How much does it cost to build a granny flat in Sydney?
As an indicative 2026 range, a granny flat in Sydney costs about $2,100 to $2,600 per m² at standard finish, $2,600 to $3,200 at mid finish and $3,200 to $4,800 at luxury finish, excluding GST.
Price yours in the calculator Get a fixed priceA granny flat is a second, smaller home on the same lot as the house. Under the state fast-track rules it is usually capped at 60 m², which is why the example below is a 60 m² two-bedroom flat. Granny flat builders work to a tight standard design, so the rate per square metre sits below a new house. Site works and service connections are extra: published Sydney guides put them at about $15,000 to $40,000, more on a sloping or rocky block.
Sydney rates, 2026
| Finish | Per m² of floor area | For 60 m² |
|---|---|---|
| Standard project-home specification | $2,100 to $2,600 | $126k to $156k |
| Mid where most owner-occupier work lands | $2,600 to $3,200 | $156k to $192k |
| Luxury architect-detailed, bespoke joinery | $3,200 to $4,800 | $192k to $288k |
Excluding GST. The 60 m² example is one home, gross floor area across all levels, garages and balconies excluded.
What the three levels of finish mean for granny flat
Standard
A granny flat builder's standard plan and range: laminate kitchen, tiled bathroom, aluminium windows, Colorbond roof.
Mid
A designed studio: stone bench, timber floor, better glazing, decking and a small landscape. Where most owner-occupier flats land.
Luxury
Architect-designed garden studio, bespoke joinery, high-performance glazing, often matched to the main house.
Worked examples
| Floor area | Standard | Mid | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 m² | $94k to $117k | $117k to $144k | $144k to $216k |
| 60 m² | $126k to $156k | $156k to $192k | $192k to $288k |
| 80 m² | $168k to $208k | $208k to $256k | $256k to $384k |
Build cost only, excluding GST and the items below. Run your own floor area through the calculator.
What drives the number
- Services: the sewer, water, power and stormwater run back to the street or the house, and the distance and the fall decide the cost.
- Access: a flat with a side path a wheelbarrow fits is cheap to build; one at the back of a steep block behind the house is not.
- The 60 m² cap: stay under it and the flat is complying development in weeks; go over and it is a DA.
- Whether it is for family or for rent: a rental flat gets a standard spec; a flat for a parent usually gets the mid finish and accessible details.
On top of the build
- A steep or difficult site: add about 8% to 15%.
- Bushfire construction on bushfire-prone land: add about 3% to 6%.
- Not included: GST, design and council fees, connections and contributions, landscaping, finance and holding costs.
Which kind of granny flat is yours?
The volume builders' product; the advertised price plus site works and connections.
A smaller, better-finished space for work, guests or a single tenant.
Structure, stairs and fire separation push the rate above a ground-level flat.
Piers, retaining and a long services run add to the site works.
A piece of the main house in the garden; the detailing sets the rate.
What these look like
Design studies, not Estier projects.
Questions people ask
What does a 60 m² granny flat cost in Sydney?
About $126,000 to $156,000 at standard finish, $156,000 to $192,000 at mid and $192,000 to $288,000 at luxury in 2026, excluding GST, plus $15,000 to $40,000 of site works and connections.
Do I need council approval for a granny flat?
Usually not: under the state rules a granny flat up to 60 m² on a block of 450 m² or more can be approved by a private certifier as complying development in a few weeks. Heritage, bushfire and flood land can change that.
Can I rent out a granny flat?
Yes, in NSW a granny flat approved as a secondary dwelling can be rented to anyone. It cannot be sold separately from the house.
How long does a granny flat take to build?
Ten to sixteen weeks on site for a standard flat once the slab is down, after two to six weeks of approval.
What is not in the per-m² rate?
GST, site works and service connections, the private certifier, landscaping, a driveway or path, and any upgrade to the house's electrical board.
Before you price it
Make sure the block can take it. Can your block take a granny flat? Check it on Block Checker — enter the address and see the lot, the zone and what it can carry under the rules today.
Want the real number?
These are planning ranges, not a quote. Estier designs and builds in Sydney and gives a fixed price against a drawn scheme. Send the brief.
Other Sydney build costs: Duplex · New house · Terraces · Manor house · Apartments · Renovation
Indicative only. Rates are drawn from published 2026 Sydney and NSW granny flat cost guides (whatsthedamage.com.au, The Quote Yard), converted to exclude GST.