Most tiny homes sold in Australia are built on trailers and registered as caravans. That's a feature for mobility — and a fatal flaw for approval. A caravan is a vehicle, not a building, so it can't be approved as a permanent dwelling, insured as a house, or counted as an improvement to your land. Councils differ on how long a caravan may be occupied on a property, which leaves owners in a permanent grey zone.
For a small home to be approved as a dwelling in Queensland it generally needs: NCC Class 1A certification (structural, waterproofing, energy efficiency and habitability standards), compliant AS/NZS 3000 electrical and AS/NZS 3500 plumbing, engineered footings/tie-downs for your wind region, and lodgement through a building certifier under your local council's planning scheme. Each of our location pages links to the relevant council's official site so you can check local requirements directly.
Caravan-Style Tiny Home
The Forge 12 — Class 1A
The Forge 12 is a compact home (12.0m × 3.5m, 3.0m ceilings) built and certified as a permanent Class 1A dwelling — the tiny-home lifestyle with the legal standing of a house. From $149,000, delivered across Queensland with the full certification pack supplied on handover.
FAQ
No — a tiny home on wheels is a caravan (a vehicle), and vehicles can't be approved as permanent dwellings. Councils vary on how long caravans may be occupied on a property; check your local council's rules.
Certification as an NCC Class 1A dwelling, compliant electrical (AS/NZS 3000) and plumbing (AS/NZS 3500), engineering for your site's wind region, and lodgement through a building certifier under your council's planning scheme.
Yes — that's one of the biggest advantages. A Class 1A dwelling can be legally rented long-term or as short-stay accommodation, and insured accordingly. See our granny flat rules guide for specifics.
The Forge 12 is $149,000 as displayed — a complete, certified Class 1A dwelling. Delivery and site connections are additional and depend on your location; contact us for an all-in estimate.
On display in Rockhampton — delivered across Queensland
Walk through the Forge 12, see the certification documentation, and judge the difference for yourself.