ve got the lot. Our team is made up of a range of experts from designers and consultants to our quotes and council planning teams. Plus, with in-house builders and a wide network of trusted contractors, we’ve got the personnel to handle every aspect of your home extension, from concepting to completion.
- Trusted since 1994. We’ve been in the home extensions business for decades and we’re not going anywhere! We’re proud of the reputation we’ve built for reliability, professionalism, quality and an exceptional customer experience, and with hundreds of projects under our belt we know exactly how to make your vision a reality.
- Australian family-owned and operated. As a 100% Australian family owned and operated business, we care deeply about the service we provide. We’re committed to going above and beyond to deliver an exceptional customer experience every time – in fact, we’ve won awards for our customer service! Our motto is “perfectly skilled, proudly respectful and constantly committed” and that’s ingrained into everything we do.
- Streamlined processes for faster project completion. At Cubitt’s, we’ve honed our home extensions process to perfection over the years to ensure the smoothest, most stress-free and speedy project completion timeline while still ensuring absolute quality. With our experienced in-house specialists at every stage of the project, there’s no waiting around for quotes to come back or chasing after tradies – we’ve got it all sorted.
- Fully licensed and certified services. As members of the Master Builders Association and the Housing Industry Association (HIA), when you choose Cubitt’s you know you’re working with the best. We meet (and exceed) all requirements of Australia’s peak building associations and ensure absolute compliance and excellent workmanship from all our team members.
- Custom extensions tailored to you. We don’t do cookie-cutter home extensions. Our home additions are designed in consultation with our clients to ensure they tick all the boxes and deliver the lifestyle you want.
Get in touch today to learn more and arrange your free consultation.
Our Complete
Inclusions Guide
Complete your Granny Flat with quality inclusions in every room. Here you get to select the finer details, colour scheme, fixtures and fittings that will bring your Granny Flat to life and make it uniquely yours. Cubitt’s offers two Inclusions Ranges for our clients to choose from, with an additional option to upgrade certain items.
Fill in your details to download a copy of our Inclusions Brochure
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Inclusions Brochure Download Form
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