Seafreight Containers as Storage

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

Seafreight Containers as Storage

poncho62 · ADMINISTRATOR

Betcha it would be an oven in the summer..............

JPB · AYLMER, ONT

With some proper venting, I think they would be a good idea smile

Scruff · NEW LOWELL, ONT

Hey Chris, have two twenty foot containers that I use to store my wifes Torino and my rat rod. Will be picking up another shortly to store another car. They work great. I periodically checked them during the first winter and found some condensation on the containers roof, not a whole lot. Never found any on the car. I do have two small vents on the doors, about 8''x10'', one high the other low, seems to work well. Hot as hell in the summer but the doors can be left open. Next summer I am going to install vents on the front wall, opposite end to the doors, that should help clean up the little bit of condensation and aid in cooling in the summer. If you paint them to match your house or garage you hardly notice them. You're right about no permit, no tax, non permanant structure!

poncho62 · ADMINISTRATOR

A guy down near Mount Forest took 4 of them, put 2 end to end. Then put the other 2 beside them about 10 ft away. He then built a truss roof across them to make a shop out of it.....Dont know if he had to get permits for that or not

rarechev · BRIGHTON, ONT

just wondering how do they unload them? or do you have to arrange that.

Scruff · NEW LOWELL, ONT

20 footers on a conventional roll back, 40 footers on a flat trailer with slideing axle or side craned off

workin class · FINCH, ONT

been thinking of this for next year as well

slab · BRANT COUNTY, ONT

You guys ever see this one.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCeWH6_T7t8

Built a house out of conatiners.

-- Edited by slab on Friday 14th of September 2012 06:13:55 AM

carta · GUELPH, ONT

I work for a large transport company and we have a couple hundred trailers out back not being used anymore. Some are the container type. They may go for a decent price and their 53' long. If anyone is interested I could find out prices

69SS454 · MILTON, ONT

You can get 20' with doors on all sides. Great for drive thru and also getting in and out of the vehicle once it's inside.

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Re: What Poncho said about putting a truss roof across two of them, that makes a neat "Driveshed" type of building, plus you have lockable storage on each end.
The condensation aspect should be overcome with roof venting.

I',ve seen a couple of these painted up nice, and they look pretty decent for a storage building.

hemi43 · ONTARIO

If you insulate the interior (spray foam) and vent it, the condensation won't happen.They are very narrow inside once you get a car in there,BTW.

Rochie · LONDON, ONT

Chris,
I ran the motorcycle licensing program at Fanshawe Colloege for 15 years. We used sea containers for storing the bikes. We cut vents in each side wall, front and back,at the top and then welded expanded metal over them to keep the critters out. Worked out great. The bikes were dry, safe, and out of the way of the 20 or so thousand people on campus

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

Hey thanks for all the input guys. Sounds like the way to go.

Seeker1056 · DOURO, ONT

as a municipal inspector - and the pres of some municipal associations I would beg to differ with some of these statements

Most municipalities do not allow any kind of storage container, truck body, bus, van, coach or other type of construction no matter the name of it, for purposes of storage on any rural or residential lot. You can be charged, fined and or taken to court for such an infraction of your applicable Zoning Bylaw. At the very least you could be and most likely would be made to remove the offending item/unit/structure which means you are out your purchase money as well as your disposal of same.

I would heavily suggest that you check with your particular municipality prior to purchase.

The minute you put any kind of addition or roof structure on it - it is then a structure or building as far as MPAC and your municipality are concerned, and is taxable by MPAC, as such. Yes, building permits are then applicable, and you would need an engineer to certify said structure as adequate for our snow and rain and wind loads in order to obtain said Building Permit.

We have had two proposals here to obtain and roof said sea containers. With the roof, they were approved as structures/buildings, rather than containers which are not allowed.

Buyer beware

hemi43 · ONTARIO

Seeker1056 wrote:
as a municipal inspector - and the pres of some municipal associations I would beg to differ with some of these statements

Most municipalities do not allow any kind of storage container, truck body, bus, van, coach or other type of construction no matter the name of it, for purposes of storage on any rural or residential lot. You can be charged, fined and or taken to court for such an infraction of your applicable Zoning Bylaw. At the very least you could be and most likely would be made to remove the offending item/unit/structure which means you are out your purchase money as well as your disposal of same.

I would heavily suggest that you check with your particular municipality prior to purchase.

The minute you put any kind of addition or roof structure on it - it is then a structure or building as far as MPAC and your municipality are concerned, and is taxable by MPAC, as such. Yes, building permits are then applicable, and you would need an engineer to certify said structure as adequate for our snow and rain and wind loads in order to obtain said Building Permit.

We have had two proposals here to obtain and roof said sea containers. With the roof, they were approved as structures/buildings, rather than containers which are not allowed.

Buyer beware

Fun Buster !!

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

Is it okay if I fart in my back yard??!! We just get legislated to death here! Geeezzzz!!

hemi43 · ONTARIO

Chris58 wrote:
Is it okay if I fart in my back yard??!! We just get legislated to death here! Geeezzzz!!

Only if I'm up-wind of you !!

The Government is too fat, and that's why we're finding more and more of these laws are now coming to light because they need the cash flow to keep the fat machine running. Don't worry, there's a big crunch coming in the next year or even a few months. When Israel attacks Iran, we won't have to worry about all these stupid little laws.

Slammed 35 · HOOTERVILLE, ONT

``Hide`` it in the woods Chris! That would help a lot with the heat issue in the summer and temp fluctuation that causes condensation. A ceiling fan on low 24 - 7, will help with condensation as well. Dad uses one in the Shop-storage garage, with zero condensation. Agriculture building by law may allow you to use it as a storage dwelling but as the party pooper Seeker (lol) wisely suggested, check with the County. I may be interested in one as well.(for ``FARM`` storage)

Slammed 35 · HOOTERVILLE, ONT

carta wrote:
I work for a large transport company and we have a couple hundred trailers out back not being used anymore. Some are the container type. They may go for a decent price and their 53' long. If anyone is interested I could find out prices

I may be interested if the price is right. Thanks for the heads up.

Sacotu · COBOURG, ONT

lots of bushes up around Chris's neck of the woods. i think i saw some kid playing bango when i drove under a bridge.

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

These regulations are just getting OUT OF CONTROL!!

Bizzare ideas these nit-wits in power come up with!!

Gearhead · ELORA, ONT

I've been following shipping container housing for some time now. I'd love to build a house with them someday - mine wouldnt look like a container though.

If you think a container home would look like a**, then have a look at these.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4drX256QV_Y

As for storage, they get hot as blazes inside unless you spray insulate them. I've been called to install vents on containers because plastic and wooden items can get to hot and warp and craze etc. A vent on either end can induce airflow, especially if you use a whirlygig. As another poster mentioned, these would be too narrow to use as a shop for working on your car. The sky is the limit though if you are going to slice & dice the container(s) to your own config.

-- Edited by Gearhead on Friday 14th of September 2012 08:38:30 PM

-- Edited by Gearhead on Friday 14th of September 2012 08:44:30 PM

TIME TRAVELLER · NIAGARA REGION, ONT

Apparently it CAN be done here - here's a news article about that apartment building in Burks Falls.

http://dcnonl.com/article/id48518/--steel-shipping-containers-used-in-burkrsquos-falls-ontario-housing-project

Slammed 35 · HOOTERVILLE, ONT

Sacotu wrote:
lots of bushes up around Chris's neck of the woods. i think i saw some kid playing bango when i drove under a bridge.

That was my brother, who also happens to be my cusin. wink

Slammed 35 · HOOTERVILLE, ONT

Bizzare ideas call for even more bizzare solutions!

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

Seeker is CORRECT. The by-law dept is after the local farm implement dealer here in town, they have 4 trailers 45' to 53' & 4 or 5 straight truck boxes that they use for storage!!! Were told to remove them from the property, NOT ALLOWED!! So far they are ignoring the warning .as the trailers are "FULL" & no place to put the contents???

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

Slammed 35 wrote:
``Hide`` it in the woods Chris! That would help a lot with the heat issue in the summer and temp fluctuation that causes condensation. A ceiling fan on low 24 - 7, will help with condensation as well. Dad uses one in the Shop-storage garage, with zero condensation. Agriculture building by law may allow you to use it as a storage dwelling but as the party pooper Seeker (lol) wisely suggested, check with the County. I may be interested in one as well.(for ``FARM`` storage)

Ya...ya...in the woods....as "farm storage"...ya. That could work.

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

dualquadpete wrote:
Seeker is CORRECT. The by-law dept is after the local farm implement dealer here in town, they have 4 trailers 45' to 53' & 4 or 5 straight truck boxes that they use for storage!!! Were told to remove them from the property, NOT ALLOWED!! So far they are ignoring the warning .as the trailers are "FULL" & no place to put the contents???

B.S. bylaws. What happened to re-use, reduce, recycle? I guess that phrase was good for then, but now the politicians have outgrown that one now too?

Think about it. These containers are the ultimate R-R-R...the steel was probably genuine hot rod fodder in a scrap yard that was crushed and sent to China to be made into rolled steel, sold back to Canada to be stamped into a Honda. That roll of steel may have come in one of these containers, but they can't ship em back empty so they just keep piling up. Savvy dudes like us can make perfectly good use of them without cutting down trees. Doesn't this help the environment? PLUS, the other BS bylaws don't allow us to have junk and non-plated vehicles in sight. This would take care of that too.

But NOOOOOOOO! Can't do that!

Sorry for the political ranting, but I pitty the poor frigger that comes to my door looking for a vote!! I only sport a size 8 boot but it'll still lodge itself firmly and uncomfortably up Mr/Ms Candidate's ar$se!

There. I'm done.

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

I hear you Chris, & agree that "some" by-laws are B/S but with out them, some properties would become "auto recyclers" [some of my neighbours are trying] If the trailers, truck boxes or containers were set in a neat & tidy row they would likely not cause a "stir" But when they are left where they were "dropped" in the yard & yard is a mess to start with, no wonder people get upset!!! This also brings down your property values, if you want to refiniance,& it really "hurts' you if you try to sell & next door looks like "Sanford & Son" I;ll Guarantee you won't get any offers other than a 'flipper" looking for a deal at a "REDUCED" give a way price!!!!

workin class · FINCH, ONT

When I bought my place I got a letter from the township stating what they cant see from the road they dont care about. Love my town.

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Agreed, some of these containers etc are placed in a BAD location.

BUT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I think if this crap was taken to a higher court, It would/should be tossed out.

These containers are "PART OF YOUR"E ASSETS!!

(Same as a gun collection, old tractor collection,,, and AGAIN,,, Some unplated old vehichles!!!)

They are YOUR'E ASSETS,,, who the hell has the right to determine what you can have, collect, or keep because you like that particular thing????

TIME TRAVELLER · NIAGARA REGION, ONT

A local lumberyard uses containers for storing small stuff in the yard. They’ve cut doors in the side and they work great. Don’t know what the inspectors think of them but I think they’re brilliant. Also, how about an entire apartment building built from containers? I photographed this thing in Burks Falls last year. My son-in-law is a building inspector (not in Burksfalls) and he got a big laugh from this and stuck the photos up in his office so everyone could share. I’m not sure how the bylaws relate to this thing but I’ve got to give the builder some credit. I doubt if it’s any cheaper than conventional construction but I’ll bet it’s a lot stronger. The individual containers are welded to each other. It was under construction when i saw it and I don't know the outcome.

workin class · FINCH, ONT

there are people all over the world turning these into low cost housing. We are unable to do the same because the tax base of affordable housing wont be enough to feed the stupid self important society we have built in the last 50 years.

poncho62 · ADMINISTRATOR

Kind of reminds me of this place....

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

The apartment building in Burk's Falls is i'm pretty sure finished, and is rented out.

atomsplitter · NEWCASTLE, ONT

But the apartment was done with permits right?
So you CAN use the containers if they conform to the by-laws of your area....sounds simple enough.

We are all expected to heed these rules to have conformity in the community and many of these rules are in place to keep us safe from your neighbors stupidity. For the most part people use their common sense but simple things can be blown out of proportion like the guy with the multi-container garage with the truss roof on top. Did he really think that would satisfy the law? What if he wanted to make them into 3 story play structure beside your property, or make an extension on his home with them. I centainly wouldn't like. If you think you have exclusive rights to do what you want on the property you pay taxes on your fooling yourself. You may not like it but it's a fact unitl you can lobby to get the by-law changed. We have to take into account our neighbors rights to maintain property values and quality of life. I'm not saying we have to be sheep, just that if you want to standout and be different or flaunt the by-laws I would EXPECT to have them visiting some day soon. Arguing with the guy at the door will do nothing either, they have a job to do.

Be smart about how your property is viewed from the street and what people can see or your inviting the buisy bodies to start making phone calls!
OR move away from eveyone else, put up cammo-netting on your shipping containers that you have stashed behind the barn next to the still and grow-op.

Chris58 · WATERFORD, ONT

Atomsplitter wrote:
But the apartment was done with permits right?
So you CAN use the containers if they conform to the by-laws of your area....sounds simple enough.

We are all expected to heed these rules to have conformity in the community and many of these rules are in place to keep us safe from your neighbors stupidity. For the most part people use their common sense but simple things can be blown out of proportion like the guy with the multi-container garage with the truss roof on top. Did he really think that would satisfy the law? What if he wanted to make them into 3 story play structure beside your property, or make an extension on his home with them. I centainly wouldn't like. If you think you have exclusive rights to do what you want on the property you pay taxes on your fooling yourself. You may not like it but it's a fact unitl you can lobby to get the by-law changed. We have to take into account our neighbors rights to maintain property values and quality of life. I'm not saying we have to be sheep, just that if you want to standout and be different or flaunt the by-laws I would EXPECT to have them visiting some day soon. Arguing with the guy at the door will do nothing either, they have a job to do.

Be smart about how your property is viewed from the street and what people can see or your inviting the buisy bodies to start making phone calls!
OR move away from eveyone else, put up cammo-netting on your shipping containers that you have stashed behind the barn next to the still and grow-op.

You do make a good point as did some of the other posters. I wouldn't want to see a neighbourhood full of these. Where is the happy medium though? What if I painted it or framed it off with a country-style board and batten? To drop the hammer and just outlaw them is unfair. Dropping it into the bush is a little hill-billy-ish. I think that was all tonge-in-cheek. But seriously, to ban them outright?

This turned into a hell of a posting. At least I gleaned from it enough to find out spray foam and venting are a must. The government and by-law folks, well, just another battle in the life of a tax-payer in Canada. But I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Sacotu · COBOURG, ONT

when i was on temporary duty in italy we lived in portable steel rooms that looked almost like sea tins. i guess they were called iso huts. they placed the containers side by each with one end a door and the other a window then made a second row with the doors facing each other for a hallway that they covered and then stacked them for a second floor. one unit was a common shower/laundry room. very comfortable for 6 month. even had a fridge in my tin for my locally acquired wine.

http://www.cefcom.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/fs-ev/2011/09/14-eng.asp

Gearhead · ELORA, ONT

Slammed 35 wrote:
A ceiling fan on low 24 - 7, will help with condensation as well.

A whirlygig is even better - no hydro needed and doesn't get in the way. will draw airflow from one end to the other if vented at the other end

Gearhead · ELORA, ONT

Chris58 wrote:
I wouldn't want to see a neighbourhood full of these. What if I painted it or framed it off with a country-style board and batten? To drop the hammer and just outlaw them is unfair. Dropping it into the bush is a little hill-billy-ish. I think that was all tonge-in-cheek. But seriously, to ban them outright?
The government and by-law folks, well, just another battle in the life of a tax-payer in Canada. But I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I totally agree. I dont want my neighborhood to look like Buffalo or Detroit either, thank you. I also agree with other posters that we need engineering and bylaws to keep ourselves and others safe, however some leniency should be employed on the "level of engineering" required here. I've used different engineers over the years and am amazed at the variations of thier "calculations". Some are off the wall and some are realistic. You cant tell me that a sea can needs to be engineered for wind and snow loads. These things can withstand ANYTHING mother nature can throw at them short of being immersed in lava or underneath a granite rock-slide. I understand the need if you wish to use several containers to support a truss roof beteween the span, but that's no different than building a wooden structure. A building permit required to do this? Ok, its a building, so here's your few bucks. I dont see the point of complaining.

As Chris58 said; "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else".

I'm totally with that.

carta · GUELPH, ONT

I,ll get some info and post it here