Living containers built to your drawing, not picked from a shelf

What "custom" means here

Most offers on the market mean choosing from a catalogue and picking a colour. When we say custom we mean the structure changes: dimensions, partition layout, the number and position of openings, insulation thickness, fire rating, and the electrical and HVAC routing.

The reason is simple. Production happens in one hall. Cutting, bending, welding, blasting, painting and inspection are under one roof in Bánovce nad Bebravou. There is nobody to ask whether a change can be made.

The standard living unit

The base office and living unit is 6058 × 2438 × 2800 mm external. Everything else derives from it: twin-module assemblies, units with a corridor, two-storey assemblies with internal stairs, units with a WC or with a shower.

The structure is a load-bearing steel frame classified to EXC2 under EN 1090-1, welded under EN ISO 3834-2 production qualification. The envelope is a sandwich panel, PIR or mineral wool depending on whether thermal resistance or fire performance leads.

Exact figures for a specific unit, including internal dimensions, weights and floor loading, are published against each product in the catalogue.

Snow load and climate

Units intended to stand outdoors year-round in Central Europe are designed for a roof snow load of 1.6 kN/m². That figure is published in the catalogue against the products that carry it. It is not an estimate.

For mountain sites or multi-level stacking it is reassessed during engineering, because loading and stackability are the same question.

Lead times

This is the first thing buyers ask, so the answer is published and it holds:

• Catalogue unit from stock: 1 to 3 weeks ex works
• Catalogue unit, new build: 6 to 10 weeks
• Custom build: 10 to 16 weeks

A week-by-week breakdown of what happens when, and what stretches it, is in the separate note on lead times.

What drives the price

We do not publish prices, because on a custom build a published price would be untrue. We do publish what makes it up, so you know where the money goes:

• Distance from a catalogue design. A catalogue module has finished drawings and a qualified weld procedure. A new structure needs engineering time.
• Insulation. Thickness and material. PIR and mineral wool differ in both cost and behaviour.
• Fire rating. EI 30 or REI 30 changes the panel build and the detailing.
• Surface treatment. Blasting to Sa 2.5 per ISO 8501 and a two-coat paint system is standard. Hot-dip galvanising of the undercarriage is an addition.
• Quantity. A run of identical units on one production pass costs less per unit than a single build.

Manufacturer, not middleman

Most sellers of living containers in this market are importers. The difference shows the moment something has to be changed or repaired.

Tanax has manufactured since 2000, employs 80 people and has delivered more than 12,000 containers. Quality runs under ISO 9001, environment under ISO 14001, welding under EN ISO 3834-2. Finished geometry is measured on a FARO Arm Prime 10.

Related

• Office and living containers, the full product family
• Office module catalogue, specific units and their dimensions
• Custom fabrication, when the brief matches no family
• Lead times
• Request a quote

FAQ

What is the shortest realistic lead time for a living container? If a catalogue unit in stock fits, 1 to 3 weeks ex works. For a custom build the realistic floor is 10 weeks, because engineering has to happen before steel is cut.

Can dimensions change from the catalogue? Yes. The base is 6058 × 2438 × 2800 mm, but the structure is designed to the brief. Changing a dimension is a drawing change, not an order option, so it shows up in the lead time.

PIR or mineral wool? PIR gives better thermal resistance per millimetre. Mineral wool behaves better in a fire. If EI 30 or REI 30 is required, the build is designed around that.

Do you build multi-storey assemblies? Yes, including two-storey assemblies with internal stairs. Stackability is a structural parameter and is published against catalogue products.

Where is production? Bánovce nad Bebravou, Partizánska 73. Cutting, bending, welding, blasting, painting and inspection are in one hall.