Off-Grid Homes NZ — Solar-Powered Portable Homes for Sale, Sized to Your Site
Power bills keep climbing, and getting mains power to a rural or lifestyle block can cost tens of thousands before you switch on a single light. An off-grid home gives you another way: generate and store your own power, and take more control of your running costs.
At Portable Dwellings, we build portable homes for New Zealand conditions and pair them with a solar and battery system sized to how you actually live — so your home arrives off-grid capable, with the system and the numbers agreed up front. A home is off-grid capable when the solar and battery system is sized to your appliances, daily usage, site conditions and backup requirements.
Why off-grid makes sense in NZ
- Power prices keep rising. Generating your own electricity caps a cost that otherwise only goes one way.
- Rural connections are expensive. A new mains connection on a lifestyle block can run into the tens of thousands — money that can go into solar instead.
- Outages happen. With solar and battery storage, your lights, fridge and heat pump keep running when the grid goes down.
What you need to live off-grid
It comes down to three things: a warm, well-insulated home; a solar and battery system sized for your usage; and a plan for water and waste (rainwater plus septic or composting, which we can help you scope with local partners). We supply the first two as one package, so you’re not buying a home and retrofitting power later.
Home + solar, priced together
Rather than buy a home and add solar later, we quote both together so you know your full number from the start. Homes come in 20ft, 30ft and 40ft; solar comes in 3.5kW + 10kWh, 5kW + 10kWh or 7kW + 15kWh.
A worked example: a 30ft home at $51,000 incl. GST plus a 5kW solar system at $14,999 incl. GST comes to $65,999 incl. GST. A 40% deposit ($26,399.60) holds your build, with the balance ($39,599.40) due on delivery.
How much solar do you need?
- 3.5kW + 10kWh suits a bach or tiny home — lights, fridge, laptop, TV, occasional washing (≈12 panels).
- 5kW + 10kWh suits a household running a kitchen, washing machine, heat pump and the odd power tool (≈17 panels).
- 7kW + 15kWh ($19,499 incl. GST) suits a larger household or higher daily usage with more appliances running at once.
All include lithium battery storage, so you stay powered overnight and through cloudy stretches. Your final system is sized to your appliances, daily usage, site conditions and backup requirements — tell us how you’ll live in the home and we’ll match it.
Make it feel permanent
A portable home doesn’t have to feel temporary. Add a gable roof and front deck, choose steel or timber-look cladding, upgrade to bamboo-fibre interior panels, and specify double-glazed thermal-break joinery. Kitchens, bathrooms and blinds are yours to choose. It looks and lives like a permanent home — without a permanent build.
Your 3-step plan to go off-grid
- Get a fixed quote — pick your home size and solar; we price it clearly, incl. GST.
- Pay a 40% deposit — we build to your spec and keep production moving.
- Delivery & setup, NZ-wide — your home and solar arrive ready for connection.
FAQs — Off-Grid Homes NZ
Do I need consent? It depends on the home’s size, design and your council. From 15 January 2026, a standalone dwelling up to 70 m² may not need building consent if it meets the new exemption conditions — but the Building Code still applies and you must notify your council and obtain a PIM. We’ll help you work through it (confirm specifics with your local council).
Can my home really run off-grid? Yes, when the solar and battery system is sized to your appliances, daily usage, site conditions and a backup plan for low-sun periods. We size it with you so expectations are realistic from the start.
How long do batteries last? Typically 10–15 years with correct sizing and sensible use.
Can I expand later? Yes — the systems are modular, so you can add capacity as your usage grows.
Can I start small? Yes — begin with a 20ft home or compact cabin and scale your solar later. Compare models on our products page.
Why Portable Dwellings
- Proven — homes delivered to sites across New Zealand.
- Built to NZ electrical standards, with a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) provided where applicable.
- 10-year after-sales support.
- See it in person — viewings available by appointment before you commit.
- Clear pricing — homes from $23,500 incl. GST, solar from $12,499 incl. GST.
Get your off-grid quote
Send your preferred home size and site location and we’ll send a fixed quote for your home and solar package. Viewings by appointment.
More Space. Less Waiting.
👉 Send your preferred layout and site location for a fixed quote
