Major changes for tiny homes
September 26, 2024

In June, the Government announced a proposal allowing anyone to build a single-storey granny flat or tiny home up to 60 square metres without needing a building or resource consent, doubling the previous size limit of 30 square metres.

While these changes to the law aren’t expected to come into play until mid-next year, the Opposition has already said it supports the changes, so it’s a pretty sure bet it’ll happen.

So, what are the key things to know?

For starters, although you (or your client) wouldn’t need to apply for consents anymore, you’ll still need to talk to the local council and get information about the site. This is to avoid building on flood-prone parts of the property. The owner would also need to supply final drawings for council records that mark the location of key infrastructure like drains, and the dwelling must be a standalone, not connected to the main home.

Even though property owners don’t need a consent for that single-storey granny flat or tiny home, every dwelling still needs to comply with the Building Code. A standard timber kitset that you’d use for an outdoor office isn’t going to cut it as a tiny home. This is good news for licensed building practitioners  , because you’ll still be needed to carry out the work or at least design and supervise the project. Plumbers and drainlayers would also be needed to make sure pipes are up to code so the dwelling is dry and not going to flood. 

In short, don’t expect a rush of people to be ordering tiny houses for their backyards any time soon. Real estate agents have pointed out that adding a minor dwelling to a property doesn’t tend to add value and can actually make it tougher to sell. In most cases the decision to build one will be based on having extended family at one address, developing Māori land, or the desire for a passive income from a rentable space. 

If your clients are keen to add a granny flat, tiny home or similar dwelling, Mitre 10 Trade can provide a full range of building and landscaping supplies to help bring their vision to life. There’s a site near yours, open seven days a week.