Can you guarantee my home will be approved?

No. A private certifier decides the building approval and council decides planning. We check what you've bought before we quote and tell you straight how likely it is, but no builder can promise an approval.

Will you install a home I bought on Marketplace or from overseas?

We look at any home. We install the ones a certifier can approve as a dwelling. Send us the maker's name, the plans and the compliance documents and we'll tell you what's missing before you spend anything on the site.

What's the difference between Class 1a and Class 10a?

Under the National Construction Code a house you live in, including a granny flat, is Class 1a. A shed, garage or other non-habitable building is Class 10a. A cabin or studio built to Class 10a can't be lived in, and it rarely meets the Class 1a standard without major work.

My home has already arrived. Is it too late?

No. Send us the documents. Sometimes the maker can supply the missing certificates, or an engineer can assess and certify it with some upgrades. Sometimes it can only be used as a non-habitable building. We'll tell you which before you commit to footings.

Is it worth checking before I buy?

Yes. Send us the listing first. It costs far less to walk away from a listing than to find out after the home has landed.

Bought one, or about to

Bought a modular home? Check it before it lands

We install modular homes from any maker across South East Queensland. But not every home sold online, on Marketplace or straight from an overseas factory can be approved as a house here, and no amount of site work fixes that. Know exactly what you've bought, and who made it.

Send us what you bought What we need to see

Crane day: a module in the air above a paddock

We can't promise council approval

A private certifier signs off the building and council decides planning. Not us, and not the seller. We check what you've bought before we quote and tell you straight. If a home can't be approved as a dwelling, you'll hear it from us before you spend a dollar on footings.

A granny flat is a house. Under the National Construction Code a home you live in is Class 1a. Sheds, studios, site offices and most "cabins" are Class 10a: not for living in.
Queensland says the same. A tiny home that doesn't meet the definition of a dwelling and doesn't have the approvals, on wheels or not, isn't considered suitable for permanent living.
We're on the hook too. Everyone in the building product supply chain, the installer included, is responsible for products being fit for their purpose. We can't put in a home we know doesn't meet the standard.

Red flags, and what we need to see

Red flags in a listing

"No council approval needed"
Sold as a cabin, studio, office, expandable container or tiny home, with no Class 1a paperwork
No Australian structural engineer's certificate
Taps, toilets and pipes without WaterMark, or electrical gear without Australian approval marks
No wind rating or tie-down design for your area
The seller can't name the factory, or show you homes like it approved in Queensland
A price far below an Australian-built home of the same size

What a certifier will ask for

The maker and the exact modelCompany name, address, and the model and size you bought
Plans and specificationsFloor plan, elevations, materials, and the inclusions list
Built to the NCC as a Class 1a dwellingA statement or certificate from the maker that says so, for this home
Structural engineering by an Australian engineer (RPEQ)Frame, tie-down and the loads for the footings
Plumbing that can be connectedWaterMark certified fixtures and fittings
Electrical that can be connectedWired to AS/NZS 3000, with Australian-approved parts
Energy efficiency reportFor your climate zone
Glazing, waterproofing and fire detailsPlus a BAL rating if your block is bushfire mapped
For an import: evidence it's asbestos freeAsbestos is a prohibited import into Australia

If it doesn't stack up

Missing paperwork isn't always the end of it. These are the usual ways out, cheapest first. We'll tell you which one applies before you commit to anything on site.

The maker fills the gaps

Good factories can supply engineering, compliance statements and product certificates for the exact home.

An engineer certifies it

An Australian engineer assesses the home and certifies it, sometimes with upgrades to the frame, tie-downs, plumbing or wiring.

Use it as a non-habitable building

A studio, office or storage under Class 10a, if council allows it. It still needs building approval, and no one can live in it.

Don't install it

Sometimes the honest answer. Better to know before the footings than after the crane.

Haven't bought yet? Send us the listing

A link to the listing and the seller's documents is enough to start. It's far cheaper to walk away from a listing than from a home that's already landed. If you want a home that comes ready for approval, we're the authorised installer for Outhaus, whose homes are built as Class 1a dwellings in Queensland.

Send us the job What an install costs

A crane lowering a dark-clad modular home onto its spot in a paddock

Sources

Planning Queensland, Tiny homes FAQ: planning.qld.gov.au/planning-issues-and-interests/tiny-homes
QBCC, Non-conforming building products and the chain of responsibility: qbcc.qld.gov.au/worksite-building-practice/non-conforming-building-products
Australian Border Force, Prohibited goods: asbestos: abf.gov.au/importing-exporting-and-manufacturing/prohibited-goods/asbestos
National Construction Code, building classifications: ncc.abcb.gov.au