Container Homes – Factory-Direct 20ft & 40ft Builds
- Sizes
- 20ft / 40ft
- Models
- SCH23 / SCH42
- Insulation
- Closed-cell PU foam
- Built to
- NCC 2022
Two models: SCH23 (20ft, 6.0 x 2.4 x 2.99 m, 14.4 m2 floor) and SCH42 (40ft, 12.192 x 2.438 x 2.99 m, ~76.4 m3). New Hi-Cube steel shells on a 50 mm galvanised steel frame, closed-cell polyurethane spray-foam insulation to ceiling, walls, and underfloor, SPC flooring, double-glazed windows and doors with screens. Pre-installed AU-compliant electrical and plumbing. 40ft tare 3,900 kg, MGW 32,500 kg.
Built to Australian building standards: NCC 2022 (habitable building), AS/NZS 3000 (electrical), and AS/NZS 3500 (plumbing). The container shell follows ISO 668 dimensions. The 20ft (SCH23) is cyclone rated. Final siting approval rests with the local council.
New Hi-Cube containers, not used boxes, on a 50 mm galvanised steel frame. Factory-direct fit-out in one production sequence: lining, services, and joinery installed on the line. SCS in-built gutter, lock box, a retained bifold cargo door on the 40ft, and retained forklift pockets so the finished home stays relocatable.
Key Features
What's Included
- Two models: SCH42 (40ft Hi-Cube) and SCH23 (20ft Hi-Cube)
- Closed-cell PU foam insulation to ceiling, walls and underfloor on a 50 mm steel frame
- Galley kitchen with tiled splashback, matte-black tapware and an oven cavity
- Fully tiled bathroom with shower cubicle, dual-flush toilet and awning window
- Bedroom with full wardrobe and a fixed queen base with storage drawers
- Double-glazed windows and doors with screens, LED downlights and ceiling fans
- SPC flooring on a moisture barrier and bamboo-charcoal wall panels
- Pre-installed AU-compliant electrical (AS/NZS 3000) and plumbing (AS/NZS 3500)
- Forklift pockets, lock box and SCS gutter, plus cyclone rating on the 20ft
Specifications
Container Home Specifications
SCS builds container homes in two models, the SCH23 (20ft) and the SCH42 (40ft), both on new Hi-Cube steel containers and a 50 mm galvanised steel frame, insulated with closed-cell polyurethane spray foam and fitted with a full electrical and plumbing service before they leave the factory.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Models | SCH42 (40ft Hi-Cube), SCH23 (20ft Hi-Cube) |
| Base container | New Hi-Cube steel shipping container |
| External dimensions (20ft, L x W x H) | 6.0 x 2.4 x 2.99 m |
| External dimensions (40ft, L x W x H) | 12.192 x 2.438 x 2.99 m |
| Internal dimensions (40ft, L x W x H) | 12.032 x 2.352 x 2.698 m |
| Door opening (40ft, W x H) | 2.340 x 2.585 m |
| Floor area (20ft) | 14.4 m2 |
| Internal volume (40ft) | ~76.4 m3 |
| Tare weight (40ft) | 3,900 kg |
| Maximum gross weight (40ft) | 32,500 kg |
| Wall and ceiling frame | 50 mm galvanised steel |
| Insulation | Closed-cell polyurethane spray foam (ceiling, walls, underfloor) |
| Wall lining | Cement fibre board and bamboo-charcoal panels |
| Flooring | SPC flooring with moisture-barrier underlay |
| Windows and doors | Double-glazed, with screens |
| Lighting and climate | LED downlights, ceiling fans with dimmers |
| Electrical | Pre-installed AU-compliant wiring to AS/NZS 3000 |
| Plumbing | Pre-installed AU-compliant kitchen and bathroom to AS/NZS 3500 |
| Rating (20ft) | Cyclone rated |
| Handling | Forklift pockets retained for relocation |
| Compliance | NCC 2022, AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3500 |
Overview
What Is a Container Home?
A container home is a steel dwelling built from a shipping container shell and fitted out as living space. Most people searching for shipping container homes want a complete unit: bedroom, kitchen or kitchenette, and bathroom, ready to connect on site. The base is a new Hi-Cube container, roughly 300 mm taller inside than a standard box. A container house arrives finished: insulation, lining, windows, doors, electrical, and plumbing are installed at the factory, and the unit ships as one piece. The shell keeps its forklift pockets and stays relocatable.
Sizes
20ft and 40ft Sizes
The 20ft container home, the SCH23, suits one person or a couple: 6.0 by 2.4 metres and 14.4 m2 of floor, holding a bedroom, galley kitchen, and fully tiled bathroom, cyclone rated. The 40ft container home, the SCH42, doubles the living space across a 12.192 metre footprint, splitting into a separate bedroom, living room, kitchen, and combined laundry and bathroom. A 20ft studio layout and custom homes are engineered to your drawings. Pick the 20ft for a single block or backyard, the 40ft where the brief calls for defined rooms.
Build
Insulation and Build
Every unit is built as a modular container home on a 50 mm galvanised steel frame, from a new container rather than a used box. Closed-cell polyurethane foam seals and insulates the shell in one step, behind cement fibre board and bamboo-charcoal wall panels, and holds temperature better than batts in a steel structure. The factory installs the full fit-out: galley kitchen, fully tiled bathroom, wardrobe and queen base, double-glazed windows with screens, LED downlights, and ceiling fans. SCS Global builds at its own factory in Yixing, Jiangsu, China.
Compliance
Australian Compliance and Approval
Container homes used as dwellings in Australia are built to the National Construction Code (NCC 2022), with electrical work to AS/NZS 3000 and plumbing to AS/NZS 3500. SCS wires and plumbs every unit to those standards at the factory. Final siting approval rests with your local council: a container home in Australia still needs the same development or building approval as any relocatable dwelling, and the requirements vary by state and land zoning. The container shell itself follows ISO 668 dimensions, which is why the unit transports under standard container handling and road permits. The maritime classification marks you see on freight containers cover shipping, not habitable buildings, so they don't apply to a home. What matters for container homes in Australia is the building, electrical, and plumbing compliance.
ISO 
Bureau Veritas 
DNV 
Lloyd's Register 
BIC 
ABS Standards & References
Standards we build to
Container homes used as dwellings are built against the standards below. Click through to the source authority for the full text and current revision.
Downloads
Specifications and floor plans
Spec sheet and floor plans for the SCH23 (20ft) and SCH42 (40ft) container homes, on request.
Related Products
The SCS relocatable-build range
Container homes are part of the SCS relocatable-build range. All are built factory-direct and shipped to site.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Three questions buyers ask most often about container homes.
Are container homes legal in Australia?
Yes. They are legal as dwellings in Australia when they meet the National Construction Code and carry the required council or building approval for the site. SCS builds to NCC 2022, AS/NZS 3000 electrical, and AS/NZS 3500 plumbing. The approval itself is granted locally, so check zoning and development rules with your council before siting.
How much does a container home cost?
Cost depends on size, fit-out, and delivery distance. A 20ft compact unit and a fully fitted 40ft sit at different price points, and custom layouts move the figure again. SCS sells factory-direct, which takes reseller margin out of the unit. We quote against your size, configuration, and delivery location rather than publishing a fixed number.
What is the difference between a 20ft and 40ft container home?
The 20ft container home (SCH23) is a compact 14.4 m2 unit with a bedroom, galley kitchen, and bathroom, suited to one or two people, and it is cyclone rated. The 40ft container home (SCH42) roughly doubles the space and adds a separate living room, kitchen, and laundry. Choose the 20ft for a single block or backyard, and the 40ft for family or long-stay use.