Chapter 3 – Laying Out The Foundation

So you have your container with you. Now it’s time to lay the basic foundation.

Once you decide to get a shipping container for a home, you basically have a metal box to work with. You can cut out sections to it easily but changing its basic form may prove to be a challenge if you want to go in that direction. It’s usually costlier too.

So, we’re going to work with what you have – a simple metal box.

Now, you can’t just go on ahead and place this on the ground and say you’re done. Building permits concerning container homes dictate that these huge boxes have to be elevated at least a foot above the ground. It’s a good idea to follow those rules and regulations to save you from headaches down the road.

Another benefit to elevating these container homes is that it makes it easier to transport as well as keep you safe in case there’s flooding in your area.

So you’ll have to decide from the start where to place your future home and then build the concrete blocks to mount it on.

As soon as your container home stands solidly on the concrete blocks, make sure you have a bolting mechanism to ensure it does not shift or move in any way. Although a container home is almost impossible to move due to its massive weight, it will help you rest easier knowing that nothing short of a herd of elephants will knock it off its perch. Just hope there aren’t any herds of elephants in your area though!

Added note: Some people even elevate their container homes higher than a foot off the ground in order to create some space at the bottom for storage of wood and other materials.

There are also some people who built their container home in a way that it rests on top of another container van but the other one is submerged effectively making it into a basement. This is something you can consider doing in the future once your finances free up.

Some ideas on the foundation blocks: instead of digging up the ground and laying down concrete you can recycle old tires and fill that up with cement instead! Once these tires are solidly driven through the ground with some iron spikes they will never move and you can reuse them again should you choose to relocate!