An older couple in the garden

Are Granny Annexes Worth It?

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A granny annexe is a great way to keep your loved ones close by, without taking away their independence. But with some granny annexes being over £100,000 to build and the possibility of losing some of your garden, you might be wondering are granny annexes worth it?

What Is A Granny Annexe?

A granny annexe is an extension to the home that is the perfect place for an elderly person live. At family Annexe, we design all of our granny annexes so that they are easy to manoeuvre and manage as you get older making the best place for your loved one to grow old in where you can still keep an eye on them and be there if they need you.

A granny annexe is usually built somewhere on the property, like in a garden, and looks a little bit like a normal garden shed. They are actually a small, compact, one-floor living space complete with everything your loved one needs to live easily and comfortably in their old age.

All of our family annexe granny annexes come with a fully fitted easy to use kitchen, a safe to use shower or wet room and come with a choice of one or two bedrooms depending on what your family needs.

If your loved one can’t live on their own there anymore but doesn’t need to live in or home or need round the clock care, then a granny annexe is a way to bring them closer to you without taking away their independence.

But with granny annexes being on the more expensive side, compared to other living alternatives for the elderly, are granny annexes worth it?

Bluebell Granny Annexe with Flat Roof
Bluebell: One-Bed Annexe

Are Granny Annexes Worth It?

There are many ways you can care for a loved one as they age and, on the surface, some might seem cheaper than building a granny annexe. A granny annexe however is an investment and can end up saving you money if your loved one ends up needing care for a long time.

With a granny annexe, you can make sure your loved one has everything they need, and you aren’t bound by availability and facilities. You can modify your annexe and even create bespoke designs so that you know they have everything they could possibly need as they age.

Best of all a granny annexe is a great way to keep your loved ones close and let them feel like they are one of the family still. Putting an older person in a home or hiring carers to look after them can be a very tough and isolating thing for an older person to have to deal with. With a granny annexe you can still make sure that your loved one is getting all the help they need but without the need to isolate them from their family.

Having their family can do wonders for an older person and for the whole family. You can still see your loved one whenever you need to or want to without the restrictions of visiting times and scheduling visits for them.

Ultimately a granny annexe is the best and one of the most cost effective way to keep your loved ones close and make sure that they are safe and doing well. They are absolutely worth it if you want to help your loved ones whilst still letting them keep their independence.

A grandmother having a meal with her family

Get In Touch

If you would like to find out more about granny annexes, get in touch with Family Annexe. We have six unique annexe models available, each providing a safe and cost-effective solution to elderly care.

Family Annexe has an efficient seven-step process, designed to make your annexe experience stress-free and enjoyable. This starts with a free, no-obligation consultation!

An elderly couple smiling at each other

Should I Extend Or Get A Granny Flat?

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If you have decided that it’s time for a loved one to move in with you then you might be wondering what the best way is to do this. Although moving in with you will make it easier for your loved one, especially if they need care or you just want to be closer to them, but moving can cause some issues.

Your home might not be suitable for an older person to live in, especially if you have a lot of stairs or if your bathrooms and kitchen are cluttered and complicated making them harder for certain people to manoeuvre.  

If this is the case then you might want to consider getting an extension, that way you can give your loved one a home that is close by and has all the features and functions they need, without having to comprise and modify your own home to accommodate them.

There are several ways you can build an extension but the most popular is to either extend or get a granny flat.

An elderly couple smiling at each other

What Is The Difference Between A Granny Annexe and a Granny Flat?

A granny annexe is an external extension that is built somewhere on your property, usually the garden. A granny annexe is a specially designed and purpose-built home that is made with elderly residents ease and comfort in mind.

They are often compact and one story but still have everything you could possibly need from a home. All of the family annexe granny annexes come with a fully fitted kitchen, choice of shower room or wet room and we annexe with one or two bedrooms depending on what you and your family need.

A granny flat is slightly different. A granny flat is usually a modified area of an already existing part of the house, often a basement, attic or somewhere that is deemed out the way of the main family living area.

The blueprints for a Ancillary Accommodation

Should I Extend Or Get A Granny Flat?

There are many advantages and disadvantages to both a granny annexe and a granny flat.

A granny flat can be cheaper providing you don’t have to make any major modifications to your house, but if you are having to add in facilities such as a bathroom and kitchen the process can start to add up. In some cases, you might not be able to make all the modifications needed to convert your home into a granny flat and it could be that trying to manage in your home is just as difficult as it was for your loved one where they lived before.

With a granny annexe, you don’t have to worry about moving things around and making sure that there is room for everything to fit and function as it should. At Family Annexe we make all of our granny annexes at our site and then transport and install the finished product for you when it’s ready.

This means you don’t have to live in a construction site while you wait for it to be finished and you won’t be left with a half-finished granny flat or face long invasive delays if something goes wrong like it might with a granny flat.

Even though a granny flat is designed for independent living, your loved one is still in your house and can feel like they don’t really have any independence at all. With a granny annexe, however, your loved one can feel like they have a home of their own away from the hustle and bustle of family life. In a Family Annexe granny annexe, your loved one can relax without feeling like they are in the way or like they are a spare part of your family dynamic but still be close enough that you know they are ok and they can always contact you if they need to.

Overall, getting a granny annexe is the only way to give your loved one the freedom and independence of living in their own space, whilst also being able to keep them close and be there to care for them in their old age if ever they need it.

Get In Touch

If you would like to find out more about granny annexes, get in touch with Family Annexe. We have six unique annexe models available, each providing a safe and cost-effective solution to elderly care.

Family Annexe has an efficient seven-step process, designed to make your annexe experience stress-free and enjoyable. This starts with a free, no-obligation consultation!

People holding hands

Granny Annexe vs Sheltered Living

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There are several options for housing when the time comes that your elderly relatives need to relocate or downsize.

Ideally, we would all love to live in our family homes but sadly this isn’t a possibility for most people. Most houses are not designed for the elderly so these properties can become difficult to manage and will start to hinder your loved one over time.

If your loved one still wants the independence of living alone but can’t mage in their house anymore there are a variety of living options.

The Cost Of Ageing

What is Sheltered Living?

Sheltered living is rented accommodation and housing that is specially designed for people with certain needs. These houses or flats are usually only one story and are equipped with a litany of helpful modifications like wet rooms and shower bars, that make life that much easier for an older person.

Sheltered living often has extra security measures in place so that your loved one can always feel safe and secure. They will have things like alarms to alert you or the onsite member of staff when something is wrong, or they need help and nowadays a lot of sheltered living has CCTV cameras so that the residents can see who it is that is knocking on their door or coming to visit.

A downside to sheltered living is that it isn’t always readily available. To get into sheltered living you will have applied through a website or app and will then be put on a waiting list. There might not be any sheltered living accommodation available in your area and if there is there isn’t a guarantee you will get it. Services like this will assess your needs, and the accommodation will be given to those who need it most.

People holding hands

What Is A Granny Annexe?

A granny annexe is the term given for a small living space built on your property. These small purpose build houses are perfectly designed to fit snugly in your garden and have everything your loved one could possibly need.

We designed all of our granny annexes with comfort and functionality in mind. Every annexe we have comes fully kitted out with a stylish and easy to use kitchen, shower room or wet room and we have annexes with one or two bedrooms depending on your needs.

These homes are perfect if you want to keep your loved one close but don’t want to take away their independence. With a granny annexe, they can still do everything that they could do before like cook delicious meals, decorate their home with all their precious belongings and memories and sit back and relax as they enjoy their later years.

How Do I Get A Granny Annexe?

When you use a company like Family Annese getting a granny annexe is easy. We have a beautiful range of granny annexes starting from £55,250. We are proud of all our designs, and we can help tailor them to your loved one with slight modifications and décor. If none of our granny annexes is what you’re looking for then you can work closely with our engineers and design your own bespoke granny annexe that is perfect for your loved one.

It all starts with a simple no fee, no-obligation phone call with a member of our helpful team. They will discuss what you need and what you would like from your granny annexe. From there we can send you a proposed drawing of the annexe and give you a quote on how much it will cost.

Here at Family Annexe, we take care of everything. If you decide to proceed with the process we will complete the site survey and take all the measurements we need to decide where the best place to build your annexe would be and the logistics of setting up the water and electricity.  

We deal with all the paperwork such as planning permission so that you don’t have to worry about a thing. We then finalise the design, add any finishing touches and get to work building your annexe.

The annexe is built on our site and then transported and installed on your property. A friendly member of our staff will give you a quick tour before handing you the keys to your new home. After that, it’s up to you and your family to enjoy your time together knowing your elderly loved one is safe.

Get In Touch

If you would like to find out more about granny annexes, get in touch with Family Annexe. We have six unique annexe models available, each providing a safe and cost-effective solution to elderly care.

Family Annexe has an efficient seven-step process, designed to make your annexe experience stress-free and enjoyable. This starts with a free, no-obligation consultation!