A transportable unit might sound like an easy option, but there are still plenty of questions to ask before getting a tiny house. Whether you are planning to site the house in a permanent location and how to deal with things like water and heating all need to be considered.

Some of the key questions to ask before getting a tiny house

Before you commit to getting your unit, here are some key things to think about.

How often will you move the house?
Transportable cabins are designed to be moved, but many people choose to site them in one place and leave them there. When considering your tiny house think about how often you want to or might have to move the house.

How many people will live in the house?
The number of people living in your house will determine its size as well as how many bedrooms you will need. Read our article: Living with a family in a Tiny House for our top tips for families.

Is your design balanced front to rear?
Carefully work out your design to suit a smaller floor plan. Unit2Go has a range of floor plans that have been developed over our years in the business. We think these offer the best use of space, but if you want to make modifications we can work with you to create a different floor plan.

How will the house control heat and ventilation?
Because transportable homes are smaller they don’t take much to heat. But depending on where you place your home you may need to consider whether you need to install heating. Opening windows in our units help ventilate your rooms. Bathrooms come fitted with an extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

Will the house be off-grid?
One of the joys of tiny house living is the ability to live off the grid. If you do this you need to consider what facilities you will have in terms of cooking, storing food and showering and how you will get power. However, if you plan to site your transportable unit permanently living on-grid might be a better option. Our units can be connected to an electricity supply and a water supply.

Will the house catch and store water?
Again if you are planning to live off-grid or move around a lot you might need to consider how you will have water. Think about installing a water collection system which takes rainwater and stores it in a tank. Alternatively, you can connect any of our units to a water supply using a standard garden hose.

How will the house deal with wastewater and sewage?
Whether you need to deal with wastewater and sewage depends on what you are using your tiny house for. If it is simply for sleeping in, or you are using it as a garden home office or for a hobby room, then you won’t need to deal with sewage. If you have toilet facilities you will need to consider this. Install a Saniflo pump system or, get a drain layer to connect it to the main drain if your unit is permanently sited.

How will I finance my tiny house?
This is one of the most important questions to ask about getting a tiny house. While a tiny house is more affordable than getting a mortgage or buying a standard house outright, you do still need to have your financing in place. If you cannot afford to buy a transportable unit outright, consider our rental options and low deposit finance options. You may be able to get a loan from the bank in order to help you finance your purchase. You may also be able to use money from the KiwiSaver scheme.

Unit2Go makes getting your tiny house up and running easy

Getting a transportable unit from Unit2Go makes dealing with many of the above questions simple. We do a lot of the work for you and present you with a unit that is ready to go.

If you are thinking of adding a granny flat for a relative, want to use a granny flat for Airbnb or to rent out long-term, or need somewhere to live yourself, contact Unit2Go to discuss your options. If you have other questions to ask before getting a tiny house, try our FAQs page. Otherwise, our team are happy to answer them when you contact us.