Beautifully built tiny homes for the Kiwi way of life.
Welcome to Ruru Tiny Homes New Zealand
We've spent seven years building some of New Zealand's most loved tiny homes — and we're still here, still building, still doing it properly.
Ruru offers two ways to live tiny:
Tiny Homes on Wheels — designed and built by our team in our Motueka workshop using NZ-made materials. No building consent required. Delivered nationwide.
Granny Flats & Minor Dwellings — designed by Ruru, built to comply with the new granny flat regulations in effect since January 2026. Consent-free pathways where conditions are met. Delivered to site.
Every Ruru home is built with integrity — fair pay, NZ-made materials, transparent fixed pricing, and in-house expert guidance on council and consent pathways.
Our Designs
Handcrafted in Tasman using NZ-sourced materials. Every Ruru home is designed for real life - beautiful, practical, and built to last.
The Toroa & Toroa XL - double storey, 10x3 or 12x3 - 2-3 BDR. From $215,000
The Little Ruru - single storey, 10x3 or 12x3 - 1-2 BDR. From $193,000
The Tuī - single storey, 10x4 to 14x4. From $245,000
The Keā - single storey, 10x3 or 12x3 - 1-2 BDR. From $215,000
The Whio - single storey, 10x4 or 12x4 - 1-2 BDR. From $249,000
The Moa - double storey, 12x3 - 3-4 BDR. From $249,000
Meet Fran & Daniel
We're Fran and Daniel Huelsmeyer — and we actually lived in a tiny home ourselves. A 12×3m double storey, with our four sons and our dog. So when we say we understand tiny living, we mean it from the inside out.
Fran brings a background in communications, marketing, and PR, alongside seven years building Ruru Tiny Homes into one of New Zealand's most trusted tiny home brands. Daniel, a former overseas barrister with a Master of Laws (LLM) with Distinction from the University of Auckland, brings deep expertise in planning frameworks, consent pathways, and council processes.
We don't just build homes. We build them with integrity — NZ-made materials, fair pay, and a flat team culture where every person matters. In 2026 we expanded the Ruru family across the Tasman, launching Ruru Tiny Homes Australia as our second branch — bringing the same values, craftsmanship, and heart to Australian customers.
why Ruru
Built in New Zealand, for New Zealand — Our tiny homes on wheels are handcrafted in Tasman using NZ-made materials. Our granny flats and minor dwellings are built to our designs and standards. No imports, no shortcuts.
A family who knows tiny — For years we lived in a 12×3m double storey tiny home ourselves — with four kids and a dog. We know from the inside out what makes a tiny home truly liveable.
Ethics at every level — Fair pay, flat team structure, transparent pricing, and no hidden costs. We believe how you build matters as much as what you build.