The Rise of the Flat Pack "Granny flats" - 31 March, 2011
‘Granny flats’ or granny annexes are the terms given to any existing area of a house or addition to a building to accommodate elderly relatives. The rising cost of residential home care has seen an increasing number of people caring for their elderly relatives at home for longer, and with this increase comes the rise of the flat pack ‘Granny flat’, reports manufacturer and supplier of SIPs, the technology behind the flat pack house, SIPFIT Direct (http://www.structuralinsulatedpanels.co.uk/).
When you consider that the average annual fee for a residential home in the UK is £18,420, rising to £25,552 per year in cases where constant medical care is needed, and that these costs have risen far above inflation levels over the past few years, it’s little wonder that more people are choosing to care for their elderly relatives at home. This option has been made more viable with the advent of the new flat pack house construction method using structural insulated panels. This flexible, affordable and energy efficient style of building is perfect for the construction of granny flats.
The first factor of building with SIPs that makes them perfect for granny flats is their flexibility. You can build an additional wing or completely self-contained apartment directly attached to your property, as part of your existing property (converting the roof or garage space) or as a separate construction in the garden. Then, perhaps most importantly, there’s the cost. Building with structural insulated panels is one of the most cost effective construction methods thanks to inherently cheap materials and massively reduced labour costs. Which brings us to the time and labour-saving element. Once you’ve decided to move your elderly relative in with you, the last thing you want is the hassle of a messy and lengthy conversion. The SIPs allow the flat pack house (flat, annexe, whatever style of addition you have chosen) to be largely constructed off-site, meaning that it will arrive in shell-form, ready to be erected and finished in just a few days and with minimum waste and mess.
Finally, there’s the energy efficiency of using SIPs. The thermal core of the insulated panels makes the final construction air-tight, water-tight and wind-tight – far easier and cheaper to heat and to keep warm for longer. Not only is this essential when it comes to housing older people, but it will save thousands on energy bills over the long-term.
With all these benefits, not to mention the considerable cost of residential care homes, no wonder more people than ever before are choosing a flat pack granny flat. Find out more at http://www.structuralinsulatedpanels.co.uk/.
