Minor Unit Design
Minor units can be a creative way to off set the cost of land and help people provide for their families. Establishing a sleep out, a studio, or converting a garage to a minor unit are practical ways to reduce living costs for some and earn extra income for others. Size doesn’t dictate quality, and careful consideration of the existing house amenity must to be made to optimise these opportunities. For further discussion see https://lyndaslaneyarchitects.co.nz/news-blog/building-small-to-reduce-cost/
These small buildings if done well can produce both practical advantages as well as house appeal to a property.
From January 15th 2026 we can now build a 70sqm minor unit with a kitchen and bathroom without building consent. We do have to request a PIM (Project Information Memorandum ) from the council, but it is a positive move to help with providing more homes. There are a number of rules to follow and for more guidance on the process, check out the following;
Granny flats exemption: Guidance and resources | Building Performance
Titirangi Studio
Exterior
Living Area
Loft
The client wanted some extra space for an adult daughter and overseas family to stay. They had an old single garage at the front of their property that was in poor condition. In a sloping bush site their options for building were limited, so the decision was made to build a sleep out above their garage. This was an opportunity to upgrade the garage into a more useable space and create a small building that would add to the street appearance of their home.
It needed to match the house, and in fact resource consent requirements for the site dictated that. The height on the site was limited by the zone, but sufficient was achieved to create a snug loft sleeping space above the bathroom.
The end result was a sympathetic addition that was light filled and appreciated the mature kauri that it sat behind.
Albany Garage Conversion
The client had a large property with an existing free standing double garage that was surplus to their needs. It had a good sized footprint, nice exposed trusses and high level windows that they wanted to keep.
Internal partitions were built, plus a kitchen and bathroom installed to create a minor dwelling. The client was concerned about the potential noise from tenants and loss of visual privacy for their home. So careful consideration was made of room and window positions and acoustics so both parties had internal privacy. In addition the entry to the minor was located on the far side of the building, and fencing was positioned to provide outdoor separation.
The result was a conversion to a minor unit, currently used as an AirBnB, which has its own deck and rural views, which are completely private from the main dwelling. It has provided a great asset to their property.