06/01/2026
🚨 Big Change for Housing in New Zealand – Coming 15 January 2026 🚨
From 15 January 2026, new legislation under the Building and Construction (Small Stand‑alone Dwellings) Amendment Act 2025 will allow secondary dwellings up to 70m² — often called granny flats — to be built without requiring a building consent, provided certain conditions are met.
This is a huge step forward for homeowners and small-scale builders alike. For years, even modest, self-contained homes faced unnecessary red tape, delays, and high costs. This change removes the building consent process for small dwellings while still ensuring safety and compliance.
At Vaai Ltd, we’re excited because this aligns perfectly with our move toward modular, transportable homes. For over a year, we’ve been developing our first unit — MOD 1 — right here at our Plimmerton workshop.
MOD 1 is our first step in supporting these upcoming changes: a fully self-contained, Building Code-compliant, transportable secondary dwelling, designed to be built off-site and delivered efficiently to your property.
⚠️ Key things to know:
✔️ Must be 70m² or less, standalone and typically single-storey
✔️ Fully self-contained (sleeping, living, cooking & sanitary facilities)
✔️ Must comply with the NZ Building Code
✔️ Must be built or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP)
✔️ Council notification is required
✔️ Resource consent rules may still apply depending on zoning
This change removes the building consent requirement, but doesn’t remove your obligation to build safely, professionally, and legally.
If you — or someone you know — are considering a secondary dwelling, granny flat, or modular build here in the Wellington Region, we’re ready to help you navigate it.
📖 For a full breakdown, check out our blog here:
👉 https://www.vaai-ltd.co.nz/blog/nz-granny-flats
🏡 Smaller homes. Less red tape. Built properly.
