Free Granny Flat Feasibility Checker
Not sure if your block can take a granny flat?
Before you spend money on builders, certifiers or full plans, it’s smart to check whether a granny flat is even realistic on your property.
Answer a few quick questions about your site and your goals. You’ll get an initial
likely, borderline or unlikely indication, and we’ll manually review your property before coming back to you with realistic next steps.
- Check basic granny flat feasibility
- Identify obvious planning red flags early
- Understand whether CDC or DA may be more realistic
- Get a plain-English follow-up from JJ Drafting
This tool does not replace professional planning advice. It is a fast first filter before you spend serious money.
Start your feasibility check
Fill in the details below and we’ll review the main planning constraints for your site.
Granny Flat Feasibility Checker
Quick triage tool for granny flat feasibility.
How the granny flat checker works
Tell us about your property
Enter your address, approximate lot size, slope, trees and basic zoning if you know it.
Tell us what you’re trying to achieve
Are you chasing rental income, space for family, or something to help resale value?
Get an initial feasibility view
Our logic looks at typical NSW granny flat requirements and gives you a likely, borderline or unlikely indication.
We manually review your site
We then check mapping, zoning and obvious constraints before emailing you a short summary of realistic next steps.
Why granny flat feasibility matters
Adding a granny flat or secondary dwelling can be one of the best ways to create extra rental income, house adult children or parents, or boost the resale value of your property.
But not every block will meet the typical rules. Lot size, zoning, bushfire, flooding, easements, access and existing development can all affect what is possible.
Common issues we see
- Owners paying for full granny flat plans, only to discover their lot is too small or constrained.
- Sites that could have used a faster CDC path being pushed into a slower DA because nobody checked properly at the start.
- Poorly planned layouts that technically fit but ruin the main yard or future development options.
A simple feasibility check up-front can save months of delays and thousands of dollars in wasted fees.
What this tool checks — and what it does not
It checks the big picture
- Approximate lot size and shape
- Slope and trees
- Whether there is an existing dwelling
- Whether CDC or DA may be more realistic
- Your timeframe and goals
It does not replace full advice
- It does not measure exact setbacks
- It does not pick a final design
- It does not guarantee council or certifier approval
- It does not replace a survey or planning assessment
“Is it even worth going further with a granny flat on this site?”
Who this granny flat checker is for
This tool is designed for:
- Homeowners on Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches thinking about a granny flat.
- Owners in wider Sydney with residential land who want a quick reality check.
- Investors checking whether a granny flat could work as part of a rental return strategy.
We regularly work with properties in Collaroy, Dee Why, Narrabeen, Avalon, Belrose, Frenchs Forest, Forestville, Roseville, Lindfield, Hornsby, the Eastern Suburbs and surrounding suburbs.
Why use JJ Drafting for granny flat design and approvals?
JJ Drafting has been preparing granny flat plans, DA documentation and CDC drawings for Sydney homeowners since 2000.
We can help with
- Concept design and layout
- DA or CDC documentation
- As-built documentation and regularisation
- Coordination with certifiers, engineers and builders
Why it matters
Because residential drafting and approvals are what we do every day, we can usually spot red flags early and steer you toward realistic options instead of wishful thinking.
What happens after you submit the checker?
- You’ll see an initial result on-screen.
It will say something like likely feasible, borderline or unlikely based on the answers you provide. - We manually review your property.
We check basic zoning, overlays and obvious site constraints. - We email you a short opinion.
You receive a plain-English summary of what looks realistic and what the next step should be. - You decide what to do next.
There is no obligation. If it looks promising, we can discuss concept design, fees and timing.
FAQs — Granny Flat Feasibility in NSW
Do you only work in the Northern Beaches and North Shore?
No. We do a lot of work in those areas, but we can review granny flat feasibility for properties across Sydney.
Does a “likely” result mean I’m guaranteed approval?
No. The checker is an initial filter only. Final approval depends on detailed plans, surveys and assessment against current planning controls.
What if my lot size is under 450 m²?
Smaller sites can sometimes still support a granny flat through a more complex DA route or different secondary dwelling setup, but it is usually harder.
Can you design and document the granny flat if it looks feasible?
Yes. Once we are confident a granny flat is worth pursuing, we can help with concept design, 3D layouts, drafting and approval documentation.
How much detail do I need to provide?
The more accurate you can be with lot area, slope and trees, the better. If you are not sure about zoning, select “Don’t know” and we will check it during review.
Start with the checker before spending serious money.
Use the Granny Flat Feasibility Checker above, then watch for our follow-up email with realistic options.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 1300 977 804 or 0414 71 75 41.