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\u201cMy daughter refers to us as the gipsies at the bottom of the garden,\u201d laughs John Dier hugging a cup of coffee in the Scandi-log house he and his wife call home.<\/p>\n
Chef John, 63, and Pearl, 79, moved from their grade II listed property in the market town of Dursley in Gloucestershire to the back garden of their daughter and son in law\u2019s house nearby a year ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spent a lot of time in wooden homes when I was working in Scandinavia and in New Zealand and actually prefer them to bricks and mortar,\u201d explains John who bought a 40ft by 20ft three-bed timber frame lodge for \u00a3135,000 after selling the family home for \u00a3325,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s warm, economic to run and we have so much space\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
He has more disposable income too. They didn\u2019t need planning permission as their home is defined as portable so comes within the caravan act and are exempt from the community charge.<\/p>\n
John also reduced his costs further by project managing the build and arranging for a plumber, electrician and scaffolders himself.<\/p>\n
His daughter Yvette and husband Mike Edby work full time but since he and Pearl arrived they have benefitted to \u2013 they have no childcare costs for their daughters Molly 10 and Maddie 6.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take the children to school, pick them up, help with homework and feed them during the week,\u201d Mike explains. \u201cHaving said that we live very independent lives, and have a separate access which is important. They have their friends and we have ours.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the best thing that has ever happened to me,\u201d says Pearl, a retired hotel manager. \u201cThe girls keep us young and it\u2019s very reassuring Yvette and Mike are close by if we have any problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dier\u2019s chose a lodge from the Norwegian Log company. Company founder Nick Forrester has seen a huge increase in demand for his 21st<\/sup> century granny annexes. \u201cIn the last five years business has grown by 40 per cent and we are now building one a week,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cChildren want their parents to live close so they can either look after them when they need to or monitor their care. Also if one parent dies the other can feel less lonely living near family.\u201d<\/p>\n Average spend is \u00a380,000 for 40 sq m including a fitted kitchen and bathroom but the starting price is from \u00a354,000. There is no VAT to pay either. You don\u2019t need a massive garden Nick argues but it must look in proportion.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are building good quality homes and fitting wet rooms, flooring on one level, and wide doorways for wheelchair access. All utilities have to be connected to the main house and the property can\u2019t be sold separately. But if the family\u2019s circumstances change they can also be used as guest accommodation or a home office.\u201d (norwegianlog.co.uk)<\/p>\n Divorcee Carita Wilson, 71 moved to the bottom of her daughter and son in law\u2019s garden in Bagshot, Surrey a year ago after spending 12 years in Hong Kong but wanted a more conventional construction.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted proper foundations and something that looked like a proper house,\u201d she said. She chose a home built by Granny Annexe which required planning permission. \u201cI wanted vaulted ceilings and a big kitchen so I chose an L-shaped bungalow backing onto the woods. I have my own access and a deer which visits me.\u201d<\/p>\n Carita discovered that her property has boosted the value of her daughter\u2019s home. Shell and Lee\u2019s two-bedroom cottage was worth \u00a3395,000 before mum moved in. Now it\u2019s worth \u00a3525,000. Carita\u2019s garden property cost \u00a395,00 but she spent an extra \u00a330,000 on landscaping.<\/p>\n Daughter Shell Sperling, a photographer, 41, says she loves having mum in the garden \u2013 particularly when she runs out of sugar or tea. \u201cMum always has a lot of stock.\u201d<\/p>\n Her daughter Izzy, 6, loves it too. \u201cWhen she has had enough of us parents she grabs her onsie, opens the back door and yells \u2018I\u2019m going up to Nanny’s\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n Stuart Anderson set up Granny Annexe 10 years ago and reports a huge uplift in his business with 10 to 12 inquiries a week. \u201cPeople want affordable retirement options,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are now wanting bigger and bigger homes. Ten years ago the average spend was \u00a345,000, now it is \u00a380,000 for a 140 sq m property.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople want a cottage in the garden with nice rendering, something that complements the main house \u2013 they don\u2019t want a square box.<\/p>\n