Not always, it really depends if we are talking of a sleepout or a tiny house with kitchen and/or bathroom facilities. We always recommend checking with your local council prior moving forward with your project; however, if your tiny house does need consent, we are more than happy to assist with the consent process. 

According to the current “Tiny House Guidance”, the first step is determining whether a tiny house is a building or a vehicle (in the case it is built on a trailer). Keep in mind that having a tiny house on wheels does not necessarily mean no council involved, especially if it is “immovable and occupied by people on a permanent or long term basis”.

If your cabin is considered a building for the purpose of the Building Act, the second step is to identify those building works for which Building Consent is not required.

Schedule 1 of the Building Act provides for a number of exemptions that relate to detached buildings. Detached buildings can provide additional accommodation to the existing dwelling situated on-site and consent – in some circumstances - is not required.

Council Consent is always required if the detached building contains sanitary facilities or facilities for the storage of potable water. In this case, you might require also a Resource Consent, depending on the zoning of your property. To determine whether you will need a resource consent, you will need to talk to your council.

We highly recommend reading the “Tiny House Guidance” in order to make a conscious decision.

https://www.building.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/getting-started/tiny-houses/tiny-houses-guidance-mbie.pdf

https://canibuildit.govt.nz/sleepout/

It might disappoint you but, tiny houses are considered traditional residential buildings, and councils require Geo-tech Report (depending on the situation), sewer and stormwater connection, water, and power supply.

First step: at our workshop, we will apply for a first building consent for a cabin with no foundations or connection to services. We will book all the necessary inspections the BCA needs to undertake during the construction. Inspections allow the BCA to be satisfied that the building work complies with Building Code.

At the end of the building process, the BCA will perform a detailed check of the building and a first Code Compliance Certificate will be issued.

Second step: it is the homeowner’s responsibility to apply for and obtain a building consent. However, we can help you to go through this process and make it as smooth as possible.

Once the consent has been issued, it needs to be checked for any important conditions. Some building consents require a Resource Consent before building work may begin – it is important to adhere to these conditions.

A very final inspection will be carried out by the BCA, who will issue a final Code Compliance Certificate, once the cabin will be transported from our workshop to your site to check that it meets all the requirements and criteria, foundations, and connection to services.

Our cabins are built on skids and are transported onto site through a HIAB company. We do not exclude the option to build on a trailer, however, in this case, there will be additional costs involved such as the trailer itself and a longer lead time.

Yes, all of our cabins and tiny houses are underfloor, wall, and ceiling insulated.

We comply with the current Insulation Regulation.

Absolutely, cabins can be customised and we do provide a range of options for cladding, flooring and internal lining. We aim to build cabins to cater for your vision and needs.

Yes, the size of the cabin can be customised according to your needs.

However, we will also advise you about the most economical size to minimise construction waste and reduce the cost of your building.

Yes, but we keep this optional to each client's preference. 

Our cabins are built at our workshop, which is located in Mangawhai and we proudly serve the Northland Region. However, we can arrange delivery anywhere in the country. Just call to discuss your requirements.

Yes, we do have a display cabin. We are happy to walk you through, noting your possible requirements to create your dream space. 

Our display cabin is open every Sunday afternoon by appointment. Contact us to secure your slot.

As you may know, New Zealand is experiencing a National shortage of building materials at the moment, this can cause some delays. However, we aim to have your cabin built within two to six weeks (depending on size stage) from the day your materials are delivered on site. 

Yes, transport is an additional cost. We do however have some awesome HIAB companies we deal with to make this process as smooth as possible.

Cabins and tiny houses represent a very competitive market at the moment. You can find a lot of different solutions out there, from the cheapest to the fanciest, and what you need to ask yourself is the type of investment you are willing to do, according to your needs.

At Bella Property Group, we aim to deliver excellent value, not the cheapest price.

We use top-quality materials to ensure your building will last the test of time. We do not compromise quality over cheap products, for our and your peace of mind.

We use qualified and registered professionals throughout every single stage of our buildings to ensure that the work is carried out to the highest standards.

You may end up paying a little more, but you can have full confidence in well-done work.