More Americans are looking for alternatives to traditional brick-and-mortar homes as housing costs continue to increase. Camper vans, compact houses, mobile homes, and obviously shipping ccontainer homes are some possibilities.
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You don’t have to buy a prefabricated shipping container home, even if such are becoming more and more prevalent possibilities. You might instead construct your shipping container home from the ground up. Finding the ideal shipping container for sale and converting it into your ideal living area are both simple tasks.
But hold on! Find out if it’s legal to construct a shipping container home in your state before placing any orders for shipping containers. See which states formally permit citizens to erect homes made of shipping containers.
Texas
One of the states where it is easiest to construct alternative housing, such as tiny homes and shipping container homes, is Texas.
Major communities like Austin and Fort Worth can provide permission for the construction of houses utilizing shipping containers.
Nevertheless, you will find it simpler to get approval in suburban and rural locations, where there is enough room to start living in a 40-foot shipping container house.
California
Another state that welcomes alternative housing is California. Building a shipping container residence there as a residential unit or an Accessory Dwelling Unit is permitted (ADU).
ADUs are compact residential dwelling units that share a lot with larger homes (for example, a detached single-family house).
The major dwelling area on the site has an addition. Granny flats, supplementary suites, auxiliary apartments, in-law suites, and backyard cottages are just a few more names for ADUs.
Louisiana
Building dwellings out of shipping containers is legal in Louisiana as well. The state has lax zoning regulations, therefore there may not be much opposition from the government to the development of alternative housing.
Oregon
Shipping container homes are legal in the state of Oregon. The one stipulation is that shipping container homes should be designed as single-family units. Because of this, they are allowed to be situated on land specifically reserved for single-family dwellings.
Missouri
Another state that allows for the construction of alternative housing is Missouri. To create your shipping container home, you might not even need a building permit.
Organizing and planning can make all the difference in the world, so talk to local authorities and learn the regulations related to constructing a shipping container home in your state. You should also get to know the local zoning codes and make sure you are aware of the building code restrictions. Work with an experienced architect or engineer who specializes in alternative housing, so you can ensure that your shipping container home meets all of the regulations. With the right planning and preparation, you can build your dream shipping container home and be living in it in no time.
Other States and Homes Made of Shipping Containers
Building dwellings out of shipping containers is legal in Texas, California, Louisiana, Oregon, and Missouri. In which states are shipping container dwellings not permitted?
There isn’t one, technically. Shipping container dwelling is not formally prohibited in any state in the union. Many states are seeing an increase in the number of shipping container residences, including Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New York, and Washington.
Does this imply that you’re allowed to erect a shipping container house wherever you want in the nation? Not precisely. The municipal and county governments may forbid the construction, even though the state government might not.
Municipal and County Restrictions
It is crucial to be informed of any construction restrictions implemented by states, counties, and municipalities (which are frequently referred to as sub-regions).
In the United States, there are tens of thousands of municipalities and counties, and each has its own regulations on the number of residential buildings that may be built there. The only way to know for sure if you can legally build a shipping container home in the area is to get in touch with your local government and verify if your construction plans are in compliance with the necessary zoning regulations and building codes.
Zoning Laws
Zoning regulations are important pieces of legislation that will affect your ideas for shipping container housing. These are local ordinances that control the whereabouts of properties. They’ll explain where your shipping container house can be placed and where it cannot.
One, in particular, is a law prohibiting mobile homes, which you might run across. Therefore, the location must suggest that the house is a permanent one rather than a transient mobile one if you want to build a shipping container home. Your shipping container home will need to be built on a slab foundation in such a situation.
How can you learn about the zoning regulations in your area that govern where shipping container homes can be built?
You can find your zoning rules by contacting your city hall or local zoning office.
Building Codes
Official guidelines for the construction of new structures, including residential dwellings, are known as building codes. To protect the health and safety of occupants, these rules include fundamental building components like insulation, plumbing, electrical connections, HVAC, and more. The guidelines outlined in the applicable building code must be followed by builders.
The majority of states adhere to the International Residential Code or International Building Code requirements. To accommodate household demands, these standards will get some revisions or additions. For instance, residents of Florida are more likely to experience hurricanes there. As a result, Florida modified its construction code to include more hurricane wind precautions.
Some states have no construction regulations at all. However, this does not always imply that contractors in these states are free to act however they like. It frequently implies that local governments are allowed to make decisions on building laws.
What is the location of your building code? Consult the local government. You can find the documentation you require on your state government website if your local government adheres to a state-wide building code.
Deed Restrictions
A deed restriction is a stipulation in your property’s deed that governs how you can use it.
Where might there be restrictions on deeds? One typical instance is when you opt to move into an area that is overseen by a Homeowners Association (HOA). An HOA is a community with deed restrictions that have established guidelines that all residents must follow. You cannot legally move forward with your ideas for a shipping container home or ADU location if your HOA doesn’t agree with them. The HOA has the authority to uphold its decisions and even to have contravening improvements removed.
Shipping container zoning laws and more!
Nick Karvounis from Unsplash
Several states in the USA allow shipping container homes construction, as you will discover in this guide. But what is a shipping container, and why would you want to use it to build your home?
A shipping container is a typical container used to ship items mostly from overseas countries. They are robust enough for heavy handling, shipping, and storage. They make cheap solid houses, whereas a house owner does not have to spend a dime constructing a lush home.
These containers could be made of corrugated aluminum, wood, or steel. Shipping containers are also known as intermodal shipping containers or sea cans.
Shipping container homes come from these containers that are primarily meant to transport goods from one point to another. They can be transported via train, trucks, airplanes, and sea vessels. The container homes also have other uses, such as creating studios, retail outlets, offices, restaurants, and bars.
Today, these shipping container homes have gained popularity as an alternative to permanent and temporary structures. Many homeowners love the fact that with these containers, there are no building materials involved, such as gravel, water, cement, sand, or wood.
Other countries such as New Zealand, England, Denmark, and France, among others, accept home construction using shipping containers.
A shipping container home
You need to determine what states allow shipping container homes, since not every state allows it. Here are the other things you need to look at. Make sure you check with the building department in your area to seek permission to carry on the project. Assess the living standards, the container's size, property values, and the container home builders.
Make sure you analyze whether you will need land rights, insulation, the distance to the main road, whether the area is affected by snow, and so on. Do some research on these things before you construct the home and avoid any complications. Another crucial thing you have to look at is the type of shipping container home you want to construct.
Most people will consider the simple, cabin-like units, while some love customizable homes that suit their requirements. Shipping container homes have other regulations such as building materials, zoning regulations, building codes, property lines, building permits, zoning requirements, and the building space required.
Ensure you abide by all these regulations, including the shape of the material to use, type and size, etc. The International Building Code and International Residential Code govern the building codes in the United States. The National Fire Protection Association regulates the safety of buildings.
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That means you ought to have all the correct information about these shipping containers to avoid any inconveniences. As a homeowner, you also need to understand the difference between mobile homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes.
All three have different building norms. Their costs also differ depending on your preferred design, i.e., material, number of doors and windows, and the insulation needed.
A map of the USA
Below are the states where you can build a shipping container home:
Typically, Texas is known to have a flexible regulatory environment, especially when it comes to building regulations. That is evident from the numerous numbers of shipping container homes already in the state. Texas is technically a viable place to construct your shipping container home.
Homeowners can easily get approval to complete their container homes in the suburban and rural areas where there is more space than in congested cities such as Houston. The state also has several container home builders waiting to make the magic happen for you.
You cannot speak of land freedom in the United States and fail to mention Louisiana. The state has lenient zoning regulations. Local authorities do not meddle with how homeowners build their homes, making it a great state to construct container homes.
In fact, Cato Institute ranks Louisiana as the first state in the country when talking about land freedom. A homeowner can construct their ideal container home without interference from the government.
The only standard to be followed in this state is the local land measurement and referring to container homes' local land use regulations.
California has strict land-use policies, but since it is a progressive state, it bends some rules to accommodate shipping container homes as long as it is safe and legal. That is evident when you sweep across the state; you will discover several hybrid container homes for many residents.
You need to have all the permits and approvals to build a container home in California. Prime locations for these magnificent homes include the area inland from the California coast or the north. Price tags here are pretty favorable, as they are constructed in less constricting ordinance regions.
People residing in Tennessee enjoy more land freedom compared to other states in the U.S. Building regulations and local interference are at minimum levels, which makes Tennessee great for container homes. Most lands in this state can easily access clean water, which ultimately reduces production costs.
That means low-income earners have a better shot at creating their ideal shipping container homes. These containers are also cheap in the West Tennessee area.
If you are looking for off-the-grid living, consider a shipping container home in the rural areas of this state. The climatic conditions are also very favorable here as the state encounters all four seasons.
In this state, things are a little bit different. Shipping container homes are only allowed on land set aside for single-family homes. Even though Oregon has stringent builder regulations, the state is progressive, and alternative construction seems like a viable solution to many.
If you wish to live off the grid, then consider this state for your shipping container home. You will have no external interference.
Local zoning codes in this state see shipping container homes as a lucrative living alternative that is also affordable to many. In fact, you can build your container home here without acquiring a building permit. Missouri's weather is also alluring, with the mild winters and warm summers. That makes Missouri a prime state for container homes.
With the weather type in Missouri, you do not have to overspend on insulation which may be pretty expensive. Your shipping container home is already habitable, requiring no expensive insulation procedures.
As long as you have a permit to build a container home in Florida, you can come up with your ideal home made of shipping containers. That means before you commence any efforts to build the home, you first have to talk with the relevant authorities and get approval.
These are the standard building rules to be satisfied by every structure. Now that you know the states that allow container homes, here are the core housing regulations that ought to be followed. The regulations are typically structure types and building codes.
The International Code Council regulates these codes. The council looks at the construction process and establishes the specific requirements that should be met before one is given the permit. You must ensure you use the suitable material and other guidelines issued by the state when building the container home.
Here you will come across mobile, modular, and manufactured codes. All these structures are different and treated differently. Mobile structures are not allowed in some states simply because they are not permanent housing. Modular homes are typically regulated by the International Building Codes, while manufactured homes are governed by federal Housing and Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standard.
The standard only applies to factory-built homes that await shipment for on-site installation permanently. Different states in the U.S. will have different zoning codes, building regulations, and permit requirements. These regulations are updated twice or once yearly. Before you build your container home, go through all the requirements to determine what is required of you.
A building inspector has to inspect the site for these and more:
Zoning codes are responsible for regulating where you can build a home. These codes fragment urban land into zones. That helps in having similar homes in one zone. The government then uses these zones to control population density and even develop the city. You may have noticed that residential areas, churches, and industries are never found in the same area.
Zoning laws ensure every zone has its specific purpose and type of settlement. Just like commercial buildings and standard apartments, container homes also have zoning laws. Some states may lack shipping container homes ordinance, but most states do have. Before approaching the local authority in your area, make sure you know the kind of structure you want to set up.
Typically, zones are grouped into two large categories. These are residential and commercial. These broad categories will then be further subdivided into smaller categories. For instance, Tallahassee and Florida use R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-5 subcategories for their residential zoning system.
Check out the zoning system in your state and the subcategories to find out where you fall as a shipping container homeowner. Your primary focus should be on the R-2, R-1, or R.M. requirements.
R-1 is for the single-unit residential apartments, while R-2 is for the two-unit residential apartment. It should not include duplexes or more than two residential apartments. R.M. is for the multiple zoning code, which regulates multiple residential units. These units could be detached or attached.
Homeowners can also switch their property zoning via rezoning, even though the process entails rigorous paperwork. Some homeowners may not agree with the deal for fear of property depreciation.
Shipping container homes made out of several 40 feet shipping containers
Most states will allow container homes to show how open-minded the authorities are and prove they are progressive. Shipping container homes are a recent trend and far from the norm of building homes. By accepting these modern housing techniques, states try to prove to investors that they are open to change and can adapt quite easily. Some states, such as California, bend their strict land laws to accommodate container homes. That shows investors that the unprofitable regulations will be bypassed.
Shipping container homes in Florida and other states is lucrative and a viable solution to housing problems, according to these states. With high housing costs and a rising level of homelessness, New York can benefit a lot from these container homes.
Now that you know the states that allow shipping container homes, it is time to look for a permit if your state allows it. Reach out to the authorities and tell them of your dream home.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2022 Alexander Okelo
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