Secondary Dwellings NSW

Our Guide to Building in Your Backyard

Luxury Pods Secondary Dwelling Getaway retreat in a backyard with sunset and trees in background — Here's one of our latest designs for the South Coast of NSW

Your backyard could be more than just unused space.

For many NSW homeowners, a secondary dwelling can create an entirely new space for family, guests, work or additional income—without having to move or purchase another property.

You might be thinking about a private home for your parents, somewhere for adult children to live, a modern guest house, or simply making better use of a large backyard.

And modular construction can offer a simpler way to make it happen.

But before choosing a design, there are some important questions to answer.

Can you build a secondary dwelling on your property?

How big can it be?

Do you need council approval?

How much will it cost?

And importantly, how much of your backyard do you actually need?

Here's what to consider.

What is a secondary dwelling - NSW?

A secondary dwelling is an additional dwelling located on the same property as an existing principal home.

You may also hear them referred to as granny flats, although today's secondary dwellings can be designed for far more than traditional granny-flat living.

Homeowners are increasingly looking at secondary dwellings as:

A home for ageing parents
Independent accommodation for adult children
Guest accommodation
Additional living space
A private retreat
Rental accommodation where permitted
A flexible space that changes with the family over time

Done well, it doesn't need to feel like you've simply dropped a small building into the backyard.

It can become an intentionally designed extension of how your property works.

Can I build a secondary dwelling in my backyard?

This is usually the first question.

And the answer depends on your property.

Things such as your land size, zoning, existing buildings, access, setbacks, site constraints and the applicable planning controls can all influence what's possible.

That's why we recommend starting with the property, rather than the floor plan.

If you already have a backyard in mind, the first useful question isn't:

"Which house should I choose?"

It's:

"What could I build here?"

CAN I BUILD?

Send us your property address and tell us what you're thinking.