Need some advice on how to move a shipping container on my land. Building a shipping container home

Im building a shipping container home on 2 acres of property that I just got. Im going to be doing an entire permaculture / off grid design.

Im at the stage where I am about to have the shipping containers delivered. The spot that I want them is far back in the woods and I have cut out a path only wide enough for the shipping container to fit. I dont want to cut out any more that I need to.

My question is this. I have a Jeep that can haul 6,500 pounds and the shipping container weighs 8,600 pounds. What I was going to do was to lay thick steel pipes long ways and use them almost like train tracks. The shipping container will just slide over the pipes. When 2 pipes meet I will just overlap the pipe ends by a few feet and maybe tie them together or use a spike to hold them in place.

I could lay pipes down width wise and roll the shipping container over them, the only issue with that is the pipes would have to stick out past the sides of the shipping container. The way most of the containers that I have seen are built have groves on the bottom, thats why I would need to have the pipes sticking out further than the container. If I go that way Im afraid I would need to cut stuff out and I just really dont want to do that.

Would anyone have any other ideas on how I could move this with my jeep or maybe with a pulley system or maybe theres an idea that I havent even considered yet, thats why Im coming to you guys!

I really appreciate all of your help!

get a flat bed rent or borrow. A trailer that will fit under the container and dont worry about towing with your jeep a short distance wont hurt it. If you can take the container apart that might be the best way to do it. If your path is straight enough they might be able to back the container in for you. most of the way. Attaching wheels to the container i think would be easier than rolling it on pipes.

You might slide it along pipes. It might (probably) will try to roll/slide sideways if not perfectly level. Using logs or fence posts or pipes as rollers work. Put the jeep in low range if you have it.

Everyone around here just drags them with tractors. Chain to the 3 point to lift the front of the container and load down the wheels of the tractor for traction and then pull. Got a neighbor with a tractor? or a reason to rent one for a weekend?

If you decide to skid it on the pipes, grease the pipes along the way. That will cut the friction in half!

I appreciate everyones help! We ended up spending Friday and Saturday to widen the turns in the drive. We only had to take out a foot or so on each side but were doing it all by hand so it's was a big job!

The shipping container is being delivered on Monday. They should be able to drop it within 100 feet of where I ultimately want it. Once it's there I will figure out if I can roll it on steep pipes or if making railes will be easier. That was a great idea btw to grease the pipes up! I'll just put something down to keep the grease from gettin in the dirt.

I saw a bobcat rental place not too far from me, I also considered going in there and seeing if it could just drag it across the dirt. That would take quite some force so I'm not sure if it could be done that way. And I don't know how expensive one is to rent, I'm trying to save money any way I can!

I will let everyone know how it goes on Monday. Keep the ideas comming in too

If you are concerned about getting grease in your soil, use lard or tallow.

Thats an even better idea!! Thanks John for suggesting that! This will be much easier than having to deal with grease!

what kind of delivery/unload is the container from the truck? Does it just 'roll off the tail gate'? The thing is... while the delivery guy has wheels under it, I'm sure he can drive it wherever you would normally 'push or pull' the thing. Truck drivers can work alittle at it, and get the trailer in some really hairy places, sometimes all ya gotta do is offer a little cash incentive, if the driver can do it, he will tell ya up front. Skidding a 8000# box with a jeep is creating another job, you have already considered a tractor rental...typically over $100/day, where as the delivery truck is set-up for moving such weight, your jeep isn't. If nothing else, pull the unloaded truck out of the woods with the jeep. Hope it works out for ya.

james beam

Any word on how this turned out? I'm curious. Almost every rolloff driver I have worked with has been quite good at getting the container as close to where the customer wants it as possible.
As long as it's specified whether the doors face the cab or not, everything usually turns out fine... Even in tight situations...

I'm glad you wanted an update, thank you for that!

It got delivered, they actually ended up getting it to where I wanted it so we wont have to move it!! The only issue that happened was he knocked over 2 cedar trees!! They bent completely over but the trunk didn't snap off. We were able to stand the trees back up and prop them up with some wood, so far the branches that broke are starting to die but the rest of the tree still looks alive so I'm really really really hoping that they will live. They are both around 10 to 12 feet tall.

If anyone knows of a way that I can save these trees let me know, I am soo upset that they were hit!!

I wish I had some tree advice, but unfortunately containers are my business. However, this community seems to be quite helpful and knowledgable from what I've seen so far,
So I'm sure someone will have the answer.

About the delivery... Did it end up being a roll-off? Or did you have to pick it off of a flatbed with another piece of machinery?

Yeah I figured this wasn't the right thread to ask about saving the trees lol. But thanks for your help with it!

They rolled it off the back of the truck, we got some 6x6 beams to set the container on. We were trying to have him set the container on top of them but the front popped out before the back was down so we are just going to dig a hole under the front and put a jack down there and jack it up enough to put the beam under it. Is there any easier way of jacking it up? I would assume tha digging a hole would be the easiest choice.

I really appreciate your help!!