Issues To Take Into Account For Modular Home Designs With Shipping Containers

If you are looking for a green solution to build a custom home, a modular design can be a great option. Shipping containers are the perfect solution. They provide a base for the structure of your home and many options for a custom design. The following container design issues are some of the challenges you will face when building your home:

Start With a Traditional Foundation

The first issue with a container home that needs to be addressed is the foundation. If you are doing a custom design with multiple containers, you want to have a traditional concrete foundation built. The foundation may also need to have steel structural skeleton beams installed to support the containers. The containers will also need to be fastened to the foundation with bolts.

Cut-Out Sections for Windows

Containers are solid metal boxes that need to have openings cut into them. The windows may need to be cut out and the openings built up to preserve the structural integrity of the containers. The containers with large window and door openings may need to have some structural steel added to them to reinforce them.

Flat Roofs vs. Conventional Roof Designs

The design containers are dry inside, but they still need to have some type of roofing system installed. The most common solution is a flat roof and a contemporary architectural design. In addition to the contemporary flat roofs, there are also options to have your home look more like traditional architecture.

Flat roofs

The flat roofs need to have decking underlayment installed on the roof area. The decking materials can then be covered with a membrane or layered roofing system. These systems give you options like cool roof designs or usable rooftop space.

Conventional Roofs

The containers can also be finished with more conventional sloped roof designs. These roofs give you more options for a traditional design. They will require a stick-framed (balloon framing) roof installed on top of the modular containers.

Changes to Containers and Structural Loads

The structural issues with containers happen when you cut them and remove steel. This can be a problem with multiple floors and loads that need to be supported. Therefore, there may be issues with loads that need to be addressed when building a container home.

The container home design you start with can also easily be expanded when you want to add space. Contact a shipping container home construction builder to discuss these ideas for your project.