Compact one bedroom
Under 50m², designed to feel larger
A single bedroom, open living and a sheltered deck. The smallest footprints work hardest when the outdoor space is treated as another room.
New Zealand granny flats & minor dwellings
Could Your Property Suit a Granny Flat?
Start with your address and discover what may be possible. Check your property, explore potential site considerations and connect with a local granny flat specialist.
Address data sourced from the LINZ Data Service · CC BY 4.0.
Property check · Site feasibility · Planning information · Local specialists
Independent NZ service
We are a private property-enquiry and specialist-matching service, not a council or government agency.
Free for homeowners
There is no charge to submit a property enquiry. Participating building providers fund the matching service.
Official rules first
Our regulatory guides point to MBIE, Ministry for the Environment and council sources so you can verify current requirements.
How it works
A property assessment,
not a lead form
Four steps. The property information travels with your enquiry, so the first conversation you have with a builder is already an informed one.
- 01
Enter your address
We identify the property and the territorial authority responsible for its planning rules.
- 02
Review your property
See the preliminary property, parcel and planning information available for your address.
- 03
Tell us about your project
Size, bedrooms, purpose, budget and timeframe — a short guided assessment, not a giant form.
- 04
Connect with a specialist
Your property brief goes to a granny flat builder working in your region.
Inspiration
What a well-designed minor dwelling looks like
Indicative concepts to help shape your brief. These are design directions rather than completed client projects.
Two bedroom family option
60–70m² at the rear of the section
Two bedrooms, a separate entry and its own outdoor space — enough independence for family to live comfortably alongside the main house.
Interiors
Fewer, better decisions
In a small dwelling, ceiling height, glazing placement and joinery quality do more for the feel of the home than floor area.
Home & income
Built to hold its value
Durable cladding, considered detailing and a layout that suits future tenants as easily as family — the configuration most owners settle on.
Why build one
Six good reasons
Family living
Keep family close with real independence for both households.
Space for parents
Single-level, level-access living on land you already own.
Adult children
A realistic first home base while they save or study.
Rental income
A compliant, self-contained dwelling can be tenanted.
Flexible property use
Use changes over time — guests, office, family, tenants.
Downsizing in place
Move into the smaller dwelling and rent the main house.
The 70m² opportunity
Smaller dwellings, a simpler pathway — with conditions
New Zealand has moved toward making small, simple standalone dwellings easier to build, including a building-consent exemption pathway for qualifying granny flats of up to 70m². It is a genuine opportunity, but it is not a blanket approval.
70m² Granny Flat Rules- Exemption eligibility has conditions — not every design or site qualifies.
- District plan rules still apply, including coverage, setbacks and outdoor space.
- Site constraints such as slope, drainage and access remain decisive.
- Professional design or engineering input may still be required.
- Council notification, a PIM and other requirements may apply depending on current rules.
Cost
What actually drives the price
Headline square-metre rates rarely survive contact with a real site. These are the variables that move a granny flat budget most.
Size and layout
Bathrooms, kitchens and wet areas cost more per square metre than bedrooms.
Foundations
Ground conditions dictate the system — and can change the budget materially.
Earthworks
Cut, fill, retaining and platform formation on sloping sites.
Site access
Whether trucks, concrete or a transportable unit can reach the build area.
Utilities and drainage
Distance, depth and fall to existing connections, or on-site servicing.
Specification
Cladding, joinery, glazing and interior finish decisions.
Transport
Delivery and craneage for transportable or prefabricated dwellings.
Professional services
Design, engineering, surveying and planning input where required.
Planning requirements
Consent pathway, reports and any conditions that follow.
Coverage
Specialists across New Zealand
Hamilton / WaikatoHamilton City Council · Rototuna, Hillcrest, ClaudelandsAucklandAuckland Council · Mount Albert, Papakura, HendersonChristchurch / CanterburyChristchurch City Council · Papanui, Ilam, St AlbansTauranga / Bay of PlentyTauranga City Council · Bethlehem, Ōtūmoetai, Mount MaunganuiWellington / Hutt ValleyWellington City Council · Karori, Khandallah, BrooklynWhangārei / NorthlandWhangārei District Council · Kamo, Tikipunga, Maunu
Questions homeowners ask first
- How does the property check work?
- You enter your address, we identify the property and assemble the preliminary property and planning information available for it, then you tell us about the project you have in mind. That brief goes to a granny flat specialist working in your area.
- Does a property check tell me I can definitely build?
- No. It gives you a preliminary view of your property and highlights what needs looking at. Eligibility depends on current planning rules, site conditions, servicing, design and professional assessment.
- Is there any cost to check my property?
- Checking your property and submitting a project brief is free. Any design, consenting or construction work is quoted by the specialist you choose to work with.