Choose the module
Open a ready-made template, or in a blank plan choose the Container tool in the Shell step. 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft HC; horizontal or vertical; one of seven colors.
Container home · Plus
Container home design with 20 ft, 40 ft and HC modules.
Place real-size container modules on the plan, line them up side by side, stack them, and divide the inside like rooms. The same plan is drawn in 3D with corrugated steel, and in sections and elevations at its own height; the structural pre-check looks at corner alignment and the openings in the side walls.
Templates open on every plan · adding new modules is Plus
3modules: 20 ft · 40 ft · HC
7colors
2ready-made templates
1 cmdrawing precision
From 3D to render
The container home's 3D model, as a realistic render.
The frame on the left is the editor's 3D view: the modules, their colors, doors and windows just as you drew them on the plan. Render turns the same frame into a realistic image; the position and stacking of the containers are kept, and materials, light and surroundings are added.
- 3D view: a single floor on Free, all floors stacked on Plus
- AI render on Pro and Ultimate; 2 free exterior renders (with logo) on Free and Plus
- A render is a visual suggestion; the plan prevails for dimensions
3D modelRender
Modules
Container dimensions: 20 ft, 40 ft and 40 ft HC
The three modules in the container tool come with the outer dimensions of standard shipping containers. You place each module horizontally or vertically; its wall is drawn 10 cm thick, and you divide the inside like rooms.
| Module | Outside dimension | Height | External footprint | Ready-made template |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 6.06 × 2.44 m | 2.59 m | ≈ 14.8 m² | Container 20 ft |
| 40 ft | 12.19 × 2.44 m | 2.59 m | ≈ 29.7 m² | Container 40 ft |
| 40 ft HC (high cube) | 12.19 × 2.44 m | 2.90 m | ≈ 29.7 m² | — |
Container tool
Line up, stack and divide container modules
The container tool is in the Shell step, next to the room and wall tools. Choose the module, its orientation and color, then click on the plan; the tool stays open, so you can place modules one after another.
01
Snaps to corners
The point you click becomes the module's top-left outer corner; if another container is nearby, the new module snaps to its outer corner. Side-by-side and end-to-end layouts leave no gaps.
02
Stacks on top
Add a floor and place the module on top of the one below: in 3D, sections and elevations it sits directly on top of it. If the project has only containers, the floor height matches the module's height.
03
Divided like rooms
Draw partition walls inside the module and add interior doors. Drag kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture from the library; draw the electrical and plumbing on the same plan.
04
Doors and windows in the side walls
You place doors and windows by clicking on the container's wall; the opening is cut from the wall and opens up in the corrugated face in 3D. The structural pre-check calculates how much of the side wall is open.
05
Corrugated steel, seven colors
Corner posts and corrugation lines on the plan; corrugated steel faces and chassis in 3D. White, gray, charcoal, red, blue, green or sand. When you choose a roof in 3D, a module with no floor above it shows with its steel top.
06
Start from a ready-made template
The 20 ft and 40 ft container templates open on every plan; you edit the inside and save. Adding new modules, duplicating and stacking are on Plus. Container home plan guide →
How it works
A container home plan in four steps
The order matches the steps in the editor: shell first, then furniture and MEP, and finally checks and output.
Line up and stack
Click on the plan and the module drops into place; snap the next one to its neighbor's corner. For a second floor, add a floor and place the module on top of the one below.
Divide and furnish
Draw partition walls, put doors and windows in the side walls, and place the furniture. In the MEP step, draw sockets, lighting, water supply and drainage lines.
Check and export
Run the structural pre-check, look at it in 3D, and place the section and elevations on a drawing sheet. Export a PNG or a scaled PDF; render and DXF on Pro.
Render · Pro
Your container home inside and out, as an AI render
In an interior render, the camera moves inside the module, at eye level; for the exterior, you look at the building from outside. Room names, furniture and the number of doors and windows are described to the render, and furniture that isn't on the plan is not added. Explore render →
Structural pre-check · Plus
Structural pre-check for stacked containers
The structural pre-check knows that a container carries its load in its own steel frame and transfers it through the corner posts; it doesn't apply the reinforced concrete checks to the modules. Instead, it looks at container-specific points and marks the problem corner on the plan.
- Whether the upper module's corner posts sit on the corners of the one below
- Whether an end overhangs the module below, and by how many centimeters; modules with no support underneath
- A reinforcement warning if more than a quarter of the long side wall is open, an error if more than half is open
- For a module sitting on a reinforced concrete floor, a warning to design the slab and beams for the corner loads
This is a pre-check; for construction, an engineer prepares the structural design. Structural pre-check →
- Section
- Containers at their own height, including stacked modules · Plus
- Elevation
- North, south, east and west elevations; corrugated faces, doors and windows · Plus
- 3D
- Single floor Free · all floors and 3D PNG Plus · interior walkthrough Pro
- Sheet
- Plan, section, elevation and 3D boxes on a sheet with a title block · A4–A3 Free · up to A1 Plus · A0 Pro
- Export
- PNG Free · scaled PDF Plus · DXF Pro · IFC Ultimate
- Project file
- Download as .json, open on another computer
Plans
What does each plan give you for a container home?
The container tool, structural pre-check, sections and elevations are on Plus; render, the interior walkthrough and DXF on Pro; IFC on Ultimate. The full list is on the Pricing page.
| Feature | Free | Plus | Pro | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Containers and plan | ||||
| Opening a ready-made container template and editing the inside | available | available | available | available |
| Container tool: adding, duplicating and stacking modules | no | available | available | available |
| Number of floors (ground + upper floors) | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Electrical and plumbing | no | available | available | available |
| Structural pre-check: corner alignment, overhang, side wall openings | no | available | available | available |
| 3D, section, render | ||||
| 3D view (single floor) | available | available | available | available |
| All floors in 3D, 3D PNG and roof | no | available | available | available |
| Building section and four elevations | no | available | available | available |
| Interior walkthrough | no | no | available | available |
| AI render | 2 free · exterior · with logo | 2 free · exterior · with logo | 20 / month | 50 / month |
| Sheets and output | ||||
| Sheet size | A4–A3 | A4–A1 | A4–A0 | A4–A0 |
| Scaled vector PDF | no | available | available | available |
| DXF (for CAD programs) | no | no | available | available |
| IFC (for BIM software) | no | no | no | available |
FAQ
Container home design: frequently asked questions
Which plan do I need to draw a container home?
The container tool is on Plus and higher plans. The ready-made 20 ft and 40 ft container templates open on every plan; you can edit the inside and save it on Free too. Adding new modules, duplicating a module and stacking modules are on Plus.
What container sizes are available?
The 20 ft module is 6.06 × 2.44 m and 2.59 m high; the 40 ft module is 12.19 × 2.44 m and 2.59 m high; the 40 ft HC (high cube) is 12.19 × 2.44 m and 2.90 m high. These are outer dimensions; each module can be placed horizontally or vertically.
Can I stack containers on top of each other?
Yes. Add a floor and place the module on top of the one below; in 3D, sections and elevations it sits directly on top of it. If the project has only containers, the floor height matches the module's height. The structural pre-check checks whether the upper module's corners sit on the corners of the one below, and looks for overhanging ends.
What does the structural pre-check look at for containers?
It knows that a container carries its load in its own steel frame, and doesn't apply the reinforced concrete checks to the modules. It checks corner alignment, ends overhanging the module below, modules with no support underneath, and the share of openings in the long side wall: if more than a quarter is open, it gives a reinforcement warning; if more than half is open, an error. This is a pre-check; for construction, an engineer prepares the structural design.
Can I get a render of my container home?
AI render gives you 20 renders a month on Pro and 50 on Ultimate. For the exterior, you look at the building from outside; for the interior, the camera moves inside the module. On Free and Plus, verify your email and you get 2 free exterior renders once (with the Nodaform logo). A render is a visual suggestion; the plan prevails for dimensions.
Can this drawing replace permit or construction drawings?
No. Nodaform is a tool for concept visualization and idea development. For a container home too, permit, structural and construction drawings require approval by a licensed architect and engineer; ask your municipality about local rules.
Start
Place the first module of your container home.
Open the 40 ft or 20 ft template and edit the inside. Adding modules, stacking, structural pre-check, sections and elevations are on Plus; render on Pro.
No credit card needed · No install · Paid plans are paid through Paddle