Frequently Asked Questions

We use a mixture of high grade durable materials to ensure top quality and long lasting home:

Construction:
The floor walls and roof are constructed from Formance Sips construction or in some cases, treated timber frame.

Windows and doors:
Southern 41 Suite, Double glazed, Thermally broken, Argon filled with Low E Coating.

Cladding:
Colorsteel trapezoidal iron over a cavity.
Beautiful Siberian larch and Macrocarpa timber cladding available as an option.

Interior Lining:
Painted ply is standard issue,
OSB strand board, Euro Birch Ply and painted plasterboard is optional

Flooring:
Laminated hard flooring. Woodland Lifestyle Oasis range.
Carpet and vinyl available as options.

Kitchen:

• Cabinetry and hardware: 18.5mm Moisture Resistant Melamine with soft-close Hettich hardware.
• Cupboard & drawer fronts: Bestwood Melamine
• Tristone stone bench tops
• Fisher and Paykel appliances

Bathroom:
Top quality bathroom ware is used including all fixtures and fittings.
Tornado Flushing toilet w/ soft closing lid
3 Sided shower with sliding glass door
Integrated vanity with Methven mixers and tapware
Composting and incinerating toilets available

All worked is to NZ Standard 3604:2011 and performed by registered tradesman.
Electrical, Plumbing and Gas Compliance certificates are issued on completion.

Some other costs to consider when planning for a new cabin or home are:

• Site access
• Compliance
• Foundations
• Decking & Baseboards
• Landscaping
• Service Connections
• Off grid
• Survey Costs

Contact us to get a project budget template

Yes.

We supply fully working off-grid systems, including:

• Solar power
• Rain harvesting kit inc first flush diverter, Pressure pump & storage tank and associated plumbing.
• Grey water kit
• Septic tank systems
• Composting or incinerating toilet
• Project management

Lead times depend on current work load, production normally starts 3-4 weeks from finalising your design.
Production times vairy from cabin to cabin, usually between 6-14 weeks depending on the size.

Times may change depending on materials or products selected.

We offer a range of materials and colours to choose from.

If you have specific dimensions and materials in mind, let us know, and we’ll accommodate your ideas.

External dimensions, windows and doors are more complex items and involve engineering so these are changed by negotiation, usually at an extra fee.

Complete Bespoke builds are available, please reach our.

Standard Inclusions:
(May vairy slightly between models)

Exterior:

• Exterior: MAXX Colorsteel cladding
• Windows and Doors: Double glazed, Thermal break, Low E, argon filled, Colour matched to cladding
• Exterior lighting

Interior:

• Smooth or V-grooved Birch Ply, Painted or Natural
• Woodland Oasis Laminate flooring
• Golden Bay 55OZ Carpet over 11mm super soft underlay.
• Electrical: 4 Double power outlets, LED lighting, switches, data cable and associated electrical
  work. Includes switchboard & RCDs.
• Kitchen: 18mm water resistant melamine, Bestwood HPL fronts, Tristone bench top, storage, 600mm Induction hob and range-hood.
• Bathroom: 1200×900 acrylic shower with glass screen, 800mm vanity, Back-to-wall Flushing toilet suite, 900×600 back-lit Mirror + all associated plumbing & electrical. Robe hooks, roll holder, door stops and tapware matched to your preference.

Exclusions (Ask us to include):

• Delivery
• Resource Consent
• Council fees
• Foundations
• Service connections
• Appliances
• Furniture

Optional Upgrades

• Decking & Baseboards
• Negative detail lining
• Euro tray roofing and cladding
• Cedar cladding features
• Vinal Flooring
• Appliances, Fridge/freezer, Oven, Dishwasher, Washer/Dryer, Microwave
• Ventilation, heating and cooling
• Log burner
• Drapes

Our dwellings are built to NZS3604:2011 by licensed building practitioners.

Our cabins and homes hold a 10 Year materials performance guarantee, 12 Months Maintenance Guarantee.

You will love our hand-over process!
We supply a complete hand-over booklet and walk you through it.
This includes our factory warranty, all other warranty information and other handy information about your new home.

Yes, we would love to see you at 33 College Street Motueka

Come and visit our bespoke Offices/Show-home.

A simple building shell at less than 30M² does not need a building consent, it does however still need to be built to building code (NZ3604:2011) by an LBP (Licensed Building Practitioner) which cosy cabins comply with.

If there is a kitchen or bathroom (Plumbing) involved,  you will normally need a building consent, there are some cases however through exemption or the Granny-Flat legislation (2026) meaning you can build without a building consent. We can advise on your case.

Cosy Cabins looks after the entire consenting process for you (if required)

Our transportable cabin range, ranges from 18-120 M2

We also build on your site, up to 220 M2 (or larger if you require)

Let us help guide you through the building process effortlessly!

Our fixed-price contracts cover design, construction, ex yard with no hidden costs. This normally includes:

• Design
• Construction of building envelope, cladding, insulation and lining
• Fit-out including bathroom, kitchen and flooring.
• Preparation for transport.

Normally excludes (We can quote for you):

• Drapes
• Appliances
• Transport
• Service connections and site works
• Foundations
• Off Grid services

Site works and service connections are usually not included, but ask us for a budget template to help you plan your project, or have one of our consultants help you.

We offer nationwide, insured delivery, including road-legal trailers for easy transport.

Insurance is an important part of transporting high value items, as usually freight companies only cover goods up to $2000 (C0ntract and commercial law act 2017)

Cosy Cabins carry extensive insurance polices that cover us (and you) for design, construction, transport and other liabilities.

Call us today to discuss your ideas and questions.

Smaller cabins usually take between 6-8 weeks after the design is finalized.

Larger cabins usually take between 10-14 weeks after the design is finalized.

Add 4-6 weeks additional time for consented jobs.

If a resource consent is required, this can take another 8-12 weeks for application and approval.

A transportable (or portable) granny flat is a small, self-contained home built in a workshop and delivered to your property, then, in almost all cases, fixed to foundations and connected to services. It does the same job as a site-built granny flat, with the building done off your section. It is not a tiny home on wheels.

Not if it meets the conditions. Since 15 January 2026, a new, stand-alone, single-storey dwelling of up to 70m² can be built without a building consent. It must be no more than 4m high, with the floor no more than 1m above the ground and at least 2m from boundaries and other buildings. It also has to meet the Building Code, with the work done or supervised by licensed building professionals. Tiny homes on wheels, container homes and imported kitsets not built to the NZ Building Code are excluded. Councils apply the rules slightly differently, so check yours.

Yes. You apply to your council for a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) before any building work starts. A PIM does not confirm that your granny flat meets the exemption, so it is important to check the conditions first. We can help you through it.

Possibly. Not needing a building consent does not automatically mean you do not need a resource consent. It can still be required if the granny flat breaks height, boundary or site coverage rules, or sits in a flood, coastal or other hazard area. Covenants on your title can also stop a second dwelling. Your council planner can tell you what applies to your section.

Yes. Councils can charge development contributions for a new dwelling, and your rates may go up. Delivery, foundations and service connections are also extra to the cabin price, and they depend on your site.

You can, but if you do, the Residential Tenancies Act and the Healthy Homes Standards apply, as they would for any rental. Talk to your council about any other rules for your area.

Every model above shows a live “from” price for the cabin. Use the instant price calculator to build an estimate for your cabin and your location, including delivery.

Not quite. A granny flat is a self-contained home. A sleepout is a smaller extra room for sleeping, usually without a kitchen or full facilities. Different consent rules apply to each, so check with your council which one fits your plans.

Yes. We build in Motueka and deliver across the South Island, including Canterbury and Christchurch, as well as the North Island. Tell us where your section is and we will give you a delivery estimate.

We deliver to most locations across New Zealand with insured transport, and manage site access planning, placement and setup. Tell us where your section is and we will give you an estimate.

A portable (or transportable) sleepout, sometimes called a prefab or relocatable sleepout, is a small, detached cabin built in a workshop and delivered to your property. It gives you an extra room for guests, teenagers, a home office or a studio without building on site. Ours are built and finished in our Motueka workshop, then delivered ready to place on foundations and connect to power.

Often not. An open studio sleepout of up to 30m² (from 10m²), with no plumbing, toilet or cooking facilities, can be built without a building consent if it is single-storey, detached and meets the conditions. It has to be built with lightweight materials, be a kitset design reviewed by a chartered professional engineer, or have the work supervised by a licensed building practitioner. It also needs to sit away from your boundaries (generally at least as far as the sleepout is high), and electrical and drainage work must be done by the right licensed trades. It still has to meet the Building Code. If you add a kitchen or bathroom, the granny flat rules apply instead, which includes a PIM from your council.

Yes. Our sleepouts can be an open studio, or include a kitchen, a bathroom or both. A studio of up to 30m² can be built without a building consent if it meets the conditions. If you add a kitchen, a bathroom or both, the granny flat rules apply instead (for a home of up to 70m²), which includes a PIM from your council before any work starts. We can help you through the paperwork.

Our 18m² and 24m² cabins suit a sleepout: an extra room next to your main home. From 36m² a cabin is really more of a home, and a granny flat is a small, self-contained home where someone can live full-time. They have different consent rules, so it is worth working out which one you want first. Our granny flats page covers the other option.

A sleepout is meant as an extra room for the home on your property, not a home in its own right. If someone will live there full-time, or you plan to rent it out, check with us and your council first, as granny flat or dwelling rules and tenancy rules may apply.

Yes. A lot of people use a sleepout as a home office, art studio or hobby room. It is a good way to separate work from home life. If clients or staff will be visiting, check your district plan for any home business rules.

Every model above shows a live “from” price for the cabin. Delivery, foundations and power connection are extra and depend on your site. Use the instant price calculator to build an estimate for your cabin and your location, including delivery.

A kitset sleepout arrives as parts that you or a builder put together on site. Ours are built and finished in our workshop and delivered as a complete cabin, so there is far less work to do on your section.

Yes. We build in Motueka and deliver across the South Island, including Canterbury and Christchurch, as well as the North Island. Tell us where your section is and we will give you a delivery estimate.

It depends on your council and how you’ll use it. Used as a permanent or secondary dwelling, this will typically need building consent; used purely as non-habitable space, it may not. We’ll help you work out exactly what your site and council require.

From deposit to delivery, most projects run several weeks — the build itself happens in our Motueka factory while your site is prepared in parallel.

We deliver to most locations across New Zealand with insured transport, and manage site access planning, placement and setup. Tell us your proposed site location when you enquire and we’ll give you an estimate.

An ablution block is a building with toilets, showers and hand basins, used at campgrounds, holiday parks, worksites and public reserves. Ours are built in a workshop in Motueka and delivered to your site ready to connect.

Yes. Our ablution blocks are built off-site, delivered to your site and set on foundations, then connected to your services. That means less disruption on site than a block built from scratch.

Our current layouts have separate men’s and women’s buildings with toilet cubicles, hand basins and showers. The larger block adds accessible bathrooms and family rooms. Need laundry or kitchen facilities, or a different mix? Talk to us about a layout for your site.

It is a complete building with everything guests need in one place: toilets, showers, basins and hot water. Each of our blocks is a finished building you connect to water, power and wastewater. If your site has no mains connections, tell us and we will talk through what is possible.

Usually yes for a commercial or public building, but it depends on the use, size and your council. Resource consent may also apply. Tell us about your site and we will talk you through what to check.

Our larger block includes accessible bathrooms, family rooms and ramp access. Tell us the accessibility needs for your site and we will work them into the layout.

The price depends on the layout, the facilities and your site, so each block is quoted individually. Tell us what you need and where it is going and we will give you a price.

Most of our cabin projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. A larger commercial block can differ, so we confirm timing when we quote.

Our current layouts use gas hot water (a califont) and need water, power and wastewater connections on site. We can talk through the options and what your site will need.

Yes. We build self-contained accommodation units for holiday parks and worker accommodation. Tell us what your site needs and we will talk through the options.

Yes. We build in Motueka and deliver across the South Island and the North Island, with site access planning and placement managed. Tell us where your site is and we will give you a delivery estimate.

Yes. We build transportable cabins for holiday parks, campgrounds and tourism businesses. They are built in our Motueka workshop and delivered to your park, ready to connect to services.

The price depends on the cabin, the options and your site, so each order is quoted individually. Tell us how many units you need and where they are going and we will give you a price.

Yes. The cabins are built off site while your park keeps trading, so the install on your park is short. Tell us when you need them in place and we will plan around it.

Most of our cabin projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. For a larger order we confirm timing when we quote.

We make compact studio cabins rather than pods. They suit glamping and tourism accommodation, and you can add a bathroom or kitchenette. Tell us the guest experience you are after and we will talk through the options.

A studio is a single open space for sleeping and living. A self-contained cabin adds a bathroom and kitchen so guests can stay without using shared facilities. We can talk through which suits your park.

Often yes, but it depends on the use, the size and your council. Resource consent or park licensing may also apply. Tell us about your park and we will talk you through what to check.

Yes. We build transportable toilet and shower blocks for holiday parks, so you can add accommodation and facilities together. See our ablution blocks page or tell us what your park needs.

Many of our customers place a cabin on a site they lease from a campground. If your park allows privately owned cabins, get in touch and we can send plans and specifications your park can review.

Yes. We build in Motueka and deliver across the South Island and the North Island, with site access and placement planned for you. Tell us where your park is and we will give you a delivery estimate.

A transportable home is built in a workshop and then delivered to your section in one piece. Because the build happens off site, it is not held up by weather on your land, and your site work can happen at the same time.

The terms overlap. Transportable, relocatable, modular and prefab all describe a home built off site and delivered. Ours are built complete in our Motueka workshop, then delivered and, in almost all cases, fixed to foundations on your property.

The price shown on each model is for the home itself. Your total also depends on your section, so delivery, foundations, service connections and council fees are extra. Use our instant price tool or send an enquiry and we will give you a clear, itemised quote.

Most of our projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. Council consents and your site preparation can run alongside the build, so the timeline depends on how ready your section is.

Yes. Our homes are built for permanent living and are fixed to foundations on your land. Building consent and council requirements still apply, and we help with the council paperwork.

Our homes range from 36m² to 70m², and from 48m² they come in one or two bedroom layouts. We do not currently have a standard three bedroom home, so get in touch if you have a particular layout in mind.

Finance depends on your lender and your situation. Many lenders treat a home fixed to foundations like any other new build, and we can point you to a local finance option, so ask us when you enquire.

Yes. We build in Motueka and deliver across the South Island and the North Island, with insured transport and site access and placement planned for you.

Yes. We build prefab cabins in Motueka that can be set up off the grid. The cabin is built to connect to your own power, water and wastewater systems, and we can talk through what suits your site.

It means you are not connected to town power, water or sewer. You generate your own power (usually solar), collect your own water (usually rainwater) and treat your own wastewater on site.

Most people plan for solar power with a battery, a rainwater tank and treatment, a wastewater system such as a septic tank, a heating and cooking option, and access for delivery. Tell us about your site and we will talk you through it.

We supply the cabin. Off-grid systems depend on your site, so ask us what we can help arrange and what you would organise separately. Either way, we help you plan so you know the full cost before you commit.

Many of our customers do. Building consent and council rules still apply, so check what your council requires for living on site during a build.

Yes. Once your main house is finished, the cabin can become a granny flat, guest cabin or home office. Granny flats up to 70m² have simpler consent rules from January 2026, and councils apply them differently, so check with yours.

Often yes, but it depends on the size, how it will be used and your council. Wastewater systems usually need council approval too. We help with the council paperwork, so tell us about your site.

No. Our cabins are built in a workshop and, in almost all cases, fixed to foundations on your property. Sizes run from 18m² to 70m².

Yes. We deliver across New Zealand with insured transport, and we plan site access and placement with you. A truck needs a usable track and room to place the cabin, so tell us about your access early.

Most of our projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. Your site work and off-grid systems can be organised while the cabin is built.

Yes. We build prefab baches in our Motueka workshop and deliver them to beach, lake and rural sections across New Zealand. Sizes range from 18m² to 70m².

A prefab bach is built in a workshop, then delivered to your section complete. Building off site means no weather delays on your land, and your foundations and services can be prepared at the same time.

The price on each model is for the bach itself. Your total also depends on your section, so delivery, foundations, service connections and council fees are extra. Use our instant price tool or send an enquiry and we will give you a clear, itemised quote.

Most of our projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. Foundations and council consents can run alongside the build, so the timeline depends on how ready your section is.

We deliver across New Zealand with insured transport and plan site access and placement with you. A truck needs a usable track and room to place the bach, so tell us about your access early and we will look at what is possible.

In almost all cases, yes. Our baches are fixed to foundations on your property. Building consent and council rules apply, and we help with the council paperwork.

Usually yes, but it depends on the size, how it will be used and your council. Councils apply the rules differently, so check what applies to your section. We help with the council paperwork.

Many owners do, but rules for short-term rentals depend on your council and your area, so check before you plan on rental income. A bach with a bathroom and kitchen gives guests the most comfort.

Compact studios from 18m² suit a couple. For families, 36m² and up gives more room, and from 48m² our baches come in one or two bedroom layouts. Look at the models on this page or ask us to talk through your site.

Yes. Our baches can be set up with your own power, water and wastewater systems. See our off-grid cabins page, or tell us about your site and we will talk through the options.

Yes. We build transportable cabins in our Motueka workshop and deliver them to your land anywhere in New Zealand. Many customers add one or two as short-stay accommodation.

It depends on your guests. A compact studio from 18m² suits couples, while larger cabins give families more room. From 48m² our cabins come in one or two bedroom layouts. Tell us who you want to host and we will talk through the options.

Yes. Our smaller cabins come as a studio, or with a kitchen, or with a bathroom, so you can choose how self-contained your guests’ stay is. Check the prices on each model page.

The price on each model is for the cabin itself. Your total also depends on your land, so delivery, foundations, service connections and council fees are extra. Use our instant price tool or send an enquiry and we will give you a clear, itemised quote.

Usually yes, but it depends on the size, how it will be used and your council. Councils apply the rules differently, so check what applies to your land. We help with the council paperwork.

Yes. Rules for short-term rentals depend on your council and your area, and can include consents or rates. Check them, and talk to your insurer, before you plan on rental income.

Many owners add one or two. How many your land allows depends on your council and your zone, so check before you order. Tell us your plans and we will talk through the options.

Yes. Our cabins can be set up with your own power, water and wastewater systems. See our off-grid cabins page, or tell us about your site and we will talk through the options.

Yes. We build transportable smoko rooms in our Motueka workshop and deliver them to your site anywhere in New Zealand. They suit forestry crews, civil contractors, quarries, depots and builders.

Yes. We build transportable offices and site offices, and we have already supplied offices to councils and forestry crews. Tell us what you need and we will talk through the options.

The price on each model is for the building itself. Your total also depends on your site, so delivery, foundations, service connections and council fees are extra. Use our instant price tool or send an enquiry and we will give you a clear, itemised quote.

Most of our projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. Foundations and consents can run alongside the build, so the timeline depends on how ready your site is. For a larger order, we confirm timing when we quote.

Our buildings are transportable, and in almost all cases they are fixed to foundations on site. If you expect to move it later, tell us when you enquire and we will talk through how to set it up.

Often yes, but it depends on the size, how it will be used, how long it will stay and your council. Councils apply the rules differently, so check what applies to your site. We help with the council paperwork.

Tell us what you need it for and we will talk through the layout and options. Our buildings can be set up as an office, smoko room or first aid room.

Yes. We build transportable toilet and shower blocks, so you can set up a depot or crew base with accommodation, an office and facilities together. See our ablution blocks page or tell us what you need.

Yes. Tell us how many units you need and where they are going, and we will quote the whole order and confirm timing.

Papakāinga is housing on ancestral or whānau land, usually built for whānau, hapū or iwi. It is often on whenua Māori and can be a single home or a staged group of homes.

Yes. We build transportable homes in our Motueka workshop and deliver them to whānau land across New Zealand. Tell us about your project and we will talk through the options.

Yes. You can start with one or two homes and add more as your funding and plans are ready. Tell us how many homes you are planning and we will talk through staging and timing.

Our homes range from 18m² to 70m². From 48m² they come in one or two bedroom layouts. If you are planning for a larger whānau, tell us what you need and we will talk through the options.

Most of our projects take around 12 to 14 weeks from deposit to delivery. Foundations, services and consents can run alongside the build, so the timeline depends on how ready your site is.

Many projects combine a contribution from the land-owning group with government support, such as the Māori Housing Network at Te Puni Kōkiri. Funding changes, so check with Te Puni Kōkiri or your regional office for what is available now.

Send us your plans and the number of homes and we will give you clear, itemised pricing you can use in your planning. Tell us what you need for your application.

We deliver across New Zealand with insured transport, and we plan site access and placement with you. A truck needs a usable track and room to place the home, so tell us about your access early.

Yes. Our homes can be set up with your own power, water and wastewater systems. See our off-grid cabins page, or tell us about your site and we will talk through the options.