Tiny houses

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#1992794 10-Apr-2018 15:30

neveR:

All 3 of these below are similar priced, and all look far better to me...

nztinyhomes.com

I've actually had a good look in and around their demo model in person. It's well put together with a few things that needed fixing and the team acknowledged that they have be improving the build/supply side to ensure quality was up there.

Overall I was impressed with the quality of the finished product.

I note that most of the comments above reflect on tiny houses being used for high density. I think as Mauricio mentioned, this is normally more about lifestyle and most tiny houses are probably more likely to be found in bigger less densely built up areas.

JimmyH

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#1992800 10-Apr-2018 15:43

Holy cow, those are minuscule. Even the three bedroom version is tiny. While the prices are good, I wouldn't contemplate them as a main dwelling, as I simply couldn't fit all of the stuff I have into them. Particularly my books, which require a lot of shelf space.

However, they look interesting and are something I would contemplate one as an affordable holiday batch, if I was so inclined and had the cash to spare. Which I'm not, and I don't.

Lastman

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#1992807 10-Apr-2018 15:56

I think they add well to the mix of accomodation. I like the resilience they potentially offer ie can be moved in response to natural disasters or climate change effects.

I’d like to see them blended in to the housing laws especially that they are not avoiding appropriate contributions to rates etc.

andrew027

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#1992808 10-Apr-2018 15:57

freitasm: Check this slideshow of tiny houses for an example.

Some of the ones in that slideshow look great. I think my better half and I could easily live in some of these now that the kids have left home, but there would need to be some serious decluttering, and I think doing without everything that's not an absolute necessity is the key to making these things work.

A couple of questions:

A lot of them seem to be built on trailers. Where do you draw the line between a "tiny home" and a caravan?
Do you think the Marshall guitar amplifier that appears to make up half of the right-hand wall on #3 actually works?

jarledb

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#1992810 10-Apr-2018 15:59

Small homes for sure. Not sure its for me, but I know some of those houses are very well built. And I would take a tiny house over a leaky, cold, old typical Kiwi house any day.

As a Norwegian I am really not impressed with most houses in New Zealand and how they are built. Most of them are built for a warmer climate than we have here in NZ.

Have some friends that have a family of 5 living in this tiny house.

Here are more photos of their tiny house

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MikeB4

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#1992814 10-Apr-2018 16:03

For singles and retired couples small/tiny houses make a lot of sense. Easier to maintain, cheaper and easier to heat. If the house has good access and the grounds are extension of the living room then I would be happy in one

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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wellygary

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#1992821 10-Apr-2018 16:11

jarledb:

As a Norwegian I am really not impressed with most houses in New Zealand and how they are built. Most of them are built for a warmer climate than we have here in NZ.

NZ's biggest problem is that we build similar houses across the entire country, where the distance between Auckland and Invercargill is almost the same as from Vancouver to San Francisco.....

kryptonjohn

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#1992824 10-Apr-2018 16:19

Older houses (by NZ standards 50 years is an older house!) are the worst. Pulled the linings off our 1960's built house and there's obviously no insulation. And the wind was whistling through the gaps. No wonder these old houses never suffered from rot - too much ventilation of the cavities for that!

But in Auckland you certainly don't need the sort of build you'd see in northern USA, Canada or northern Europe. It's not that cold.

But how people live in Dunedin on those old villas - I don't know how they do it!

Rikkitic

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#1992842 10-Apr-2018 16:29

Sure beats living in a car. Or on a park bench. Maybe Labour will make their 100,000 homes after all.

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networkn

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#1992844 10-Apr-2018 16:31

Rikkitic:

Sure beats living in a car. Or on a park bench. Maybe Labour will make their 100,000 homes after all.

Twyford is in his office assembling dollhouses frantically right now actually. After all, Labour didn't specify houses for what, right? :)

They won't meet the target of 100K because they already lowered it by 40% and are including houses NOT being built by them in this number!

MikeAqua

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#1992850 10-Apr-2018 16:47

I couldn't do it. I spend most of the week in a well designed 35m (25m floor space) apartment. I can only do that because I go to a proper house at the weekends.

Mike

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MikeB4

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#1992853 10-Apr-2018 16:51

These are not exactly tiny homes as such but they start as low as circa 50 sqm. They are built offsite and transported. I think the are a good idea.

http://matrixhomes.co.nz/

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Dulouz

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#1993086 11-Apr-2018 08:31

They are fugly.

Amanon

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#1994229 11-Apr-2018 12:01

Beccara: Even with Wheels some councils have some pretty interesting definitions, IIRC one even stated that as soon as they become stationary they become buildings subject to permits, Not 100% upto date on current feelings

The Building Act says it doesn't need a building consent if it's a "vehicle" and it's "movable". The current MBIE determination on what this means says this more or less: It's a "vehicle" if it has wheels, axle and a tow bar. It's "movable" if it has no permanent service connections (like plumbing or drainage that would need a plumber to do).

As advertised, these units might not need a building consent as they're on trailers and don't seem to have power, water or drainage connections.

Behodar

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#1994246 11-Apr-2018 12:39

networkn: Holy crap those are small. The 1 bedroom is somewhat smaller than my master bedroom and ensuite! I couldn't happily live in one of those.

My previous 1-bedroom unit was 54 m² and while it was livable it did feel a bit constrained. I wouldn't want to go back there... and certainly wouldn't want a tiny 34 m² place!

Edit: However, as a few others have pointed out, they could make decent baches.

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