An in-law apartment, also known as a granny flat, is an extra room in your home that may be used to accommodate a live-in nanny, an aged parent or other relatives, or visitors. It can be constructed in your basement, a converted garage, or a separate structure from the main house.
Unsurprisingly, such a room may provide various advantages to your family, such as extra storage space for your belongings or additional revenue if you choose to rent it out in the future. Before having one built or purchasing a property with a granny flat, there are several factors to consider.
Contractor
If your zoning restrictions or homeowner’s association guidelines allow you to build a granny flat on your property, find a contractor with a strong reputation to complete the project. The individual should be properly licenced and experienced with renovations and granny flat construction. In certain cases, the contractor may even assist you with the paperwork and securing the appropriate building permissions.
Budget
If you hope to build a granny flat on your property, you should first assess your budget and ensure that you have the funds available to do it successfully. Then you have complete freedom to construct whatever you want, as long as you have a specific aim in mind. If you decide to purchase a property that has a granny flat, keep in mind that you will almost certainly have to pay an additional fee for it.
Maintenance
Of course, you’ll be required to contribute to the upkeep of the new structure. Having a mother-in-law apartment adds to the workload, including sweeping the floors, clearing gutters, and replacing light bulbs. If you don’t have the time to keep it up to date, it’s best not to have one in the first place.
Increased Utilities
When developing a granny flat or purchasing a property with one, keep in mind the utility expenditures that you will incur. Electricity, water, heating, and cooling costs will increase due to the added construction. It may be preferable to abandon your intentions to have a mother-in-law apartment in your house if you do not want to pay an additional fee for this service, as explained above.
Insurance Costs
An additional factor to consider when adding a mother-in-law apartment is the cost of insurance. It is possible that not all house insurance plans will agree to cover an extra housing unit, placing the structure in danger of being unprotected. If you want to rent out your house to renters, you may be required to pay an additional premium for supplementary insurance to adequately secure your property.
