With a cost-of-living crisis and ballooning childcare costs, multi-generational living is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Where once young adults and younger generations could not wait to get away from their parents, now they are boomeranging back to them, living at home with their own families in tow, in a bid to strengthen familial bonds and save costs.
What is multi-generational living?
Multi-generational living refers to households with several different generations living together. Most commonly, this is either when grown-up children move back in with their parents – often while saving for a place of their own – or when parents team up with their own parents to create a new multi-generational household. This sometimes means selling two smaller properties to buy a larger home or, more frequently, building a smaller property or ‘granny flat’ on the same plot as the existing home.
Is multi-generational living on the rise?
Living in a multi-generational home is definitely on the rise. The combination of soaring rents and no sign of an interest rate decrease means being able to own your own home comfortably is out of reach for many young families.
This, combined with the increase in two working parent families (over 70% of Australian families had two working parents according to the last recorded labour force and census data) making the management of childcare even more of a juggle, makes living in a multi-generational living an attractive possibility.
What are the advantages of multi-generational living in Australia?
Families who live in multi-generational homes report benefits to mental and physical health, closer relationships, happier children and more disposable income.
Financial
For older parents who might be downsizing and moving into a granny flat on their children’s land, or alternatively inviting their adult children into their own homes, and potentially taking up residence in a separate flat on the same plot, no longer having to worry about bills creates a disposable income, which allows them to enjoy their retirement or later years more freely. Meanwhile, their children reap the rewards of having built-in babysitters on site – within reason – leading to a reduction in childcare costs.
Emotional
The emotional benefits of multigenerational living apply across the generations, whether or not the generations are living in separate homes or in one large home together. Each family member is likely to find themselves feeling less lonely, with more people living with them to interact with.
Anecdotally, single grandparents who are absorbed into multigenerational households report feeling more useful and less redundant and may go from not having a conversation with anyone all day to being thrust into the heart of a family home.
Simultaneously, couples can find having an additional adult in the house reduces areas of friction over household obligations and child-rearing as well as benefiting from an extra pair of hands.
Creates family bonds
Setting up a multi-generational home allows grandparents and older family members to be as involved as they would like to be in their grandchildren’s lives, without being held back by distance or detachment.
Sharing a home, whether that’s being under the same roof or in a tiny home or granny flat at the end of the garden, automatically increases an extended family’s ability to share a life. This leads to strong family bonds.
Village approach to childcare
They say it takes a village to raise a child; this is what a multi-generational family home can provide.
Having grandparents on the premises to help out before and after school, as well as in the holidays, is a lifeline for many working parents. In addition to strong familial ties and the easing of pressure for parents, the children themselves can benefit from the wisdom and experience of their grandparents.
How big should a multi-generational place be?
The size of your multi-generational home is likely to be dictated by the size of your existing plot, unless you are purchasing a separate property. Thinking through what you and the rest of your family need and carefully planning a set-up that reflects everyone’s requirements should give you an idea of the size you’re looking at.
You will then need to decide whether you would like to build separate multi-generational homes or whether you’d like to extend your existing residence.
Extension vs. Granny flat
The choice between building an extension or a separate granny flat to house your multi-generational household will depend on your specific situation, but there are some factors to bear in mind:
Privacy
How much independence and privacy will elderly family members need? Would they prefer to be set back a little from the rest of the family, with their own private space and separate living areas so they can come and go as they please? Or would they prefer to be more integrated into the comings and goings of the household?
Costs
Cost is something else to consider, although the price to transform your household into a multi-generational one is likely to depend more on the size of the addition, rather than whether or not it’s a separate granny flat. Building a self-contained granny flat is likely to be less disruptive to your existing home (and family) than a full-blown extension, so that is one to bear in mind.
Mobility
Another consideration is accessibility; do any of the older generations have mobility issues that you might need to bear in mind during construction? A self-contained granny flat can be customised to individual needs, though a cleverly constructed extension can also be modified. If you’d like further advice about building a multi-generational home and which option might be best for you, we’d be happy to help.
What are the challenges to multi-generational living?
While there are many key advantages to multi-generational living, there can be some challenges as well. Family dynamics can be challenging, particularly at close quarters when you all live under one roof. It’s best to consider individual temperaments before deciding whether this is an arrangement that will suit your family.
It’s also important to understand the expectations of every family member, to ensure that you are looking for similar outcomes and view the situation in the same way. Understanding what every person is hoping for should reduce some of the pain points around shared housing.
This requires open communication around potentially awkward subjects, such as how the finances will be split, who is paying bills, what will happen in the event of a death, or if one family member wants to sell. Getting something in writing so that every family member knows where they stand is a way to ward off misunderstandings and give everybody a plan to refer back to.
How can you make it a success?
Involving the professionals is the best way to make multi-generational living a success. Discussing the financial implications with an accountant or a lawyer and having an agreement drawn up clears up any misunderstandings.
Reducing the stress of navigating council approvals, floor plans and plot sizes yourself by engaging a company who can manage the process for you will also make your journey into multi-generational living a significantly smoother one.
Granny Flats WA has a team of trained building and design consultants to translate your needs and wants into reality. We offer a free visit to your home to advise you on what type of granny flat would suit your requirements and we can manage the entire process. Contact us for a no-obligation visit today.
