Custom granny flats in Canberra.

When custom is the right call.

• Heritage Overlay block (parts of Forrest, Yarralumla, Red Hill, Hughes, Griffith, Curtin, Manuka): EPSDD requires sympathetic massing, low pitched roof, no competing parapets. Standard template fights the overlay; custom design respects it.
• Premium homeowner who wants high-end finishes from day one — oak flooring, stone bench with matching splashback, designer lighting, full uPVC double-glazing, in-slab hydronic heating.
• Unusual block shape — corner block, irregular polygon, steep slope, narrow rear yard, view corridor that needs preserving.
• Architectural pavilion design reading as a detached studio in the garden rather than a granny flat at the fence.
• Multi-generational accessibility plus design — downsizer who wants accessible spec without compromising the architectural feel of the property.
• Premium short-let target — Forrest/Yarralumla/Red Hill/Deakin tenant pool will pay $700–$900/wk furnished if the granny flat looks bespoke, not template.

Our custom-design process.

1. Brief workshop — 90-min on-site session with the architect. Understand the brief, photograph the block, capture the main-house architectural language, agree the design objectives.
2. Concept design — 2 or 3 concept options at floorplan level + simple massing model. Reviewed with you over 1–2 iterations.
3. Schematic design — chosen concept developed to schematic, materials palette confirmed, indicative budget.
4. NatHERS modelling — design tested against NatHERS 7-star at schematic stage so we don’t discover an issue at DA lodgement.
5. Design development — full plans, sections, elevations, joinery details. Specifications and detailed schedule.
6. EPSDD DA — lodge full package with EPSDD. Coordinate any neighbour notification, heritage advice, RFI responses. 8–14 weeks typical for a heritage / overlay block.
7. Construction documentation — tender-ready drawings + specs.
8. Build — 14–20 weeks for a typical custom build, longer for premium finish or complex form.

Premium spec inclusions.

• Floors: Engineered European oak (15mm + 3mm wear layer) or polished concrete with grind-and-seal.
• Windows: Full uPVC double-glazed (Schueco, Vekaplus, Aluplast equivalent), some triple-glazed on south aspects. Sliding doors larger than template — up to 4m wide.
• Kitchen: 40mm stone bench, matching splashback, integrated dishwasher, full-size oven + induction cooktop, premium tap, undermount sink. Custom joinery in oak veneer or matte 2-pack.
• Bathroom: Stone-tile floor + walls, frameless glass shower screen, in-floor drain, custom vanity, designer tapware (Astra Walker / Sussex equivalent), heated towel rail.
• Heating: Hydronic in-slab + reverse-cycle split as backup. Reverse-cycle alone for budget-conscious custom.
• Lighting: Designer LED scheme — recessed downlights + pendant + bedside articulating + bathroom mood. DALI-dimmable on KNX bus or Lutron RA2.
• Smart home: Optional Control4 / Loxone integration for lighting, climate, AV.

Typical custom projects.

• 55m² heritage-overlay pavilion in Hughes (sympathetic to 1960s Pegrum house) — $185K turnkey
• 60m² 2-bed architectural granny flat in Forrest with full-uPVC + hydronic — $230K turnkey
• 48m² corner-block solar-pavilion in Yarralumla — $195K turnkey
• 52m² downsizer accessible-spec custom in Red Hill with view to Black Mountain — $215K turnkey
• 60m² rural-edge premium in Stirling (large block, BAL-12.5) — $240K turnkey

EPSDD DA on heritage and overlay blocks.

Heritage Overlay (HO) DAs in the ACT require additional documentation — a Statement of Heritage Effect, design impact analysis, and sometimes a heritage advisor sign-off. Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) rules apply on most established blocks. View-corridor and overshadowing analysis is mandatory in some inner suburbs (Forrest, Griffith, Narrabundah). EPSDD turnaround for heritage / overlay DAs is typically 10–14 weeks vs 6–10 for a standard RZ1 DA. We allow for this in the project timeline so it doesn’t come as a surprise.