The Importance of Granny Flat Floor Plans

When you decide to build a granny flat in your backyard, making a detailed floor plan is super important. A granny flat, also called a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (ADU), is a small home that shares a yard with a bigger main house. Granny flats are getting popular because they allow families to use their property better and even earn rental income.

But you can’t just start constructing a granny flat without planning it out first. That would be crazy. As per experts at Granny Flat Solutions you need blueprints that map out the rooms, spacing, electrical, plumbing and more. That’s where floor plans come in. Here’s why taking the time to make good granny flat floor plans matters big time.

 

Figuring Out Room Layouts

 

Floor plans let you perfectly map out where each room in the granny flat will go and how they’ll connect. Without a plan, you might space things out wrong while building, and end up with weird crowded rooms and hallways. No one wants a bedroom you can barely squeeze into.

Floor plans allow you to sketch out different layout options on paper first. You can try putting the kitchen in the back or front, next to the living room or bedroom, etc. And you can play with room shapes and change things easily, unlike once construction starts. This lets you find an optimal layout before building.

 

Knowing Exact Room Dimensions

 

When you make a floor plan, you need to mark the measurements for each room’s length and width. This lets the builder know their exact size when constructing the walls and floors. Without precise room dimensions on the blueprint, rooms might turn out way too small or big when built. Then you’re kind of stuck with a strange granny flat.

Getting room sizes right on the floor plan is crucial. A planning trick is to cut out pieces of paper scaled to each room’s dimensions. You can shuffle these cutouts around to find room combos that fit nicely within the total granny flat footprint.

 

Incorporating Windows, Doors and Plumbing

 

Floor plans don’t just show room sizes – they map out other key details too. This includes the placement of windows, doors, plumbing fixtures and more. Marking their locations in the plan helps the builder install them properly in the right spots.

No one wants a bathroom sink on the wrong wall or a door that swings the wrong way into another room. That would be silly. Floor plans prevent these problems by clearly showing where everything goes. This helps the granny flat function like it should when built.

 

Meeting Building Codes and Regulations

 

Most cities and counties have rules about things like maximum granny flat size, parking requirements, fire exits and more. The floor plans need to fit within these local building codes and zoning regulations. If not, you won’t get a permit to build the granny flat.

Making detailed plans with room sizes and layouts helps ensure your granny flat meets area requirements. You can also have an architect double check that your blueprints align with local codes before submitting for permits. This prevents headaches down the road.

 

Avoiding Big Mistakes

 

Planning with floor plans first avoids expensive construction errors and rework down the road. What if the rooms got framed wrong and had to be rebuilt? Or electric outlets got missed where needed? That would be bad news and cost more money to fix.

Thorough floor plans act like a guide for builders to carefully follow during construction. This helps prevent accidentally missing things that have to get added later. And it ensures rooms come out sized and laid out properly the first time. No teardowns or rebuilds.

 

Making Changes Easier

 

Even with good plans, adjustments to granny flats are sometimes needed, whether due to budget, permitting or changing needs. With detailed floor plans, it’s much simpler to modify on paper first.

For example, an extra window could get added, a room resized, or the layout tweaked before building again. Way better to change the blueprint than to alter already finished construction. Having plans makes modifications cheaper and less wasteful.

 

Conclusion

Creating detailed floor plans is super important before building a granny flat. It ensures the layout and rooms work well, fit local codes, allow easy permitting, and help avoid expensive build mistakes. Granny flats involve big projects, so having solid floor plans drawn up is a smart early step. It gives your construction a blueprint for success.