Modular buildings · Expandable
Expandable Container House: Folded for Shipping, Doubled on Site
A 20 ft expandable container house ships as one 2.2 m wide module and opens to roughly 37 m² of floor on site. That is the whole proposition: pay for one container of freight, get the floor area of two.
What 'expandable' actually means
Three products get confused in this category, and they are not interchangeable. A flat-pack unit ships as panels and is assembled on site. A detachable container ships as a complete box and is unbolted into panels only if you need to move it again. An expandable unit ships as a closed box with one side folded in, and opens hydraulically or by crane to roughly double its width.
The consequence is practical: expandable gives you the most floor area per container of freight, but it needs a crane or hiab on site and a level base that can take the opened footprint.
Typical sizes and loading
Working figures for the two standard models. Final dimensions, weight and loading plan are confirmed on the drawing for the specific model — they move with panel thickness and internal layout.
| Item | 20 ft expandable | 40 ft expandable |
|---|---|---|
| Folded size (L × W × H) | ≈ 5,900 × 2,200 × 2,480 mm | ≈ 11,800 × 2,250 × 2,530 mm |
| Expanded size (L × W × H) | ≈ 5,900 × 6,300 × 2,480 mm | ≈ 11,800 × 6,300 × 2,530 mm |
| Floor area when open | ≈ 37 m² | ≈ 74 m² |
| Sets per 40HQ | 2 sets | 1 set |
| Frame | Galvanised steel, ISO corners | Galvanised steel, ISO corners |
| Wall panel | 50 / 75 / 100 mm sandwich | 50 / 75 / 100 mm sandwich |
| Layout | 1–3 bedrooms, bath, kitchen | 2–4 bedrooms, bath, kitchen |
| Open on site | Crane or hiab, then bolt | Crane or hiab, then bolt |
Sets per 40HQ assumes the folded module only. Interior fittings packed inside the module do not change the count; loose furniture does.
The loading maths that decides the price
Freight is charged per container, so the number that matters is floor area per 40HQ. A 20 ft expandable gives about 74 m² of finished floor from one container (2 sets × 37 m²); a 40 ft gives about 74 m² from one container too (1 set). The 20 ft wins on flexibility — you can ship one set and fill the rest of the container with ceiling systems or fittings.
This is why the mixed load matters. If you are already importing aluminium ceiling for the same project, the expandable modules and the ceiling can travel in the same 40HQ — the calculator on this site works out how much of the container the cartons take before you commit.
What has to be ready before the unit arrives
A level base that fits the opened footprint
The base is sized to the expanded plan, not the folded one — a common and expensive mistake. Concrete strip footings or screw piles both work; the ground has to be level within a few millimetres across the full opened area.
Power and water brought to the right corner
Electrical is pre-wired and plumbing pre-installed inside the module, but the connection point is fixed. Decide where the supply enters before the unit is placed — moving it afterwards means opening a finished wall.
Lifting plan agreed with the site
The folded module is lifted, set down, then opened. Confirm crane or hiab capacity, access width and the swing area before the truck arrives; a unit that cannot be lifted off the truck is a demurrage charge, not a delay.
Where it fits, and where it does not
Expandable units work well for site accommodation, worker camps, temporary offices, remote lodges and rental projects where the site is prepared and a crane can reach it. They are less suitable where the ground is soft, access is narrow, or the unit has to be moved repeatedly — a detachable container is the better answer there.
For anything that needs building approval, the local authority will look at foundation, insulation, electrical certification and egress. Those are project decisions, not catalogue decisions: tell us the country and the intended use, and we will tell you which documents the unit can carry.
Questions buyers ask before the first order
How many expandable container houses fit in a 40HQ?
Two 20 ft sets, or one 40 ft set — on the folded module. Confirm per model: panel thickness and internal layout change the folded envelope slightly.
How long does it take to open one on site?
The lift and open is a short job with the right crane — typically well under an hour for the shell. Connecting power, water and drainage takes longer and depends on the site, not the unit.
Can the layout be changed?
Partition positions, door and window placement, and finish level can be specified. Structural changes to the frame cannot. Send the layout you want and it comes back as a drawing before production.
Is it insulated for cold or hot climates?
Wall and roof panels come in 50, 75 or 100 mm with EPS, rock wool or glass wool core. The right choice follows the climate and whether the unit is for temporary or permanent occupation — say which, and the spec follows.
What documents come with it?
Material certificates and the packing list always. CE and ISO documentation is available on request, and what the unit can carry depends on the destination country's rules — tell us the port and the use, and we confirm in writing what applies.
Send the layout and the site
Price depends on the model, the panel, the layout and the destination port. With those four we come back with a number rather than a range.