RoomMate Cabins – an easier solution than a DIY build
Jan 12, 2021
With multigenerational living on the rise and our population growing at a rapid rate, combined with Kiwis returning home since COVID-19 struck our homes often aren’t set up to accommodate an increased number of people.
Sleepouts are an attractive option, and many have welcomed a change to building rules intended to relieve some pressure on the consent process when building. But the changes shouldn’t signal a DIY free-for-all. In fact, that’s something building professionals have warned against.
Why not just rent a RoomMate Cabin and take the hassle out of the process?
Changes to the Building Act
From 31 August 2020, additional building consent exemptions were added to the Building Act. Building consents are no longer be needed for several new or expanded types of “low-risk” buildings such as sleepouts.
The new exemptions were passed with the intention of saving building owners time and money by not having to go to their local council for consent for common, smaller building projects.
Still a hassle?
But the changes don’t mean you can just grab a hammer and get going. Not everyone is a DIY expert, and while the need to go through the consent process has been lifted, you still need to meet building codes for your region.
That means if you’re putting in a single storey, detached building (including kit-set buildings), they must have been designed by chartered professional engineers. In most cases, construction must be checked or supervised by a Licenced Building Practitioner (LBP) too.
All building work that does not require a building consent must still comply with the Building Code and other legislative requirements, such as those under the Resource Management Act 1991, the Electricity Act 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
Fail to plan, plan to fail
It would be relatively crazy to build a 30sqm structure without any drawings or plans.
What cladding and materials are you going to use? How are you going to insulate? How is the spouting attached and what system are you using for the eaves or the end of the roof line? And no one should be doing their own wiring jobs unless they are certified.
As a sleepout is a habitable space, the Building Code also requires it to have a smoke alarm, fresh
air ventilation, natural lighting, adequate room height, and thermal insulation. It must also have ready access to an existing dwelling for sanitation.
Opt for a RoomMate Cabin
Rent a cabin from RoomMate Cabins and take the hassle out of that planning. Our portable cabins are ready-made solutions to your sleepout and extra space requirements.
Because RoomMate Cabins are under 10 square metres, are transportable, and have no water connections, they don’t need a permit in a residential situation. They are subject to the usual height-to-boundary rules, but this shouldn’t restrict you from being able to get a cabin on site if you were looking at building a sleepout.
Every RoomMate Cabin is built to perfection with unique features and are built with an outdoor power socket connected to the cabin, all signed off with an electrical warrant of fitness.
So, if you’re looking for cabins to rent in Auckland or nationwide, contact your nearest RoomMate Cabins supplier today.