The idea of a ‘additional, self contained living space’ has been around for a long time now, however, their uses are much more diverse than the name implies. You may not choose to have nan living in your backyard, but there are plenty of other reasons people choose to build a additional, self contained living space on their property.
Dual living homes are cost-effective, convenient, and give you the extra space you need for all kinds of activities. So, if you’re building a new home, here’s a few good reasons you might choose to add extra living space in your backyard.
Keep elderly parents close
As the name suggests, a ‘additional, self contained living space’ was traditionally a place where people would have their elderly parents living as an alternative to a nursing home. It’s a great idea because you can be close to the people you love, while your parents also have their own sense of independence even if they’ve moved from their former home.
From a medical point of view, it’s great to have your parents close in case they need assistance because you’re right there to help when needed. Financially, it’s also a much cheaper option than some of the more expensive nursing homes.
A space for teenagers
It’s not just adult relatives who like to have their own space. As the kids get older, they want their own type of independence, and this is exactly what a lot of additional, self contained living spaces are used for.
Because you can install everything you need in a additional, self contained living space – water, electricity, bathroom, toilet, and kitchen facilities, you can essentially have a teenager living there full-time. Whether they want space away from their younger siblings, a quieter place to study, or even their own place to live while they save for their first home, a additional, self contained living space is a great way to give older children the space they need.
Extra source of income
As we mentioned, a additional, self contained living space isn’t just a shed in the backyard. It’s a fully functioning home environment, just a bit smaller. Therefore, you can actually rent out a additional, self contained living space for some extra income. As long as your additional, self contained living space has everything a normal home does, like kitchen facilities, a bathroom, electricity, wiring, and enough space to live comfortably, there’s no reason you can’t make a little money towards your own mortgage by renting that space out. It’s also a great way to earn rental income without the help of a real-estate agency. You don’t really need to pay an agent to manage the rental when you’re living right next door.
Create a home office
A additional, self contained living space doesn’t necessarily need to be a space for people to live independently. It might just be the perfect space for you to run a business. If you work from home, it can be difficult to get into the right mindset for work while you’re surrounded by everything in your house. Family members, TV, chores to do. It’s distracting. So, a additional, self contained living space transformed into an office is a great way to get that separation.
It also means when you’re in the main house, that’s your downtime and you can switch off from work a lot easier.
The ultimate entertaining area
Once again, a additional, self contained living space doesn’t have to be a place to live. You could have a separate building on your property that’s purely for entertainment. What about a fully-equipped entertainment room, packed with a big TV, great sound system and some comfy couches for watching movies without distractions.
Alternatively, you could attach it conveniently to your outdoor entertaining areas, creating a separate indoor space for family and friends to gather. If the weather isn’t great for being outdoors, you can still host a party that feels a bit different than just gathering around your lounge room. It even gives guests a place to stay for the night!
Increase your property value
Finally, having an extra dwelling is naturally going to increase the value of your home. It’s pretty easy to see that a property with two homes is going to be worth more than just one (depending on the size of course!). But why exactly is your property worth more if there’s a second dwelling on it?
Well, for all of the reasons above! When you’re selling your home, every use case you could make for a additional, self contained living space becomes a selling point to buyers. You might attract interest from a family with a teenage child, or an elderly parent. It might be a small business person looking for a family home with a separate office.
The level of convenience that comes from having a dual living home is extremely attractive for buyers, especially if they think they can make some money by renting out the second space. So when you’ve got empty space on your building plans, have a think about the benefits of building a additional, self contained living space song with your new home.
Stonewood Homes is proud to be one of the largest and leading NZ home builders. Contact us now!
