Can a granny flat have two toilets? Yes—and anyone who has arrived home with a car full of children will understand why you might want them!
The family day trip… and the race nobody planned
Picture this. You’ve had a lovely family day out. A scenic drive, lunch by the water, a walk, perhaps an ice cream. Everyone is relaxed. Everyone is happy.
Then, about ten minutes from home, a small voice comes from the back seat.
“Dad… I need to go.”
“We’re nearly home.”
“No. I need to go NOW.”
Suddenly, the other child needs to go too. Mum has been quietly waiting since lunch. Dad, who confidently drove past the last service station, is beginning to regret his decisions.
You pull into the driveway. The seatbelts come off before the engine has stopped. Someone shouts, “I called it first!” Someone else explains that calling it first is not a legally binding agreement.
Dad is at the front door, searching for the keys which were in his hand approximately three seconds ago. Behind him, the children have invented a new dance. It isn’t particularly graceful, but it is very convincing.
The door finally opens.
One home. One toilet. Four very interested applicants.
It is at moments like these that a second toilet suddenly becomes the most desirable feature in the entire house. Forget the kitchen splashback. Forget the fancy front door. Today, the hero is a small room with a lock on it.
Granny flats can have two toilets
People often assume that a compact granny flat must have just one toilet. That isn’t the case. A well-planned granny flat can include a second toilet, with the layout, plumbing and approval requirements considered as part of the design.
You don’t necessarily need two complete bathrooms, either. A main bathroom containing a shower, toilet and vanity, together with a separate WC, can provide two toilets without duplicating every bathroom fixture. WC simply means a toilet room.
Think about everyday life. One person is having a shower while another needs the toilet. A guest is visiting. You’re getting ready for work. The children are getting ready for school.
These are ordinary situations, but they are worth considering before you build. Granny flat design is about how you actually live in the space.
Do granny flat approval rules allow two toilets?
Having two toilets does not, by itself, disqualify a granny flat from approval in NSW. The proposed granny flat must still meet the applicable planning and building requirements, including its permitted floor area, layout and plumbing requirements. A second toilet is a design feature within the dwelling—it does not create a second granny flat.
For the approval pathways and property requirements, see our Sydney granny flat regulations guide and the NSW Government secondary dwelling guidance. We assess your proposed layout and site before recommending an approval pathway.
The Serge: two bedrooms, 60m² and two toilets
Our The Serge granny flat design is a useful example. The 60m² plan shown below contains two bedrooms, a central kitchen and living area, a main bathroom and a separate laundry leading to a second WC.
You can see one toilet in the bathroom on the left of the plan and the second in the WC on the right. That’s two toilets within the one granny flat.
Of course, your preferred layout may be different. Some households would rather use that space for storage, while others may want to discuss a second shower or an ensuite arrangement. The important thing is to make the choice deliberately. A second toilet and a second full bathroom are different design and pricing decisions.
Make your laundry work a little harder
A second toilet can also be intelligently incorporated into a separate laundry. Granny flats are limited in space, so giving one room two useful jobs can be a clever design idea. Instead of allocating a whole extra room to the toilet, you can discuss a combined laundry and WC that makes better use of the available floor area.
It needs to be planned properly, with room for the laundry appliances, convenient toilet access, privacy, ventilation and suitable handwashing facilities. You don’t want the washing machine door and the toilet user competing for the same little patch of floor!
The Serge plan shown above groups its separate WC beside the laundry. Combining the two functions within one room is another layout option we can discuss when customising a granny flat for your household and property.
Is a second toilet worth the space?
Here are a few things we suggest you consider:
- Who will live there? A couple, a family or two adults sharing may have quite different needs.
- Can the toilet be used while someone is showering? A separate WC can help avoid that familiar knock on the bathroom door.
- How will the room be accessed? Think about guests, privacy, door openings and the route through the home.
- What space are you giving up? Compare the extra toilet with your need for cupboards, laundry space and comfortable bedrooms.
- What will it cost on your property? Fixtures, drainage connections and the agreed layout need to be allowed for in your quote. Don’t assume every plan variation has the same price.
We believe in designing to suit your property, your household and your budget. An extra toilet shouldn’t be squeezed into a leftover corner without considering how the rest of the granny flat works.
Plan for real life—including the drive home
A granny flat can be compact and still be comfortable. Good planning means thinking beyond the number of bedrooms and imagining the ordinary moments that happen inside them.
Sometimes that means a quiet bedroom, useful storage or convenient access to the back yard. Sometimes it means giving two members of the family somewhere to go at the same time!
Have a look at our two-bedroom granny flat designs HERE, including The Serge. You can also explore our build price calculator and our separate approval price calculator when planning your budget.
Talk to us about your property and preferred layout, or call 1300 205 007. We coordinate your design, approvals and building processes, with the proposed layout assessed for your site.
And next time somebody says, “We should have stopped at that service station,” you may already have a much better answer.
