Container homes · WA
Custom shipping container homes in Washington.
A weekend retreat, a short-term rental, a backyard ADU or a family home: start from a pre-engineered plan set or work with us on a custom design, engineered for Washington’s conditions and sealed for your permit.
Licensed
Firm licensure in Washington
100+
Container homes engineered
IBC 3115
The code section for containers
DIY or custom
Plans or a sealed design
Two ways to build
DIY plans, or a design made for your site.
Pre-engineered plan sets
Ready-to-build container home plans for DIY builders, with instant download. A fast, affordable head start; your permit may still need local engineering, which we can add.
Browse plan sets →Custom design & engineering
You lead the creative vision; we handle the structure, foundation and code. Sealed structural plans or plan review for container construction.
Custom quote · Start a design →Building in Washington
What shapes a container home here.
Every site is engineered for its own loads. These are the conditions we look at first in Washington.
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Earthquakes
Seismic design of the containers, the welds and connections between them, and the foundation, where the code calls for it.
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Snow load · Cascades & east
Container roofs aren’t built for heavy snow on their own. We check the roof for the local ground snow load or add a roof structure that carries it.
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High wind · coast
Anchorage, connections between stacked containers and the roof structure are designed for the local wind speed and exposure.
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Local code & permits
Your city or county enforces the adopted building code and its local amendments. Containers are addressed in IBC Section 3115. We confirm your jurisdiction’s edition and requirements at the start. IBC 3115 explained →
How it works
From idea to sealed drawings.
- 1
Tell us about the project
Where in Washington you are building, how many containers, and any sketches, plans or inspiration you have.
- 2
We design and engineer it
Openings, reinforcement, foundation, wind, snow and seismic as your site requires, plus energy compliance.
- 3
Sealed drawings for your permit
Signed and sealed construction documents, and answers when the plan reviewer has questions.
Questions
Are shipping container homes legal in Washington?
Container homes can be built in Washington where local zoning allows a single-family home or accessory dwelling, and when the design meets the adopted building code. Zoning, HOA rules and minimum-size rules vary by city and county, so check them before you buy containers; we can tell you what the building department will want to see.
Do I need an engineer for a container home?
Almost always. Cutting openings, stacking and anchoring containers changes how they carry load, and building departments generally require sealed structural drawings and calculations. The International Building Code addresses intermodal shipping containers in Section 3115 (2021 edition and later).
Can I use your DIY plans in Washington?
Yes, as a starting point. Pre-engineered plan sets get you a long way, but a permit usually still needs site-specific engineering for your wind, snow, seismic and soil conditions. We can adapt and seal the plans for your site.
Other states
Container homes, state by state.
Building in Washington?