Tiny Home Builders Caboolture & Moreton Bay

The short answer

Caboolture has local workshops producing modular, transportable and tiny homes, but the products found under those labels are not interchangeable. One may be a completed dwelling delivered from a depot, another a custom cabin, and another a trailer-based tiny home intended only for temporary occupation.

Start by deciding whether the project is a permanent home, a secondary dwelling, short-term guest accommodation or a temporary home on wheels. Then compare builders on the complete scope: design, approvals, off-site construction, foundations, delivery, installation, services and final certificates.

This guide covers Caboolture and the City of Moreton Bay. It is a factual starting point, not a ranking. Confirm the legal builder, licence, service area, product, price and approval pathway directly before paying a deposit.

Local directory starting points

These records were checked against current first-party websites on 4 August 2026. A Caboolture or Moreton Bay address does not prove that a particular product suits your property or intended use.

Directory listing	Recorded local connection	What to establish first
Wright Choice Homes	Builds modular and transportable homes at a Caboolture depot	The selected design, contract entity, QBCC licence, approvals, site work, delivery and complete installed cost
Gypsy Cabins	Its website describes a Caboolture base and lists a Stanmore workshop/contact address	Whether the proposal is a cabin, modular dwelling, relocatable home or another product, plus approvals and delivery
Hoek Modular Homes	Modular-home and granny-flat builder based at Lawnton in the City of Moreton Bay	Current service area, design changes, approval support, transport, installation and site exclusions

Use the Queensland tiny home directory for more trailer-based and compact-home suppliers. The Queensland modular home directory covers a broader range of factory-built homes.

Keep local and service-area claims separate. A builder based elsewhere may deliver to Moreton Bay, while a local workshop may restrict delivery by route, home size or current workload. Ask for the exact property address to appear in the written delivery scope.

Decide which approval question you are asking

The words “tiny”, “modular” and “transportable” describe size or construction method. They do not decide how the proposal is regulated.

Proposed use or format	First question to resolve
Permanent modular home	Does the property support the proposed dwelling house, and what building, plumbing and planning checks apply?
Secondary dwelling or granny flat	Does it meet the current secondary-dwelling definition, lot, size, siting, access and shared-service rules?
Tiny house on wheels for short stays	Does it satisfy City of Moreton Bay's temporary-home local law, notification and occupancy requirements?
Tiny house on wheels for permanent use	Is it being fixed to land or used as a dwelling, changing the planning, building and plumbing pathway?
Cabin, studio or home office	Is it approved for the proposed use, especially if it includes sleeping, cooking or bathroom facilities?
Short-stay or commercial accommodation	Does the use need a separate planning assessment rather than a dwelling-house pathway?

Queensland Planning distinguishes a fixed tiny home used as a self-contained residence from a moveable temporary tiny home. A home on wheels can still be treated as a dwelling when it is used permanently or fixed to land. Registration as a trailer does not answer the land-use question.

The tiny house on wheels legality guide explains the national distinction. For the actual property, send council or the certifier the product drawings, intended use, installation method and service connections rather than asking only whether “tiny homes are allowed”.

Moreton Bay's temporary-home rules are narrow

City of Moreton Bay defines a temporary home as a short-term, non-commercial arrangement using a tent or registered vehicle, including a portable or tiny home on wheels.

Its current self-assessable vehicle pathway includes conditions such as valid registration, no more than 42 occupied days in 12 months, no payment by occupants, one occupied temporary home, and an existing permanent home occupied full-time on the property. The resident must also meet setbacks, sanitary, water and waste requirements and notify council within seven days of occupancy starting.

If the conditions cannot be met, the council approval pathway is not a general route to permanent occupation. Council describes it for cases where a permanent home is being built, converted or temporarily made unfit, subject to further conditions and a six-month maximum.

Do not buy a tiny house on wheels for permanent backyard living on the assumption that the 42-day rule, vehicle registration or a temporary-home approval will cover it. Council separately directs permanent tiny or modular home enquiries to its building and development team.

Use the council enquiry email template to describe the actual proposal in writing.

Secondary dwellings need a property-specific check

City of Moreton Bay says a dwelling house, including a secondary dwelling, is generally accepted development subject to requirements when it satisfies the applicable planning-scheme criteria. Building and plumbing approvals are still required.

The current local requirements vary by zone or precinct. Council's guidance includes lot-size and frontage thresholds, maximum gross floor areas, shared water, electricity, wastewater, street-number and access arrangements, parking, setbacks and siting relative to the main dwelling. Rural and rural-residential land has different size provisions from many suburban lots.

This means a builder's standard “granny flat” model is not automatically a secondary dwelling on every Caboolture or Moreton Bay property. Before choosing a floor plan, obtain the property lookup, confirm the zone and overlays, and ask which requirements for accepted development apply.

Useful questions include:

Does the proposal form part of one dwelling house, or does its use and servicing point to another development type?
What gross floor area limit applies to this lot and zone?
Must the home share the main dwelling's water, electricity, wastewater, street number and access?
Do the position, orientation, parking and distance from the primary dwelling comply?
Are building and plumbing applications needed even if no planning application is required?
Would a short-stay, rental or separately operated use change the assessment?

Check flood and access before selecting a model

Flood mapping is a practical design and budget issue across parts of Moreton Bay. Council says its Flood hazard overlay can limit building, changes of use, excavation and filling. New dwelling houses and secondary dwellings in mapped medium- or high-risk areas can need development approval and site-specific flood responses.

Download the council property lookup and flood check development report before the design is fixed. The result may affect minimum habitable floor level, structural engineering, foundation height, filling, drainage, services, driveway access and the location available for delivery or craning.

Also check:

overland flow, drainage paths and whether work could affect neighbouring land
bushfire, environmental, coastal or other overlays shown for the property
soil, slope, retaining, vegetation and usable building area
sewer availability or onsite wastewater feasibility
water, power, stormwater and telecommunications runs
driveway width, corners, culverts, bridges, gates and overhead lines
space for a hydraulic trailer, side-loader, crane or module set-down
wet-weather access and ground bearing capacity during delivery
wind classification, tie-downs, ventilation, shading and moisture control.

A small home can be harder to place than a conventional site-built house when the delivery vehicle cannot reach the approved building area. Use the site preparation checklist before asking a factory to lock in dimensions.

Compare factory scope and site scope separately

A supplier may describe a home as “complete” when it is complete at the depot. The property may still need approvals, foundations, freight, installation, services and external work.

Cost and responsibility area	What to record in writing
Design and documentation	Drawings, engineering, energy documentation, changes, building classification and certifier package
Approvals	Planning advice, building certifier, plumbing, council applications, fees, inspections and certificates
Factory construction	Shell or turnkey scope, fixtures, appliances, finishes, allowances, GST and exclusions
Foundations and site work	Survey, geotechnical work, clearing, earthworks, piers or slab, drainage and retaining
Delivery	Included distance, route survey, permits, escorts, freight insurance and failed-delivery costs
Placement and installation	Hydraulic trailer, crane, levelling, tie-downs, joins, weather sealing and return visits
Services	Water, sewer or wastewater, stormwater, power, communications and commissioning
Handover	Final inspections, certificates, warranties, defects process and documents for lawful occupation

Wright Choice Homes currently states that its council approvals and onsite utility connections are not included. That is a useful example of why “all-inclusive” marketing still needs an itemised scope. Apply the same check to every supplier.

Put the written figures into the tiny home project budget planner. Leave unknown items visible instead of absorbing them into a low contingency.

Check the contracting and warranty split

QBCC's current tiny-home guidance covers prefabricated pods, modular units, kit products, transportable buildings, small Class 1a dwellings, granny flats and backyard studios. It warns that off-site supply and on-site installation can create different responsibilities.

Before signing, match the trading name to the legal entity and check the relevant QBCC licence register. Ask:

Which entity manufactures the home, which entity delivers it and which entity performs the residential building work on site?
Which QBCC licence class covers each part of the proposed contract?
Does the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme apply, and to which portion of the work?
Who is responsible for off-site defects, transport damage, installation defects and work by local trades?
What must be complete before each progress payment is released?
What happens if the certifier or council requires a different footing, siting or design response?

QBCC says the home-warranty scheme may cover qualifying onsite residential construction and installation work, but not off-site manufacture or transport in the same way. Have the contract and insurance position reviewed for the actual supply structure rather than relying on a general statement that the home is “covered”.

Questions to ask a Caboolture or Moreton Bay builder

What product and intended building classification does this quote assume?
Is the home suitable for permanent occupation, a secondary dwelling, temporary use or another stated purpose?
Which legal entity and QBCC licence will appear on the contract?
Has the builder delivered the same size and format through a comparable Moreton Bay route?
What information is needed from the property before the price can be fixed?
What is complete when the home leaves the workshop?
Are approvals, foundations, freight, placement, services and final certificates included?
Who checks the flood overlay, minimum floor level and drainage implications?
What happens if access prevents the assumed delivery or installation method?
Who returns for commissioning, defects and warranty work?
Which quoted items are provisional allowances rather than fixed prices?
What documents will the buyer receive before the home can be occupied?

Use the builder comparison worksheet to compare the answers on the same basis.

Related directory and buyer guides

Sources checked

Sources and builder pages were checked on 4 August 2026. Council guidance, builder details, products, licences, service areas, prices and availability can change.

FAQ

Can I live permanently in a tiny house on wheels in Moreton Bay?

Do not rely on the temporary-home pathway for permanent occupation. The self-assessable local-law conditions are for short-term, non-commercial use and currently include a 42-day limit in 12 months. Permanent use or fixing the home to land can trigger planning, building and plumbing requirements. Confirm the exact proposal with council and a private certifier before buying.

Do modular homes need council approval in Caboolture?

They need the approvals that apply to the property, proposed use and building work. A compliant dwelling house may not require a planning application, but building and plumbing approvals still apply. Flood, siting or other constraints can create additional requirements.

Can a modular home be a granny flat in Moreton Bay?

Potentially, if it meets the current secondary-dwelling definition and the requirements for that lot, zone and precinct. Check floor area, lot dimensions, shared services, access, parking, setbacks and relationship to the main home before choosing the model.

Is a Caboolture-built home cheaper to deliver?

The shorter factory distance can help, but it does not settle the complete cost. Home dimensions, route, permits, access, placement equipment, flood response, foundations, services, approvals and return visits may outweigh the distance saving. Request a property-specific written delivery and installation scope.

General disclaimer

This guide is general information only. It is not legal, planning, building, engineering, transport, insurance, contract or financial advice, and it does not rank or endorse builders. Confirm current requirements with City of Moreton Bay, a private certifier, QBCC and relevant advisers. Verify every builder's entity, licence, contract, insurance, product, service area, approval scope, price and availability directly before committing.

Last updated: 4 August 2026.

Tiny Home and Modular Home Builders in Caboolture and Moreton Bay