Granny flats in Melbourne's south-east
The south-east is the growth end of our service area, and it is the easiest part of Melbourne to build a second dwelling in — newer estates, regular blocks, fewer surprises in the ground than anywhere else we work. The catch here is on the title rather than in the soil.
Turn-key builds from $135,000. Flagship designs from $185,500. Built under Domestic Builder (Unlimited) registration DBU-20641.
How do I find out if my block has a covenant?
It is on your certificate of title, and we will pull it for you at no cost. If a covenant or section 173 agreement restricts the land to one dwelling, we will tell you straight away rather than designing something you cannot build. Removing a covenant is possible but slow and expensive.
The covenant that outranks the council
Victoria's 2023 reform removed the planning permit for a secondary dwelling of 60m² or less on a residential block over 300m². In the south-east most blocks clear that easily. What stops people here is not the council — it is the title.
Restrictive covenants. Newer estates sometimes carry a covenant limiting the land to one dwelling. Cardinia Shire puts it plainly: Council cannot issue a planning permit if the proposal would breach or be inconsistent with a restrictive covenant. There is no permit that fixes this — the covenant has to be removed or varied first, which is a separate and difficult process.
Section 173 agreements. Common on estate land and just as binding. They can control siting, materials, height and how many dwellings the lot carries.
Both sit on your title and both are easy to check before you spend anything. Send us the address and we will pull the title and read them for you.
What a second dwelling does on a south-east block
Estate blocks are laid out to a plan, which is an advantage once you know where the building envelope sits. Services are close, the ground is predictable, and the setbacks are usually already clear on paper rather than a question for a surveyor.
Families here build for the reasons families build anywhere — a parent who wants to stay close, an adult child priced out of the estate they grew up in, a property that should be earning more than it does. What is different is that the answer arrives faster. On a clear title with no covenant, there is no planning permit to wait on.
That makes the title check the first thing worth doing, not the last.
Common questions about building in the south-east
Do I need a planning permit for a granny flat in Casey or Cardinia?
Usually not. On a residential lot of 300m² or more, with no overlay and nothing restricting the title, a secondary dwelling of 60m² or less needs no planning permit under Victoria's 2023 reform. A building permit is always required. The exceptions that catch people here are covenants and section 173 agreements, not overlays. We check the title and the planning scheme together, before you commit to anything.
How do I find out if my block has a covenant?
It is on your certificate of title, and we will pull it for you at no cost. If a covenant or section 173 agreement restricts the land to one dwelling, we will tell you straight away rather than designing something you cannot build. Removing a covenant is possible but slow and expensive.
Do estate design guidelines apply to a second dwelling?
Often, yes. Many estates run design guidelines through a developer panel, covering roof form, cladding, colours and fencing. They are separate from council and from the covenant, and approval is usually needed before a building permit. We deal with the panel as part of the process rather than leaving it with you, and we allow for it in the programme.
How much does a granny flat cost in the south-east?
Turn-key builds start from $135,000 and flagship designs from $185,500. The south-east is generally the least expensive part of our range to build in, because the ground is predictable and services are close. Where an estate design panel or a covenant application is involved, we itemise that in your written proposal rather than leaving it as a surprise.
Which south-east suburbs do you build in?
Across the City of Casey, Shire of Cardinia and City of Frankston — Berwick, Clyde, Clyde North, Cranbourne, Endeavour Hills, Hallam, Narre Warren, Beaconsfield, Officer, Pakenham, Emerald, Gembrook, Frankston, Frankston South, Langwarrin and Seaford, among others. Frankston sits between the south-east and the Peninsula and takes on a bit of both.
How long does the build take?
Construction runs 12 to 14 weeks on site once layouts, finishes and fixtures are signed off. In the south-east the approvals ahead of that are usually the shortest in our range, unless an estate design panel is involved, which adds a few weeks.
Find out what your title actually allows
Send us your address and we will pull the title and check it — covenants, section 173 agreements, easements, overlays and which pathway your council will want. It costs nothing, there is no obligation, and in the south-east it is the one check that decides everything else.