Shipping Containers as habitable space / guidelines in LA city

Shipping Containers as habitable space / guidelines in LA city

Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 17 posts · 9 votes

Hello everyone!

We just bought a C2 property on York Road in Highland Park. It's zoned commercial but we got a renovation loan that requires us to convert it back into a residence. (It had previously been a home converted into a business) After we live there for a year, we intend to switch it back to commercial. My question is regarding rules and regulations for dropping a shipping container in the back lot to create more habitable space. For now, an office and workshop. I have been researching tiny homes as ADUs, etc, and think the shipping container designs are really cool. See attached pics! 

Anyway, just wondering if anyone knows rules about this. Does it require permits and inspections even if it's not living space? And is it possible to stack 2 high? 

Thanks for your insight everybody! This is the best forum ever.

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Member since 2021 · 9 posts · 3 votes
5y

Storage:

https://www.ladbs.org/docs/def...

As living space:

(to answer one question, can be 2 stories high)

https://www.ladbs.org/docs/def...

If you've never dealt with the City Department of Building and Safety...you're wise to just hire someone to do it. Especially if you're trying to do multiple things- make an ADU and make that ADU out of a shipping container (residential) and doing all that on a commercially zoned property. I've got a headache just thinking about it. Can't imagine what you are going to go through. Good luck.

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  • Member since 2021 · 9 posts · 3 votes
    5y

    Storage:

    https://www.ladbs.org/docs/def...

    As living space:

    (to answer one question, can be 2 stories high)

    https://www.ladbs.org/docs/def...

    If you've never dealt with the City Department of Building and Safety...you're wise to just hire someone to do it. Especially if you're trying to do multiple things- make an ADU and make that ADU out of a shipping container (residential) and doing all that on a commercially zoned property. I've got a headache just thinking about it. Can't imagine what you are going to go through. Good luck.

  • Real Estate Agent · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    I have not done that before but I believe it will be more complicated than one would like.

    For new construction, you need things like fire sprinklers, solar panels, etc.  The storage container is just the shell.

    I would consult a contractor, architect/engineer, or even maybe a permit expeditor. 

  • Member since 2022 · 1 post · 0 votes
    4y

    There are several companies you can find in the internet since california approved sb-9. You still need a local California engineer or architect to calculate the structural load & provide some details. If you want to save probably best to check those approved plans by the la city..

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