Converting a container to a workshop

[Robert Lambie]

i have had two for the past 5 years.
one i converted into a router room with split wall/door to house the computer terminal. keeps it out of the way of dust and waste coming from the router. its fitted with 3 phase electricity also.

the other a spray booth…
again it is split by a partition wall… one side has sink, compressor and shelving with a small hole in wall to feed air lines through for the guns.. the other is a clear area to spray signs and panels.
we have a large extractor fan fitted too as you can see behind me in the picture below.

both these rooms take a huge chunk of all the crap from our workshop as both create such a mess…

why have a window? you are just creating easy access for thief’s!
our containers are about 20 foot long sealed at the front by heavy padlocks and alarmed.
I’m sure a 40ft container will give you loads of space… just make sure you kit it out well with shelving etc

buy a second hand container from a local container base, some come needing some patching but that’s easily done if you know someone that can weld. as you just weld a steel plate where needed. once all done just give it a couple of coats of paint and that’s that…
you will probably find you will pay more for the hiab to transport it than you do the actual container. but even at that its not much considering….
once paid, you own it…
its very secure…
and you shouldnt need to pay rates as its portable…

---

Attachments:

[David Rowland]

is that the 5ft high container you got their Rob?

[Micheal Donnellan]

It will be second hand and needs work no doubt. The whole window thing is because there is a ply board panel stuck where I assumed a window of some sort would go. There is another container for sale with the guy that has 10-12mm coorex covering a similar shaped hole which is why I got the window idea, If the ply board is secure enough I will leave for now or weld shutters over it. Welding is no problem I’m qualified and know what not to do(Got arc eye when younger, blind for a few days and very painful.) Just hoping its not actually aluminium as cant weld that stuff, bloody nightmare.

Container is insulated so you cant see the corrugations like you can in yours. Insulation is important as don’t want condensation blowing my computer up. One winter I actually poured water out of my computer as we have no proper insulation in the house and when rooms get cold its damp. Container apparently was a meat containing one as is rows and rows of big hooks on rails on the roof. Has a handy side door and the big double doors at one end as will.

[Robert Lambie]

Michael, yeah your right, if your going to be housing comps etc its better to get insulation. the spray booth is not used often so no real need. the router room has a heater in it which is on constantly during winter.

[Lee Ballard]

Hi Michael, if it’s an ex meat hanger then you will need to do a lot of cleaning to get rid of the blood smell.

I doubt it is aluminium as I have worked with loads of containers and never come across an ali one but I await to be proved wrong.

Dave, I think you will find Rob has a mezzanine floor in that one 😀

[Ian Higgins]

Hi,

my next door neigbour has put 4 wagon bodies side by side cut through to make one large unit and then cladded the uotside with timber.
It looks really good and is dry and warm An excellent idea I think.

the problem with the steel containers is condensation that is why he used the wagon bodies..

Cheers
Ian

[David Rowland]

quote Lee Ballard:

Dave, I think you will find Rob has a mezzanine floor in that one 😀

I didn’t notice that :lol1:

[Robert Lambie]

at least i dont look like a do-gooder from the brady bunch dave 😉 :lol1: :lol1:

[David Rowland]

(hot) 😎

[Micheal Donnellan]

Not much of a smell as it is used to store beds in but it will still need a good clean.

for Dave
http://mythemes.tv/series/themes/opening/bradybu2.mp3 😀

[Dave & Rob Lowery]

quote Robert Lambie:

you shouldnt need to pay rates as its portable…

YOU TIGHT GIT!!! 😀

[Kevin Flowers]

Hi
its only deemed portable if it can be moved on its own wheels, when i had my unit i & a few other unit owners had containers for storage until the local council rates man visited the site & everyone recieved a letter informing them that containers where liable for business rates.

Kev

[neil the sign guy]

hey

i ahve a plot of land at the bottom of my garden which is 9m x 6m.
is it possible to get 2 of these and bolt them together and cut part of the sides out and link them together.

also what sort of money do these containers go for?

would save alot of building work for me

[Darren Mooney]

Hey Michael, have a look at shanette sheds in Kilbeggan, westmeath, have seen two of these, one is used as a bakery, the other a rally driver’s garage, they build your spec I’m told, was very impressed by them myself… might be worth a look..
http://www.shanettesheds.com/default.aspx

[Brian Maher]

michael… it could be worth your while pricing a container similar to those used as offices on building sites…. fully insulated and wired,

just to see if its beeter value than buying one and starting from scratch,
take in the cost of insulation and wiring and the time you spend doing this instead of making signs and it might well be better to buy a finished one,

plus you can always sell it on once your business has outgrown it

[Micheal Donnellan]

I AM looking for one of those office style portakabins as I said before anyone know one for sale please get in contact.

Right now I am at the stage of getting the hill dug and having to alter stuff due to the layout of the house and hill. The containers as you know have big doors on one end. At present if I put my container where I have direct access to the side door (from the north side), the Main doors would butt up to one corner of the hill and the garage next to it. So I am flipping the container so now the main doors can be got at more directly. This means the small side door is now facing south and into the hill, I have decided to make a footpath around the container allowing me to get access to the side door. Damm drains and restaining wall have to be built as well, more expense. I am it is looking to have to modify the road in as well as the turn for the artic will be too tight, which also means extending drains and messing with the water line when the road is being moved.

[Brian Maher]

michael,
shipping containers have the big double doors at the end… the site office ones have the door at the side…with windows that have steel shutters… check out the plant section of autotrader and you’ll find a few dealers…or buy&sell paper..

brian