Building a Minor Dwelling Could be Easier than you Think

Whether you need extra living space or want to add value to your home, adding a Minor Dwelling is an easy way to do it and it's now more straightforward to add one to your section without the complexity or cost of subdividing or applying for additional consents.

Understanding The Regulations

As long as you comply with the rules for access and site coverage, you are permitted to:

Add a minor dwelling no larger than 65m²
Convert an existing dwelling into two units, for homes existing from September 30, 2013
House up to three dwellings in the Mixed Housing Suburban and Urban Zones as long as each dwelling has a minimum of 300m²

Transforming spare land into an asset is generating an income for many and so it can for you. Something else to keep in mind is the Unitary Plan, which geographically identifies land usage for what you can build in a zone and the permitted building heights.

When is a Building Consent Required?

A building consent may be required depending on:

The floor size
The height of the Building
The distance to other section boundaries
Whether cooking and/or toilet facilities will be built

You can easily find out what's allowed on your property by finding your zone, then looking up your address on the Unitary Plan and finally checking what's allowed by your particular council. Alternatively, you could of course call or email the council if you haven't found the answer you were looking for.

Your Extension or Granny Flat Still Needs to be Professionally Built

The secondary dwelling might be much smaller but that doesn't mean you should pay less attention to details and standards. Selecting a builder who can demonstrate expertise in your specific type of project is essential. It is important to make sure that the dwelling complies will all regulations and safety requirements.

A reputable builder, like Beacon Construction, can help you make the most of a small space and ensure that your build is well designed and meets the highest quality standards.

Conclusion

It's common to be unsure about building a second dwelling. The costs, sorting out consents and figuring out the logistics can seem so overwhelming that many push the idea to the 'too hard basket', but adding a minor dwelling is now easier than ever and it comes with the benefits of putting you in a better financial position, or maybe it will just be a home for your children or elderly parents.

What's stopping you? Book your free consultation.