You need a get a permit before building a shipping container home in Los Angeles. The permit is to ensure the container home is standard with fire prevention. To get the permit, you need to submit a clear plan of the container home appropriate authorities for approval. Once the plan is approved, a permit will be issued to you.
The use of shipping containers to build a home where both humans and animals can live is here to stay and many states and cities like Los Angeles are opening up to this development.
Days are gone when people cannot build their dream house out of shipping containers. These days, you can do so as long as you follow the necessary procedures.
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Do You Need a Permit for Container Homes in Los Angeles?
To build a shipping container home in Los Angeles, you have to get a permit from the appropriate authorities. You must draw a clear plan of the kind of container home you wish to build, submit it to the state/local authorities for approval. Once the plan is approved, a permit will be issued to you.
Don’t get this twisted. It is important to note that getting a permit is always very hard. Not that you will not get the permit. You will as long as your building plan conforms with the building code.
However, it usually takes some time before the permit will be issued to you. It is not a day thing. It is not something you can just submit today and have the permit be issued to you immediately or on the same day.
Most times, shipping container home builders can help get the permit for their clients. Moreover, they are in the best position to get the permit for you as they already know what the requirements are. But it must have to be a shipping container home builder located in your area.
For example, if you are in Los Angeles and wish to get a permit for your container dream home, you can request your container home builder which should also be in Los Angeles to get the permit for you. The builders must be in the local with you to know exactly what the requirements are. This is because different areas/municipals have different building codes.
Los Angeles Shipping Container Home Permits
To get your permits approved and issued to you, here are the Los Angeles shipping container home building codes and permits you must follow:
- The shipping containers you wish to use to build a home in Los Angeles must be general-purpose containers conforming to ISO 1496-1 and ISO 6346 issued by the International Organization for Standardization.
- The containers to be used must have an affixed CSC approval placard and must have been surveyed and verified by a licensed Marine surveyor as undamaged and unfit for the home.
- The container must not have been used for other things aside from the home building after the survey. You can also place a copy of the survey and verification forms signed by the surveyor in the container and shall be made available to the in-plant and project inspectors.
- The container home you wish to build a home in Los Angeles should have most CITA logos affixed to it. Logos like; ABS, BV, DNV, DNV GL, and LR. You can also use containers bearing other CITA as long as they are subject to LADBS before approval.
- The shipping container you wish to build your home should be of the same type and from the same manufacturer.
- The containers used in a building shall have been manufactured within twenty-four (24) months of the date LADBS approval of the site-specific building design drawings.
- The container you wish to use must be undamaged and have no previous repairs.
- The containers to use must not have been used for transporting hazardous materials in the past.
- The container must not have been painted with paint container lead and it should be a standard dry cargo container, used by the one-way transportation of dry goods only.
- The plywood to be used for the container home shall meet or exceed performance requirements specified in the Institute of International Container Lessors Performance Standard for New and Unused Structural Container Floor Panels.
- To reduce problems of deterioration, dry rot, or rust, drainage shall be provided to prevent water from ponding beneath buildings. Underfloor ventilation, under-floor clearance, and the treatment of wood members near exposed ground shall be in accordance with Los Angeles Building Code.
- All electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits shall be required.
- Provisions shall be made for grounding the electrical system and equipment for each building and this shall be shown on the drawings.
- A means of access shall be provided to all under-floor utilities such as electrical, mechanical, and plumbing.
- The Container home you wish to build must be installed on permanent foundations in compliance with LABC (Los Angeles Building Code). The distance below the underside of the plywood floor sheathing to the exposed soil shall not be less than 18 inches unless the plywood is pressure treated.
- The container home you wish to build in Los Angeles must comply with the Fire Department regulations when applicable. It should also comply with the California Energy Code, Accessibility regulations of the Los Angeles Building Code, and the Los Angeles Green Code.
However, it is pertinent to note that these permits are usually hard to come by. If you find it difficult to comprehend, then meet a shipping container home builder to do it for you.
The best thing to do is to meet a shipping container home builder. As reiterated earlier, they are in the best place to know all these requirements and have it all done and get the permit for you.
Moreover, most shipping container home builders also sell shipping containers. So, you can also purchase the containers needed from them if they meet the requirements.
Are Shipping Container Home Legal in Los Angeles
Shipping container homes are not known to be illegal in Los Angeles, which means that it is legal to build a shipping container home in any part of Los Angeles. But while building the container home, ensure the construction falls within the building codes and zoning requirements.
Final Verdict
All portions of container buildings shall conform to all requirements of the Los Angeles Building Code (LABC). The building structure, all structural elements, and details shall be analyzed and justified through established engineering principles, following the current LABC requirements.
Days are gone when people cannot build shipping container homes in Los Angeles. The state has however opened up to this new development as long as the container home built is not a death trap for both humans and animals.
