Why are more Australians than ever turning to granny flats, tiny rentals and secondary dwellings to survive the housing crisis?

This week on The Edit, host Elle Lovelock sits down with award-winning designer and our TV fave James Treble (The Block, Open Homes Australia, Renovate or Rebuild) to unpack why the most contested real estate in the country might just be… your backyard.

With more Australians squeezed by affordability pressures, one major property portal reported a 50% spike in searches for “granny flats” and related terms in just one year — a dramatic indication of how sharply the market has turned toward secondary dwellings, backyard rentals, and multigenerational living.

James brings three decades of experience, a suitcase of stories, and a refreshingly honest take on what happens when families try to solve emotional problems with architectural ones.

 The Practical Reality

“There’s nothing idyllic about sitting on a toilet while looking at a washing machine.”
James digs into the design traps, regulatory blind spots and build-site chaos that catch even experienced renovators off guard.

Topics include:


The Dutch Method of floor-planning


Why a “simple” backyard build is never simple


The blueprint tweaks you can make — and the ones that will blow your budget


The unexpected “Venice of Ettalong” building-site moment


Why tradies can be “full on,” but often right

 The Emotional Weight of Small Spaces

James opens the door to the real reasons people build these micro-homes:


Housing ageing parents with dignity


Boomerang kids who need independence (and parents who need privacy)


Creating flexible spaces for WFH, guests or Airbnbs


How a well-designed granny flat can transform family dynamics


The rise of women over 55 as the fastest-growing cohort facing housing insecurity in Australia


Why secondary dwellings can become “the most valuable square metres on your property — or the most expensive mistake”

 

Thank you for listening ❤️

before you leave...

🗣️ Get in touch 

What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Home Beautiful community and DM us on Instagram

👀 See more

Small Space Design Ideas

James Treble 

Outdoor Ideas 

ways to keep your renovation on track 

 

🙏 Our special thanks making 'The Edit' our new home:

Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains

Oz Design - furniture Australians love 

James Treble

Credits:

Edited by Phil Calloway 

Production by Thomas Crnkovic 

Our wonderful Home Beautiful team 

Learn More: HOME BEAUTIFUL

 

🧭 Final Takeaway

If you’re dreaming of building “out the back,” James suggests you start by answering one deceptively simple question:

“Who is this really for in five years?”

Because the best backyard builds aren’t just designed —
they’re planned, felt, argued over, compromised on, and finally lived in.

 

Why are more Australians than ever turning to granny flats, tiny rentals and secondary dwellings to survive the housing crisis?
This week on The Edit, host Elle Lovelock sits down with award-winning designer and our TV fave&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jamestreble.com/">James Trebl</a>e (The Block, Open Homes Australia, Renovate or Rebuild) to unpack why the most contested real estate in the country might just be&hellip; your backyard.
With more Australians squeezed by affordability pressures, one major property portal reported a 50% spike in searches for &ldquo;granny flats&rdquo; and related terms in just one year &mdash; a dramatic indication of how sharply the market has turned toward secondary dwellings, backyard rentals, and multigenerational living.
James brings three decades of experience, a suitcase of stories, and a refreshingly honest take on what happens when families try to solve emotional problems with architectural ones.
&nbsp;The Practical Reality
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s nothing idyllic about sitting on a toilet while looking at a washing machine.&rdquo; James digs into the design traps, regulatory blind spots and build-site chaos that catch even experienced renovators off guard.
Topics include:
<ul>
<li>
The Dutch Method of floor-planning
</li>
<li>
Why a &ldquo;simple&rdquo; backyard build is never simple
</li>
<li>
The blueprint tweaks you can make &mdash; and the ones that will blow your budget
</li>
<li>
The unexpected &ldquo;Venice of Ettalong&rdquo; building-site moment
</li>
<li>
Why tradies can be &ldquo;full on,&rdquo; but often right
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;The Emotional Weight of Small Spaces
James opens the door to the real reasons people build these micro-homes:
<ul>
<li>
Housing ageing parents with dignity
</li>
<li>
Boomerang kids who need independence (and parents who need privacy)
</li>
<li>
Creating flexible spaces for WFH, guests or Airbnbs
</li>
<li>
How a well-designed granny flat can transform family dynamics
</li>
<li>
The rise of women over 55 as the fastest-growing cohort facing housing insecurity in Australia
</li>
<li>
Why secondary dwellings can become &ldquo;the most valuable square metres on your property &mdash; or the most expensive mistake&rdquo;
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Thank you for listening ❤️
before you leave...
🗣️ Get in touch 
What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Home Beautiful community and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/homebeautiful/?hl=en">DM us on Instagram</a>
👀 See more
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/bedroom-ideas/small-bedrooms/small-bedroom-ideas/">Small Space Design Ideas</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/designerjamestreble/">James Treble&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/outdoor-ideas/gardens/">Outdoor Ideas </a>
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/renovation-ideas/5-ways-to-keep-your-renovation-budget-on-track/">ways to keep your renovation on track </a>
&nbsp;
🙏 Our special thanks making 'The Edit' our new home:
<a href="https://shadetrendz.luxaflex.com.au/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23125304318&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACcMuN6IiBsj6G_n_8E8c50GpwySv&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFsFUkw31rOzRF9wU6hG8mghdfAynrw_nq1rK837HdpD8e9h5S3nyLBoCeqsQAvD_BwE">Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains</a>
<a href="https://ozdesignfurniture.com.au/furniture/tables/coffee-tables/?loaded=1&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21415529745&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC9A_Pa-UbUcY99mNrp5zmDd-cznX&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFiFRHBgba954pNDZXlnrYPvcHIPZgbBzw6BEwGWBhHQW9_uP5S6xkRoCAKEQAvD_BwE">Oz Design - furniture Australians love&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.jamestreble.com/">James Treble</a>
Credits:
Edited by Phil Calloway&nbsp;
Production by Thomas Crnkovic&nbsp;
Our wonderful Home Beautiful team&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/">Learn More: HOME BEAUTIFUL</a>
<hr>
&nbsp;
🧭&nbsp;Final Takeaway
If you&rsquo;re dreaming of building &ldquo;out the back,&rdquo; James suggests you start by answering one deceptively simple question:
&ldquo;Who is this really for in five years?&rdquo;
Because the best backyard builds aren&rsquo;t just designed &mdash; they&rsquo;re planned, felt, argued over, compromised on, and finally lived in.
<hr>
&nbsp;

There are so many choices that people have to make when decorating, renovating and building. But there is such joy in creating the homes and lives we all want. This inspired The Edit, a fresh new podcast from your friends at Home Beautiful that helps to make these daily decisions both simple and enjoyable. 
Hosted by Editor  Elle Lovelock, The Edit opens the door to beautiful homes and the stories behind them. Featuring well-known guests and respected experts, this video podcast is for everyone shaping their sanctuary - wherever you live, whatever your budget, whether you're a seasoned homeowner, a renter or just curating a special space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices and personal touches that turn your house into a home.

There are so many choices that people have to make when decorating, renovating and building. But there is such joy in creating the homes and lives we all want. This inspired The Edit, a fresh new podcast from your friends at Home Beautiful that helps to make these daily decisions both simple and enjoyable.&nbsp; Hosted by Editor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ellelovelock?igsh=MTZqd2NmajF6eGpjdQ=="> Elle Lovelock</a>, The Edit opens the door to beautiful homes and the stories behind them. Featuring well-known guests and respected experts, this video podcast is for everyone shaping their sanctuary - wherever you live, whatever your budget, whether you're a seasoned homeowner, a renter or just curating a special space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices and personal touches that turn your house into a home.

THE EDIT

What is a home maker these days? With so many decisions to make when it comes to your home, a show about your style, your sanctuary. The Edit is a fresh podcast from Home Beautiful that opens the door to unique homes and the stories behind them to inspire and delight those decisions.  With well known guests and the ultimate experts. It’s for everyone shaping their sanctuary—whether you’re a seasoned homeowner, a renter on a budget, or anyone quietly curating your space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices, and personal touches that turn a house into a home.

What is a home maker these days? With so many decisions to make when it comes to your home, a show about your style, your sanctuary. The Edit is a fresh podcast from Home Beautiful that opens the door to unique homes and the stories behind them to inspire and delight those decisions. &nbsp;With well known guests and the ultimate experts. It&rsquo;s for everyone shaping their sanctuary&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re a seasoned homeowner, a renter on a budget, or anyone quietly curating your space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices, and personal touches that turn a house into a home.

More Than a Backyard Build:  Why the Humble Granny Flat Is Becoming Australia’s Newest Status Symbol with The Block's James Treble

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/0300cbb6-1527-41cd-9be0-b3aa00a6ab04/transcript

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