These are the questions we get asked on the phone, answered the way we answer them on the phone. Where the answer depends on a regulation we have named it, and where the answer depends on your council we have said so rather than guessed.
We are Tiny Homes Australia, based in East Lismore NSW, building tiny houses on wheels in 7.4m, 8.4m and 9.5m lengths on trailers we manufacture ourselves. Peter Wigley is our CEO and the NSW State Lead for the Australian Tiny House Association. We live in a tiny home ourselves.
Costs and payment
How much does a tiny home cost in Australia?
Our tiny homes start at $93,000 for the 7.4m Spirit and go to $270,000 for the 9.5m Entertainer, all including GST and the trailer. A 7.4m or 8.4m home usually lands between $110,000 and $180,000 all up once you add delivery, levelling, connections, registration and insurance. Savings.com.au, updated January 2026, puts professionally built Australian tiny houses at roughly $80,000 to $150,000 and above, so those figures sit where you would expect for a finished home.
What is the cheapest tiny home you build?
The 7.4m Spirit at $93,000 including GST and the trailer. It is a single level plan built around one person or a couple, with an open connection between the sleeping, living and kitchen areas, a spacious 1100mm x 800mm shower, a microwave convection oven and a two burner gas cooktop. The Dreamer at $96,000 steps up to a full Chef wall oven and Bosch four burner cooktop. The Cozy at $100,000 adds a queen wall bed and bunks to sleep four.
Does the price include the trailer?
Yes. Every price we publish includes GST and the trailer it is built on. That matters when comparing quotes, because trailers are a real cost. Bought separately, our 6.0m trailer is $11,500, the 7.4m is $12,500, the 8.4m is $14,000 and the 9.5m is $15,500. They are made in Australia, fully galvanised, with electric brakes, a breakaway battery, four foot stabilisers, four 12mm tie down anchor points and two stainless steel under chassis storage boxes.
What are the payment stages?
A $1,000 non-refundable holding deposit secures your place in the build schedule and locks in your colours and materials. Then 30 per cent up front to secure the build date, 30 per cent at lock up when the frame, cladding and windows are complete, 20 per cent when joinery and internals are done, and a final 20 per cent on completion with the blue slip and VIN issued. Build time is usually 6 to 8 weeks.
What extra costs should I budget for?
Delivery at $2.50 per kilometre return from Bangalow NSW, site levelling and tie downs, a licensed electrician and plumber for connections, registration and inspection, insurance, and any council application. Optional items are priced separately: solar packages at $15,600 for a 7.4m and $20,550 for a 9.5m, a grey water system at $2,300, rainwater bladder at $800 with a Davey pump at $990, water filtration at $2,999, decks at $880 per 1.2m module and a slide out at $9,900.
Legality and council
Can you legally live in a tiny house in Australia?
Yes, in the right circumstances, but the rules are set by your council and your state, not by us. A tiny house on wheels is generally treated as a caravan, which is why it can often be placed without a development application. Whether you can live in it permanently, and for how long, depends on the local planning instrument and the moveable dwellings regulation in your state. Get the answer from your council in writing before you commit money.
Do I need council approval for a tiny home on wheels?
Often not, if it stays a registrable vehicle and the exemption in your state applies. Wagga Wagga City Council, quoting clause 77 of the Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation 2021, sets out that one caravan may be installed on land occupied by the owner of a dwelling house, occupied only by the owner or members of the owner’s household, and maintained in a safe and healthy condition. Confirm your own council’s position in writing.
What is the 2 day and 60 day rule in NSW?
Under clause 77 of the Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation 2021, as summarised by Wagga Wagga City Council and Snowy Monaro Regional Council, up to two caravans may be installed on land without approval provided they are not occupied for more than 2 consecutive days at a time and not more than 60 days in any 12 month period. That is a visitor provision, not a way to live in one full time.
Can I rent out a tiny home on my property?
Usually not without approval. The common NSW exemption covers one caravan occupied by the owner or members of the owner’s household, which is not the same as a tenant paying rent. Renting a moveable dwelling as a separate tenancy generally moves it into approval territory, and some councils treat that as a secondary dwelling requiring development consent. If rental income is your plan, ask your council directly before you buy, because the answer changes the economics completely.
Is a tiny home on skids treated the same as one on wheels?
No, and the difference is significant. A tiny home on wheels can be registered as a vehicle and is generally treated as a caravan. A tiny home on skids is not a registrable vehicle, so it is classified as a dwelling rather than a caravan, and a development application is required to place it on your land. We build on wheels for exactly this reason, but we can build on skids and steel frames with stabilisers where a client has approval in place.
Do the rules differ between states?
Yes, substantially. NSW works through the Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation 2021. Victoria works through the Building Act 1993 and registration as a light trailer, with occupancy allowances that vary widely by council. Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania each have their own approach, and individual councils within a state often differ from each other. Always check the specific council for the specific block.
Living in one
What size household fits in a tiny home?
Comfortably, one to four people in a single unit. The 7.4m Spirit suits one person or a couple. The 7.4m Cozy sleeps four using a queen wall bed and bunks on one level. The 8.4m Haven sleeps four with a single loft, and the 8.4m Essence sleeps four to six with lofts at either end. For six people without stairs, the 9.5m Impressor joins two modules and keeps everything on one level.
Is it warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer?
Yes, if it is built properly. Our homes have insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling, a waterproof thermal wrap behind the cladding, and a Dometic 3.5kW roof mounted reverse cycle air conditioner as standard, plus a ceiling fan. Window placement is designed for cross ventilation and natural light. A small, well insulated, well sealed volume is cheap to heat and cool, which is one of the genuine running cost advantages of living small.
Where can I put a tiny home?
On land you own or occupy, on family land, on a rural block, in a caravan park or land lease community, or on land you rent from a private owner, subject to the rules that apply in each case. The practical constraints are access for a 12 metre rig, a reasonably level position, and either a services connection or an off grid setup. Access is the thing people underestimate. Check the driveway, gates and overhead branches before anything else.
How much storage is there really?
More than people expect, if the joinery is designed for it. Our homes include a lockable storage box above the drawbar, up to 1800mm high by 1200mm wide by 400mm deep, and two stainless steel under chassis storage boxes 1500mm long by 600mm wide by 400mm deep. Internally the Grand includes a wardrobe 2100mm high by 1400mm wide by 500mm deep. Wall beds free up floor space by day, and full height cabinetry either side adds shelving.
Building and delivery
How long does a tiny home take to build?
Usually 6 to 8 weeks from the start of your build, depending on the size and the level of detail you have chosen. That clock starts once your 30 per cent deposit secures the build date, which is set after the $1,000 holding deposit puts you in the schedule. Choosing colours, cladding, flooring and joinery finishes early keeps the build moving, because most delays come from decisions rather than construction.
How much does delivery cost?
Within 300km of Bangalow, NSW, delivery is $2.50 per kilometre for the return trip. A block 200km away is a 400km round trip, so about $1,000. Beyond that radius we arrange transport with a specialist carrier and quote it separately. We deliver Australia wide. Longer moves cost more because an 8.4m or 9.5m home on a 4,500kg trailer needs a properly rated tow vehicle and an experienced driver.
Can I tow a tiny home myself?
For the 6.0m trailer at 3,500kg GVM, possibly, with a correctly rated tow vehicle. For the 7.4m, 8.4m and 9.5m homes at 4,500kg GVM, realistically no. That mass is above the 3,500kg braked towing capacity of nearly every dual cab ute sold in Australia. Our homes are 2.5m wide overall, which is exactly the maximum width the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator allows without an oversize permit, so there is no margin for error.
What happens when the tiny home arrives on site?
We can level it, take the load off the wheels onto uni piers, and secure it using the four 12mm tie down anchor points, which are usually locked into a concrete block anchor. Taking weight off the tyres matters for the longevity of the wheels and bearings if the home is staying put. Every site is different, so tell us about slope, ground conditions and access before delivery day rather than on it.
Finance and insurance
Can I get a home loan for a tiny house?
Generally not a standard mortgage. The Adviser reported in April 2026 that brokers describe tiny home lending as trapped in classification limbo, with some lenders treating them as caravans, others as personal assets and very few as modular homes, and that alternative lenders charge rates 2 to 6 per cent above traditional home loans. Common routes are an unsecured personal loan, an asset or equipment loan, or releasing equity against a property you already own.
Who arranges finance for your customers?
ZEP Finance, a mortgage brokerage in Lennox Head NSW, works with our customers. Their most common structure is an equity release against an existing home or investment property, where the current mortgage is increased to fund the tiny home purchase. They also arrange personal loans and asset or equipment loans. Using a broker who has financed tiny homes before is worth doing, because lender policy on this asset class varies widely and inconsistently.
Can you insure a tiny house on wheels?
Yes, but the market is narrow and you should organise it before delivery, not after. Tiny Houses Aus lists CIL Insurance and Youi non-mobile caravan policies among the providers used by Australian tiny house owners. CIL’s conditions include the home being on private property with wheels and drawbar attached and not hard wired to services. Most insurers want officially documented electrical and plumbing work, so keep every compliance certificate.
Does a tiny home need to be registered?
If you intend to tow it on public roads, yes. All our homes are delivered with a Vehicle Identification Number and a blue slip, which is the inspection step required before registration. Service NSW requires an inspection report issued no more than 42 days before you register, and applies a 40 per cent vehicle tax reduction for caravans and camper trailers between 255kg and 4.5 tonnes. Fees and inspection type vary by state and trailer mass.
Off grid and utilities
Can a tiny home run completely off grid?
Yes. Our 7.4m solar package is a 3kW system with 7.1kWh of Pylontech battery storage, Trina panels and Victron inverters, at $15,600 including GST after small-scale technology certificates, with an estimated 4,386kWh of annual production. The 9.5m package is 3.5kW with 14.2kWh of storage at $20,550, producing an estimated 5,106kWh a year. Add rainwater harvesting and a composting toilet and the home needs no external services at all.
How does the water supply work?
On grid it is simple: a standard garden hose connection is all that is required. Off grid, our potable PVC bladder harvests roof water through downpipes at either end of the home and can hold up to 6,000 litres depending on the model, at $800 plus a Davey 240V pump at $990. A triple stage filtration unit with UV, rated at 120 litres per minute, is available at $2,999 for either mains or rainwater supply.
How does the toilet and waste water work?
Our homes come standard with a split system composting toilet, with the pedestal inside and active and passive containers underneath. You add sawdust after use, swap the active unit when full at 3 to 6 months depending on usage, and leave it a further 3 months or so to become garden compost. A small fan and vent keep it odourless. A standard flushing toilet connected to sewer is available, which requires a licensed plumber and may require council approval.
What do I do with grey water?
The grey water system filters shower, sink and laundry water and discharges it for garden irrigation, and includes a 45 litre grease trap to remove solid particles first. It is $2,300 including GST, with on-site installation by a licensed plumber as an additional cost. In unsewered areas, installing or altering an on-site sewage management system in NSW needs Section 68 approval under the Local Government Act 1993, with council application fees generally ranging from $150 to over $600.
Who can do the electrical work on a tiny home?
A licensed electrician, and only a licensed electrician. Under the NSW Government’s electrical compliance requirements, electrical wiring work must be done by or under the supervision of a licensed electrician, must comply with AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules, and a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work must be lodged within seven days of testing, through the Building Commission NSW eCert portal from 1 July 2026. Penalties for work below the technical standards reach $550,000.
Still have a question
If your question is not here, it is probably about your specific block, and that is the conversation worth having. Call Peter on 0411 079 446 or email info@tinyhomesaustralia.com.au.