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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Ask Norman!

Tiny JACKS - Expandable tiny houses are customised factory manufactured cabins that can be unfolded to form a bigger  house, up to 37 square meters with 2 bedrooms layout, a modern kitchen, and a bathroom. Extra options such as cladding, a picked roof, and a porch will make this house look like a traditional lovely home. Boxyboon cabins are built from quality sandwich panels and are considered to be eco-friendly and much cheaper than houses built from standard materials such as wood and brick. Our houses can be easily transported on a trailer. They are comfortable to live in and work temporarily or permanently.

Yes, Boxyboon tiny homes are well insulated with internal and external wall sandwich panels EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) 50 and 75 mm plus underfloor and roof glasswool insulation to keep them warm in winter and chill in the summer. EPS is well known for its low thermal conductivity and has sound absorption features which make it a great material for heat and sound insulation.

Boxyboon tiny houses are fire resistant, the walls are made from steel sheets with a non-flammable internal core. EPS core is non-toxic and contains a flame retardant additive. In a fire situation EPS generates less heat and smoke than most timber and wood products. 

Cladding can be added to your tiny house exterior for aesthetic decoration. Our small cabin Boxy One comes with pre-installed aluminium cladding. There are so many benefits of aluminium cladding panels such as easy cleaning, water repellency, mold resistance, and high durability. We have a big variety of cladding patterns to choose from! Square brick pattern, stone, marble, mosaic, and much more. We are happy to share our catalogue with clients who wish to proceed with the cladding option.

We do not make deliveries by ourselves at this stage as we believe it should be done by professional transportation companies with appropriate insurance included. However, we are in touch with our transportation partners and can assist in getting a quote for customers. Cabins can be transported from our yard in Auckland to North and South Island destinations. When a customer’s site is ready for delivery, we usually recommend transportation companies running hiab trucks that can lift, load, and place units on a site with a built-in crane. Top corners allow lifting of our cabins by crane or forklift if required. A cabin can be placed between 7-20 m from the truck depending on what truck they use. The charges depend on access to the site and the hourly rate after the first hour. Standard deliveries usually take an hour for a truck-only simple lift and place. Towing a tiny house on a trailer is also possible. However, we find delivery on a transporter more convenient, safe, and less time consuming. Transportation companies may provide more details on delivery options.

Yes, you can. if a tiny house is 3500 kg or less, then you can tow it by yourself. The weight of our biggest unit with all the cabinets and materials inside is less than 3500 kg. You will not require a class 2 license if the combined Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of your tiny house and your towing vehicle is less than 6000 kg. Trailers can have different equipment but usually their weight is not more than 1000 kg so that combined GVM will not exceed 6000 kg. It is suggested to use a tow vehicle capable of towing up to 3500 kg, and you are expected to be an experienced driver confident with towing large loads. Anyway, we always suggest our customers using services of professional towing companies if possible.

The most common types of temporary or permanent foundations for tiny homes are concrete slabs, ground screws, screw piles, square timber piles. To have a price idea of foundation installation, it is better to contact foundation specialists directly as the price would depend mainly on your ground condition. You can also check out ground screws and timber piles available at Mitre10 or Bunnings. Please note that assessing your site, excavation works, and installation of foundation needs to be carried out prior to delivery of your Boxyboon tiny house.

Assembling of an expandable cabin needs to be arranged by customers after it is placed on site. Unfolding can be done within a few hours with the help of several workers. We provide clients with the detailed written manual and video instructions. The whole process usually takes 1 or 2 working days including cabinets and windows installation. Our team can help with assembling in the Auckland area.

If you buy a tiny house on a trailer or wheels (THOW) and remain it movable, not connecting to services permanently, it can be considered as a vehicle under The Land Transport Act 1998, therefore no building consent is required. However, buyers will need to contact their local council directly to clarify if they need the resource consent for their house. You may also require consent for building work in case you wish to build a deck or a porch after purchasing a tiny home. Please refer to the following legislation for more information: The Land Transport Act 1998, The Building Act 2004, The Resource Management Act 1991, MBIE Tiny House Guidance 2021.

You will need to contact a qualified registered plumber and electrician to get a quote for connection to services. A mobile home can be connected to mains by an easily disconnected means, the services themselves will need building approval in this case. We supply a caravan plug for easy connection, the standard inclusion is an industrial plug 32A, 3-phase. Gas fitting is not provided, customers usually go with the installation of gas water heater califont and freestanding gas bottles.

Going off the grid is a great choice nowadays. Solar panels can be installed locally in New Zealand. There are plenty of solar power system suppliers in NZ. AA Solar and Zen Energy can offer you various solar packages to suit your budget. The standard toilet in Boxyboon tiny houses is flushing, however, a space for a waterless composting toilet can be left by the manufacturer. For using a flushing toilet, you just need a septic tank on site to hook into if you are not connected to the city sewage system. Please keep in mind that composting toilets are usually not used in urban areas, where toilets have to be connected to the main sewerage. Please also be aware that you must comply with requirements and restrictions of local authorities for waterless composting toilets in your area.

What extra costs to consider when buying a mobile home?

Delivery from Auckland to your NZ address can be arranged at an additional cost. You can order a trailer from one of our reliable suppliers based in Auckland. Installation of an expandable house itself and windows, assembling kitchen cabinets is not that hard, however, you may need to hire a few handymen for this job to be done. Electrician, plumber, and gas fitter services would be required. Please also expect expenses for purchasing and installing a heat pump, cooking appliances, a fridge, and furniture.

Is there insurance for tiny houses?

Yes, if you have a relocatable house on wheels with valid Rego & WoF it can be insured under a caravan policy. Some insurance companies offer cover for tiny homes classified as buildings under a standard home insurance policy. Please speak to your insurance broker to see what options and benefits work better for you.

Could you tell me more about guarantees?

Boxyboon products have a 12-month factory warranty on galvanised steel framing. In the unlikely event that there is a problem with a tiny house you have purchased from our company (leaking, broken or missing parts), we are committed to meeting our obligations under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA). The CGA guarantees come in addition to the warranty provided by the manufacturer. For further information and guidance, please refer to The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, Consumer Protection website:
https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/consumer-laws/consumer-guarantees-act/

Is financing for transportable homes possible?

Yes, financing is possible. Please feel free to use an online calculator and apply directly from our Finance page! You can also contact a personal loan provider of your choice or discuss getting a mortgage with your bank.

Why are there so many similar houses on the internet?

It’s a good question! Just to note, we started the Boxyboon project after realising how many people here in NZ need affordable tiny homes. Boxyboon products are manufactured and customised for us at the trusted factory in China that allows us to keep low retail prices. Expandable steel frame houses advertised on various marketplaces may look similar, but they are produced in different Chinese factories. That means that the quality of materials is not the same. Even if someone orders an identical house model from the same factory, the customised product always differs. Our company provides the thickest wall, roof, and underfloor insulation material, we also add extraction fans, we supply new types of shower cabins, modern bathroom cabinets, and top-hung windows to have the best expandable houses on the NZ market. Moreover, we offer after sales service to our clients offering 7 days a week support from our engineers who can give advice on installation and maintenance if needed.

ASK US ANY QUESTION PLEASE
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