Your Stories
Cathy's Story
Mum became ill and it really had reached the stage where we were worried about her getting hurt - she was forgetting about leaving things on the stove. She also suddenly needed help with showering after falling ill and we didn't know how long she was going to need the extra help. She had booked herself into a nursing home but certainly wasn’t ready for that move herself and neither was I. I watched her stay with my brother and his wife for what we all hoped was a short time, but we all knew was probably for the rest of her life. They took such care to ensure that she was comfortable – moving her own things into her own special room in the house. Trouble was – I know she felt like a prisoner in her room…being in another person’s home, she lost her independence that she had always valued so much. She didn’t want to impose and there were problems on both sides. It just didn’t work. Creating a Granny Flat in the back yard for her meant that someone was there to help her when she needed it. I didn’t feel a constant pull of having to worry about her when she didn’t need me (making cup of tea after cup of tea when I just didn’t have the time) and she didn’t feel like a burden herself. She knew I was close by, but she was able to maintain her own life the way she wanted to. She was even able to keep an eye on the kids when we wereout without having to actually do anything. It worked for all of us: we helped each other out and it has been the best move we ever made.
Sharon and Brad’s Story
Last year Sharon and Brad got married at the age of 26 and 29. They left home about 3 years earlier and had been hoping to one day buy their own home. After both working very hard towards that elusive deposit, it seemed that rent and everyday living expenses were making the task nigh on impossible. The only solution seemed to be to move back home for a period and live with mum and dad. As Brad’s parents had a good size block close to the city, Brad’s dad suggested that a granny flat in the back yard was a great solution as it would enable them to save well and live comfortably without living in each other’s pockets. Brad’s parents already had visitors come from overseas once in a while and were considering a house extension anyway. They realised that once Brad and Sharon had saved for their own home, the micro home would be a great place to have house guests and their overseas visitors stay without being underfoot and provide a safe and comfortable facility to accommodate them. The plans worked really well for everyone involved and 10 weeks after council approval, Brad & Sharon moved into their new micro home.
The Williams’ Story
Mr and Mrs Williams have owned their home for over 30 years. They have children of their own and grand children who were renting and unable to afford to buy their own home. Mr and Mrs Williams at the age of 68 and 70 were at the point where they had a large house on a large block in a suburb surrounded by friends gained over 30 years. They knew the house and land was high maintenance and too large for their needs but the thought of moving to a smaller unit to enable them the freedom to travel and relax was just too daunting. The simpler solution was to build a GrannyFlatsWA micro home in their back yard which enabled them to live in the same location with the same friends and conveniences they had enjoyed all their life. It was easier to clean and keep clean than their old home. Mr and Mrs Williams’ children were then able to live in the original home, give up their rental and provide an ongoing cash flow support to their parents in the token rent paid for the use of their home. The maintenance of the property was able to be shared and when Mr and Mrs Williams then wanted to travel, the property was safe and maintained and the pets were looked after. When the kids wanted a night, out the Williams were able to baby sit and enjoy the grand kids. Obviously as Mr and Mrs Williams are getting older and the possibility of failing health nears, the family is well aware that the support required will be close at hand and the family unit can be comforted by the security of familiar friends and family around.
Rod & Jane's Story
Rod ran his business from home to keep costs down. It worked well cost & convenience wise, but it became quite intrusive when he would ask the kids to be quiet in their own home whilst he spoke to clients on the phone. I also didn’t like people coming to the door and waking the baby early from his nap when they were seeing Rod for business – especially when I was still in my PJs after a hard night. We selected a granny flat and now we wondered why we didn’t do it from the start. It has added value to our home and kept up all the conveniences of having Rod work from home while at the same time creating a new entrance for clients to use that doesn’t intrude on our home life – and the kids can be as loud as they want (or at least as loud as I can stand) when they’re dancing to the Wiggles! It also maintains that separation from home and work that seems to work better for us.