What delivery actually costs in 2026 — and why two identical homes get different quotes
Transport, craneage and site access are the line items that move most between quotes. Here is how they are priced this year and what changes the number.
Two buyers order the same unit from the same builder. One pays a few thousand dollars to get it on the ground; the other pays five figures. Nothing about the home is different — everything about the site is.
The three parts of a delivery quote
Freight is distance and permits: how far the module travels from the factory, whether it is over-width, and whether pilot vehicles are required. Placement is the lift: a hiab truck for a light unit close to the road, a mobile crane where the reach is longer or the unit heavier. Site works cover the piles or foundation the home lands on, plus any ground preparation and access improvement.
Each is quoted by a different contractor, which is exactly why they are the parts of a build most often left out of a headline price.
What moves the number most
- Distance from the factory, and whether the load is over-width.
- How close a truck can park to the final position.
- Overhead power lines and mature trees on the approach.
- Ground conditions — soft or sloping sites need more piling.
- Whether a second lift is needed for a two-module home.
The single biggest saving available to most buyers is access. Clearing a route wide enough for a truck, or arranging temporary access across a neighbouring paddock, routinely costs less than upgrading from a hiab to a mobile crane.
How to compare quotes honestly
Ask every supplier for delivery, craneage and site works as separate lines with the assumptions written down: which truck, which lift, how many piles, and what happens if the ground turns out softer than expected. Then ask who carries the cost if an assumption is wrong.
Our cost calculator estimates these landed costs by region if you want a starting figure before you talk to anyone.
Delivery is not where people get burnt because it is expensive. It is where people get burnt because it was never in the quote.
Hana Mitchell
Hana has covered housing and small-space design in Aotearoa for over a decade. She founded Tiny Home Weekly to bring proper journalism to a sector Kiwis are increasingly excited about.
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