A well-designed granny flat adds rental income, space for family, and serious value to your block. We design secondary dwellings across the Northern Beaches and handle the approval from eligibility check to final sign-off, including a recently completed secondary dwelling in Palm Beach.
Why it works
NSW planning rules allow a secondary dwelling of up to 60 square metres on most residential blocks of 450 square metres or more, and many Northern Beaches blocks qualify for fast-track CDC approval, which means a certifier can sign off in weeks. The design itself is where value is won or lost: orientation for light, privacy from the main house, and a layout that works for a tenant, a parent or a home office. We design for your specific block, then prepare the complete drawing set and manage the approval.
How it works
Step 1
We confirm your lot size, zoning and hazards against the NSW secondary dwelling provisions, free of charge.
Step 2
Concept design with 3D visuals, sized and positioned for privacy, light and the best use of your yard.
Step 3
Full drawing set lodged via CDC where eligible, or DA where required, through to construction-ready plans.
FAQs
Most residential blocks of 450 square metres or more can host a secondary dwelling of up to 60 square metres under NSW rules. Flood, bushfire and other overlays can affect the pathway. We check eligibility for free before any design work.
Design work for a granny flat typically sits at the lower end of our published ranges: design from $4,000, approval drawings from $2,500, and construction documentation from $1,500. You get a fixed quote after the free site check.
Often yes. If your block meets the complying development standards, a private certifier can approve the granny flat as a CDC in as little as 1 to 2 weeks. Suburbs with flatter blocks like Cromer and Wheeler Heights are particularly CDC-friendly.
Granny flats are especially popular in Cromer, Wheeler Heights, Warriewood and Mona Vale, where block sizes work in your favour. Servicing all of the Northern Beaches, see every suburb we cover.
Free, no-obligation assessment and a fixed-price quote from a local draftsman.