If you’re a homeowner in Auckland now, you will know that building a granny flat up to 70m has just been enabled by new government regulations. You do not have months to wait, or thousands for the council. All that is needed is a certified builder, a plot in your backyard and a plan.
Easy, is it not?
Well… Nearly. If you specifically want brick as the finish – it does not surprise us that lots of Kiwis do- there’s an aspect in the regulations that you absolutely must know about before laying even one footing block.
Let’s have a quick breakdown on what changed.
What does this imply?
This newly made effective exemption (passed in late 2025, it is now a reality), allows the construction of a stand-alone, single-level building up to 70 square metres without full consenting. The specifics are as follows; the building needs to be at least 2 meters clear from any boundary or structure, 4m high in total and still must conform to all Building Code requirements.
The 70sqm dimension does imply a fairly substantial 2-bedroom dwelling rather than a garden shed masquerading as something more substantial.
These new regulations could not be more timely; new homes totalling 40,908 were approved in the year to July 2026 – a rise of 21 percent. The construction sector is ramping up quickly again as shrewd homeowners start capitalising.
This is where brick could pose an issue.
As a key condition of being allowed to build this structure without consent, its components must be of a lightweight nature. The framed structure itself must use lightweight timber or light steel, whilst ceiling components should have a roof cladding no heavier than 20kg/sqm, and most importantly: wall components shall not weight over 220kg/sqm.
Step one rule is broken, and there is no escaping full consent requirements.
So does brick pass the test? In all honesty, it is borderline and we don’t wish to be dramatic. Clay bricks commonly weigh around 220kg/sqm but certain finishes and installation procedures can bring them just under that limit. This varies depending on the product, installation method and system of ties and anchors. Long story short; certain brick finishes are suitable to build on consent-free terms, and others are not. The important thing isn’t a plain yes/no answer but rather: have you confirmed before committing? Many people make the mistake of ordering materials after having their eye caught by a particular finish, only to realize at the eleventh hour they are over their weight limit. That one oversight can lead to being charged for all of the consent procedures you intended to skip.
Even so, is brick worth considering?
To be frank as bricklayers that have been involved in hundreds of Auckland projects: should your brick finishing meet that required specification under the exemption rules, take it. Brick offers many factors that light, synthetic cladding options cannot deliver:
It looks ‘the part’. When compared to portable prefabricated rooms which may appear quickly but cheaply in a yard, a brick granny flat seamlessly adds character and value, often complementing the primary residence.
It lasts a very long time. Unlike weatherboard cladding, a brick house merely requires washing down every so often. When functioning as a separate residence or for elderly relatives to move in, its durability becomes a major consideration.
Its suitability for energy savings will only become more important. As of November 2026, existing ‘schedule method’ rules relating to energy performance is set to be phased out. Newly built dwellings will then need to evidence that the building operates efficiently as one interconnected system, and not solely based on R-values. As many owners might not realise, thermal mass, a fundamental property of brick construction-the way itabsorbs warmth throughout the day which it gradually release at night- is an advantage in this world of performance assessment.A brick home may moderate diurnal temperature fluctuation efficiently with reduced heating/cooling costs as compared to light-framed buildings which absorb heat quickly and lose it rapidly.
Things to steer clear of.
In addition to the weight restrictions, other common pitfalls for new builds are:
Only electric or gas heating may be permitted within the building. If a traditional fireplace, especially of the brick type, was part of your initial desire, this must be excluded for your design to meet consent-free regulations.
Level, tiled showers will require design modification. Only prefabricated shower units will be compliant.
Tradespeople must be licensed. All work is required to be performed or supervised by licensed building practitioners (LBP) and the Council advised on a preliminary basis and completed state of works. Whilst some red tape is removed, the stakes for your builder are higher.
Advice: Enquire before you start.
These new regulations are an excellent opportunity. Finally, Auckland homeowners can add the space of a separate, inhabitable dwelling without going through lengthy, repetitive council processes. The transition to either a stress-free consent-free build or an extremely expensive lesson largely comes down to decisions made at the start of the design process, not least your chosen cladding type.
If you are contemplating building a granny flat, get in touch before you finalized your plans. Singh Brick & Block have over the years laid bricks and blocks for everything from retaining walls to new houses across Auckland, and can confidently advise you on exactly which products and systems pass the 220kg/sqm mark. And if brick is not viable option for a consent-free project at your address? They will be upfront with you about this, and can assist you in discovering one that satisfies all requirements. No hype, just genuine professional assessment.
The first brick is laid after the correct cladding is identified, not during building process itself.
To see if a brick finish is an appropriate way to finish off a new consent-free granny flat, call Singh Brick & Block today; the phone call could be a building success. (With a little ‘pun-play’).
