Everything you need to plan, price, and ship materials for a 3-bedroom house in Tonga.
Everything you need to plan, price, and ship materials for a 3-bedroom house in Tonga.
You have been saving. You have been sending money. You have been talking about it for years.
Building a house back home.
But every time you try to figure out what it actually costs, you get stuck. How much timber? How many sheets of iron? What fits in a container? What do you buy here and what do you buy there? How much can you save buying second-hand?
Nobody has a straight answer. So you keep guessing. Keep saving. Keep waiting.
This changes that.
Build your Tonga house - $67One payment. Yours forever.
What you get
What you get
A complete Google Sheets planner that does the maths for you.
Materials List – Every single item you need to build a compact 3-bedroom house in Tonga. Timber, roofing, plumbing, electrical, doors, windows, kitchen, bathroom, paint, hardware. Nothing left out. Over 90 items, all with quantities.
Mitre 10 and Bunnings prices – Both stores, side by side, already filled in. The spreadsheet automatically picks the cheaper option for each item.
Second-hand column – Find the same item on Facebook Marketplace or TradeMe. Type in the price. The spreadsheet shows you exactly how much you save buying recycled instead of new.
Cost comparison totals – See three numbers at the bottom: what it costs buying everything new from Mitre 10, everything new from Bunnings, and everything second-hand. Watch the savings add up as you fill it in.
Container calculator – What fits in a 20ft container. What fits in a 40ft. What to pack first. What NOT to ship (because it is cheaper to buy in Tonga).
Buy Here vs Buy There guide – A clear list of what to ship from NZ and what to buy in Tonga. Colour-coded. No guessing.
Second-hand sources – Where to find recycled building materials in NZ. Facebook Marketplace search terms, TradeMe categories, demolition yards in Auckland, Hamilton, and more.
Floor plan – A simple layout of the 3-bedroom house so you can see what you are building. Open plan kitchen and living, small bathroom, veranda, designed for Tonga.
The house
The house
- 3 bedrooms (2 double, 1 single)
- 1 bathroom (shower, toilet, basin – no bath)
- Open plan kitchen, dining, and living area
- Front veranda
- About 80 square metres plus veranda
- Timber frame on concrete block foundation
- Corrugated iron roof
- Built to handle cyclones
Simple. Practical. The kind of house most families in Tonga actually live in.
How much can you save?
Buying everything brand new from Mitre 10 or Bunnings, the materials for this house cost roughly $45,000 – $55,000 NZD (not including shipping or labour).
Buying smart – second-hand timber, recycled windows and doors from demolition yards, used roofing iron – families are saving 30% to 50% on materials.
That is $15,000 to $25,000 back in your pocket. Enough to pay for the container and the labour to build it.
How it works
-Open the Google Sheet (click the link, make your own copy)
-Look at the materials list – prices are already there
-Go on Facebook Marketplace and TradeMe
-Find items second-hand and type in the price
-The spreadsheet calculates your savings automatically
-Check the container tab to plan what you are shipping
-Check the buy here vs buy there tab so you know what to source in Tonga
No apps. No downloads. No tech skills. If you can use a phone, you can use this.
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FAQ
Do I need a computer?
No. It works on your phone.
Can I change the house size?
Yes. Adjust quantities for bigger or smaller builds.
What about labour costs?
Materials only. Budget $10,000 – $20,000 TOP for labour.
What about the container?
Can I share it with my builder in Tonga?
You can share your completed planner with your builder so they can see the materials list and quantities
