Start with the site and intended use
Write down whether the home will be a permanent residence, secondary accommodation, temporary unit or relocatable asset. Confirm the legal site, district-plan position, access route, boundary clearances, natural hazards and how water, wastewater, stormwater and power will work.
Do not buy the building first and investigate the site later. A transportable unit may still need building consent or other approvals once installed and connected, and transport dimensions can limit the design before the site is reached.
Compare a complete installed scope
Supplier pricing often stops at the factory door. Ask for a schedule that separates design, engineering, manufacture, transport, craneage, foundations, decks and steps, service trenches, utility connections, consent work, site reinstatement and contingency.
Confirm insulation, ventilation, moisture management, hot-water capacity, storage, acoustic separation and safe egress for year-round occupation. Small spaces magnify design mistakes.
Future-proof the decision
Check warranties, producer statements, inspection records and what documentation will remain with the property. Ask your lender and insurer about the proposed ownership and foundation model before paying a deposit. If the unit may move later, confirm which components are designed for repeated transport.
Shortlist questions
Ask before you appoint
- What legal and consent pathway applies to this exact site and use?
- What is excluded from the delivered and installed price?
- Who coordinates foundations, services and council inspections?
- Can the supplier show completed homes occupied through a Christchurch winter?