Tips on Shipping Container Fabrication in Kenya
There has been an exciting trend in Kenya where more people are turning to shipping container conversion as an alternative to traditional housing and office space. 20FT and 40FT shipping containers can be turned to container homes, container offices, container restaurants & cafés, shops or stalls, gyms, classrooms, storage units, ablution blocks, or even pools among others. When done well, shipping container fabrication can help to provide quality space at an affordable price and within a short period of time compared to the traditional concrete structures. Are you interested in container conversion? The following are some of the tips that can help you in the process to avoid making costly mistakes.
1. Acquiring quality and genuine shipping container
The first step when engaging in shipping container fabrication/ conversion is to ensure that you acquire a good conditioned container unit when is free from leakages and with minimal rust. This is important in ensuring that the container house, office or shop made from the unit will be long lasting and not have leakage issues. In addition, it is important to ensure that the container is procured from a trusted seller and has the necessary documentation. This helps to prevent legal issues that may arise from law enforcement when the container unit is fraudulently acquired. Failure to acquire a quality and genuine container can be costly in terms of maintenance costs and legal penalties that may come about.
2. Structural integrity
Another important factor to take into consideration when engaging in shipping container fabrication is the structural integrity. Several 20ft and 40ft containers can be stacked in order to make a bigger house, office complex or shopping mall. However, it is important to ensure that the structure is stable and there is no risk exposure. Containers are made with heavy steel and the beams are designed to carry the weight hence they are stronger on the corners. As such, cutting the container to open spaces should be done with proper engineering checks to ensure that there is no compromise on the overall stability.
3. Heat and sound insulation
Shipping containers are made from steel and can get extremely hot when exposed to direct sunlight making them inhabitable. Heat insulation in this case becomes a critical aspect of the fabrication process. Shipping container insulation is done using different material such as Styrofoam and polyethylene as well as gypsum boards. Most of the shipping container houses in Kenya are build in places that are extremely hot or cold hence the need for proper insulation.
4. Use of right material and expertise
To make the fabrication process a success and come up with a quality product, it is important to use the right material as well as working with the right team. Repairs and maintenance can be costly for any housing unit hence it is important to ensure that quality work is done from the word go. The fabrication process involves welders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, gypsum experts and painters among others depending on the nature of product. It is preferable to working with experts who have prior knowledge on the conversion process which helps to prevent mistakes. To achieve this, it is recommended to work with companies that specialize in shipping container fabrication/ conversion such as Platinum Containers.
5. Legal permits and authorization
Fabricated shipping container units are considered temporary structure hence they don’t need design approvals and authorization as with permanent structures. This makes the construction process easier and less costly. However, it is important to check with necessary authorities on any requirements before setting up the structure as this may vary from one jurisdiction to another.
