Class 1a granny flats
on the Capricorn Coast.
The building classification decides what your secondary dwelling must contain. Get it clear before you draw anything, because it changes the kitchen.
The short answer
Class 1a means a dwelling. If your secondary dwelling is classified as one, it generally needs the facilities of a home — a sink, a cooking facility and a bench, not a kitchenette. And Yeppoon is Livingstone Shire, not Rockhampton Regional Council, which is what decides whether a secondary dwelling is permitted on your block at all.
What Class 1a actually means
Building classifications come from the National Construction Code, and they describe what a building is for. Class 1a is, broadly, a house or a dwelling — somewhere people live permanently. Class 10a is a non-habitable structure such as a shed, garage or carport. The distinction matters because a Class 1a building has to meet the requirements of somewhere people live: fire separation, ventilation, natural light, insulation, sanitary facilities and cooking provisions. A shed does not.
Why the classification changes the kitchen
This is the part most people miss until late. If your secondary dwelling is classified as a dwelling, it generally needs the facilities of one — which means a real kitchen rather than a bar fridge and a microwave on a shelf. That is a specification question with a cost attached, and it is far better known at design stage than after a certifier raises it. It is also why a kitchenette can be the wrong answer for a secondary dwelling even though it looks like a saving.
Converting a shed is a reclassification
Enclosing under a high-set home, or converting a Class 10a shed into somewhere someone lives, is a change of classification and it is assessed as such. The structure has to meet the standards of what it is becoming, which can reach into framing, ceiling height, waterproofing, egress and services. It is entirely doable and it is done constantly around Rockhampton and the Coast — but it is a building approval process, not a decorating project.
Yeppoon, and who you actually talk to
Yeppoon, Emu Park, Cooee Bay, Lammermoor, Taranganba and the surrounding Capricorn Coast are Livingstone Shire Council, not Rockhampton Regional Council. That trips people up constantly, and it matters because planning rules differ between the two. The council holds the planning side — whether a secondary dwelling is permitted on your block, and on what conditions. A private building certifier handles the building approval. Ring both early; neither conversation costs anything.
Questions worth asking before you spend money
Is a secondary dwelling permitted on this block, and is there a size limit? Does it have to stay connected to the main dwelling, or can it be detached? Can it be tenanted to someone outside the household? What are the parking and setback requirements? Is the block in a flood, bushfire or coastal hazard overlay? Every one of those answers can change the design, and all of them come from the council rather than from a builder.
The kitchen part
A compliant secondary-dwelling kitchen generally means a sink, a cooking facility, a bench and storage — a real kitchen at a small scale. We build those to a 2.4 to 3.0 metre run from $6,500, delivered assembled and installed by our own team, and we work to your certifier’s programme. See granny flat kitchens for how they are specified.
Last checked: September 2026. This is general information, not building, legal, financial or insurance advice. Rules, funding and figures differ by council, insurer and individual circumstance and change without notice — confirm with the authority linked above before you commit to anything.
What the kitchen costs
From a kitchenette
to fully bespoke.
Supplied and installed in Central Queensland; shipped flat pack or assembled anywhere in Australia. Every figure is a real range, not a from-price with the catches left out.
From $4,500
Kitchenette
For a studio, an under-house room or a short-stay unit. Sink, bench and cold storage; cooktop and microwave where they fit. Same carcasses and hardware as a full kitchen.
See what's included →
$15,000 – $23,000
Essence
Handleless, quiet, exact. Soft-matte doors on Blum soft-close runners with a stone benchtop. Our entry to bespoke, drawn to your room rather than picked from a catalogue.
See what's included →
$26,000 – $42,000
Maison
What most Rockhampton families build. Timber veneer against a full-height stone splashback, a waterfall island, integrated lighting and a butler’s pantry behind a hidden door.
See what's included →
$47,000 +
Atelier
No constraints. Book-matched slabs, curved and fluted cabinetry, solid brass, wine walls and a pantry built like a jewellery box. One project at a time.
See what's included →Frequently asked
Common questions
If your question is not here, call the studio. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Ask us directly →What is a Class 1a building?
In the National Construction Code, Class 1a is broadly a dwelling — a house or similar, somewhere people live permanently. It carries the requirements you would expect of a home: ventilation, light, insulation, sanitary and cooking facilities. Class 10a covers non-habitable structures like sheds and garages.
Does a granny flat in Yeppoon need a full kitchen?
If it is classified and approved as a dwelling, it generally needs the facilities of one, which includes a cooking facility and a sink rather than a kitchenette. The precise requirement comes from your building certifier against the approved classification, so confirm it before finalising the design.
Which council covers Yeppoon?
Livingstone Shire Council, not Rockhampton Regional Council. It covers Yeppoon, Emu Park, Cooee Bay, Lammermoor, Taranganba and the broader Capricorn Coast. Their planning scheme is what governs whether a secondary dwelling is permitted on your block.
Can I convert my shed into a granny flat?
Often yes, but it is a change of building classification from Class 10a to Class 1a and is assessed as building work. The structure has to meet the standards of a dwelling, which can involve framing, ceiling height, waterproofing, egress and services. Talk to a building certifier before you buy materials.
Can I rent out a granny flat in Yeppoon?
That is a planning question for Livingstone Shire Council and the answer depends on the approval and the conditions attached to it. Some secondary dwellings are approved for household use only. Ask the council before you budget on rental income.
Delivered assembled
The assembly is done
before it arrives.
Carcasses built square on a bench, Blum hardware fitted, doors hung and adjusted to even gaps. On site you are fixing finished cabinets to a wall, not building them on the floor. Our own team fits it in Central Queensland; your installer fits it anywhere else in Australia. Prefer to build it yourself? The same kitchen ships flat pack.
Rangehood set into assembled overheads
Oak run, doors hung and adjusted before delivery
Handleless rail on an assembled run
Capricorn Coast
Building on the Coast?
We are forty minutes away.
Yeppoon, Emu Park, Cooee Bay, Lammermoor and Taranganba are all inside our standard service area with no travel loading. Send us the plan and we will work to your certifier’s programme.