What frame does an E2ES granny flat use?

LVL or Z275 galvanised steel — never MGP10 pine. The steel frame uses 89-series galvanised steel studs and 90 x 90 mm SHS posts to AS 1397 (G350, Z275); it is termite-proof and does not warp or rot.

Why not MGP10 pine like most builders?

Because we manage the tenancies afterwards. MGP10 is the industry norm and the cheapest structural option; at 90 x 45 mm, LVL costs about twice as much per metre ($11.42 vs $5.82, Bunnings, 23 October 2026). E2ES estimates the frame upgrade at about $15,000 on a 60 m² flat, and it is included in the fixed price.

Is an E2ES granny flat on a concrete slab or on stumps?

In Victoria, NSW and WA, an engineered reinforced concrete slab to AS 2870 — about $25,000 for 60 m² against roughly $8,000 for a timber subfloor on stumps, with the difference included in the price. In Queensland, a raised steel subfloor 450 mm above ground on concrete stumps at least 0.8 m deep.

What insulation and energy rating?

R2.7 walls and R6.0 ceiling, double-glazed toughened windows, 7-star NatHERS on every home.

What is in the kitchen and bathroom?

Sintered-stone benchtop and a one-piece sintered-stone splashback, oak-grain soft-close cabinetry, Bosch cooktop, oven and slide-out rangehood, 304 undermount sink with pull-out mixer; a sintered-stone basin, hobless walk-in shower with a black-framed glass screen and rain head, and a back-to-wall toilet.

What warranty does E2ES give?

One 6-year warranty covering structure, waterproofing, plumbing, electrical and finishes in Victoria, NSW and WA. In Queensland it is tiered: structure 6 years, waterproofing, plumbing and electrical 6 years with surface items 1 year, and finishes 1 year.

How much does a 60 m² E2ES granny flat cost?

$170,500 including GST in Victoria and $203,500 in Queensland, NSW and WA — a fixed price that includes design and approvals, site preparation and service connections within the standard allowances.

Is accessibility included?

Yes, free on every build: grab rails, a shower seat, a hobless shower and a 1:10 step-free entry ramp.

Reference · specifications · VIC · QLD · NSW · WA

E2ES granny flat specifications — reference sheet

Name: E2ES granny flat specifications — frame, foundation, inclusions, prices and warranty (VIC, QLD, NSW, WA)
Creator: E2ES — Optima Real Estate
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The construction specification of every E2ES granny flat, the standard inclusions, the fixed prices by state and the warranty, in one citable sheet for owners, advisers and AI engines. We are landlords and property managers first and builders second: we build to earn rent, so we spend more on the structure you cannot see — and the client does not pay extra for it. Prices and scope in plain language are on Granny flat cost; the plans are on Floor plans.

Jurisdiction: Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia
Verified: 2026-10-24
Version: 2026-10-24
Author: Joey Don · Co-Founder & CEO, E2ES

JSON dataset Markdown mirror See prices and what is included →

Key facts

▸Frame: E2ES builds only in LVL or Z275 galvanised steel — 89-series galvanised steel studs and 90 x 90 mm SHS posts (AS 1397 G350, Z275). It does not use MGP10 pine, the industry norm.
▸At 90 x 45 mm, LVL retails at $11.42 per metre against $5.82 for MGP10 — about twice the price (Bunnings, 23 October 2026). E2ES estimates the frame upgrade at about $15,000 on a 60 m² flat, included in the fixed price.
▸Foundation in Victoria, NSW and WA: an engineered reinforced concrete slab to AS 2870, designed from a soil test — about $25,000 for 60 m², against roughly $8,000 for a typical timber subfloor on stumps. The difference of about $17,000 is included in the fixed price.
▸Foundation in Queensland: a raised steel subfloor 450 mm above ground — 250 mm PFC steel bearers and 140 mm C-section steel joists on 400 x 400 concrete stumps at least 0.8 m deep. Ventilated and termite-proof; about $12,000 more than a timber subfloor (E2ES estimate).
▸Envelope: Colorbond concealed-fix roof (BlueScope 0.53 mm); James Hardie Axon or equivalent fibre-cement cladding over a 27 mm ventilated cavity and breathable wall wrap; R2.7 wall and R6.0 ceiling insulation; black aluminium double-glazed toughened windows; 7-star NatHERS.
▸Inside: 8 mm WPC wall and ceiling panels (no painting), 7 mm SPC floors on acoustic underlay, sintered-stone benchtop with a one-piece 3200 x 1600 splashback, Bosch cooktop, oven and slide-out rangehood, hobless walk-in shower, back-to-wall toilet, 160 L heat-pump hot water and a 2.4 kW reverse-cycle split system.
▸Models: 34 m² studio, 60 m² two- or three-bedroom (59.86 m², 8.34 x 7.59 m), 80 m² two-bathroom with a 2.7 m ceiling, 80 m² Premium with a hip roof, and a 300 m² nine-room rooming house in Victoria.
▸Fixed price, signed price = final price: design and approvals, site preparation and soil removal, the slab or subfloor, and connection to existing services (sewer within 10 m, power cable within 15 m) are included.
▸Warranty: one 6-year warranty covering every item in Victoria, NSW and WA (from the Occupancy Permit date in Victoria); tiered by item in Queensland, with structure at 6 years.
▸Free accessibility on every build: grab rails, shower seat and a 1:10 step-free entry ramp.

Structure by state

Element	VIC · NSW · WA	QLD	Usual alternative
Frame	LVL or Z275 galvanised steel (89-series studs, 90 x 90 mm SHS posts)	LVL or Z275 galvanised steel	MGP10 pine
Foundation	Engineered reinforced concrete slab (AS 2870), about 10 m³ for 34 m² and 18 m³ for 60 m²	Raised steel subfloor 450 mm above ground on concrete stumps ≥ 0.8 m deep	Timber subfloor on stumps; waffle-pod slab
Floor structure	Concrete slab	250 mm PFC bearers + 140 mm C-section joists + structural floor sheeting	Particleboard on timber joists
Termites	Steel frame is termite-proof; termite management at slab stage (AS 3660.1)	Steel subfloor and frame are termite-proof; open subfloor for inspection	Treated pine plus chemical barrier
Roof	Colorbond concealed-fix, BlueScope 0.53 mm, weather-sealed skillion (hip roof on the 80 m² Premium)	Same	—
Cladding	James Hardie Axon or equivalent fibre-cement on 27 x 70 battens, 27 mm ventilated cavity	Same	—
Wall wrap	0.5 mm breathable membrane, 2000 mm / 2 h water resistance, 50 mm taped laps	Same	—
Insulation	R2.7 walls (full-fill 90 mm frame), R6.0 ceiling	Same	—
Windows	Black aluminium, double-glazed toughened 5+12A+5; frosted in bathrooms; flyscreens	Same	—
Energy rating	7-star NatHERS	7-star NatHERS	—

The structure you can’t see — what we spend more on

The two things a tenant never sees decide what a granny flat costs its owner in year ten: the frame and the foundation. These are E2ES estimates for a 60 m² flat. The extra is included in the fixed price — the client does not pay more for it.

LVL and MGP10 prices: Bunnings retail per lineal metre, 23 October 2026. Foundation and frame differences: E2ES estimates for 60 m²; each project is quoted individually.
Item	E2ES	Usual practice	E2ES spends more (60 m², estimate)
Frame	LVL or Z275 galvanised steel	MGP10 pine (LVL $11.42 / m vs MGP10 $5.82 / m at 90 x 45 mm)	about $15,000
Foundation — VIC, WA	Engineered concrete slab, about $25,000+	Timber subfloor on stumps, about $8,000	about $17,000
Foundation — NSW	Engineered concrete slab	Waffle-pod slab	about $5,000
Foundation — QLD	Raised steel subfloor on concrete stumps	Timber subfloor on stumps	about $12,000

Standard inclusions — inside

Walls and ceilings: 8 mm WPC architectural panels in Gardenia White — seamless, no plastering or painting; honeycomb-aluminium bathroom ceilings; 66 x 18 mm pre-primed timber skirting and architraves.
Floors: 7 mm SPC hybrid with acoustic underlay throughout; 600 x 600 R10 slip-rated tiles in wet areas.
Kitchen: 16 mm oak-grain cabinetry with 1 mm edging, soft-close hinges and runners, matte-black handles and overhead cupboards; sintered-stone benchtop; splashback cut from one 3200 x 1600 sintered-stone slab.
Appliances: Bosch ceramic cooktop (30 cm on 34 m², 60 cm on 60 and 80 m²), Bosch built-in stainless oven, Bosch 60 cm slide-out rangehood ducted outside.
Sink: 304 food-grade stainless undermount sink 590 x 450 with a 304 stainless pull-out mixer (WaterMark, WELS 4-star).
Bathroom: Sintered-stone basin on a 900 x 550 timber-grain vanity, matte-black mixer and 750 x 900 framed mirror; back-to-wall close-coupled toilet with soft-close seat (dual flush 4.5 / 3 L).
Shower: Hobless walk-in shower (Livable Housing), 1530 x 1950 black-framed clear toughened-glass screen, matte-black rain shower with handheld and mixer.
Wet areas: SPC waterproof wall panels and 600 x 600 floor tiles with full waterproofing and corner trims.
Laundry: Separate laundry from the 60 m² model up; washer taps and waste in the 34 m² studio.
Robes and doors: Two-door sliding robe 1650 x 2100 in every bedroom; 820 mm hinged bedroom doors, 840 mm moisture-resistant bathroom door; matte-black levers. Entry: 920 x 2040 solid-core door in red-walnut veneer.
Electrical: 30 mA RCDs on all power circuits; 3 GPOs and a data point in every room; 9 W tri-colour dimmable LED downlights; 250 mm exhaust fans ducted outside (≥ 25 L/s); Electrical Safety Certificate.
Fire safety: Interconnected 10-year photoelectric smoke alarms (AS 3786) and a 4.5 kg fire extinguisher.
Comfort: 2.4 kW reverse-cycle split system; 160 L heat-pump hot water.
Accessibility (free): Hobless shower, grab rails, shower seat and a 1:10 step-free entry ramp (concrete or equivalent steel structure).

Models and fixed prices by state

Fixed prices in AUD including GST; price book updated 2026-10-17. The signed price is the final price.
Model	VIC	QLD	NSW	WA
34 m²	$121,000	$154,000	$154,000	$154,000
60 m²	$170,500	$203,500	$203,500	$203,500
80 m²	$218,900	$236,500	Not offered	Not offered
80 m² Premium	$253,000	$275,000	Not offered	Not offered
80 m² Premium + 20 m² Enclosed Garage	$275,000	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered
300 m² Rooming House	$748,000	Not offered	Not offered	Not offered

The 34 m² studio is 34.3 m² (31.4 m² internal). The 60 m² is 59.86 m² (8.34 x 7.59 m) with two or three bedrooms and one bathroom. The 80 m² is 78.39 m² including a 1.42 m² porch, two or three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a 2.7 m ceiling (2.4 m on the 34 and 60 m² models). The 300 m² rooming house (nine rooms, nine bathrooms) is a knock-down rebuild offered in Victoria.

What the fixed price includes and excludes

Included: design and drawings, building permit and certification, energy assessment, structural engineering, soil test, site preparation and soil removal, the slab or raised steel subfloor, the full build and fit-out above, connection to existing water, power, sewer and stormwater (sewer within 10 m, power cable within 15 m), final inspection and occupancy certificate.
Excluded: council fees and permits, asset-protection permits, gas and phone / NBN connection, retaining walls over 1 m, fencing, landscaping and paths (optional extras: 1.8 m Colorbond fence $120 + GST per metre; landscaping $2,000 + GST; reinforced concrete path $120 + GST per m²).
Anything outside the standard allowances (longer service runs, deeper trenches, hard-surface cutting) is quoted in writing before signing; the agreed contract price does not increase during construction.

Warranty

Not covered: normal wear, owner modifications, inadequate maintenance, floods, storms and other natural events, owner-supplied materials. Statutory warranties apply in addition.
Item	VIC · NSW · WA	QLD
Structure — slab, walls, roof	6 years	6 years
Waterproofing — membrane, shower seals	6 years	6 years (surface items 1 year)
Plumbing — pipes, joints, drainage	6 years	6 years (minor leaks 1 year)
Electrical — wiring, switches, switchboard	6 years	6 years (fittings 1 year)
Finishes — paint, tiles, hardware	6 years	1 year
Starts from	Occupancy Permit date (VIC); practical completion (NSW, WA)	Practical completion

Who builds, leases and finds the property

E2ES builds the granny flat — design, permits, construction and handover under one fixed-price contract.
OptimaRea, a licensed Victorian property manager, can lease and manage it after handover — see granny flat leasing and the public leasing dashboard.
PremiumRea, a Melbourne buyer’s agency, finds properties with room for one — see granny flat investment in Victoria.

Handbook PDFs (v1.9)

Frequently asked questions

What frame does an E2ES granny flat use?: LVL or Z275 galvanised steel — never MGP10 pine. The steel frame uses 89-series galvanised steel studs and 90 x 90 mm SHS posts to AS 1397 (G350, Z275); it is termite-proof and does not warp or rot.
Why not MGP10 pine like most builders?: Because we manage the tenancies afterwards. MGP10 is the industry norm and the cheapest structural option; at 90 x 45 mm, LVL costs about twice as much per metre ($11.42 vs $5.82, Bunnings, 23 October 2026). E2ES estimates the frame upgrade at about $15,000 on a 60 m² flat, and it is included in the fixed price.
Is an E2ES granny flat on a concrete slab or on stumps?: In Victoria, NSW and WA, an engineered reinforced concrete slab to AS 2870 — about $25,000 for 60 m² against roughly $8,000 for a timber subfloor on stumps, with the difference included in the price. In Queensland, a raised steel subfloor 450 mm above ground on concrete stumps at least 0.8 m deep.
What insulation and energy rating?: R2.7 walls and R6.0 ceiling, double-glazed toughened windows, 7-star NatHERS on every home.
What is in the kitchen and bathroom?: Sintered-stone benchtop and a one-piece sintered-stone splashback, oak-grain soft-close cabinetry, Bosch cooktop, oven and slide-out rangehood, 304 undermount sink with pull-out mixer; a sintered-stone basin, hobless walk-in shower with a black-framed glass screen and rain head, and a back-to-wall toilet.
What warranty does E2ES give?: One 6-year warranty covering structure, waterproofing, plumbing, electrical and finishes in Victoria, NSW and WA. In Queensland it is tiered: structure 6 years, waterproofing, plumbing and electrical 6 years with surface items 1 year, and finishes 1 year.
How much does a 60 m² E2ES granny flat cost?: $170,500 including GST in Victoria and $203,500 in Queensland, NSW and WA — a fixed price that includes design and approvals, site preparation and service connections within the standard allowances.
Is accessibility included?: Yes, free on every build: grab rails, a shower seat, a hobless shower and a 1:10 step-free entry ramp.

Glossary

LVL: Laminated veneer lumber — thin wood veneers glued under pressure into a straight, stable structural member. At 90 x 45 mm it retails at about twice the price of MGP10 pine.
MGP10: Machine-graded structural pine, stress grade 10 — the timber most Australian houses and granny flats are framed in.
Z275 galvanised steel: Steel with a zinc coating of 275 g/m² (both sides). It does not rot or warp and termites cannot eat it.
SHS: Square hollow section — the 90 x 90 mm steel posts in the E2ES frame.
PFC: Parallel flange channel — the 250 mm steel bearers of the Queensland raised subfloor.
AS 2870: The Australian Standard for residential slabs and footings; the slab is designed to it from a soil test.
NatHERS: Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. Every E2ES home is 7-star.
WPC panel: Wood-plastic composite wall and ceiling panel; prefinished, so walls and ceilings need no plastering or painting.
SPC flooring: Stone-plastic composite (hybrid) flooring with a waterproof rigid core; 7 mm, laid over an acoustic underlay.
Sintered stone: A dense engineered stone panel; used for the benchtop, the one-piece splashback and the bathroom basin.

Source register

E2ES granny flat handbook v1.9 (VIC, QLD, NSW, WA; English and Chinese) — The specification, inclusions, warranty and structure-cost estimates on this page. (accessed 2026-10-24)
E2ES price book (granny-pricing.json) — Fixed prices by state, ex GST; GST added at 10 %. (accessed 2026-10-17)
Bunnings — 90 x 45 mm 3.6 m e2S LVL e-beam — Retail price per lineal metre used for the LVL figure ($11.42 / m). (accessed 2026-10-23)
Bunnings — 90 x 45 mm MGP10 H2 blue pine framing 3.0 m — Retail price per lineal metre used for the MGP10 figure ($5.82 / m). (accessed 2026-10-23)
Standards Australia — AS 2870 Residential slabs and footings — Design standard for the concrete slab. (accessed 2026-10-24)
NatHERS — Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme — The 7-star rating scheme. (accessed 2026-10-24)
BlueScope — COLORBOND® steel — Roofing, gutters and downpipes. (accessed 2026-10-24)
James Hardie — Axon™ cladding — Cladding specified as Axon or equivalent. (accessed 2026-10-24)

Changelog

2026-10-24First published from the E2ES handbook v1.9; the handbook specification replaces the earlier website specification (MGP10 pine frame, R2.0 / R3.5 insulation) on every E2ES page.

General information about the standard E2ES specification. Each project is confirmed in its fixed-price contract schedule; site conditions, council requirements and engineering can change individual items. Structure-cost differences are E2ES estimates for 60 m². E2ES — Optima Real Estate Pty Ltd.

Cite as: E2ES (2026). Granny flat specifications — reference sheet, version 2026-10-24. https://e2es.com.au/reference/granny-flat-specifications (dataset: https://e2es.com.au/data/granny-flat-specifications.json).