Shipping containers

[jmicaelk]

Hi, I am looking to place some shipping containers as temp house for a few years. 2x2 40' containers. I was checking about foundation and piling, was hoping piling was not needed as they only weight about 3500 kg each, maybe 4500 krgwhen loaded with beds etc, so much lighter than normal hoses. Will just a good size concrete base and then a pillar be enough, was thinking 9 to 12 pillars with 1 square meter bases, 1 in each corner and 1-2 under, divided by the length of the 40' container.

 

Please let me know what you guys think

[grollies]

About bases or using shipping containers?

[Crossy]

Where in Thailand are you located?

 

This makes a massive difference to what foundations you need.

[jmicaelk]

Hi, would be Lat Krabang area, about needed piling or not. I see many just put them on concrete blocks as they so light compared to a house, and to only be standing there 3-5 years should make so they don't sink. But again want to hear some opinions about that

[grollies]

22 minutes ago, jmicaelk said:

Hi, would be Lat Krabang area, about needed piling or not. I see many just put them on concrete blocks as they so light compared to a house, and to only be standing there 3-5 years should make so they don't sink. But again want to hear some opinions about that

By the time you've bought them, put in foundations, welded them together, cut in windows, doors etc. boarded them out, fitted insulation, aircon, bathroom, toilet, et al probably quicker and cheaper to throw up a block-build single storey, tin roof.

 

If going with containers I'd lay them on the flat ground, hardcore base, with corner foundation. Shipping containers are designed to stack and the strength is in the corners. Depends on the ground state as to size of any foundation. A gap underneath is an invite to snakes and other beasties to move in with you.

 

Good luck!

[jmicaelk]

This is 2 floors, 2x2 and there is no way it is faster or cheaper to build a house, and containers you just move when needs, hard to do that with a house.

Cutting out for windows and doors is done in hours, building walls on a house takes a bit longer, all the other things needs to be done in any other home as well so no difference. 

Better build a wall around then so nothing gets in under, do want them up a bit for flood protection and access to pipes and connections under. 

 

I'm really only concerned about the need for piling, and hope I do not need that, the weight per square meter will be about 350 kg, not very much, and even with other things added no more than 450 kg per square meter

 

[eyecatcher]

Its standard practice on uk building sites to simply level out a bed of hardcore.

Then they stack them.

Many of course simply go a bit further on a long term job and make a concrete base also to act as a support for an external staircase or landing.

But i have never seen any that have an independant foundation but i suppose the timescale is also a factor