Two Bedroom Granny Flats Plans and The Necessity to Use External Experts

Unfortunately, size constraints have transformed into a reality of our time. The house in which you are currently living was probably sufficiently large for the requirements of you and your spouse just a couple of years ago. But life happens, our needs change, our families grow larger, and with time, you may find yourself in the position of living in a dwelling that no longer serves the space requirements you expect from a versatile property. I was in the same situation. I bought my first house when I was 25, and back then, the overall square footage of the property looked more than adequate for the daily tasks of me and my then-girlfriend. 

But you know what happened? Life started to become more complicated but equally more beautiful. My then girlfriend changed her appellative and is now my wife, while our spare bedroom transformed into the room of our son. Life was good, but our house was now starting to show its size constraints. I needed more room for office work, my wife needed storage space for some of her work-related purchases, and our child required a separate playroom, at least until he is old enough for day care. We looked at properties listed on the real estate market and we even tried to get another mortgage, but ultimately it was futile. 

The Sydney housing market is in a veritable crisis, property prices are at unsustainable levels, and our needs required a bit of out-of-the-box thinking. So, we did what the vast majority of Aussies do nowadays and utilised the services of granny flat builders to develop two bedroom granny flats plans, in line with our available budget. 

Were Granny Flat Builders in Western Sydney Necessary? 

Absolutely. My wife and I have a keen eye for decorations and we are quite handy with a power tool, but we don’t have the right skills to handle the construction of ADUs on our own. Neither did we know how to properly navigate the council regulations active for NSW-based granny flats. Truth is, if we wanted proper two bedroom granny flats plans (https://brickwoodhomes.com.au/2-bedroom-granny-flat-designs/), we needed to leverage the expertise of a specialist. And in this sense, calling granny flat builders in Western Sydney was probably one of our most inspired decisions. 

The granny flat builders we called were familiar with the local regulations, knew how to apply for a complying development certificate, were open to our design suggestions, and, of course, they adapted our plans to the overall characteristics of our main property. They worked in accordance with the specifics of our plot of land, they ensured the ADU is thermally-efficient, and they acted as a bridge between us, as owners, and the lead engineer handling the construction work. In other words, we couldn’t do it without them, and at the end of the day, the costs of the ADU turned out to be more than reasonable. 

How Much Are We Talking About? 

Well, in our case, the total costs of the two bedroom granny flats plans + the construction of the ADU came out at around $180,000. That’s a lot, that’s true. But 1) we already had the plot of land, so we could’ve at least made use of it, and 2) it was much cheaper than moving into a new dwelling or buying a separate apartment, closer to work. As the market stands, there is almost no way to find a property in Western Sydney that will be cheaper than $1.2 million. Plus, even the costs of apartments have risen spectacularly in recent years. The median unit price in Sydney, as of January 2026, is now $950,000. How exactly is this sustainable? 

At $180,000, the two bedroom granny flats plans + construction were a relative steal. Not all properties are suitable for granny flats (https://www.realestate.com.au/news/what-to-consider-when-you-are-planning-to-build-a-granny-flat/), that’s true. That said, if the land allows it and you are not faced with significant council restrictions, an ADU can actually be one of the most financially intelligent moves you can make. ADUs can be rented out for at least $650 per week, which will translate into a total rental income, without considering taxes and additional costs, of at least $34,000. 

We didn’t rent out our unit, but if we did, our potential gross yield would have amounted to around 18%, which is exceptional. Granny flats can add around 20% to your main property’s real estate value, they make listed dwellings more attractive for interested parties, they can be rented out for substantial gain, and not least, they are easy to build, as most of the time they don’t even require council approval. There is a reason, therefore, why granny flat has become the most popular search term in Sydney (https://www.afr.com/property/residential/granny-flats-become-more-popular-than-pools-as-affordability-worsens-20250916-p5mvc3).

What Are the Limitations of ADUs?

 Well, perhaps the most obvious one is their maximum internal floor area. ADUs are compact and spacious enough for their price, but in order to comply with CDC approval rules, they need to have an interior space that’s not above 60sqm. On top of that, their maximum height cannot exceed 8.5 meters, and they can only be constructed adjacent to an existing property. You also cannot build more than one ADU on the same plot of land. 

Speaking of land, one or two bedroom granny flats plans require you to benefit from a land plot at least 450sqm in size. Plus, the land must be zoned for residential use. There are also other regulations related to minimum lot width, setback from the plot’s edge, as well as a minimum distance from all trees with a height of 3m or more. That said, for the most part, the pathway for the construction of ADUs in Western Sydney is much more straightforward than is the case for duplexes or conventional houses. ADUs are considered by many to be the future of affordable housing in Australia, and when looking at their direct benefits, it’s quite easy to see why.