Short answer
Container houses ship from China by sea in standard containers to your nearest port, then by truck to your site. Expandable units travel folded to about 2200 mm wide, folding units as one folded piece and flat pack units as frame and panels; a 17.5 m truck carries 17 folding units against 9 flat pack units. Every quote we send comes with a container loading plan.
How Each Unit Type Is Packed
How a unit is packed decides how many travel together and how much handling it needs at your end. Expandable units are finished in our factory and folded closed for transport. Folding units fold flat as one piece, so nothing is loose. Flat pack units are broken down into frame and wall panels and rebuilt on site.
| Unit | Shipped as | Packed size | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft expandable | One folded unit | 2200 × 5900 × 2480 mm | about 2,500 kg |
| 30 ft expandable | One folded unit | 2200 × 9000 × 2480 mm | about 4,000 kg |
| 40 ft expandable | One folded unit | 2200 × 11800 × 2480 mm | about 6,000 kg |
| Model 700 | One folded unit | 5900 × 700 × 2480 mm | On your quote |
| Folding | One folded unit | 17 per 17.5 m truck | On your quote |
| Flat pack | Frame and panels | 9 per 17.5 m truck | On your quote |
Our catalogue figures. Expandable units fold to 2150–2320 mm wide depending on the model; the exact figure is on your loading plan.
Containers and Trucks
Sea freight uses standard ISO containers: a 20GP is the standard 20 ft box and a 40HQ is a 40 ft high cube with extra height. Which box your order uses, and how many units go in each, depends on the model and the mix, so we work it out on the loading plan rather than publish one number. The 17.5 m truck figures above are for road transport and show how much tighter folding units pack than flat pack units.
Steps From Enquiry to Your Site
- Send us your site size, the number of units and your nearest port
- Within one working day we reply with a layout drawing, an FOB China quote and a container loading plan
- Approve the drawing and confirm the order
- Production at our base in Shandong or Guangdong; ask for a video factory tour or visit us
- Loading at the factory to the approved loading plan
- Sea freight to your port, booked by your forwarder or quoted by us
- Customs clearance at your port under HS heading 9406
- Truck to site, unloading by crane or forklift, and set-up with our written and video installation guide
Shipping Terms and Freight Cost
Our quotes are FOB China: the price covers the units loaded at the Chinese port, and sea freight is booked from there. What the freight bill depends on, and which charges you pay at your destination under FOB, CIF or DDP, is answered in full on our shipping cost page.
Documents for Customs
Container houses are classed as prefabricated buildings under HS heading 9406. Customs clearance usually needs a commercial invoice, a packing list and the bill of lading, and some countries also ask for a certificate of origin. Your importer or customs broker confirms the full local code, the duty and any extra paperwork before the goods arrive, so ask them early.
Receiving the Units on Site
Have the base ready before the truck arrives. You need a level, firm and drained base, truck access to the site and a crane or forklift to unload. Flat pack units need no hardened foundation. For a 20 ft expandable unit, plan a level area of about 6300 × 5900 mm for the opened house.
- Folding unit: unfold and stand in about 3 minutes
- Expandable unit: open and fix in about 2 hours
- Flat pack unit: about 3 hours with 4 workers
Mixed Shipments for Camps and Dealers
Standard units can be mixed in one order and planned on one loading plan: for example 20 ft and 40 ft expandable homes with folding site offices, toilet and shower units and a guard house. Contractors use this to ship a whole worker camp in one batch; porta cabin dealers use it to stock several sizes at once; small developers ship a set of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom rental units together.
What to Check Before You Order
Three limits are worth checking first. The road to your site must take a long truck and a crane; if it cannot, tell us, because flat pack units travel as smaller frame and panel packs. Your local authority may need permits or local certification for a home, so check before shipping. And the 40 ft expandable unit weighs about 6,000 kg, so the lifting equipment at your end must be sized for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you ship a container house to my country?
We ship by sea in containers to your nearest port. Tell us the port and the site location; we send the FOB China quote and loading plan within one working day and can quote the sea freight too.
Do I need my own freight forwarder?
Not necessarily. Under FOB China you or your forwarder book the sea freight, but we can quote it for you. Either way, your forwarder works from our loading plan, so the container count is clear from the start.
Can different unit types ship together?
Yes. Standard units can be mixed in one order: expandable, folding and flat pack units, plus toilet, shower and guard house units, are planned together on one loading plan.
How do I unload the units?
With a crane or forklift sized for the heaviest unit; a 40 ft expandable unit weighs about 6,000 kg. Folding units then stand in about 3 minutes each.
Why Buyers Choose Cabinrise
We are a container house manufacturer with production bases in Shandong and Guangdong, China. Expandable, folding and flat pack houses, offices, guard houses and toilet units all come from our factories - so a whole camp, office block or home can be one order, drawn on one layout and shipped to your port. Every quote comes with a layout drawing and loading plan, standard sizes can be mixed in one order, and you are welcome to visit the factory or tour it by video first.
- Factory-direct from Shandong and Guangdong
- Layout drawing and loading plan with every quote
- Mixed sizes in one order
- Factory visits and video tours welcome
- Written and video installation guides