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A granny flat (technically known in planning jargon as Dependent Accommodation) is a great way of adding additional living space to your property. Of course, it doesn’t mean that a granny flat has to be used exclusively for the housing of an elderly relative — far from it! There are a multitude of different uses that it can be put to increase your living space and enhance your family’s lifestyle.

What makes a granny flat different to a home extension?

The key difference between a granny flat and other types of home extension is that a granny flat exists as a separate structure (although it nevertheless needs to be connected in some way to the main dwelling). Usually located in the back garden, granny flats are generally self-contained and will often include a kitchenette and bathroom. Obviously the precise design will depend on your specific needs, but a small bedroom and lounge/dining room can produce a compact yet comfortable living space. Therefore, rather than being a home extension in the conventional sense, a granny flat is a linked extension that is nevertheless a separate functional space detached from the rest of the house, with its own entrance and facilities.

Advantages of adding a granny flat extension

As the name suggests, granny flats are very often used for housing older family members who want to retain some independence, but are perhaps of an age or disposition where they need regular assistance and someone close at hand. They are a great way of providing light touch care so that some sense of independence can be retained, but with the added reassurance of having other family members always near by.

With our experience and expertise, we can ensure that any granny flat design takes into account the specific needs that elderly people may have in terms of easy accessibility and functionality, and we can include ramps and other mobility features as required.

Adding a granny flat extension can also make sense economically. For an older relative downsizing, for instance, it is a considerably cheaper alternative to buying or renting a unit, or going into a form of care facility, where the costs can be very high and are ongoing. There is also the added advantage that adding a granny flat adds overall value to your property.

A further benefit is that, unlike some other home extension projects, a granny flat can be constructed with minimal disruption to the rest of your home and so you can continue living largely as normal during the construction period.

Other uses for a granny flat

Despite the name, there are of course a multitude of purposes and uses for a granny flat beyond housing an older member of the family. For teenagers or older children, it provides an ideal way of giving them some independence while still being able to keep an eye on them. This also frees up extra living space in the main house for other purposes.

Likewise if you have children at university or in further education — they get the space they need to study in peace without being burdened by excessive rental or mortgage costs when they are just getting started on the road towards work and professional life. Similarly, a granny flat extension can also provide a useful stop-gap for older children saving to get on to the property ladder, while still enabling them to live a relatively independent lifestyle.

A granny flat can also be an ideal solution if you regularly have friends or family visiting from interstate or overseas. They have the ability to come and go as they need to without affecting the family’s regular routines, while you are still able to make the most of their visit by having them close by.

And of course, the concept of a space that is semi-detached from the house can also be translated into a range of other uses as well — home office, home theatre, studio, gym or exercise room, freeing up living space in your home for other purposes, such as an extra bedroom or a renovated and expanded living/dining area.

Can I add a granny flat extension in Adelaide?

There are some rules and regulations in place regarding adding a granny flat extension in Adelaide and these can, in some cases, vary from council to council. However, as we are highly experienced home extension builders, we understand the requirements and are used to working within the guidelines of different councils within the Adelaide metropolitan area. In most cases, however, the restrictions aren’t too onerous and permission is usually given, and we are happy to take on all aspects of a development application on your behalf.

If your property meets the following conditions, you should get approval to add a granny flat extension in Adelaide. Your block will need to be at least 600m2, while the floor area of the extension cannot exceed 60m2 (or 70% of the total area of your exisiting home). There also needs to be at least 100m2 of outdoor space available that is accessible to both dwellings. In addition, there needs to be on-site car parking available. In terms of design, your granny flat extension needs to be constructed from materials and in colours that are in keeping with the main dwelling, and it needs to be attached in some way to your home (through a pergola, verandah or something similar).

You also need to take into account where access to services are located on your property, like stormwater drains, easements and sewers, as this will have an impact on location, design and construction.

We are specialist Adelaide home extension builders

As we increasingly have more and more options for home entertainment as new technology becomes more affordable, combined with the fact that Adelaide homes are getting larger at the expense of gardens and other outdoor spaces, creating a home theatre has become an ever more popular lifestyle choice.

Whether it’s adding a new extension to create a home cinema, or renovating an existing space to turn it into a multi-purpose media room, we can help you to plan and design a home theatre that’s right for you and your family.

Renovating or Extending to Create a Home Cinema

Many Adelaide homeowners have taken the opportunity when building a home extension to create a home cinema — a dedicated space given over to streaming and watching movies, playing games, and other forms of electronic entertainment. These work best as a separate room where you can create the ideal environment for viewing, and there are many design features to consider when it comes to creating your own home cinema.

For instance, you might want to go the whole way and install a projector and motorised screen, along with ceiling and wall speakers to get the full surround sound effect. If this is the case, it’s important to factor these elements in during the design stage of your project. Allowing for a sufficiently large screen, and being able to position it at the right height and angle for maximum viewing comfort is essential, and you also need to factor in the distance from the screen your projector needs to be to obtain a crisp, clear image.

Lighting is also especially important. If you decide to go for the full cinema effect and install a projector system, for instance, you will want the room to be as dark as possible, and so in the design of your home extension you might consider only including a small window or skylight that, if possible, is not in direct sunlight. This will avoid there being annoying glare on the screen and create a more cinematic feel, especially during the day. The choice of wall colour can also have an effect, and so essentially the darker you go, the better.

You might also want all of the lighting in the room to be able to be controlled from the one place, ideally a remote control, and have dimmer capabilities. This is why planning ahead as to the style and positioning of your lighting is so important, as it’s best if any special wiring required for this purpose can be accommodated during the building phase, rather than retrospectively.

Wiring is also important if you want to make cinematic surround sound a feature, with speakers located around the space and/or in the ceiling. For this to be effective and efficient, the number of speakers and where they are to be situated needs to be considered in advance so that the appropriate cabling and wiring can be put in place during the build.

Allied to this is the question of sound insulation. There’s no point having an elaborate, cinema style sound system if you can't use it to its full potential for fear of disturbing the rest of the house or the neighbours. If you are contemplating a home cinema extension, then sound absorbing wall insulation is essential so that you can enjoy maximum volume with minimal disturbance to others. Wall-to-wall carpet will also help in this regard, as will installing only small windows and solid doors.

Some Adelaide cinema fanatics even go as far as to install theatre-style tiered or raised seating to ensure that everyone in their home cinema gets the best possible view. If this is the effect you are after, this naturally needs to be incorporated during the design stage as it will present some unusual challenges during the building of your extension or when renovating the space.

You might also want to consider including a space for a fridge or mini bar, to make sure you and your guests don't have to go too far to stay stocked up on snacks and drinks.

Turn a Living Room into a Media Room

For many families, having an entire space dedicated to watching movies and TV or playing games might be impractical, but that doesn't mean that you can’t create a multi-purpose media room to make the experience of coming together to enjoy your favourite films and shows more enjoyable.

The main difference between these two types of home theatre spaces is that, regardless of whether it is a new extension or a renovation, a media room will likely double as one of the main living and entertainment areas in your home, and so the design requirements will be different.

Nevertheless, the typical Adelaide home media room will include features such as a large, flat screen TV (maybe wall mounted), a high quality sound system and a variety of comfortable seating options, enough to accommodate both the family and guests when you entertain. The key is flexibility, however, as there will be times when you want to use the room for other purposes, and so a versatile, well thought-out design is essential.

This versatility will be evident in the use of both artificial and natural light, for instance. While you want a home cinema to be as dark as possible, a multi-purpose media room will more likely be used in different ways, and so needs to be designed to allow natural light in when desired, but also to block out light when necessary.

Similarly, the screen will not always be the focus in your home theatre media room, as you will use the space for a variety of purposes, and so it needs to be set up so that you have greater flexibility when it comes to arranging furniture, and other fixtures and fittings.

Your design and decor aims will also be different with a media room when compared to a dedicated home cinema. While the latter is a stand alone feature, a media room located in a main living area will need to be decorated in such a way that it’s compatible with and complements the design and style of the rest of your home.

Speak to Us About Your Home Theatre Renovation or Extension

Although laundries can be often overlooked when considering an Adelaide home renovation, they are spaces where a renovation incorporating efficient design and space-saving devices can have a significant lifestyle impact. And while laundries are largely functional spaces, there are nevertheless design options that will not only improve how effectively you utilise the space you have available, but also how the room looks and feels.

What do you use your laundry for?

When space is at a premium in your home, the laundry often becomes much more than just the place where the washing is done. Ironing, storage, housing an additional fridge or freezer, or a place to keep outdoor clothes and gardening tools are some of the uses the average laundry gets put to, and this is why when you come to renovate you should be looking at smart ways to accommodate all of these additional functions.

How much space do you have available?

Is your laundry an entirely separate room, or is it instead an alcove situated off the bathroom or kitchen? In some Adelaide homes, the laundry space is essentially a large cupboard, kept out of sight by sliding or bi-fold doors. Whatever the set up, through thoughtful design and the use of modern space-saving features, you can always make more of the area that you do have.

Tips for your laundry renovation

Any laundry renovation — even of the smallest space — needs to take into account the room’s many features and functions. For instance, you need to think about how much storage space you actually need, whether you want to include hanging space for clothes, how you can incorporate laundry hampers, and where the ironing board is kept.

There are also plenty of options available to you when it comes to fixtures and fittings, such as the lighting you need, the bench tops you have installed, the troughs and taps you feature, and the sort of floor you opt for. All of this means that a laundry renovation, just like when you update the look of any other room in the house, should give you food for thought beyond the purely functional.

If you’re looking at renovating the laundry in your Adelaide home, here are some tips and suggestions to consider:

The space If you have a small, single wall laundry area that is situated off your kitchen or bathroom, you will naturally need to be creative to make the most of the limited space that you have; however, even if you have a larger, dedicated laundry room, you will still need to incorporate some innovative features to maximise the room’s potential.

If you laundry space is not a discrete room, but is rather located off of the kitchen or bathroom, or is situated against a wall or in a recess on a landing or passage way, then a renovation that includes folding or sliding doors (available in a variety of styles) will keep the laundry facilities enclosed and out of sight when not being used.

Alternatively, in some Adelaide homes a larger, galley-style laundry space can be combined with a butler’s pantry to create a multipurpose storage room. These sorts of bigger laundry spaces can in fact be opened up rather than hidden away, so that they become design features.

Splashbacks Splashbacks can be a significant design feature in a renovated laundry, and as well as being practical they can set the tone for the look and feel of the space. Glass splashbacks are a popular choice for Adelaide homeowners, as are ceramic tiles, which are available in a huge range of styles and patterns. Stainless steel can also be an eye-catching choice, especially if you’re renovating in an ultra-contemporary style.

Sinks Modern laundries can accommodate and are well-suited to a variety of sink and trough types. Most commonly, you’ll find a single bowl drop-in sink, although undermount sinks and double bowls are also commonly installed. Ultimately, the type of sink you choose will be dependent both on the plumbing you have and your design intentions.

Stacked washer and dryer Having both a clothes dryer and a washing machine, while highly desirable, can take up a significant amount of floor space. The most straightforward solution is to opt for a stacked washer and dryer set up, where your tumble dryer is mounted on the wall. When you’re renovating a laundry, this space-saving feature naturally needs to be incorporated during the design and planning stage.

Floors One way in which you can personalise an otherwise plain laundry space is through the floor surface that you choose. Tiles in a variety of media, such as ceramics, slate and porcelain, are popular because of their practicality and the design options they provide. Polished concrete is also becoming widely used, while a more upmarket space may be enhanced by marble tiles.

Lighting The importance of lighting in a laundry shouldn't be overlooked, especially if it’s also a space where you iron, sort and fold clothes, or use for storage. Downlighting gives both a contemporary look as well as focussing the light where you need it most, while the position of the laundry in many Adelaide houses at the back of the property, opens up the possibility of installing a window to increase the amount of natural light in the room.

Cabinets The style of cabinets and cupboards that you instal in your laundry can really personalise the look and feel of the space. There are a wide variety of door and handle types that you can choose, such as contemporary flat panels or heritage-style shaker panels, and these really liven up the look of an otherwise plain broom closet or linen cupboard.

Benchtops The bench tops in Adelaide laundries tend to see a lot of service, and so they need to be durable and practical, as well as fitting in with the rest of the room. Laminate is a straightforward and popular choice, because it’s so easy to keep clean and maintain, although wood or granite benchtops can add a more decorative look, while still being functional.

Laundry hampers Clothes that are piled up waiting to be washed can be an unsightly mess, so any laundry renovation should have as a priority laundry hampers that help you to keep them out of sight. Hampers come in a variety of forms, all designed to be both discreet and space savers — for instance, you can choose door-mounted or closet-mounted built-in hampers which come with either a pull-out or tilt-out function, depending on the space available to you.

Ironing boards For a piece of household equipment that might be used relatively infrequently, an ironing board can take up a disproportionate amount of space, even if it folds up. When you plan a laundry renovation, you should therefore consider an ironing board that is hidden away in a drawer or cupboard, or installed against the wall, and can be folded down or expanded when needed and then tucked away again when not in use.

Hanging rails Whether you want somewhere to store your freshly-ironed shirts, or just some additional storage room, clothes rails are a very useful feature to incorporate into any laundry renovation. These can be ceiling mounted, or along the bottom of wall-mounted cabinets, and can give you a surprising amount of additional space.

Adelaide Laundry Renovation Specialists

The Adelaide backyard is no longer what it once was. Rather than indulging in a family cricket match on a home-made pitch on the back lawn, today you're just as likely to find everyone outside watching the Test Match on a 56-inch flatscreen in an undercover outdoor living space, with barbecue and beers on tap.

As lifestyles have changed, so have our living spaces and how we use them. Perhaps this is a result of our no longer having the time or inclination to maintain a lawn and garden. Or it may be that as house blocks in Adelaide’s suburbs have gradually gotten smaller over time, the area that we have available has diminished and so we have to make hard choices as to what we want to do with the space we do have available.

In either case, extending an Adelaide home by adding an outdoor living space has become one of the most popular options for renovating an existing property so as to increase the range of lifestyle choices you have. There is also the added incentive that a successful outdoor renovation can significantly increase the value of your property, as they have become sought-after and desirable features, especially in suburban family homes.

The barbecue has always been an integral part of Adelaide life, especially during the summer, but this is now only one of many features you can find in the outdoor kitchen. Where we once just settled for a hot plate out in the backyard, you’ll now see in many homes an entire food preparation area outside, complete with a permanent, gas-fired barbie, pizza oven, fridge and storage spaces, sinks and running water, as well as a dining table and sofas, producing a complete year-round outdoor entertainment space.

5 top tips for creating an outdoor kitchen

Protection from the elements

Although the whole point of an outdoor kitchen is that you’re cooking and eating in the fresh air, there will be times when the weather makes this more difficult. However, some good planning can help you to overcome this. Look at installing some café blinds (perhaps in mesh, or clear PVC) that can rolled up or down depending on the weather. Also, think about ceiling fans to increase your comfort during warm spring and summer nights, as well as a portable heater, or even an open fire, for the colder times of the year.

If you plan on having appliances, such as fridge or TV, in your outdoor kitchen, protecting these is also important, and so blinds or awnings, along with where your appliances are positioned, can help in achieving this.

Open up the space

One of the keys to a successful outdoor extension is the way it’s integrated with the rest of the house. In this way, you can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle all year round and effectively increase your overall living space at the same time.  

To achieve this, you should aim to make the transition between indoors and outdoors as seamless as possible. Removing existing walls and doors, and replacing them with sliding, bi-fold or pivoting doors is a good option, as this means they can be opened out in such a way that the indoor and outdoor spaces blend into one another. Your outdoor kitchen then feels much more like an extension of, rather than an addition to, your home.

Light it up!

Lighting can make all the difference with regard to how functional and liveable your outdoor kitchen is. The key is being able to change the lighting state, depending on how you are using the space. For instance, you need to be able to have bright light over cooking and dining areas, but then to be able to adjust it down when you want a quiet, mellow evening. Dimmer lights are an obvious solution, while festoon lights and even candles can also help to create a more intimate atmosphere.

Which way do you face?

When you’re thinking of the design and layout of an outdoor extension, you need to take into account the orientation of the space. How much direct sunlight will you get in the summer and winter, for instance? A thoughtful, well-planned design will enable you to keep out as much of the heat as possible when you need to, but at the same time allow in as much sunlight as possible when it’s colder and need to warm the space up. Installing well-placed adjustable awnings and blinds, or clear skylights, can help you to make the space more comfortable all year round, no matter which way your property faces.

Ceiling the deal

Depending on the look you’re trying to go for, lined ceilings in an outdoor kitchen or living area can be particularly effective in terms of insulation, by deflecting heat in summer and retaining it in the winter. A lined ceiling will also give you more options in terms of lighting, as you can fit LED lighting in the ceiling, as well as being able to install ceiling fans to help control the temperature. There are also a number of options when it comes to colours and materials, so you can choose a look that suits your overall design concept.

Having a lined ceiling as part of your outdoor living space can also help to reduce the noise from heavy rain or hail as well.

Adelaide outdoor kitchen builders

Builders At Your Service are Adelaide’s home renovation and extension specialists, and we can help you to plan and design your perfect outdoor kitchen or living space. Our expert team of builders are highly experienced in adding extensions to all types of Adelaide homes and properties, from heritage homes to contemporary townhouses, and we work closely with you throughout the process to ensure that your new home extension or outdoor living area meets your needs now and in the future.

If you plan on selling your house soon, you should consider home renovations. The renovation project is fantastic because it has been shown that renovating your house add value to your property thus you end up selling the house at a higher price.

Some buyers are usually picky when it comes to the home that they are buying. For example, if a house has minor flaws such as faded ceiling, some buyers may be repelled by it and not be interested.

It will result to your property staying in the market for a long time. When you renovate your house, you tend to impress many buyers thus your property is quickly bought and gets out of the market.

How to renovate your house

If you want to renovate your home, you should remember that there are two main areas that you should pay particular attention. The area is the kitchen and bathroom.

Experts have proved that these are key areas that potential customers inspect to decide whether they will buy your property or not. To make your property attractive, you should ensure that you thoroughly renovate these two rooms in the best way possible.

When it comes to the other rooms, you don't need to do major fixes: you only need to make the most necessary repairs. You should patch holes and cracks and repaint them. You should also replace malfunctioning parts such as leaky faucets, broken windows, old linens, light fixtures, and window coverings.

It's also advisable that you repaint the entire house using a neutral colour to make the rooms appealing.

Other than concentrating on the inside of the house, you should put a touch on the outside too. If your lawn is not attractive as it's supposed to be, you should put some sods on it to enhance its appeal.

If you have interesting plants and flowers, you should consider planting then on the lawn to spruce things up. If the paint is chipped or peeled, you should consider repainting it. You should also ensure that the porches and decks are in good condition.

You should remember that the sole intention of polishing the exterior is to entice the potential buyer to take a look at the interior of the house. Therefore, you should be as thorough as possible.

Renovations to Avoid

Although you should spruce up your home to impress a buyer, there are some precautionary measures that you should take. For example, although, the kitchen and the bedroom are the most important parts of the home that get the attention of a buyer, you should ensure that you don't go overboard when doing the home renovations.

For example, you should not add high-end countertops and cabinetry in the kitchen because the buyer may see as if you are trying to hide something thus lose interest in the property.

If you are looking for a good home builder Adelaide, then you're in luck because there are some great builders are ready to pick up a hammer and go for a new dream house. Building your own home is a major priority for many of us and making sure that you get the right developer to work could determine whether this project is transformed from a dream into a nightmare or not. It is important that you get a Builder Adelaide who has the skills and knowledge to turn the concept into reality, you want a builder who is reliable and valid in accordance with ethical standards, the one who Relatable and good at communicating.

For most people, having their homes built this busy period. There are a lot of money, hopes and expectations related to the project and get it right only of crucial importance. With proper construction, less stress, they have the ability to bring the building and development time. You want to find a builder who can listen to your desires and is able to communicate effectively with you so that this process is as smooth and consistent as possible. There are a number of things that you want to look for in a builder, including a good value, excellent organization, fantastic integration of energy-saving principles, practical and hands on approach to the construction and a high degree of confidence. All this is vital for the project, and if you can find a builder who embodies those, then you're halfway there already.