We were very excited to be part of an article written by the Telegraph newspaper recently. Under the heading ‘The rise of the granny annexe’ the article goes into detail about the growth in popularity of people building a garden home. It has increasingly become a fantastic solution for many families and elderly relatives – who rather going down the much more costly route of downsizing to a new property opt for the cheaper and family orientated solution of building a bespoke home in the garden.
The reasons for building a garden property tend to pivot around some core motives. Families are increasingly looking for a solution that will bring a win-win situation, for elderly parents their children and grandchildren. With rising house prices, care home costs and child care, it is no wonder that people are turning to new solutions to meet their needs.
A couple in the article mentions how they are now able to help out with the grandchildren, picking them up from school and looking after them before the parents return from work. Something they greatly enjoy – yet they still retain a great deal of independence, being able to return to their cosy garden building when they would like to relax. Having separate access is very important, especially when they have their own friends visiting.
This family is one of 125,000 in the UK who are now enjoying a multigenerational way of life – with 1.8 million households, seven per cent of the country’s total, now incorporating two or more adult generations.
Whereas once downsizing to a smaller property was an option for many elderly couples, increasingly this is no longer an option due to many people over the age of 65 not holding enough equity in their homes.
“Garden buildings are an incredibly useful addition to a property, especially for older people. Properly done, they provide secure, accessible, self-contained accommodation that are ideal spaces for older residents,” says Nick Herrtage, managing director of Chester Row.
“Annexes are also among the most flexible part of a home since their size and somewhat secluded positioning – often at the rear of a garden – means they can double up as a home office or even a nursery.”
A garden building not only provides a great solution for many elderly people who are unable to afford to downsize – but also adds a great asset to the property it is built on.
“I cannot imagine a situation where this would not enhance appeal, value and saleability,” says Lindsay Cuthill of Savills.
One of our new customers, mentioned in the article, decided to build an annexe which she felt would give her all the benefits of a bungalow at a fraction of the price. “I wanted something that looked like a proper house, with vaulted ceilings and a big kitchen, so I chose an L-shaped bungalow backing on to the woods, I have my own access and a deer that visits me.”
A huge advantage of our granny annexes is the scope for building the design that best suits your requirements. There are many options when it comes to style, size layout and design, from something more traditional to something that is very modern and sleek.
This property we built in Surrey, mentioned in the article – demonstrates perfectly how a traditional vaulted ceiling and L -shape design can be mixed with some more contemporary aesthetics. The western red cedar cladding and urban grey french doors and windows give a contemporary and natural finish to the exterior. LED strips illuminate the Granny Annexe at night, making a striking addition to the main property.
