Choosing The Right Granny Flat Upgrades
Building your new granny flat can be an exciting process and whilst starting with a blank canvas can seem daunting, there are some granny flat upgrades worth taking a closer look at. It is when thinking about which features to invest in that a bit of knowledge goes a long way. The key here is to prioritise upgrades against what will make your granny flat more livable. Some upgrades will inevitably add durability to your granny flat investment and others mean you can demand better rental yields immediately.
So What Is Worth Spending A Bit More On?
Flooring
Many granny flat investors opt for the basic and cheapest flooring option which is clip-lock laminated flooring or budget carpet. This can be short sighted as it generally just means replacement sooner rather than later. Choosing a more durable flooring options such as wood flooring or tiling not only looks more attractive but lasts longer. There are other benefits too, like being allergy sufferer friendly, easy maintenance, durable and only marginally more expensive than carpet or laminate. While on the subject of carpet and laminate, it’s worth mentioning it always pays to opt for premium underlay as this will increase the overall lifespan of the flooring.
Kitchens
Kitchens tend to be the hub in modern homes and even more so in granny flats! So designing a good functional kitchen with durable stone bench tops and energy efficient dishwasher is the pro tip here. Choosing stone benchtops ensures maximum longevity out of your kitchen as opposed to laminate, it’s also far more appealing. Cupboard and drawer doors can also be upgraded to polyurethane which also adds durability and a gorgeous finish. Adding extra storage space via additional cupboards above the top cupboards is also a good idea. Note though that this is only for 2.7 meter wall heights! In a time poor society a dishwasher is also a godsend, it can also increase your rental asking price.
Appliances
While on the subject of energy efficient dishwashers, another key appliance that is a must is the air-conditioner. The dishwasher and air conditioner are proven to increase your asking price on your rental return.
Wall Heights
The minimum Australian standard for wall heights is 2.4 meters and this is fine for larger dwellings. Granny flats need as much space as can be created, so a higher wall height not only adds vertical space but it makes the rooms feel larger too. A prospective tenant will always prefer a more spacious feel than a smaller one. A higher wall height definitely helps to achieve that and may be the reason you get the tenant on inspection day!
Efficiency
- External Roof Eaves help with the cooling and heating loads on your windows and facade, especially of it’s a clad structure. Many granny flats built today only have small eaves but we provide a 485 mm eaves width on our new hip roofed granny flats – at no cost to you.
- Sky lights add to the atmosphere with natural lighting which of course represents colours of features, decor etc in a more natural, accurate and faithful manner. Sky lights also cut lighting costs and can help make the granny flat feel larger. A south facing granny flat will often benefit from a skylight upgrade.
- A builder who provides higher quality insulation in not only the roof space but also the exterior and interior walls will vastly improve the granny flats thermal efficiency. Improving this saves on heating and cooling costs. Again, happy tenants are better tenants naturally!
There are so many options available when building a new granny flat with Granny Flat Sydney, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Keeping future value, durability, maintenance, replacement costs and most importantly livability in mind should help you make smarter choices with your granny flat investment in Sydney.