Cabin as Granny Annexe

smallzoo2

Not sure if this the right place..if not please tell me where I should post it..

We have my 95yr old mum living with us. Three years ago we converted the garage to a granny annexe which has been great. The medium term plan once our kids all moved was to downsize to a 2/3 bedroom house with an annexe but we are finding that almost impossible in our area.

Just how feasible is it to have a cabin built in an a garden for my Mum. This would at least allow us to try to find a 2/3 bedroom house wit a big enough garden for the cabin i.e. give us more options.

The cost of this cabin seem to very enormously on the web..all the extras seem sometimes to be hidden. We would only want a one bedroom, lounge kitchen, wet room. We 'think' we may have about £30-40k for this complete build/installation

any advice help would be great

Doozergirl

I think it would probably be achievable if you shop around, but be aware that it *will* need planning permission as it is habitable. Make sure you do some homework with the local authority before committing yourself to a purchase - house or cabin. It may be unpalatable to some local authorities and it may also well not add much value to the house.

I hate to be morbid, but medium term have you thought that you might be better off staying put? £30-40k is a lot of money to spend on a long term investment when you are empty nesters and mum is not going to last forever (in this body at least ) ?

Do you need to move right now?

Cakeguts

Sounds like a typical bed in a shed arrangement? Councils don't like this.

smallzoo2

So are you saying you cannot have a granny annexe in a cabin in the garden at all ?

Doozergirl

smallzoo2 wrote: »

So are you saying you cannot have a granny annexe in a cabin in the garden at all ?

I was pretty specific.

It will require planning permission.
Some councils may not like that type of arrangement.
Do homework specific to your area and the proposed house.

elsien

Not what you're asking, but would mum feel secure out in the garden on her own? I know my mum would be petrified, after she had a break-in where they gained access through the garden.

comeandgo

If it's a separate dwelling would you not have council tax to pay on it?

smallzoo2

Thanks for the replies so far.. yes I understand there would be another council tax and good point about being on her own in the garden..worth thinking about..

AnotherJoe

Also non trivial to connect all the services especially sewage.

Cheeky_Monkey

Good Lord :eek:

OP - please tell me you're not seriously considering shoving your poor 95 year old mother into a shed/cabin in the back garden? :mad:

ProDave

For "cabin" substitute "static caravan" readilly available for not much money. We are currently living in one (while we self build) that we paid £4000 for, and you can get them a lot cheaper than that.

You don't need planning permission if the use is incidental to the main dwelling, which usually means all part of the same familly. PP only becomes necessary when you try to create a separate residential unit, i.e. rent it to someone from a different familly. I believe there is another "test" that it must nor be wholey self contained, so make sure for instance you all eat together in the main house.

Treated like this I don't believe it will attract additional council tax.

This site has a wealth of information on the law relating to mobile homes in gardens http://www.ecomobilehomes.com/planning/