Ruakaka, Northland. This 14 m roof was built on the ground and lifted on in one go. Most builds go up with a forklift or telehandler, no crane needed.
Permanent buildings. Without permanent limitations.
Versatile pre-drilled steel roof systems.
- Most can be installed in a day. No crane needed, no welding
- Pre-drilled kitset you can build yourself with an impact driver
- Standard spans from 6 to 14 m, custom beyond that
- Engineered steel frame with PS1 documentation available
Pick a span and see what you get.
Five standard widths, each available 20 ft or 40 ft deep. Join modules end to end for a longer building. The drawing is to scale, with a person for reference.
- Clear span
- 10 m
- Internal height
- 4.4 m
- Overall width, approx.
- 14.9 m
- Under cover, 20 ft / 40 ft
- 61 / 122 m²
Spans beyond 14 m are designed to suit the site, up to around 35 m clear. Height, container stacking and bay layout are worked out with you as part of the quote.
Suits: equipment sheds, machinery storage, contractor yards.
Close it in or leave it open
Add full back walls, front walls, roller door openings, PA doors and infill panels. Start open and enclose it later if the job changes.
Need something else?
Wider spans, extra height, double-stacked containers and multi-bay layouts are designed to suit the site. Tell us what you need.
A 14 m roof, built on the ground and lifted on in one piece.
Ruakaka, Northland. A commercial IronLab building for a heavy equipment hire company.
The steel roof frame was bolted together flat on the slab by one installer with a cordless impact driver, then lifted onto double-stacked 40 ft containers in one go. That was the fastest way on this site. You don't need a crane: the frame can also go up piece by piece.
Twist-locks fix the roof to the containers, so there was no welding on site. With the containers stacked two high the ridge sits at 7.1 m, enough to drive a truck and trailer through.
- 14 m
- clear span between containers
- 7.1 m
- ridge height on a double stack
- 1 installer
- assembled the frame with an impact driver
- PS1
- and NZ Building Code documentation available
Real ones, on real sites.
Different containers, different sites, same system. Tap any photo to see it full size.
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8m x 40ft at a major New Zealand film set location. Colour-matched containers, concrete slab, open one end. -
8m x 20ft with a timber deck between the containers -
6m x 20ft Covered bay in a secure commercial yard -
14m span on double-stacked 40 ft containers
Two containers, one roof, the best seat on the property.
Private build, South Auckland. 8 m x 20 ft, set up to run off grid.
Two 20 ft containers, an 8 m IronLab roof across the pair, and a pine deck in between. Infill panels close it in all round with a full back wall, and each container opens onto the deck through a roller door on its inside face.
One container is becoming a home gym. The other is next in line for a sauna, with windows looking out over the view. Solar and gutters are going on to catch rainwater, so the whole thing runs off grid and looks after itself.
It gets used for sunset drinks, barbecues with friends, a coffee and a book first thing in the morning, and camping out down the back with mates and their kids.
- 8 m
- clear span between the containers
- 2 × 20 ft
- containers, roller doors facing the deck
- Off grid
- solar power and rainwater capture
- Gym
- in one container, sauna in the other, fit-out under way
Most customers put theirs up themselves, in a day.
It arrives as a kitset with every hole already drilled. The bolting is all impact driver work: no welding and no drilling on site. You don't need a crane, but the steel sections are heavy, so you'll want gear to lift them onto the containers.
Build it yourself
The frame goes up section by section and twist-locks into the container corner castings. Tractor forks, a forklift, a telehandler or a Hiab will do the lifting, and a scissor lift makes the work up top easy.
Or have it installed
Rather hand it over? Tell us where the site is and we'll tell you what install options we have in your area.
From bare hardstand to a working building in five steps.
Every part does more than one job. The containers are the footings, the walls and the secure storage. The roof makes the space between them usable.
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Prepare the site
Use an existing concrete pad, gravel yard or compacted hardstand.
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Place the containers
20 ft or 40 ft, one high or two. Storage is usable from this point on.
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Bolt the frame together
Pre-drilled, so the bolting is all impact driver work. Lift the sections with forks, a telehandler or a Hiab. No crane, no welding.
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Fit the roof and walls
Roofing goes on, then any end walls and doors you want.
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Put it to work
Drive in, park up, get on with the job.
What you skip
A conventional shed means excavation, bored piles, reinforcing cages, engineer inspections, concrete trucks, cure time, structural steel, wall framing and cladding before you have usable space. Here the containers already do most of those jobs.
Need more than a shed? Go longer, wider and two containers high.
The same system scales to covered yards, dispatch areas and commercial workshops. Unlike a fixed building, it isn't tied to one site for life.
- 1,000 m² and more under cover
- Double-stacked containers for truck and trailer clearance
- Add bays and containers as the operation grows
- Relocate it later, or sell the roof and containers separately
What people build with it.
Workshops
Covered work bays with tools and gear locked in the containers either side.
Farm storage
Hay, feed, bikes, implements and machinery out of the weather.
Calf rearing and stables
Covered pens and feed areas, with tack and supplies stored alongside.
Trucking and mechanical
Wash, service and repair bays with full-height clearance.
Industrial yards
Processing, packing, firewood and trade yards that need a dry floor.
Site offices and smoko areas
A base for crews on long jobs that moves on when the job does.
Man caves
Vehicles, toys, gym gear and weekend projects under one roof.
Lifestyle builds
A home gym, entertaining space, sauna or a bach-style retreat.
Engineered like a building, because it is one.
This isn't a tarp over two boxes. It's a designed steel structure with the paperwork to match.
Pre-drilled steel frame
Engineered cold-formed steel with every hole already drilled. It bolts together with an impact driver. Nothing to drill or weld on site.
PS1 documentation
Producer statement and NZ Building Code documentation are available for your project.
Twist-lock connections
The roof locks into the container corner castings, the same fittings that hold containers on ships and trucks.
Relocatable
Unlock it, take it down and set it up again somewhere else. The building is an asset you keep.
Extendable
Add modules to go longer, or more bays to go wider, when you need the room.
Made in New Zealand
Designed and manufactured here for New Zealand sites and conditions.
Questions we get asked.
How long does it take to put up?
Most can be installed in a day once the containers are in place and the kitset is on site. Bigger builds, double stacks and closed-in ends take longer. Ask us about current lead times on the kitset when you get your quote.
Can I put it up myself?
Yes, and most customers do. It comes as a pre-drilled kitset that bolts together section by section on top of the containers. If you'd rather have it installed, tell us where the site is and we'll let you know what we can arrange in your area.
Does it have to sit on containers?
No. Containers are the most common base because they give you walls and lock-up storage for free, but the same roof system can be mounted on poles instead. We've already built some that way. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
What tools and machinery do I need?
An impact driver does all the bolting, because every piece is pre-drilled. There's no drilling and no welding. You don't need a crane, but the steel sections are heavy, so you'll need something to lift them onto the containers: tractor forks, a forklift, a telehandler or a Hiab all work. A scissor lift is handy for the work at height.
What does it need to sit on?
An existing concrete pad, a gravel yard or compacted hardstand. Tell us what you have and we'll confirm whether it suits.
Do I need building consent?
It depends on the size, the use and your council. We can supply a PS1 producer statement and drawings to support an application, and we're happy to talk it through before you commit.
Should I go 20 ft or 40 ft deep?
A 20 ft module gives you 6.1 m of depth and a 40 ft gives you 12.2 m. You can join modules end to end to build something longer.
Can I close it in?
Yes. Back walls, front walls, roller door openings, PA doors and infill panels are all available, now or later.
Can it be moved?
Yes. The roof is twist-locked to the containers rather than welded, so it can be unbolted and set up on another site.
What if I need wider than 14 m, or more height?
We design custom spans and heights. Double-stacking the containers lifts the ridge to 7.1 m on a 14 m span, and multi-bay layouts cover 1,000 m² and more.
Tell us the width, the depth and the site. We'll price it.
Most quotes go out the same day once we have the basics.
- The span you're after: 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 m, or something custom
- 20 ft or 40 ft deep, and whether you want to go longer
- Where the site is and what it will be used for
- Whether you'll build it yourself or want it installed
- Any walls, doors or clearance you need
Rather talk it through first?
0800 477 023Form not loading? Call 0800 477 023 or email hello@ironlab.co.nz.