Sleepouts and Cabins

What are Sleepouts?

Sleepouts are typically buildings separate from the main dwelling which are used as extra accommodation. They do not contain cooking or kitchen facilities and usually share facilities with the main dwelling.

We have a number of sleepouts and small cabin kits available, any of which can be adjusted to suit your preferences.  In fact, the majority of the frame kits that leave our factory are custom.

Check some of our designs out here.

Sleepouts

General Council Stuff on Sleepouts

NB, every council is different, this is from the Auckland City Council’s website and will be similar for most areas.

Check if you need a consent to build or extend a sleepout or a cabin – Have your plan ready

Under the NZ Building Regulations for sleepouts or similar, there is a lot of building work you can do yourself. The website for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is also helpful.

Before checking whether you need a consent for your detached stand-alone building, you need to know:

  • dimensions of the project (height, total area)
  • location on property where the project will go
  • size of the property in square metres. The net floor area in a building is measured to the inside of the enclosing walls or posts/columns.
  • total area of your property currently covered by buildings
  • total area of your property currently covered by hard surfaces, for example concrete or paved areas.

Sizes for sleepouts – depending on the size and design of your structure,  the work (design and/or construction) may be required to be carried out by a Chartered Professional Engineer and/or Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).

Our tip

If your sleepouts or cabins are close to a boundary, and you have the written approval from your neighbours, you can apply for a Deemed Permitted Boundary Activity.
This application replaces the need to apply for a resource consent.

​How to check if you need a consent to build a detached stand-alone building

From 31 August 2020, several new building consent exemptions are in place regarding new sleepouts, cabins and other detached stand-alone dwellings.

The latest guidance on these exemptions can found on the MBIE website.

Find out more about our Sleepouts

Call 09 889 8000 or text us today for more information to 0292 88 8020 – you can also complete our contact form here.

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