FAQs tagged with 'Council & Compliance'

Yes — in most cases, you do.

Don’t be fooled by anyone who tells you otherwise. In New Zealand, if a home has plumbing and/or is being lived in, it’s classed as a dwelling — and that means it requires building consent to make sure it meets the New Zealand Building Code.

All HouseMe homes are fully consented before leaving our factory and come with a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC). This certificate confirms the home itself meets all requirements of the Building Code.

However, you’ll typically need to apply for a second building consent for your land — usually just for foundations, drainage, and sewage connections specific to your site.

We deliver homes across around 68 different council districts across New Zealand, and every region has slightly different planning and zoning rules. While it’s impossible for us to know the exact requirements for every property, we can provide guidance and point you in the right direction if you’re unsure where to start.

In some cases, a Resource Consent may also be required — for example, if your property sits within a special zoning area, overlay, or coastal zone.

Code Compliance Certificate (CCC)

Every new HouseMe unit is built under a full Building Consent and issued with a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) once it passes its final inspection.

This CCC applies to the HouseMe home itself, not the land or site-specific works.
On-site elements like foundations, decks, ramps, or sewage connections are covered under your own site consent.

Once delivered, your home has already passed inspection. The formal CCC document is usually issued to HouseMe 6–8 weeks after that inspection. If you’d like a copy, just get in touch with our team.

Resource or On-Site Building Consent

If your project needs extra approvals (for example, for earthworks, drainage, or unique site conditions), these are managed separately through your local council. We recommend engaging a local draughtsperson or planner to help with the process.

Coastal Properties

If your site is within about 1,000 m of the coast, you may need to upgrade to a coastal cladding system to meet local requirements. This is often triggered as part of the full site consent process.

Regional Differences

Rules can vary significantly across regions. We strongly encourage every customer to open dialogue with their local council early on — it’s the best way to confirm exactly what’s needed for your property.

Yes — every brand-new HouseMe home is built under a full Building Consent and comes with its own Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) once construction is complete.

The CCC confirms that your home has been inspected and approved as meeting all requirements of the New Zealand Building Code. It’s an essential document that gives you peace of mind your home is built to the same legal standard as any permanent house.

The CCC applies specifically to the HouseMe home itself as built in our factory. It doesn’t cover site-specific work such as foundations, drainage, or decks — those are handled separately through your local council as part of your site consent.

Once your home has passed its final inspection, the CCC is formally issued to HouseMe within about 6–8 weeks. If you need a copy of your CCC, simply get in touch with our team, and we can provide it.

More info can be found here

Customer: "When will we receive our CCC?"

Code Compliance Certificate: Expected Time Frames.

Your CCC is not issued immediately.

Please note there is a substantial delay between when your unit is delivered, and when you will receive your final Code Compliance Certificate (CCC).

Once the build is 100% completed, your HouseMe unit will receive a Final Inspection and become “Signed-off”. This allows us to progress to the next step of applying for the formal Certification (CCC).

Once the issuing Council receives our documentation, it enters an administrative process in their very busy system and can take up to 6-8 weeks for the PDF Certificate to hit our Inbox. This is fairly standard for the construction industry, and we have zero influence on the timeframes. Auckland Council manages the process as this is where the build takes place. They will issue the CCC for the unit only, with nothing to do with the land, foundations, or sewage.

No — we do not build our homes on trailers or wheels.

All HouseMe units are constructed on a galvanised steel chassis with full-length skids, designed for strength, stability, and easy delivery. We used to fit wheels on some smaller units purely for transport purposes, but no longer do.

Some companies will tell you that if a tiny home is built on wheels or a trailer, it doesn’t require council consent because it’s “technically a vehicle.” That’s not entirely true — and it’s something we strongly advise you to tread carefully with.

When a company builds on a trailer, they’re legally registering the unit as a vehicle (with a WOF and registration). Because it’s not classed as a “building,” they don’t have to meet the New Zealand Building Code. In other words, they’re building a vehicle — not a house.

This loophole has led to a flood of low-quality “DIY” and unregulated builders entering the market — and unfortunately, it’s created a lot of cowboys.

At HouseMe, we’ve made a deliberate decision to stay well clear of that. Every new HouseMe home is built to NZ Building Code standards and issued with a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC). That means your home is legally recognised, safe, insurable, and built to last.  Read More Here.


 

Exciting news is on the way for Kiwi homeowners!

The Government has announced plans to make it faster and easier to build small, self-contained homes — often called granny flats or minor dwellings — without needing a full building or resource consent.

The proposed change, expected to come into effect in early 2026, will allow standalone homes up to 70m² to be built without the traditional building consent process, provided certain conditions are met.

What does that mean for you?

In short — less red tape, less waiting, and more opportunity to create flexible living spaces for family, rental income, or lifestyle needs.

The key details of the proposed law:

• Applies to small, standalone homes up to 70m²
• Homes must still meet the NZ Building Code and be built or supervised by licensed professionals
• Applies mainly to residential and rural-zoned land without special overlays or hazards
• Councils will still need to be notified before and after construction
• You may still need to pay standard infrastructure or service connection fees

Why this is great news for HouseMe customers

This change aligns perfectly with what HouseMe already does best — building fully code-compliant homes in our factory that meet all NZ Building Code requirements.

So while others scramble to catch up when the law takes effect, HouseMe customers are already ahead of the game.
Our homes already tick every compliance box, making it simple to meet both current and future council expectations.

Whether you’re setting up a home for family, adding income potential, or creating a secondary dwelling on your property, this new law will make the process faster, simpler, and more affordable than ever before.

Tip: If you’re thinking about getting started now, you don’t need to wait for the new rules.
You can still move forward under the current process — and when the changes come through, you’ll already be well-positioned.