In order to keep you safe, construction codes and standards have been written to protect you. Before you begin building your shipping container home, understand what codes you need to follow.
The International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Building Code (IBC) are two of the most common codes used throughout much of the United States.
Although there are codes being written with shipping containers as a building product, none exist until they are ratified. But, most municipalities have other codes to follow when building shipping container homes.
Soon, there will be a special set of codes that refer to shipping containers used as building elements.
But, let’s look at some of the common codes that are written by the International Code Council used as a guide to builders in most parts of the United States. Similar codes will be enforced anywhere in the world.
Two Main Types of Building Codes for Home Construction
The International Residential Code
The International Residential Code (IRC) applied to one and two family dwellings and townhouses. They cannot be more than three stories above grade.
International Building Code
The International Building Code (IBC) applies to all other types of buildings that is not included in the IRC.
This would include warehouses, schools, multifamily complexes, shopping centers, factories, and municipal buildings.
The Various Codes to Review
If you are planning to build your home in a municipality that refers to the IRC, you will find that it will cover a lot of building issues to follow. Here are some of the many points it includes (as of th 2009 edition, check if anything is amended or updated in your municipality):
Building Code
Permits
Check with the local municipality to find out if you need to hire a professional architect or engineer to produce signed and sealed construction documents (drawings and specifications).
You will need to provide a site plan or plot plan that shows where you want to build your shipping container home.
Per the IRC, you will not need a permit if you are building a one-story accessory structure, like a tool shed. This structure needs to be less than 200 SF. If you are putting plumbing in it, you might need a permit.
Other construction that will not require a permit per IRC include:
- Fences less than or equal to 6 ft, sidewalks, driveways, swings and playground equipment
- retaining walls that are less than or equal to 4 ft from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall and with no surcharge. ( A surcharge is a load that is an additional vertical load on the retaining wall. For example dead loads from a sloping backfill above the wall or live load resulting from a highway or parking lot, paving or from an adjacent footing).
- Water tanks on grade that is less than or equal to 5,000 gallons and height/width ratio that is less than or equal to 2:1.
- Painting, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counters and similar finish work
- Awnings that project less than or equal to 54 inches from the exterior wall and is supported by the wall
- Decks that are less than or equal to 200 sf and less than or equal to 30 inches above grade and not attached to the home or serving a required exit door.
Inspections
Before you conceal any work, some items will need to be inspected that include:
- Have your foundation forms and steel inspected before pouring the concrete.
- Your architect or engineer will need to comment the lowest floor elevation before any construction is done above it. if you are building your home in a flood hazard area.
- Rough plumbing, mechanical and electrical. The rough work needs to be inspected before they are concealed.
- Have the frame and masonry inspected after the fire-blocking and bracing are in place.
- A 3rd party might need to be the ones who inspect the air barrier and insulation.
- Before taping and spackling the gypsum board, the drywall nailing of the fire resistance will need to be inspected.
Then, after it is all built, a final inspection will need to be done.
Structural Planning
The code addresses the story height of the home. It also wants the live loads and allowable deflection to be within certain ranges.
Location on the Site
Depending on the fire rating of the walls and how close the building is to a property line will determine how many and size of openings, like windows, you can have in the wall.
This also controls where you can place your vents and eaves of the house.
Fire Protection
The code refers to several different fire-resistive construction materials. They include:
- Gypsum board that provides a passive protection against the rapid spread of fire and smoke.
- Fire-blocking that slows down the spread of fire in small concealed spaces.
- Draft-stopping that slows down the spread of fire in large concealed spaces.
This section in the code also discusses the fire protection between townhouses, two-family homes, and between the home and the garage.
Look in this section for how you are to protect the home when fire-resistant membranes need to be penetrated by electrical conduits, pipes, and vents.
This section is especially important for shipping container home builders who are using foam to insulate their homes. Check out how the finished surfaces and insulation need to comply to code requirements.
Garages and Carports
If your sheltered space for a vehicle is open on 2 sides, it is considered a garage and not a carport. Look for requirements for garages in this section.
This section also discusses the use of asphalt and how the floor is to slope and drain.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
This section will tell you where in the house that fire sprinkler systems are required, their flow rate, and how they are to be inspected.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
I have noticed that the requirement of where these devices differ in one municipality to the next. So, double check where you need to place them in the municipality you want to build your home. But, generally you will need to place them in and outside each sleeping room (bedroom).
You will need to install them at each floor level, habitable attic and basement.
Habitability
What makes a space a room? The code defines a habitable room as being a minimum of 70 SF (except in kitchens).
The minimum horizontal dimension needs to be at least 7 ft. (except in kitchens).
With some exceptions, the ceiling needs to be a minimum of 7 ft high from the finished floor.
All habitable rooms need to be heated to maintain a temperature of 68 degree F measured 3ft. above the floor and 2 ft. from any exterior wall. (Hawaii has exceptions to this rule). You are not allowed to use portable space heaters for this.
The amount of natural ventilation and natural light is also determined in this section.
Escape and Rescue Openings
This section is equally important. It controls how the house is designed to make it easier for a person to escape the home in event of any emergency like a fire. Be sure to read through this section carefully.
One particular thing, among other items, that this section covers is the size of the windows provided for escaping the home. The windows need have a minimum clear area of 5.7 sf, some some exceptions. The window sill needs to be a maximum height of 44 inches from the finished floor so a person can crawl out of the window. Make sure you know what your own municipal codes require.
Egress and Stairs
Getting out of a burning house is one of the highest priorities of the code writers. This section will cover a lot of critical areas to follow including:
- Doors: Their sizes and locations
- Thresholds and landings at doors: How large they need to be and what would be the maximum slope that the landing can be built
- Spiral Stairways: These stairs must be a minimum of 26: inches wide, headroom to be a minimum of 6′-6″, treads to be a minimum of 7-1/2 inches at 12 inches away from the center post, risers to be a maximum of 9-1/2 inches.
- Landing of the Stairs: Be sure that the landing is a minimum of 36 inches deep, there needs to be a landing at every maximum 12 feet of vertical dimension between floor levels.
Here are More Key Points About Stairs
Handrails cannot take up more than 4-1/2 inches of either side of the egress stairs. The code covers a lot about handrails such as the profiles they need to be in order to be better gripped by people’s hands.
Riser Heights cannot be higher than 7-3/4 inches and tread depth need to be at least 10 inches. In the IBC, the rule is different. We call it the “7-11” rule. Maximum riser height is 7 inches and the minimum tread depth is 11 inches.
The tallest riser cannot be any more than 3/8 inch more than the shortest riser. Similarly, the deepest tread compared to the shortest tread cannot be greater than 3/8 inch.
Sometimes the landing or tread needs to slope slightly to stay within the dimensional limits mentioned above. But, that slope cannot be greater than 2%.
Nosing and Risers: there are guidelines to follow about the projection of the nosing, their beveling, and the allowable dimensions of any open risers.
Winding stairs, including their tread dimensions are described in this section.
The code also discusses how interior and exterior stairways are to be illuminated.
Safety Glass
If you are using glass for windows, jalousies, mirrors, enclosures in wet areas (like at tubs, showers, spas, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms and pools), and patio doors – you will need to read this section to understand what type of safety glass you need to use.
Skylights
The code describes what materials are allowed for skylights and how they are to be installed.
Guards
Guards are sometimes confused with handrails. The basic difference is that guards are along a horizonal landing while handrails travel along stairs and ramps.
As with the spindles below handrails, a 4 inch sphere cannot pass between any part of the guard. This is because the code writers are trying to prevent children from passing through the guards and falling from dangerous heights.
Here are Other Building Topics that the IRC Covers
- Hillside Construction
- Soils
- Grading and Drainage
- Floorings
- Concrete
- Anchoring to Foundation
- Basements
- Concrete Masonry Units (CMU’s)
- Concrete Slabs
- Underfloor Areas (Crawl Spaces)
- Cripple Walls
- Wood Structural Panels
- Wall Framing
- Walls Other than Wood Frame
- Wall Bracing
- Balconies and Decks
- Masonry Veneer
- Exterior Wall Covers
- Fasterner Schedule
- Interior Wall Surfaces
- Roof and Ceiling Framing
- Trusses
- Attics
- Roofs
- Masonry Fireplaces and Chimneys
- Factory-Built Fireplaces and Chimneys
Plumbing Code
The Uniform Plumbing Code that is published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials covers a lot of issues to consider.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and The National Fuel Gas Code are additional codes to review.
Back to the IRC, there are a lot of issues covered in it that pertains to plumbing. Let’s briefly look at some of the topics that it covers.
General Rules for all Piping
This section covers the materials allowed to be used when manufacturing piping. It also includes how to support pipes.
Here are Other Plumbing Topics that the IRC Covers
- Trenches and Pipe Protection
- Drainage
- Drain Sizing
- Cleanouts
- Waste Stacks and Vents
- Fixtures Below Manholes Cover or Sewers
- On-Site Sewage Disposal Systems
- Traps and Tailpieces
- Vents
- Special Venting Systems
- Air Admittance Valves
- Water Supply and Distribution
- Cross-Connection Control
- Water Supply Sizing
- Pressure Regulators
- Gas Piping
- Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST)
- Gas Pipe Size
- Water Heaters
- Fixtures
Mechanical Code
The IRC was written with the following codes and standards in mind:
- ASHRAE: Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings
- IAPMO: Uniform Mechanical Code
- ICC: International Residential Code
- NFPA: Standard for Installation of Oil-Burning Equipment; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code; Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances; National Electrical Code
Here are Other Mechanical Topics that the IRC Covers
- General Mechanical Systems Requirements
- Appliance Access and Location
- Air-Conditioning and Heat Pumps
- Ducts
- Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers
- Gas Appliance Combustible Air
- Forced-Air Furnaces
- Boilers and Hydronics
- Gas Floor Furnaces
- Gas Wall Furnaces
- Room Heaters
- Direct-Vent Appliances
- Gas Appliances in Fireplaces
- Gas Appliance Venting
- Oil-Fired Appliances
- Combustion Air for Oil-Fired Appliances
- Oil-Fired Appliance Chimneys and Vents
- Oil Tanks and Piping
- Propane (LP Gas)
- Freestanding Fireplace Stoves
- Recommended Inspections of Exiting Chimneys
- Clearance Reduction Systems
- Electric Heat
- Clothes Dryer Exhaust
- Ventilation and Exhaust Systems
- Kitchens
Electrical Code
The IRC has a lot of guidance for the installation of electrical items too. It works along with the National Electrical Code.
Here are the Electrical Topics that the IRC Covers
- Overhead Service Drop Clearances
- Service Entrance Conductors
- Common Utility Complaints
- Service Panels
- Working Space
- Separate Buildings
- Multimeter Services
- Temporary Wiring
- Service and Feeder Load Calculations
- Grounding Electric
- Grounding Electrode Conductors (GEC’s)
- Equipment Grounding Conductors (EGC’s)
- Bonding
- Panelboards and Cabinets
- 3-Wire Edison Circuits (Multiwire)
- Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI’s)
- Boxes
- Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI’s)
- Branch Circuits and Outlets
- Kitchens
- Switches
- Lighting
- Appliances
- Ampacity of Wire
- Cable Systems
- Voltage Drop
- Raceways
- Conduit Fill Calculations
- Photovoltaics
- Swimming Pool
- Hot Tub/Spa
- Generators
- Old Wiring
- Knob and Tube (K&T)
- Replacement Receptacles
- Common Numbering System for Wire, Cable and Raceways
Some Other Codes to Consider
International Fire Code
International Existing Building Code
Energy Code
Removing Uncertainties One Step at a Time
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