Is it a house or caravan
So we’ve been following this ‘is it a caravan or a house’ debate with interest lately. We’d like to share our views on the debate.
We have laws in New Zealand, and the building code/act/regulations are there for a very good reason. They are there to ensure that our living, working and public spaces are safe, healthy and comfortable.
We do agree the code is not a good reference point as it’s so outdated. That’s a debate for another day!
As for tiny homes, don’t get us wrong. We are fascinated by the idea of a tiny home as many of us are. They definitely have a role to play in housing for Kiwis, but a tiny house is just that – a house, and as such it should be built to building code, full stop.
How about compliance
A fully compliant, professionally designed tiny home is one thing. But, a structure that has had wheels bolted on to it to make it cheaper and deliberately slip through a loop-hole, to avoid building regulations, is a different thing altogether.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) insists tiny houses must comply with the building code and owners can’t put their houses on wheels as a way of saving tens of thousands of dollars, but it’s still happening.
Many of these ‘boxes on wheels’ aren’t even road worthy and in some cases the wheels are removed to truck the ‘home’ to site and once there, the wheels are then re-fitted’. This practice is a blatant disregard for the law and those promoting it in our opinion should be prosecuted. Many of those buying from these operators are unaware of the level of risk they are opening themselves up to.
Structures and regulations
These structures sit somewhere between building code and transport regulations and once they have been on site for a while. Often, end up not complying with either. Sadly, sooner or later someone is going to be injured or worse. What if there was a gas asphyxiation or explosion, a fire in a ‘caravan on wheels’ built outside all safety regulations?
Also planning rules are there to protect our environment, our community aesthetic and our property values. How would you feel if you had purchased a section, built a nice house and then have a couple of these structures move in each side of you?
If the intent is to live in the ‘tiny home’, it’s a building and should therefore comply with building code and planning requirements. – It’s as simple as that.
Do you agree with us? Let us know….
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