Thread: Building your own hut...

I was thinking two hunters not 6 Gore locals

I built one 3.6 x 2.4 with a 1.2 deck on end
All 4x2 framing and 150x50 h3 joist, ply flooring.
Apex rafter roof which i wouldn't do again
Door on end on to deck
lined with 12mm untreaded ply on inside and 12mm h3 ply on outside with battens
I also built it on skids 200x150 ok to move very short distance. I dragged this on a flat deck trailer and moved to location behind a tractor.

is it true if you put your hut on skids there is never a worry about buildings having to have a permit as they are not deemed permanent ??

It is possible to score a prefab "container"style box with everything apart from plumbing, for well under 10k.
A mate got x3 in ex china, flatpacked in a 20 footer for around 5k each a while ago. They are built around the framework of a shipping container, but with coolstore panels for walls/floor/roof. Much easier to transport that a 3d box, and after a bit of practice and some help from a friendly guy with a hi- ab for mounting the roof, we could assemble one in around 4 hours.
His came with DG windows and doors.(with mozzy screens). Laminate flooring and basic lighting setup.
They dont look very pretty, but I reckon it would be real easy to clad the external with Ply or whatever suits

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

is it true if you put your hut on skids there is never a worry about buildings having to have a permit as they are not deemed permanent ??

No

If building from scratch get your windows and doors first and build to suit sizes of them and save heaps $ also build to sheet sizes and ply inside seal all edges , insulate corro is good on outside but flashings can be a pain , colour steel good and bit of spark resistants' from the mandatory outside fireplace .

If using corrugated iron make sure you put a bottom rodent flashing on it

Bang for your buck has got to be a second hand garage off marketplace, they come up regularly for free or for waaaay less than the cost of the materials.
Then you can invest dollars into a timber "on stumps" floor...but there will be a bit of stuffing around making a wall cavity deep enough to take insulation, ply lined, s/h windows - invest in aluminium ones, you want a place that requires the least amount of maintenance so you can focus on "being there"
If it's zoned appropriately and "high wind" zone or lower, you won't need a consent (if thats a concern for you)
Shipping containers can be good value but bear in mind there's a lot of work to insulate and line, plus you'll want a roof over it to stop the top rusting out.

If it were me, I'd build from scratch, stump foundation, sized to minimise wastage, especially of ply panels, so think in multiples of 1200mm for wall lengths (don't forget the thickness of the ply at the corners, trying to trim 9mm of the edge of a sheet is a PITA without a rail saw.
If you're wanting to build "to code" which is VERY advisable, you can download NZS3604 for free, which will give you ALL the span tables you'll need, these are probably the most important aspects to get right and will give you a strong structure that will last indefinitely (v's one that falls over in the first good blow - seen it happen, it's heartbreaking for the person who thought they could "wing it" - physics doesn't lean kindly on winging it)
Depending on what you build, rough sawn everything, it's cheaper and has a higher hazard class treatment, so if something leaks, it won't rot.
S/H corry is cheap and comes up nicely with a coat of paint, although it'll still have a "rustic" visual
Happy to have a yarn in detail, as there's a lot to cover off and homework now will save you costly mistakes later on

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

is it true if you put your hut on skids there is never a worry about buildings having to have a permit as they are not deemed permanent ??

Very dependent on who you ask, and what the requirements are for the ground you are plonking it on. Have a look at some of the dramas 'tiny house' owners have had in some areas with the local councils...

It's very similar to some areas where they have specific legislation against people parking road legal caravans in a spot on what is effectively a permanent basis.

In my case I think where it is will be out of sight and mind, and I'm happy with that!

Originally Posted by No.3

What are some good cheap options for materials for this, sources etc.

If you know a friendly builder, ask to put materials tghrough his trade account, you'll get significant discount over retail/reward cards

Also, if you want power for say lights and to charge devices, torch batteries etc, you can prolly put together a base solar system for less than 2k, you won't need oodles of batteries or panels, there's a heap of resources online to help you specify a simple lo cost system and it's well worth the doing

Yep, good info there. The mate who's brought the patch is an LBP which is handy, so it's the plans and spec for materials that is most helpful as it's bloody handy looking at ideas for what's easy and uses materials well. I have a link to an overseas tiny house outfit that offers semi-free plans, it's OK for ideas but all the specs on materials don't match what we have here which makes it a lot harder to sort out whether it's easy/cheap or going to require a lot more work.

The point about 'rough sawn and properly treated' vs 'D4S and a splash of pink' is a bloody good point just looking at relative pricing. Someone else raised a fair point as well - if you want to put water in might as well set up a cheap shower, toilet and kitchen sink and if you do that make sure they all back onto each other so the piping runs and materials are all 'right there' and not at opposite corners. Same with power for DC lighting, run conduit through the walls when you are setting up it and you can have accessible runs to fit the solar setup at a later date without carving things open or hanging the cables inside.

Here's the easy to understand website to work out if need a consent https://www.canibuildit.govt.nz/

I do not see 'back country hut' on there anywhere. Good to go!

Some handy resources on the backcountry trust site.

https://www.backcountrytrust.org.nz/resources.html

Including a few hut/biv plans and required materials for construction.