Got Questions?
FAQ's
How much does a tiny house cost in NZ?
Our Standard 10m2 Cabins start from $19,990 and go up from there. We have an extensive range of options covering both ends of the budget spectrum. Additionally, we offer either complete builds or DIY framing shells allowing you to complete the build yourself on a solid foundation.
Do you offer finance? What are your finance payment terms?
We work on a “rent to own” system through our 3rd party finance provider. Each finance agreement is worked out and arranged by the provider with terms that suit each case. Otherwise, if you have your own mortgage broker/finance provider, you can engage them privately.
How big is a Tiny House? / What sizes are available?
Our standard and most popular size for a Tiny House is 10.8 x 3m (32.4 sqm) without any lofts. This is also the largest size we offer. The past couple years we have noticed that our clients love living tiny but not too tiny. They prefer the largest tiny house possible and we believe that this is the way to go! We don’t believe in making tiny houses as tiny as possible just for the sake of it, unless you want to use your tiny house for travelling. But our experience is that if you want to live in your house long-term, 30ish square meters are perfect, practical and spacious! Of course we will also build your Tiny House if you choose a smaller size!
Other Tiny House builders offer the most common Tiny House size, which is 7.8m x 2.4m with a double loft. This tends to be as big as you can go without needing a heavy-duty vehicle to tow it, meaning the house ways max. 3.5 tonnes. The maximum size that you can tow with a 4WD on a standard driver’s licence is 2.5m wide x 12.5m long and no heavier than 3.5 tonnes (assuming your 4WD is rated for this size load). You of course can go bigger as long as you make the appropriate transport arrangements and get the appropriate permissions with local council – which is how we build our houses.
Do I have to choose a set floor plan?
Absolutely not! You’re welcome to choose one of our pre-designed floor plans, but you can customise your own floor plan for free.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes we do. Due to our Tiny Houses being mobile we provide a 5 year Workmanship and Structure Warranty on our units. All materials and appliances have their manufacturer’s warranty.
The trailer will have a 5 year Structural Warranty and a 1 year Warranty on components excluding, tyres and brake pads.
How long will it take to build?
We don’t muck around, but build time varies depending on the size of the tiny house and inclusions selected. You’ll get a completion date specified in your build contract which will be the most accurate date reasonable taking availability of major build elements and existing jobs into account.
What are my Off-Grid options? => solar power?
We have several off-grid inclusions available, including:
- Composting Toilet ($3,000)
- Grey Water Filtration system ($1,500)
- Small Humus Septic System that you can use a standard flushing household toilet with ($3,500)
- Solar Power System ($16,990)
- Water Pump ($300) and Tank ($1000 + delivery for a 5000lt).
We have other off grid options that are customisable depending on your needs and setup. Let us know just how far off-grid you plan to be and we will come up with the right mix of options for you.
How does a Composting Toilet work?
The Composting Toilets we use have been tried and tested over 39 years. They look and work the same as a normal toilet on the outside, except for not having to flush. On the inside, they work by separating out the urine and dehydrating the solids, creating an odour-free toilet that you only need to empty when it’s full. Check out our post on composting toilets.
Where can I park my new Tiny House?
If you own some land, that’s perfect. If not, you may be able to park on a friend or family’s property, or your local caravan park may have a suitable spot for you. If you want to park in a public area, we strongly recommend clearing this with your council first.
Will I need building or resource consent?
The most accurate answer to this question is: “it depends”.
RE Building Consent: the case of Dall VS the MBIE established that tiny homes are no different from caravans, but this was a case of a tiny home that was built into a trailer sub-structure and remained moveable. Our tiny homes are built as road-registered and warranted vehicles on tandem braked trailers and are therefore exempt from the Building Act. But if you remove the tiny home from the trailer and/or permanently affix it to the earth (that is, render it immovable), the code will apply and you may have extra requirements placed on you. The simplest way is to keep it movable then the Building code won’t apply.
Resource consent isn’t as straightforward and varies from council to council. You should obtain the rules regarding living in vehicles from your district council level. Your intended use for the vehicle has an impact on the decision, so we can’t say anything for certain. Some councils are very tiny-house-friendly. Others… not so much. We recommend you get in touch with your council and get it all on the table with them before you make any decisions.
What are the delivery costs? (within NZ only)
Local pickup – free
North Island – The Shipping Company we use charges $200/hour return trip + approx. 4hrs for loading and unloading. This is to an easily accessible level area.
South Island – As above however we would need to add in Ferry Costs.
It’s your responsibility to designate a safe and legal delivery spot. If you’re not sure, contact us
Do you provide international shipping?
Not at the moment, and we probably won’t do so in the future. Our tiny homes are built in NZ for NZ weather conditions and NZ Road Transport and building code requirements (as far as they apply to vehicles). You can arrange your own international shipping and we can deliver to the nearest international port, but from that point you become solely responsible for the consignment and assume all related risk. We can’t help you find a shipping provider, provide any advice around relevant rates, import duties, insurance or other charges, and we can’t provide information on vehicle or building code legislative requirements in the destination country. So if you want to ship one of our tiny houses to you, please make sure you thoroughly research the requirements first.
Do you sell plans for your tiny house designs?
At this stage we don’t sell our tiny house plans.
Do you offer Tiny House shells / kitset homes?
Absolutely! We offer two types of shells: Steel Frame built on a Trailer and a Weathertight Shell. The Steel Frame on a Trailer is exactly that. This option is perfect for you if you want to DIY your entire Tiny House without the hassle of building / buying a road legal trailer and putting the steel frame together. If you just want to do the internal fit-outs yourself, go with a Weathertight Shell. Check out our Tiny House Shell page for more info.
Do you build tiny houses without a trailer?
Yes we do – all our Tiny Houses and cabins are structurally sound on their own or on a Trailer – The choice is yours to have it on a trailer or not.
Can I come by and have a look at a Tiny House in person?
Yes of course! Get in contact with us for a viewing. If we don’t have a show home onsite, you can have a look at a Tiny House in its build process or alternatively book a little holiday on AirBnB and stay at Rangataua Kowhai Tiny Home, one of our lovely builds: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/49860400
How much does a tiny house weigh?
Tiny Houses usually weigh between 3.5 and 5.5 tonnes. Tiny Houses that weigh 3.5 tonnes or less can be towed on their trailer. However, houses over a size of 7.2m x 2.4m will be over this weight limit. Our standard (and maximum) tiny house size is 10.8m x 3m and they weigh around 5 tonnes and therefore will be delivered on low-loader trucks to your parking spot.
What is the earliest I could get my tiny house built?
Our build time for our Standard range is about 2 Months. And about 5 Months for our Luxury Tiny Houses. We usually have a waitlist for our Custom Luxury Units.
Please contact us at [email protected] to find out our current time frames.
Can I have a fireplace in my Tiny House?
Generally, yes you can have a fireplace in your Tiny House but we won’t install it for you as your Tiny House will be over-height due to the flue. So it’s best to get it installed on your Tiny House site by your local fireplace technician. However, let us know if you are planning to put a fire place into your tiny house as we will make allowances in your design for a flue to be installed.