Insulating Sea Containers

[panhead_pete 27]

For the 4oft High Cube here they are Rob

 

Outside

L - 40' = 12192mm

W - 8' = 2438mm

H - 9' 6" = 2895mm

 

Internal

L - 39' 3 1/4" = 12022mm

W - 7' 8 1/2" = 2352mm

H - 8' 10 1/4" = 2700mm

 

Above floor plan incl deck is 116m2 approx not incl internal fit out losses.

[RobBright 35]

So the double bunk rooms are going to be about 1m wide then?

[RobBright 35]

And the main bedroom 2metres wide?

[panhead_pete 27]

No mate. Singles are 2352mm wide. The floor plan is 4 x 40ft containers.

[RobBright 35]

Ah I see that you did there then.

[panhead_pete 27]

The single rooms are SMALL but instead of two bunks you could always put in a queen bed but it would eat the whole width of the room. Am thinking it would either be a couple with kids that would rent it or if I was doing a season Id rent the other two rooms out full time to singles or a couple. For the right rent Im sure a room of your own, no matter how small is a good thing over a season, better then sharing and all you would do is sleep and ....... in it.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

When we were in Singapore last weekend we stayed in a small (to say the least) Inn with teensy tiny rooms. The beds were doubles that ate up the entire floor space. Wardrobe opposite the door. Bathroom was a small shower, loo (with ZERO lego room - not kidding - had to have the glass screens open on the shower to fit the knees in front) and a small sink. [Just checked out the website to see if there were any pic's of HOW cramped it was - but the website so badly overstates what they have it actually looks quite nice. It aint. ]

 

It was fine for a few nights on a sports jaunt.

But I wouldn't want to stay in something that size for a season.

Maybe that size in a single on my own IF there was good storage for my stuff...MAYBE.

[NoFakie 45]

Are you still thinking of whacking on an extra storey at a later date? Where would you put the staircase? If you are going to extend, the first floor could be more generous than it is now.

[panhead_pete 27]

Its a very good question and I think if I went up another floor I would replicate the floor plan to have a second property to rent. I dont ever see myself living in it full time, maybe just a seasonal thing but I guess if I wanted to expand up stairs for myself or a business I'd go up where the day bed is with a spiral.

[Schneebored 0]

Just catching up on this thread. Love the idea Pete... its like a mini 'grand designs' (tv program).

 

You had an engineer give you any foundation advice? Do you know what you will be building it on (soil rock)?

A light weight structure like this will only require a simple strip or pad footing. Mantas' suggestion of using a container as a basement is a good one if you have highly compressible soil over shallow rock.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks mate - appreciate the positive comments, especially re Grand Designs one of my all time fav TV shows although pretty sure I'd not make it on that. Re the foundations there is quite a good topsoil base but with limestone through it. But I was thinking of getting two large I beams that run the width of the structure and thus picking up all the corners of the containers and having these sit on I beam uprights bolted to 4 concrete posts that would be poured into the ground. Hope that makes sense? Even thought of trying to rubber isolate the lateral I beams in case of an earthquake. Saw some heavy duty rubbers under the shink train tracks.

 

The aim of this is would be to minimise the concrete used and to allow me to elevate the building approximately a meter to reduce mildew issues and snow depth. After Manats suggested it I looked into burying containers to act as a basement but its not reccomnded due to reduce strengths in the side panels, pity as that would have been an easy and convenient way to do it.

[Schneebored 0]

So concrete posts spanned by I beams? sounds like a tidy approach. How deep will you put the posts?

 

Overall settlement isnt an issue. Just a couple of things worth bearing in mind.

- Settlement will be highier if there is alot of organics (leaves, wood etc) in the soil (the depth of posts should get around this).

- If there is rock in the area, make sure that the depth to rock is simular under each footing. Otherwise one side could be on rock and the other on soil and your house will become slanty as the soil settles.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks mate, appreciate the input. At this stage am still at the floorplan, having just sent it to the engineer for comment so no set depths for the posts. I need to catch up with a local Japanese architect in Hakuba and see if he wants to get onboard as need someone local for the approvals. Once those two are onboard I'll be a lot closer to hitting the go button. Been looking at roofs of late as not permitted to have a flat one

[Schneebored 0]

Good luck!

[NoFakie 45]

Pete

 

The other one with building above your plan is that you'd need to leave space for plumbing the second floor. I suppose you could make provisional closets in the first floor.

 

Since its four wide, I guess you must have found a different plot.

 

I'm a bit of a Grand Designs fan myself. Lots of repeats (they call them "revisits" recently though.

[panhead_pete 27]

Good points Mr Wiggles and that's what drove all the wastes etc being on the walls so I could plumb them on the external walls if necessary. Been looking at a few blocks and if need be would go back to the 3 wide although it starts getting pretty small then. Just love that show, but could see myself being one of those people going way over budget and living in a hovel

[shadowtec 0]

I like Grand Designs. and just caught up with this great thread..

 

I live in Sydney and the only place I can afford is where they shot the mad-max films. so I never thought about building or buying a place (then again I should never just think about Australia)

 

Great work panhead_pete and please keep us posted

[seemore 66]

Pete

 

I always thought a Traditional Japaneses design would be the central coutyard so you could use the containers as the ring and then provide a hallway around the inside.

 

Not sure about the containers surely the prefab site huts would be easier to work with?

 

Seemore

[shadowtec 0]

I be interested to know how you go with the planners and paperwork

[NoFakie 45]

Originally Posted By: seemore

Pete

I always thought a Traditional Japaneses design would be the central coutyard so you could use the containers as the ring and then provide a hallway around the inside.

Not sure about the containers surely the prefab site huts would be easier to work with?

Seemore

That would be an attractive design, but the courtyard will fill with snow! You'd also have lots of exterior wall per unit floor space. It makes the place harder to heat.

[seemore 66]

Yeah Good Point Mr Wiggles.

 

I will go back to designing homes for Perth.

Where it's cheap to build and it doesn't snow

 

Seemore

[panhead_pete 27]

Originally Posted By: shadowtec

I be interested to know how you go with the planners and paperwork

Its a good question. I have a copy of the planning regs and from what I understand (its in Japanese and I've only had a mate skim it) if I put a pitched roof it will comply. Am trying to engage a local Japanese architect to help me as that's part of the overall approval/building process, considering how cool some Japanese architecture can be Im hoping others will see the value in what I would like to do. Am now totally onboard with some sort of cladding which I can place insulation under and have seen some interesting efforts here in China which I will post pics of soon.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: panhead_pete

Originally Posted By: shadowtec

I be interested to know how you go with the planners and paperwork

Its a good question. I have a copy of the planning regs and from what I understand (its in Japanese and I've only had a mate skim it) if I put a pitched roof it will comply. Am trying to engage a local Japanese architect to help me as that's part of the overall approval/building process, considering how cool some Japanese architecture can be Im hoping others will see the value in what I would like to do. Am now totally onboard with some sort of cladding which I can place insulation under and have seen some interesting efforts here in China which I will post pics of soon.

obviously not had a walk round your regular Japanese town......the place is a hotch-potch of horrible buildings that at best can be described as "sprawl".

[NoFakie 45]

Originally Posted By: seemore

I will go back to designing homes for Perth.

Your place looks great in the photos you posted!

Pete
How come the blue container house in Echoland doesn't have a pitched roof? Also, is that one clad? It looks a bit smooth and clean for a container as is. Most of the ones folks have as storage have hooks, big hinges and other stuff on the sides. The odd dent too.

I heard there is a rule about single-sloped roofs, but people get around it by building a tiny porch etc with a roof going the other way. There are at least a half dozen places like that already.

[panhead_pete 27]

Asked the same thing an apparently the container house (and most of the other funky and not so funky places) was built prior to some new regs. I tried to use sign language to get a look inside last time I was there without luck but will approach him again this trip with some one who speaks Japanese. The boxes themselves are in really good condition and unclad. He may have bought them new or close to. New they can be had for under $US6K. Havent heard about the single pitch rule but that may well be in there. Im hoping a local architect can help with details like that.