Nowadays, a lot of people are using shipping containers as homes in many parts of Australia.
This is because these boxes can be eco-friendly, cheap, and easy to maintain.
If you are one of the people who want to live in a uniquely designed shipping container home, then you might wonder if there are requirements that you need to get before you can start building your home.
What Legal Requirements Do You Need For Home Shipping Containers?
The state should give you the permit when you intend to store or use shipping containers on your property.
You need the license regardless of whether you are going to use the home as temporary storage or a building on private land.
The service type that you want to obtain should be a license. The license will show the registration and certification that you need in order to start building your home.
The requirements can vary by state in Australia. The duration can vary depending on your residence. The fees may also vary.
A shipping container that will stay on your property for more than 30 days will require a permit.
The council in your area will also require a development permit, depending on your location and the container’s size.
You can inquire with a private certifier to determine if your container requires a permit.
Note that there are classes of habitable structures that are defined for each container. You can classify containers as storage, a shed, a home, and the like.
They can also act as dwelling house extensions, a flat, or a garden patio.
What Are The Zoning Laws?
Zoning laws in Australia are specifically made to restrict certain areas from building shipping container homes.
This is to ensure the aesthetic quality and environmental impact on the area. So, it is important to get the zoning approval for building your shipping container.
Moreover, the laws state where, how, and how many shipping container homes you can build in a specific locality. You can check the zonal permit for the area.
Additionally, when you consider these zoning laws, you get to avoid certain obstacles and legal issues while building your shipping container home.
Why You Need To Research Local Regulations?
It is important to research the local regulations in the specific state you want to build your container home.
As the different states have different regulations, you need to know the exact zoning laws in your chosen state.
For instance, some areas allow shipping container homes to be primary residential options for people. While others allow them as only secondary residences.
So, you need to know the specific local regulations to avoid any obstacles.
Moreover, these regulations might also include instructions about the permissible height, size, and appearance of the shipping container homes.
So, when you follow through with these regulations and zoning laws, you show your compliance and prevent legal issues.
What Are The Considerations For Building Approval?
Your building certifier or your local council might consider the following before they will give you a building approval.
- Strength – The container should have a structural strength that can withstand the elements if you are going to use it as a home.
There are assessments that might happen, such as the ones done by a registered Professional Engineer, which will enable you to receive a certificate.
- Stability – The stability refers to the ability of the container to remain anchored in your property for a long period of time.
You might need to pour a solid concrete foundation in order to have your container stuck in place.
- House Provisions – A shipping container, when converted into homes, should have enough air, water, and sunlight that are suitable for human habitation.
There should be gutters, roofed structures, stormwater collections, and the like before the council will approve this.
Failure to receive certifications might result in sanctions if the authorities catch you. This can depend on each state.
Before building a home, you need to check first with your local county if they approve the use of the containers.
There are some who will not allow these containers because some of them have received extensive damage in the past.
To obtain a full permit, your local council is the only one that can give you application forms and full information about how you can get a full permit for your container.
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