Pat and Cori are two immigrants to New Zealand from the US (east coast and midwest). We slowly made our way from Boston to Christchurch (read all about it here: Eggs, Rice and Streaky Bacon! ). Cori is a masters student and Pat is a welder/ pipefitter. Using our skills, we had been thinking about building a tiny house for about a year and when we saw a trailer for a great price on Trade Me and we jumped on it (Jan 2015). Living on campus, we were lucky to find a location to build our tiny house and have been working on it every weekend since. Please follow our blog as we continue on this journey!
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South Island Tiny House 
it looks amazing guys! Well done 😀
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So, are you US citizens living in NZ or NZ citizens returning to NZ? Also, what are the restrictions, if any, to having a tiny home in NZ? In the USA it’s almost impossible to find a place to park or build them. Like to know
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We are both US citizens and both have NZ permanent residency. Building a tiny house in the US is just as easy to find a place to build and park a tiny house. Its all about knowing the right people with land and doing your research. Hopes this help answer your question.
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NOT easy. I’ve done several years of research. Finding a permanent place to park is very difficult due to zoning laws nationwide in the USA. If you “know” someone who will allow parking on their land such as relative, friend or work-for-other situation that’s your best possibility. If you want to purchase land without square footage restrictions, those restrictions about composting toilets and several others you must purchase quite far from cities that’s assuming you can find property that isn’t in the desert or above 8000′ which is a challenge in itself. To park a tiny home legally in most cities is usually forbidden. The fact that they are consider RVs and fall under the laws governing them does help some tiny home owners on zoning if they park on a property with a home already in tact.Unless you park in someone’s backyard and are able to avoid harassment by the authorities a tiny house owner/builder will be forced into undesirable scenarios–i.e., a lack of freedom associated with choice.
Although tiny home communities are being considered and tried by a few entrepreneurial individuals they most always have to fight zoning laws put in place to protect average home owners’ equity. That takes time, hence the lack of parking places nationwide, presently. Most tiny home sites note this a the number one problem about wanting a tiny home.
So, that leads me to the ultimate question. Why NZ? Are there relaxed restrictions there for parking your tiny house over those in the USA? Do you just like NZ–who wouldn’t, it’s beautiful. Are you parking on someone’s else property or working for others? I’m mainly interested in the restrictions in a land purchase, the restrictions in the cities near you and their overall attitude toward tiny homes being parked inside them with regard to NZ. I’m very interested in your experience of these things since you chose NZ.
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Hi Cori and Pat,
We have recently purchased bare land in North Canterbury and wish to build a tiny house before too long. We currently still live in Christchurch and as you are so close, how can we contact you or arrange a brief visit to see how you have achieved your dream?
Thanks, Paul.
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Hi Cori and Pat,
We have recently purchased bare land in North Canterbury and hope to build a tiny house ourselves before too long. At the moment, we are still living in Christchurch and as you are so close, how can we contact you or arrange a brief visit to see how you have achieved your dream?
Thanks, Paul.
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Hi Guys, Great build, I love it. Just wondering, what’s the deal with your land? Did you guys buy a section, or are you able to park your tiny house up on someone’s section? Reason I ask is I am thinking about building a tiny house, but am stumped when it comes to where to put it…
Cheers
Ash
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Hi guys, great project absolutely love it! We are building our own tiny house in December in or around Christchurch. We are still looking for land. How did you find your land and have you got any tips/know some land? Much appreciated!
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We actually found our land to build the tiny house through someone we purchased something on trademe, so it was pretty lucky. We noticed she had lots of land when we went to pickup our item and asked her if she was interested in renting a small spot for the build.I don’t know of anyone, but maybe post something on Facebook tiny house community.
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Hi Cori and Pat,
we are an austrian couple also wanting to build our own tiny house in the near future. As we are currently in NZ and in CHC between the 18th and the 24th of Feb, it would be awesome if you got time and we could visit and talk, if you like. Give us a shout at: rafaela.schindlegger@gmail.com
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Hello
We are no longer living in Christchurch. We have moved our tiny house further south and will be moving again to Dunedin in March. If you would like to do a video chat that would be great. Let me know.
Cheers
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