🏡 Setting Up Your Living Little Granny Flat: Foundations, Power & Services Made Easy
At Living Little, We offer optional turnkey solutions so you don’t have to manage contractors to get the little home to your site. We organise it all for you from foundations to connections to services, we’re all about turning the idea of a transportable home into a reality that’s effortless, elegant, and compliant. Whether you’re adding a minor dwelling or planning for future flexibility, here’s how we make it happen—from delivery to full connection.
🚛 Delivery That Works With Your Site
Our builds are crafted on our site and delivered to yours ready for action. There are few places that a little home can not be installed. Generally delivered on a flat bed truck and using a local hiab or crane to offload onto foundations. A driveway over 4.5m wide makes for a straightforward delivery, narrower than that can be solved by lifting over obstacles with a larger crane.
🪛 Screw Pile Foundations: Fast, Removable, Consentable
We prefer screw pile foundations because they’re:
- Installed in under half a day
- Permanent yet removable, giving you the option to relocate your flat in future and since no concrete is required they leave nothing behind.
- Fully compliant with NZ building code and easy to consent through council channels
- Stop Digging Screw Piles
It’s solid support with the flexibility to evolve as your needs do. If you choose to do the foundations yourself, we are totally supportive and little homes can be installed onto any type of pile foundation.
⚡ Power Connection Options
Each Living Little home is fully pre-wired and ready to go. You can:
- 🔌 Plug in using a 32-amp connection to an existing on-site power supply
- 🔋 Connect to a solar plant, ideal for off-grid or hybrid setups
- 🔧 Hardwire into your site’s existing system with a registered electrician for a permanent solution
We’ll help you choose the right fit based on your site and usage needs—every option is code-compliant and consent-ready.
🚿 Sewer & Stormwater Made Simple
Connection depends on what’s already on-site:
- If your property has an existing home, your granny flat will usually connect into the same sewer and stormwater systems
- If no sewer main is available in the street, a septic tank may be required — we’ll assess and advise based on council maps and site conditions
- For rural properties or unique setups, alternatives like pressure pumps or soak pits may be proposed to keep your drainage fully compliant
We can coordinate all services and approvals so you’re not left chasing paperwork or plumbing advice.
❓FAQs: Living Little Granny Flat Installation
Q1: Do I need building consent for a transportable granny flat in NZ? ✅ Yes. Until any future rule changes come into effect, all minor dwellings—transportable or not—require building consent. Living Little handles all documentation so your project moves swiftly through council.
Q2: Can I install the foundations myself? ✅ Absolutely. While we offer turnkey setup its is just optional, we are supportive of you handling the little home install independently. As long as it meets NZ Building Code standards, any compliant pile system will work.
Q3: What if my site doesn’t have access to the sewer main? ✅ No problem. If there’s no existing sewer connection, There are other options including a septic tank, composting loo and greywater system or other alternate drainage system may be suitable. We are happy to discuss options.
Q4: What is the easiest way to power my granny flat? ✅ For simplicity, a 32-amp plug into an existing supply is ideal. For long-term setups, hardwiring into the existing electrical supply or connecting to a solar plant is fully supported—and we’ll help find the best fit for your site.
Q5: Do I have to manage installation contractors myself? ✅ Not if you’d rather have it done for you. Living Little offers a turnkey solution, handling everything from foundations to final service connections. Your little home will arrive ready to move in, so you can skip the site juggling and focus on enjoying your space.
