The Ultimate Guide to Council Regulations for Relocatable ...

Purchasing and installing on your property a relocatable granny flat can be a lucrative investment, offering a versatile space for family members or tenants. However, understanding the necessary approvals and regulations is essential before you embark on such a project.

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Do you need council approval for a portable granny flat?

The answer often depends on the location of your property and specific local and state regulations. But general rule is: if your portable home is of a certain size, especially with a bathroom and a kitchen, you need council approval.

The Technicalities: DA and Section 68

Good news first &#; Transportable homes do not need BASIX (Energy Efficiency) and Construction Certificates. All you require is a Development Application (DA) and a Section 68 (S.68) Activity Approval from Local Council to proceed.

• Development Application (DA) is essentially a formal request made to the local council seeking permission to carry out a specific development or construction activity. This process ensures that the proposed development adheres to local regulations, environmental standards, and aligns with community expectations. Here&#;s a deeper dive into the DA:
  • Purpose: The DA evaluates the potential impact of the proposed development on the surrounding area. It assesses factors like aesthetics, environmental considerations, traffic implications, and more.
  • Scope: For projects like manufactured or transportable homes, especially those over 20sqm in size, a DA is generally mandatory. The exact size requirement may vary based on the local council or specific state regulations.
  • Components: A DA usually comprises detailed plans of the proposed development, a statement of environmental effects, and any other documentation required by the specific council.
  • Approval Process: After submission, the local council evaluates the DA against local planning controls, environmental standards, and other relevant considerations. Feedback or objections from neighbours and other stakeholders might also influence the decision.
  • Outcome: Post evaluation, the DA can be approved (with or without conditions) or rejected. If approved, development must adhere strictly to the specified conditions.
• Section 68 activity Approval:
  When we talk about relocatable homes or granny flats, the manufacturing process often happens offsite, in specialised factories. Once crafted, they&#;re transported to the desired location for installation. Given this unique nature, they come under the purview of &#;Section 68&#; of the Local Government Act.
  • Definition: Section 68 specifically addresses the &#;installation of a manufactured home or movable dwelling on land.&#; It provides a framework to ensure that these structures are safe, sustainable, and in harmony with the surroundings.
  • Importance: This approval is pivotal because it ensures that the structure complies with all relevant Australian standards. The process ensures that issues such as structural integrity, utilities connections, and positioning on the plot are appropriately addressed.
  • Process: Securing a S.68 approval generally requires detailed documentation showcasing the design, structural elements, utility connections, and sometimes, an assessment of the potential environmental impact. Some councils may also require a site inspection.
  • Outcome: Once all requirements are satisfied, the council grants the S.68 approval, post which the manufactured or transportable home can be legally installed on the property.

In preparation for Submission

1. Save yourself time: Assess your property before approaching the Council

Before you head to your local council with your development plans, it&#;s wise to evaluate your property against standard site requirements. Conducting a preliminary assessment can expedite the approval process and potentially save you from unexpected complications. Here are some crucial site requirements you should consider:

• Zoning: The property must be zoned as residential.
• Land Size and Dimensions: Ensure your property meets the minimum size requirements for the proposed development. Property must be a minimum 450m2 in area and a minimum of 12m wide.
• Topography: Check the gradient and elevation changes of your land. Steep slopes may require additional engineering or design considerations.
• Soil Type: Conduct a soil test to determine its type and quality, which can affect the base requirements.
• Vegetation and Trees: Identify significant trees or vegetation, as removal may need additional permits or might be restricted. Any existing trees that are taller than six metres must be kept three metres away from you.
• Utility Connections: Ensure accessibility to essential utilities like water, sewage, electricity, and gas.
• Boundary Setbacks: Measure the distances from the proposed development to property boundaries to ensure they meet local setback requirements. Maintain a 3.0m setback from the rear and 0.9m from side boundaries and a distance of 3.0m from any existing trees that are over 6m in height.
• Flood and Bushfire Prone Areas: Determine if your property lies within any flood or bushfire-prone zones. These areas might have specific building requirements or restrictions. Here are just a few online tools we recommend:
  • QLD Fire and Emergency Services
  • NSW Rural Fire Services 
  • VicPlan
• Heritage or Conservation: Check if your property or the surrounding area has any heritage or conservation restrictions.
• Neighbouring Properties: Assess the potential impact on neighbouring properties in terms of privacy, views, and overshadowing.

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2. Layout specifics to keep in mind

• Your relocatable granny flat should have a maximum internal area of 60 square meters and a minimum internal wall height of 2.4 meters. Most transportable homes have cathedral or raked ceilings, where the lowest point should maintain the correct ceiling height.
• Floor Areas of certain rooms:
  • The minimum floor area for a bathroom is 2.2 square meters and additional 0.7 square meters if the toilet is included
  • If the toilet is in a separate room, the room should have a minimum floor area of 1.1 square meters with the minimum width of at least 0.8m
  • The minimum floor area required for a laundry room is 1.6 square meters
  • Toilets should not be located in rooms that have direct access to kitchens or any other food preparation area.

3. Be ready to submit the following documents:

• Development Application (DA) Form &#; available from your local council &#; completed and signed.
• Site Plan &#; a detailed drawing showing the location of the proposed structure on the property, including boundary distances, existing buildings, driveways, and significant landscape features. 
• Floor Plan &#; a detailed plan of the manufactured home, showing room layouts, dimensions, and the location of windows and doors.
• Elevations &#; drawings showing the exterior views of the granny flat from all sides.
• Engineered Plans &#; if applicable, include engineering plans certified by a qualified engineer.
• Civil Engineer&#;s Structural Compliance Certificate &#; These buildings usually have a steel frame. Ensure you have a Structural Compliance Certificate from an Australian Civil Engineer certifying that the structure complies with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and relevant Australian Standards, as it is vital for approval.
• Glazing, Electrical and Gas Compliance Certificates &#; confirming that your transportable granny flat and all elements and works comply with the relevant Australian Standards.
• Section 68 (s.68) Activity Approval Form &#; a completed and signed form must be submitted as part of your DA application or straight after the DA is approved. 
• Soil test report
• Statement of Environmental Effect &#; a document outlining how the proposed development addresses environmental impacts and complies with local planning controls.
• Bushfire and/or Flood Impact Assessment &#; if your property is in a bushfire or flood-prone area, you may need to provide an assessment of how the development addresses these risks.
• Heritage and Conservation Documents &#; if applicable, documents showing how the development will not adversely affect any heritage or conservation areas.
• Neighbour Notification Forms &#; documentation proving that you have notified your neighbours of the proposed development, if required by your local council.
• Fee payment receipt.

Before proceeding, ensure that you have thoroughly checked with your local council for any additional requirements specific to your area. The list of documents can vary significantly between different councils and regions, and it&#;s crucial to comply with all local regulations to ensure a smooth approval process.

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Useful Links and Resources

Remember, while these resources are valuable, consulting with a local builder or professional familiar with your area&#;s regulations is often the best approach.

Disclaimer:

This article provides general information on council approval requirements for portable granny flats. Regulations and requirements may vary based on the property&#;s location, specific local council mandates, and state policies. It&#;s always advisable to consult with local government bodies or professional builders for accurate and updated information.

For comprehensive details, consider visiting official government websites or consulting with professional builders in your area.

Raising and building under your house can be a useful solution for those looking to create more space for their existing property if you don&#;t want to build an extension that takes away your backyard space. Whether you have a smaller space to work with or are unable to relocate to a larger property, there are many options for extending your property&#;s space. From house restumping to sliding your home forward, backward, or across a block, creating more space within your home can be a great way to maintain yard space while increasing the value of your home. 

House raising requires a lot of planning and research, so prior to beginning your project, it&#;s important to understand what your goals are for your house. You can use this guide to learn what you need to know for a raise and build under the project and how you can begin the process.

We recently chatted with, Mick McCormack from Rise House Raising about the process. Read on for some great insights and what to expect when raising and building under your home.

How to prepare to Raise and Build Under Your House

The process of a raise and build under sounds quite simple; however, the actual process requires much detail and planning. So, how do you raise a house? A raise and build under project consists of safely lifting a house from the ground using a hydraulic jack system and building support underneath to permanently maintain the house at a raised level. 

House raising projects must be carried out by a team of professionals. This renovation project is very complex and requires a lot of assessment, construction, and thorough planning. For example, building approval, property assessments, and adherence to council regulations are often required for house raising projects.

While the obvious benefit of a raise and build under the project is expanding the space of your home, house raising is greatly beneficial for protecting homes from damage by floods, something that builders in Brisbane should be particularly aware of.

House raising in flood-prone areas is a highly effective service for not only reducing the damage caused by natural disasters but also providing a lot of additional space for homeowners. This is why house extensions in Brisbane northside and southside are so popular.

This renovation project has become increasingly popular in recent years, given its benefits, including flood protection and extended space. However, this option is also suitable for those living in the city, unable to find larger properties or larger blocks. In addition, raising and building under projects allow you to maintain some of the traditional characters of your home, as opposed to other renovation projects that may completely transform the look and feel of your property.

Before beginning a raise and build under the project, you will need to prepare your house for the lifting. The preparation can include cleaning out your home and removing outdoor steps, shrubbery, and fences. You should keep the preparation process in mind so you&#;ll know what to expect prior to lifting your house.

After looking into house raising projects, hiring knowledgeable and experienced professionals for this type of project is crucial. Experts will ensure that your house will sustain minimal damage while adhering to all restrictions. 

Why and When To Raise Your House

House raising can provide a lot more benefits than just expanding your home. So, what are some reasons you should look into house raising, sliding, or restumping? When considering a house raising project, it&#;s important to consider personal goals for your home. 

You should consider how much space you want, what you&#;d like to do with your space, and long-term goals for your home, whether it&#;s increasing the property value or simply redesigning your interior. Regardless of your reasons, a raise and build under project will be beneficial in more ways than one. Here are a few advantages to house raising your property.

1. More Space

Raise and build under projects are able to give you more space on your property without cutting away from your yard space. This style of renovation is useful for properties that are located in the city, making it hard to find larger properties. If you want to live close to the city and not have to compromise on location, house raising is perfect for updating your property to suit your new and ever-changing lifestyle.

2. Improve an Old House

Do you live in an older house that needs maintenance? House raising could be the perfect way to renovate an old property by revamping its construction and layout. Moving into a newer house will cost you more money and time. 

Opting for a raise and build under will allow you to keep your location while providing a completely new feel to your living space.

3. Property Value

Raising your home and building under will increase the value of your property. If you&#;re considering selling your home, you may want to invest in your property to sell it at a better price.

Larger properties, especially in the inner suburbs, often sell quickly and at a steep price. Raising your home is an excellent way to invest in your property, whether you want to make more living space or make a profit by selling your house.

4. Change in Lifestyle

Changes in lifestyles call for changes in living environments. Whether you&#;re looking to change the style of your interior or make more space for your family, any lifestyle change may leave you wanting to change your living space. House raising allows you to change the layout of your home as well as adjust the interiors to suit your new needs.

5. Maintain Your Yard

Many house extensions may take away from your outdoor space, leaving you with less or even no space to enjoy. Whether you enjoy landscaping, gardening, or just relaxing under the sun, raising your home will help maintain your yard so you can enjoy various outdoor activities. 

6. Plan for a Bigger Family

Many families will move into a new home if they&#;re planning for a bigger family. However, if you prefer to keep your location and would simply like to have more rooms, house raising can be the solution for you. House raising allows you to completely renovate, giving you the freedom to create bedrooms upstairs for the family and keep your living areas downstairs, or vice-versa. 

7. Stay Cool During the Summer

In Brisbane, Queensland, summers can get incredibly hot, making the hotter months harder to beat. With a raise and build under project, the lower level does not get as exposed to sunlight given the layout. House raising is an excellent way to not only build more space into your house but also provide an interior space for you to stay cool during the hot summer months.

8. Redesign Your Home

Raise and build under projects are an ideal way to remodel and upgrade the layout of your home. If you&#;re simply looking to change your living space and renovate it into a new, more spacious design, raising your home can improve the flow of your layout and help you achieve these goals.

What Do You Need To Know Before a Raise and Build Under Project?

A raise and build under project is a major renovation to your home. You will need to consider several details, from the style of your home to new living accommodations, before considering house raising. Before committing to such a project, there are some things to know in order to understand what to expect. 

 From the length of the project to the design options you have, here are the main things you should know before beginning a raise and build under project.

Style of Home

First, it&#;s crucial to examine if your home is suitable for a raise and build under project. This project is only suitable for a specific type of house, as full brick houses and houses on a concrete slab won&#;t suit this type of renovation. In Brisbane, Queensland, the most common type of homes for a raise and build under project are those built before , built on brick piers or stumps, and are timber-framed. 

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If you have a home with this type of style, you may be able to raise and upgrade your home.

Length of Project

In addition, the length of a raise and build under project varies depending on the work. However, these projects can typically run anywhere from 4 months to 10 months. It is also important to note that no one can live in the house during this process, which will require some planning for relocation during this time. You should have appropriate living accommodations planned for the entire duration of your project.

When raising and building under, you don&#;t need to raise straight up. While the house is&#;up there&#; it is possible to shift the house to a different location on your block. Run your idea past your builder for their feedback. Extra cost will be involved but might mean you make enough room for that pool that the kids have been nagging about.

Potential Damage

During the process of lifting a home, it&#;s possible that damage will occur, whether it&#;s light cracks on the walls or movement in the general structure.

We are professionals at what we do and always take the most care, but lifting a home 6 feet into the air is never straight forward and sometimes damage can take place. However, this damage will always be accounted for in the budget and quote, as we will be liable for any damage.

Legal Height Restrictions

To give you an example, the maximum height restriction is 9.5 metres for raise and build under projects in Brisbane, Queensland. You will need to take note of the maximum height restriction, ensuring that the vision of your new home aligns with the restrictions. 

You can read more on Brisbane City Council residential building and see in the example below where the house sits in relation to the 9.5m restriction along with some ceiling measurements for perspective.

It is also possible to shift your home to a different location if you&#;d like more outdoor space in a certain area in your yard; however, this option would make for a more expensive project.

Design Options

When it comes to house raising, you will have a couple of options to choose from in terms of your home&#;s new design. Generally, people who undergo raise and build under projects will renovate their new two-storey home in one of two ways. 

First, the most common route is to keep the overall look of the house consistent with the look of the existing top level. This includes designing the new bottom floor to match the existing interior. This gives the appearance that the house has always had two storeys. 

The other option is to display two completely different interiors. This typically includes building the bottom floor with new and modern interiors while keeping the existing home with a more traditional character.

For example, using a matte black vertical weatherboard instead of a cream horizontal weatherboard like the original house. You might have seen a few houses like this around New Farm/Paddington, they&#;re quite striking and unapologetic in their appearance. Paying homage to the old and the new.

Regardless of the style of interior you choose, house raising can bring great opportunities to redesign the interior of your dreams.

How Much Does It Cost To Raise and Build Under?

The cost of raise and build under projects will vary depending on various factors. Determining an accurate estimate for your house raising project is a vital step to deciding if a raise and build under is right for you. 

Your Options With House Lifting

First, the house lifting process and the process of house raising and replacing the foundation are two different costs. It is important to note that the total cost of your home project will increase with more work needed.

Option 1: Simply Raising The House

Raising the house without any additional construction typically incurs costs mainly related to the lifting and temporary supports. This could range from approximately $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the size and structure of the house.

Option 2: Lifting The House and Building a Basement

Building a basement under a lifted house can significantly increase the project cost due to excavation, foundation, and construction expenses. The costs in the region of $250,000, which would include new upper-level adjustments, basement construction, and interior fit-outs

Option 3: Lifting The House and Replacing The Foundation

Replacing the foundation after lifting the house involves expenses similar to those of building a basement, without the requirement for excavation. The cost of demolition and reconstruction of the foundation would be in the region of an additional $30,000, but can be up to $100,000 depending on scope. 

Style of Home

As we mentioned above, the cost of raising the house will range between $20,000 to $50,000. 

An important factor in this range is the type of house that you&#;re renovating. Certain home styles are more suited to raise and build under projects than others.

• Small, single-storey homes with wood frames will typically be on the lower end, around $20,000 to $30,000.

• Larger, multi-storey homes that are made of brick or stone require more work and would cost closer to $50,000 just to lift.

• The average cost for raising a Queenslander will typically fall between $25,000 to $35,000. 

Size and Weight

In addition, the size and weight of your home are one of the most significant factors in determining the cost of your house raising project. The bigger the house, the more it will cost to elevate your home. However, it is important to keep in mind that this cost only covers the house lifting process and does not include other projects like replacing the foundation or repairing damages.

However, building up is one of the most affordable options when it comes to expanding your living space. If your main goal is to have a bigger living space, a raise and build under project will certainly meet your needs while being the most cost-effective option.

Site Access

Another factor that plays a role in the cost of renovation is the site access of your home. Before beginning the renovation, the builder of your house raising project must consider the site access, as the construction of new retaining walls, for example, will affect the overall cost of your renovation.

Flood Zone

House raising is incredibly popular for those living in a flood zone. The average cost for house raising above the flood zone is more expensive than the average cost, with the range running from $20,000 to $80,000. If the main reason behind your house raising project comes down to protection against flood damage, you may want to consider raising your home above the flood zone.

Consider Other Factors

House raising projects consist of various factors that should be considered when calculating the overall cost. Some other factors include but aren&#;t limited to labour, foundation repairs, permits, and excavation. Another factor that will affect the total cost is renovating your existing home. 

If you&#;re simply going to lift your home and build under, it will cost you less than changing the entire layout of the upstairs and downstairs. You may want to consider consulting a professional to get a more accurate estimate of your house raising project.

Ready To Begin Your Raise and Build Under Project?

House raising is one of the main improvements you can make at your home. The final result is something incredibly rewarding both in terms of your house&#;s value and your quality of life.

If you&#;re ready to expand your current living space, protect your home from flood damage or increase the market value of your property, house raising is a renovation project that will benefit you for years to come.

Hopefully, this rundown has provided you with enough clarity on the key things you need to know when it comes to raise and build under renovations. If you&#;re done exploring and ready to start the process, fill out your details here and we&#;ll be in touch.

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