Building a granny flat? Why starting with quality matters more than ever
New legislative changes expected to come into force in early 2026 will create a building consent exemption for small standalone dwellings up to 70 square metres - what many of us call granny flats. This is opening up exciting possibilities for whānau to add secondary dwellings to their properties.
But in the rush to take advantage of this opportunity, there's a crucial conversation we need to have: if someone you love is going to live in this space full-time, how do we ensure it's truly a healthy home?
Ensuring your home performs as promised with a blower door test
We believe every whānau deserves confidence that their home will perform exactly as designed – meaning it keeps your family comfortable year-round, maintains healthy air quality and uses minimal energy to do so. Central to achieving this performance is eliminating air leaks and drafts, which is why the blower door test is a critical part of our quality assurance process.
Building healthy homes using the Passivhaus standard
At Toa Homes, we believe every whānau deserves a home that actively supports their health and wellbeing. That's why we've chosen the Passivhaus standard as our north star – a proven building standard that creates homes where tamariki can thrive, energy bills stay low, and families can focus on what matters most.
Air quality: The invisible element of a healthy home
We often define a 'healthy home' by what we can easily sense — temperature and humidity. We feel the cold when insulation is inadequate, and we see condensation forming on windows or the telltale black spots of mould. But there's a third element that's equally critical yet often overlooked because it's invisible: air quality.
In pursuit of healthier homes: Behind our innovative panel system
At Toa Homes, our journey to create healthier homes for Aotearoa began with a simple question: If we want to improve health outcomes for whānau, what needs to change in the way we build houses? Over three years, our team embarked on a mission to develop a construction system that can fundamentally change how homes are built in Aotearoa.
A journey to healthy living in Wellington’s native bush
James and Eva were seeking a way to live that aligned with their deepest values of creating an equitable and sustainable world while maintaining connection to both nature and community. They found their answer on a stunning 11-hectare property of native bush in Pāuatahanui, where they could balance urban access with the serenity of being surrounded by nature.
The true meaning of a healthy home
Each and every one of us deserve to have our foundational needs upheld so we can build the life we want for ourselves and our whānau — this starts with a warm, dry, healthy home.
Holistic vision for housing
We believe the foundation of a house should extend far beyond bricks and mortar—it should be rooted in values that honour the land, nurture people, and safeguard future generations. By embracing a te ao Māori approach to building, we want to reimagine the way homes are created, taking a long-term view that prioritises the health of our people and Papatūānuku.
Beyond basic insulation: Why eliminating thermal bridges is critical for a healthy home
We know that insulation is important, but many of us don't realise that even a well-insulated home can still be losing significant heat through what we call 'thermal bridges' or areas where heat finds an easy path to escape through the building structure.