ANSWERED: All your questions about installing a VanHome

Did you know that if you are in NSW you don't need council building approval to install a VanHome in NSW. This means all you need to do is buy the VanHome of your choice and then tell us where you’d like it installed on your property.

Once your VanHome is ready, our crew will tow the unit to your property and in a matter of hours fit it out for you so you can connect to a power and water source and have your plumber of choice connect the waste system.

VanHomes. We always recommend you check with your council in regards to council building approval.

Still have questions about installing a VanHome? Read on.

We’re answering some common questions our customers have had and we hope the answers bring you closer to your dream VanHome. 

Have you considered installing a Granny flat in your backyard but wondered about council approval? 

1. Why doesn’t a VanHome need any council building approval in NSW?

A VanHome is a registrable caravan. It is built to comply with caravan standards. Our homes are built onto a towable chassis, with fully functioning wheels, brakes and lights that is towed to your location. Each VanHomes obatins a Roadworthy Certificate before being delivered. This gives them a legal status of a registerable caravan under the defintion of the Motor Transport Act 2018 which is what NSW Councils refer to when differentiating between a relocatable building or UMD (unregistrable moveable dwelling) that requires building approval and a registerable caravan that doesn't require building approval. 

Our innovative design allows VanHomes to expand from 2.4m wide right up to 7m wide. 

In NSW, there’s a piece of legislation that states you can have a caravan on your property to accommodate a member of your household without prior council approval. This not only means you can situate your VanHome on your property. It also means our VanHomes can be sited in Flood Zones, Fire Zones, under the minimum block requirements and saves you a ton of time and money in development applications. 

Our innovative system allows us to build your VanHome on hinges.

Along with complying with caravan standards, what this means is that once we’ve manufactured your VanHome, it is folded up to a 2.4m caravan and transported to the site. In a matter of hours, our crew will fit out this caravan into a 4.7m or 7m wide granny flat.

3. Do I need to make any changes to my property to accommodate the VanHome?

The minimum requirement for a VanHome to be installed is a flat and firm surface. We also require a straight 2.7m wide access in a straight line for us to drive the van in. The adjustable legs are mounted on the extendable floor, so if you’ve got a firm surface with a few bumps, it will be ok.

If like the client in this video, your property is on a slope, then we suggest that you do a cut and fill so the VanHome can be installed on a level area. We can help you with more information on this if you require it.

No. After we’ve fit out your VanHome, we seal the hinges with foam tape so no draft or heat comes through. 

5. What about the power supply, water connection, waste disposal and gas?

Everything in your VanHome is plugged and plumbed, ready to be connected to water (via your garden hose) and power (via a 15amp extension cord). All the necessary plumbing is at the bottom of the until ready for your plumber to come in the next day and connect. 

All VanHomes come with LPG appliances as standard. This means your hot water system, cooktop and oven can run off the same gas bottle. If you don’t want to use LPG, that’s fine. You just can’t run it off the same 15 amp circuit as you normally would. You would have to hardwire electric appliances to your mains power or use a 32amp or greater extension lead.

6. What if I want to add some additional electric appliances?

We’ve already rigged certain items to the junction box under the Van so your electrician can come and hardwire it to your appliances. This won’t change the status of your VanHome. 

Similarly, for the air conditioner. The best place to install it in your VanHome is on one of the folding walls, but we can’t pre-fit your Van with the air-con because we fold up the van for easy transportation. The best option is to contact your Air Conditioning Company and get them to fit the air-con of your choice, the junction box for it is already under the bottom of your VanHome, ready to go. 

7. Can I customise the inside of my VanHome?

Yes, you totally can! As long as they fit within our design constraints, our designers will be able to customise it any way you desire. Like in this video, this customer opted for an L-shaped kitchen, a larger bathroom, some full drop windows, and some sliding doors. Check it out and see what you think.