Amongst the many questions you have when building a granny annexe is how you sort out the utilities. Things like water and electricity are essential for comfortable living and no granny annexe would be complete without them. This post explains everything you need to know about getting utilities to a granny annexe.
How Do You Get Utilities to A Granny Annexe?
The short answer here is; you don’t! We do it for you. The first thing you should know about us is that when you decide to choose us to build your granny annexe, we also sort out all the utilities. The work is done after your annexe is lifted into place so that you can move straight into your new home with running water and electricity.
Carry on reading to find out a little bit more about the process of getting the key utilities such as water, electricity and sewerage disposal to your granny annexe.
How Do You Get Water to A Granny Annexe?
Your granny annexe water supply will be connected to the main properties supply. We do this by digging a trench between the house and the annexe and connecting the water. This is usually a straightforward process and is made very easy if your annexe is close to the main property.
Sometimes, if an annexe is situated a little bit farther away from the main property, a water pump may be required to ensure that water pressure is high enough for baths and showers. This will all be established before any work starts so that you don’t encounter any unexpected costs during the build.
Getting Electricity to a Granny Annexe
Your annexe will be connected to the main property electric supply. However, to ensure that the system isn’t overloaded, the annexe will be on its own circuit. That way there won’t be any blown fuses in the main house and the occupant of the annexe can benefit from their own uninterrupted electricity supply.
All work is carried out by suitably qualified electricians and the cables will be underground rather than above head as these tend to look unsightly and can become damaged more easily.
Connecting a Granny Annexe to Sewerage Mains
The easiest and best option for dealing with wastewater is to connect your granny annexe to the mains sewerage and in most cases, we can do this.
However, if your annexe is too far away from the mains a septic tank might be a better option. A septic tank is a large tank usually constructed of steel or concrete that is buried in your garden so it isn’t visible.
Your annexe should ideally be slightly higher than the mains too to provide a natural flow of wastewater – if your garden is too flat, we can install a pump to improve this process.
Is Connecting Utilities Included in the Cost?
When you receive a quote from iHUS for your granny annexe, the price you see will include a connection to the main utilities.
There are some instances where additional charges will be made, but you will be informed of these beforehand. If your annexe is within ten metres of the mains, then the connection is included. Beyond ten metres, we simply charge per metre.
Additional charges may also be applied where equipment such as pumps or septic tanks must be installed. Most annexes don’t need these, but we will be able to tell you on our initial consultation if it is likely that you will need any of these additions.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about utilities and granny annexes, then please contact us. We’re always happy to answer any initial questions you may have about building a granny annexe.
