Shed or Shipping Container?

[some_one]

Recently went to a place looking for a garden shed and around the same time saw an advert for a shipping container for sale no price quoted? Considering the stability of the container and strength apart from the space it will take, as i believe the smallest size is 20ft, what could be the problem in using it, SOME IDEAS?? Also any idea about the price and problem with neighbours or council;s??:confused:

[Bodgy]

Our council (one of top three worst in NSW) only have jurisdition over a permanent structure, and I think this generally applies.The container is a moveable storage unit.

Have you thought about access? They come on big trucks

[echnidna]

They're only 8 feet wide so could be a bit cramped as a workshop, otherwise a great idea.

[Groggy]

The containers are limited in useage due to their narrowness, as Bob pointed out. Also, you might want to look at some other considerations:

council regs
neighbours
access
how to level it
drainage
cooling
condensation
bugs
lighting
power
thieves will assume something of value must be in it .
maintenance.
final disposal.

If you just want a cheap and strong garden shed for the lawnmower and rakes - why not! Councils usually have a say in things though.

[some_one]

Yes I have thought about the access and airconditioning, also other issues but compared to a garden shed would it not have more stability as a structure? I believe that the containers have channels running along the top for rain water NOT SURE but will like to find out. Ventilation is surely a good point to think about as cutting through the metal and the cost involved may out do the advantage of the whole effort. HUmm...

[Buzza]

As a former operater of semi's, driving containers around, I can give you a few tips.

They are strong, well made, and come in 20 or 40 foot lengths. If they come in on a semi, they are dropped off from the side of the trailer. This takes just three or four minutes, once the truck is in. You must have enough access for a semi to reverse into the property. They weigh about two tonnes.

Thieves assume there are valuables anywhere and everywhere, and so the shipping container is designed especially with that in mind. They can be broken into of course, but offer a hell of job to the crook. They are not made from thin metal and are designed to stand up to a lot of sea travel.

Access for the owner is cramped, they are good for storage, but offer no dancing room. To put in windows and air-cons opens them up to the thief.

This leads to another point. I spent far too many hours of my life in these boxes, and I know they are very hot on hot days, and stuffy without air flow, and whether the council approves or not, they are unsightly to say the least.

Lastly, the ones for sale, usually have bent doors and such. A hole can be fixed by sticking over with that bituminised ally strip, "Flashtak" from memory.

Get a nice shed and put in some thief deterrents or even "surprises".
That's my tip.

Buzza

[journeyman Mick]

You won't have any trouble selling a second hand shipping container. If you want a more comfortable one look for an old refrigerated container, will have an aluminium floor and insulated fiberglass walls. A thing to look out for is rust, as most of them have spent months, if not years, on decks of ships getting sprayed with seawater. One thing you can look at is to put a false roof on it, this will fix most of the leakage issues and make it cooler.

Mick

[Guy]

In my last job we had the customised with 20mm steel skin welded on the outside and fully air cond and insulated. They were cramped to work in as they were designed for telecoms sites out in the bush, cost to us was about $80K. also worked in Vietnam where we used them as site storage but during summer internal temp was up in the 60C inside and my glasses used to steam up entering them when the outside temp was 45C.

[HJ0]

Heard some councils in nsw require a course of besser blocked be cemented under the hot/smelly/ damp/ out of place in suburbia type things lol, if you intend on leaving the container there long enough for vines /rust/ to take hold.

Had something to do with ventilation/mould spores and children.


HJO I want one maybe two lol

[bsrlee]

Most metropolitan councils have some by-law to stop you putting a container on a residential block, and will pester you with rangers if you claim it is just temp. storage & get very stroppy if they catch you working in it.

Containers CAN be delivered off the end of a truck - just check if the bloke doing the delivery has a tilt tray truck with a winch - mate of mine has his 'site' containers delivered that way - winched on & off the tilt tray onto container skates. He also has mobile phone equipped alarms, reinforced steel window shutters plus extra internal locking bars on the doors.

[Pulpo]

I have no idea about the council regulations; I would doubt they are not regulated at all.

I have a shipping container on my property near Goulburn.

Purchased in Sydney for $1,700 plus transport $500.

In hindsight I would have preferred to purchase a better quality container maybe spent $2,000.

Much less rust, no holes in the roof, nor major dents on the container.

I have built a corrugated roof over the top, with a layer of sarky.

Still needs a whirly bird, which I do not have, for ventilation.

You would need to have some blocks of some descript to keep the container off the ground.

A tipper truck can delivery the 20ft containers, same as loading and unloading a car.

They are easily sold second hand.

I would recommend a barrel lock plus a few other things to improve security.

A refrigerated container would be better in your case which would start around $2600.

I use mine for storage of building materials.

I have worked in them and seem to be adequate just.

Bottom line they are much more stronger and secure than any garden shed.

There is a good dealer place in Silverwater Sydney, well they were good not sure these days.

Good Luck

Pulpo

[bitingmidge]

Most council planning and building authorities are a wake-up to the "it's not a shed it's a container" or "it's not a container it's a shed" argument.

Many use satellite photography to check that "temporary" is temporary too! :eek:

Here are a few links which may prove inspirational none the less:
Shipping Container Architecture Information Repository
Treehugger - Shipping Container Prefab
Fab Prefab
Fabprefab's Container Bay


Hope you enjoy them!

cheers,

P

[some_one]

Thanks for the feed back guys. I will find out more about the matter and will keep you posted, in the mean while if anyone has any info on people who do up containers it will be welcomed, though I have yet not seen links sent by a recent contribution. (SEEN IT now VERY HELPFUL THANKS)>> I was ditracted by the RATHLUBA house. It is here on the forum some where could'nt just find it again..

http://www.rathluba.com/menu.htm

nice work..

Cheers.

[echnidna]

What do you mean "doing up containers"

I've seen them converted into bunk rooms and camp kitchens etc

[some_one]

What I meant by doing up was that if there were places which were selling containers which are modified for various uses, like have vents cut out or fitted with air conditioning, etc,. and here is a good link to look at

http://www.royalwolf.com.au

cheers.