Many councils that won’t allow granny flats for rental purposes will allow people to build a DPU (dependent person’s unit) to accommodate a family member subject to certain structural and situational conditions. Many customers have successfully built a compliant DPU using Backyard Pods, saving lots compared to conventional construction or buying prefab units.
Brad and Kirsten needed a chill-out rumpus room for the kids, a late-night media room for watching footy and Netflix, and somewhere private for guests to stay. However, their compact backyard was mostly taken up by their swimming pool. They had a lightbulb moment… “We need a pool house!” This would be a multi-purpose space…
David and Mark have a beautiful property not far from Ballina in northern NSW, where they provide family respite accommodation. They had one respite cabin on the property, made from an upcycled mining donger (pre-used demountable building). But when the time came to create a second and even better cabin, their options were limited. Their…
The term ‘granny flat’ shouldn’t deter anyone from enjoying the privacy and security of a modern-day garden apartment on the family property, even where N4 wind rating is needed. This spacious, stylish ‘man-pad’ is the home of someone who returned from serving overseas in the defence forces. The goal was to create a 1-bedroom fully…
Some councils that don’t permit granny flats for potential renting may allow a DPU (dependent person’s unit) to be built on the property to accommodate a family member if certain structural and situational conditions are met. A customer with a lovely home on Melbourne’s desirable Mornington Peninsula purchased a 3m x 8m Backyard Pod kit…
Our customer needed a granny flat so an elderly mother could be cared for close to the family home, whilst still maintaining her independence and privacy. The list of needs included a spacious bathroom with plenty of storage for linen and towels. A queen-sized bedroom, with ample wardrobe space, and an open plan living/dining with…
In Melbourne, the challenge of extended family living was resolved by cost-effective completion of an approved granny flat (DPU) in a Backyard Pod. A working mum with a young son was living with her mother and grandmother. After her grandmother passed away, it was time to re-assess living arrangements for her mother, her son and…
Do Victorian residents need a building permit to erect a backyard pod? We explore this issue and offer some insight into our new and exclusive free online self-assessment tool. The tiny house movement has taken the world by storm. People are using this concept to create everything from a permanent home to studio space. In…
A family in Brisbane needed a ‘tiny house’ for a grown-up daughter still happily living-at-home, yet there was no space available in the yard behind the house. Our challenge was to come up with a backyard pod design that would fit neatly into the property’s driveway-width side lawn area. After viewing the property via Google Satellite,…
A parent was quick to recognise that an adult son, soon returning from overseas travel to resume studies, would benefit in many ways from having a separate study room with kitchenette, bed, wardrobe, and ensuite built for him on the family property in a trendy inner-Melbourne suburb. He could occupy it for a few years…
At Mermaid Beach, a couple with an established home wanted to explore the option of building a granny flat in their backyard. They could rent it out for the time being, and use it themselves if the maintenance of the main house and swimming pool ever became too onerous. This idea is gaining popularity as…
Well, we’ve been saying it for ages, so it was no surprise when Channel Nine News featured Backyard Pods with the headline: “The mini real estate boom emerging in Queensland”. It’s not just in Queensland, but all over Australia – the backyard pods revolution in housing availability and affordability – it’s already here.
Sometimes people need backyard pods to be a flexible space – one that can be used for extra sleeping or guest accommodation but not quite as self-contained as a proper ‘granny flat’. Anyway, not everyone needs a bathroom in their sleep-out pod if there is easy access from the pod to a main bathroom or…