diff --git a/app/build_containers.py b/app/build_containers.py
index 5b85f5bf..3a47a6da 100644
--- a/app/build_containers.py
+++ b/app/build_containers.py
@@ -36,13 +36,16 @@ from .util import include_exclude_check, get_parsed_stack_config
 @click.command()
 @click.option('--include', help="only build these containers")
 @click.option('--exclude', help="don\'t build these containers")
+@click.option("--force-rebuild", is_flag=True, default=False, help="Override dependency checking -- always rebuild")
+@click.option("--extra-build-args", help="Supply extra arguments to build")
 @click.pass_context
-def command(ctx, include, exclude):
+def command(ctx, include, exclude, force_rebuild, extra_build_args):
     '''build the set of containers required for a complete stack'''
 
     quiet = ctx.obj.quiet
     verbose = ctx.obj.verbose
     dry_run = ctx.obj.dry_run
+    debug = ctx.obj.debug
     local_stack = ctx.obj.local_stack
     stack = ctx.obj.stack
     continue_on_error = ctx.obj.continue_on_error
@@ -84,10 +87,14 @@ def command(ctx, include, exclude):
         "CERC_NPM_URL": "http://gitea.local:3000/api/packages/cerc-io/npm/",
         "CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN": config("CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN", default="<token-not-supplied>"),
         "CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR": dev_root_path,
+        "CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR": container_build_dir,
         "CERC_HOST_UID": f"{os.getuid()}",
         "CERC_HOST_GID": f"{os.getgid()}",
         "DOCKER_BUILDKIT": "0"
     }
+    container_build_env.update({"CERC_SCRIPT_DEBUG": "true"} if debug else {})
+    container_build_env.update({"CERC_FORCE_REBUILD": "true"} if force_rebuild else {})
+    container_build_env.update({"CERC_CONTAINER_EXTRA_BUILD_ARGS": extra_build_args} if extra_build_args else {})
 
     def process_container(container):
         if not quiet:
diff --git a/app/build_npms.py b/app/build_npms.py
index 3750c4bd..d56b2774 100644
--- a/app/build_npms.py
+++ b/app/build_npms.py
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@ builder_js_image_name = "cerc/builder-js:local"
 @click.command()
 @click.option('--include', help="only build these packages")
 @click.option('--exclude', help="don\'t build these packages")
+@click.option("--force-rebuild", is_flag=True, default=False, help="Override existing target package version check -- force rebuild")
+@click.option("--extra-build-args", help="Supply extra arguments to build")
 @click.pass_context
-def command(ctx, include, exclude):
+def command(ctx, include, exclude, force_rebuild, extra_build_args):
     '''build the set of npm packages required for a complete stack'''
 
     quiet = ctx.obj.quiet
@@ -123,6 +125,8 @@ def command(ctx, include, exclude):
                     "LACONIC_HOSTED_CONFIG_FILE": "config-hosted.yml" # Convention used by our web app packages
                     }
             envs.update({"CERC_SCRIPT_DEBUG": "true"} if debug else {})
+            envs.update({"CERC_FORCE_REBUILD": "true"} if force_rebuild else {})
+            envs.update({"CERC_CONTAINER_EXTRA_BUILD_ARGS": extra_build_args} if extra_build_args else {})
             try:
                 docker.run(builder_js_image_name,
                            remove=True,
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/build-base.sh b/app/data/container-build/build-base.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..61705b79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/data/container-build/build-base.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# source'ed into container build scripts to do generic command setup
+if [[ -n "$CERC_SCRIPT_DEBUG" ]]; then
+    set -x
+    echo "Build environment variables:"
+    env
+fi
+build_command_args=""
+if [[ ${CERC_FORCE_REBUILD} == "true" ]]; then
+    build_command_args="${build_command_args} --no-cache"
+fi
+if [[ -n "$CERC_CONTAINER_EXTRA_BUILD_ARGS" ]]; then
+    build_command_args="${build_command_args} ${CERC_CONTAINER_EXTRA_BUILD_ARGS}"
+fi
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner-task-executor/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner-task-executor/build.sh
index 2bfb3bf9..53bfd23b 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner-task-executor/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner-task-executor/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build a local version of the task executor for act-runner
-docker build -t cerc/act-runner-task-executor:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/hosting/gitea/Dockerfile.task-executor ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/hosting
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/act-runner-task-executor:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/hosting/gitea/Dockerfile.task-executor ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/hosting
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner/build.sh
index 2fdb3f2e..89a6e74f 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-act-runner/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
 # Build a local version of the act-runner image
-docker build -t cerc/act-runner:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/act_runner/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/act_runner
+# TODO: enhance the default build code path to cope with this container (repo has an _ which needs to be converted to - in the image tag)
+docker build -t cerc/act-runner:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/act_runner/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/act_runner
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-builder-js/build-npm-package.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-builder-js/build-npm-package.sh
index 668e0bec..db27955c 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-builder-js/build-npm-package.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-builder-js/build-npm-package.sh
@@ -25,12 +25,21 @@ local_npm_registry_url=$1
 npm config set @cerc-io:registry ${local_npm_registry_url}
 npm config set @lirewine:registry ${local_npm_registry_url}
 npm config set @muknsys:registry ${local_npm_registry_url}
-npm config set -- ${local_npm_registry_url}:_authToken ${CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN}
+# Workaround bug in npm unpublish where it needs the url to be of the form //<foo> and not http://<foo>
+local_npm_registry_url_fixed=$( echo ${local_npm_registry_url} | sed -e 's/^http[s]\{0,1\}://')
+npm config set -- ${local_npm_registry_url_fixed}:_authToken ${CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN}
 # First check if the version of this package we're trying to build already exists in the registry
 package_exists=$( yarn info --json ${package_name}@${package_publish_version} 2>/dev/null | jq -r .data.dist.tarball )
 if [[ ! -z "$package_exists" && "$package_exists" != "null" ]]; then
-    echo "${package_publish_version} of ${package_name} already exists in the registry, skipping build"
-    exit 0
+    echo "${package_publish_version} of ${package_name} already exists in the registry"
+    if [[ ${CERC_FORCE_REBUILD} == "true" ]]; then
+        # Attempt to unpublish the existing package
+        echo "NOTE: unpublishing existing package version since force rebuild is enabled"
+        npm unpublish --force ${package_name}@${package_publish_version}
+    else
+        echo "skipping build since target version already exists"
+        exit 0
+    fi
 fi
 echo "Build and publish ${package_name} version ${package_publish_version}"
 yarn install
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-probe/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-probe/build.sh
index 4f211307..c90e0627 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-probe/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-probe/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/eth-probe
-docker build -t cerc/eth-probe:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-probe
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/eth-probe:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-probe
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-fill-service/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-fill-service/build.sh
index 2a73352f..03896052 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-fill-service/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-fill-service/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/eth-statediff-fill-service
-docker build -t cerc/eth-statediff-fill-service:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-statediff-fill-service
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/eth-statediff-fill-service:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-statediff-fill-service
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-service/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-service/build.sh
index 6091e8ec..07c2d2ef 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-service/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-eth-statediff-service/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/eth-statediff-service
-docker build -t cerc/eth-statediff-service:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-statediff-service
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/eth-statediff-service:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/eth-statediff-service
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-geth/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-geth/build.sh
index b06044c7..a00a3f17 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-geth/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-geth/build.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/fixturenet-eth-geth
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/fixturenet-eth-geth:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile $SCRIPT_DIR
+docker build -t cerc/fixturenet-eth-geth:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} $SCRIPT_DIR
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-lighthouse/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-lighthouse/build.sh
index bc48fde0..e7e06039 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-lighthouse/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-fixturenet-eth-lighthouse/build.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/fixturenet-eth-lighthouse
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/fixturenet-eth-lighthouse:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile $SCRIPT_DIR
+docker build -t cerc/fixturenet-eth-lighthouse:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} $SCRIPT_DIR
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-foundry/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-foundry/build.sh
index c765f03d..f80276eb 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-foundry/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-foundry/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build a local version of the foundry-rs/foundry image
-docker build -t cerc/foundry:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/foundry/Dockerfile-debian ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/foundry
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/foundry:local -f ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/foundry/Dockerfile-debian ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/foundry
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum-foundry/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum-foundry/build.sh
index d4fd2deb..41781112 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum-foundry/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum-foundry/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/go-ethereum-foundry
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/go-ethereum-foundry:local --build-arg GENESIS_FILE_PATH=genesis-automine.json ${SCRIPT_DIR}
+docker build -t cerc/go-ethereum-foundry:local --build-arg GENESIS_FILE_PATH=genesis-automine.json ${build_command_args} ${SCRIPT_DIR}
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum/build.sh
index 0ab91354..171d0079 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-go-ethereum/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/go-ethereum
-docker build -t cerc/go-ethereum:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/go-ethereum
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/go-ethereum:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/go-ethereum
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-db/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-db/build.sh
index c3c620d2..47875ec3 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-db/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-db/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-db
-docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-db:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-beacon-db
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-db:local ${build_command_args} ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-beacon-db
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-indexer/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-indexer/build.sh
index 78a4cd00..d304bf3f 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-indexer/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-beacon-indexer/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-indexer
-docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-indexer:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-beacon-indexer
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-beacon-indexer:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-beacon-indexer
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-db/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-db/build.sh
index ec5a905e..d454f3f8 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-db/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-db/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/ipld-eth-db
-docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-db:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-db
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-db:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-db
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-server/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-server/build.sh
index 7e714294..04c3907e 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-server/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-ipld-eth-server/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/ipld-eth-server
-docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-server:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-server
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/ipld-eth-server:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-server
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-keycloak/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-keycloak/build.sh
index 0e147a9d..be8a7d11 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-keycloak/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-keycloak/build.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 #
 #Build cerc/keycloack
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/keycloak:local ${SCRIPT_DIR}
+docker build -t cerc/keycloak:local ${build_command_args} ${SCRIPT_DIR}
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-console-host/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-console-host/build.sh
index cc84d249..a321b195 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-console-host/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-console-host/build.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/laconic-registry-cli
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/laconic-console-host:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile \
+docker build -t cerc/laconic-console-host:local ${build_command_args} -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile \
   --add-host gitea.local:host-gateway \
   --build-arg CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN --build-arg CERC_NPM_URL ${SCRIPT_DIR}
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-registry-cli/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-registry-cli/build.sh
index ea157dac..a6264f4b 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-registry-cli/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconic-registry-cli/build.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/laconic-registry-cli
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/laconic-registry-cli:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile \
+docker build -t cerc/laconic-registry-cli:local ${build_command_args} -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile \
   --add-host gitea.local:host-gateway \
   --build-arg CERC_NPM_AUTH_TOKEN --build-arg CERC_NPM_URL ${SCRIPT_DIR}
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconicd/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconicd/build.sh
index f5685097..3d897446 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconicd/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-laconicd/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Build cerc/chiba-clonk
-docker build -t cerc/laconicd:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/laconicd
\ No newline at end of file
+# Build cerc/laconicd
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/laconicd:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/laconicd
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-lighthouse/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-lighthouse/build.sh
index 7babdbd1..2e9cfe3c 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-lighthouse/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-lighthouse/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/lighthouse
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/lighthouse:local ${SCRIPT_DIR}
+docker build -t cerc/lighthouse:local ${build_command_args} ${SCRIPT_DIR}
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask-ui/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask-ui/build.sh
index cabd63ff..52687093 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask-ui/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask-ui/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/mobymask-ui
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/mobymask-ui:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/mobymask-ui
+docker build -t cerc/mobymask-ui:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/mobymask-ui
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask/build.sh
index 7628a228..f156846a 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-mobymask/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/mobymask
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/mobymask:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/MobyMask
+docker build -t cerc/mobymask:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/MobyMask
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-contracts/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-contracts/build.sh
index 8b8e0eaa..b1ddd819 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-contracts/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-contracts/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/optimism-contracts
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/optimism-contracts:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
+docker build -t cerc/optimism-contracts:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-l2geth/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-l2geth/build.sh
index 3ffada73..5e125703 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-l2geth/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-l2geth/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/optimism-l2geth
-docker build -t cerc/optimism-l2geth:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/op-geth
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/optimism-l2geth:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/op-geth
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-batcher/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-batcher/build.sh
index 5bc3a238..08b209d0 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-batcher/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-batcher/build.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/optimism-op-batcher
 # TODO: use upstream Dockerfile once its buildx-specific content has been removed
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
-docker build -t cerc/optimism-op-batcher:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
+docker build -t cerc/optimism-op-batcher:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-node/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-node/build.sh
index 0ec7e656..9c33529a 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-node/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-optimism-op-node/build.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/optimism-op-node
 # TODO: use upstream Dockerfile once its buildx-specific content has been removed
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
-docker build -t cerc/optimism-op-node:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
+docker build -t cerc/optimism-op-node:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/optimism
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-react-peer/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-react-peer/build.sh
index a3d328de..48edc4b3 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-react-peer/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-react-peer/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/react-peer
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/react-peer:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/react-peer
+docker build -t cerc/react-peer:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/react-peer
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-container/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-container/build.sh
index 1595645c..ee56576a 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-container/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-container/build.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/test-container
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
-docker build -t cerc/test-container:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile $SCRIPT_DIR
\ No newline at end of file
+docker build -t cerc/test-container:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} $SCRIPT_DIR
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-contract/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-contract/build.sh
index 1b3c925e..9df768fb 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-contract/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-test-contract/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/test-contract
-docker build -t cerc/test-contract:local --build-arg ETH_ADDR=http://go-ethereum:8545 ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-db-validator/test/contract
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/test-contract:local --build-arg ETH_ADDR=http://go-ethereum:8545 ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/ipld-eth-db-validator/test/contract
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-tx-spammer/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-tx-spammer/build.sh
index b6752dd7..ee4494e0 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-tx-spammer/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-tx-spammer/build.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/tx-spammer
-docker build -t cerc/tx-spammer:local ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/tx-spammer
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+docker build -t cerc/tx-spammer:local ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/tx-spammer
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-uniswap-v3-info/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-uniswap-v3-info/build.sh
index bda1bb5e..efbc1c08 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-uniswap-v3-info/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-uniswap-v3-info/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/uniswap-v3-info
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/uniswap-v3-info:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/uniswap-v3-info
+docker build -t cerc/uniswap-v3-info:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/uniswap-v3-info
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc20/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc20/build.sh
index b800b73d..67ac0d24 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc20/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc20/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/watcher-erc20
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/watcher-erc20:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
+docker build -t cerc/watcher-erc20:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc721/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc721/build.sh
index b9c9c0b8..f9c630ac 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc721/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-erc721/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/watcher-erc721
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/watcher-erc721:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
+docker build -t cerc/watcher-erc721:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask-v2/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask-v2/build.sh
index 19e82818..f8b59224 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask-v2/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask-v2/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/watcher-mobymask-v2
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/watcher-mobymask-v2:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
+docker build -t cerc/watcher-mobymask-v2:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask/build.sh
index f965c770..219b864f 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-mobymask/build.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/watcher-mobymask
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/watcher-mobymask:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
+docker build -t cerc/watcher-mobymask:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/watcher-ts
 
 # TODO: add a mechanism to pass two repos into a container rather than the parent directory
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-uniswap-v3/build.sh b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-uniswap-v3/build.sh
index 432feb02..5dc63d50 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-uniswap-v3/build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/cerc-watcher-uniswap-v3/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Build cerc/watcher-uniswap-v3
 
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 # See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/246128/1701505
 SCRIPT_DIR=$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" &> /dev/null && pwd )
 
-docker build -t cerc/watcher-uniswap-v3:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/uniswap-watcher-ts
+docker build -t cerc/watcher-uniswap-v3:local -f ${SCRIPT_DIR}/Dockerfile ${build_command_args} ${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR}/uniswap-watcher-ts
diff --git a/app/data/container-build/default-build.sh b/app/data/container-build/default-build.sh
index c52dd043..6757812b 100755
--- a/app/data/container-build/default-build.sh
+++ b/app/data/container-build/default-build.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Usage: default-build.sh <image-tag> [<repo-relative-path>]
 # if <repo-relative-path> is not supplied, the context is the directory where the Dockerfile lives
-if [[ -n "$CERC_SCRIPT_DEBUG" ]]; then
-    set -x
-fi
+
+source ${CERC_CONTAINER_BASE_DIR}/build-base.sh
+
 if [[ $# -ne 2 ]]; then
     echo "Illegal number of parameters" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 image_tag=$1
 build_dir=$2
-echo "Building ${image_tag} in ${build_dir}"
-docker build -t ${image_tag} --build-arg CERC_HOST_UID=${CERC_HOST_UID} --build-arg CERC_HOST_GID=${CERC_HOST_GID} ${build_dir}
+docker build -t ${image_tag} ${build_command_args} --build-arg CERC_HOST_UID=${CERC_HOST_UID} --build-arg CERC_HOST_GID=${CERC_HOST_GID} ${build_dir}
diff --git a/docs/cli.md b/docs/cli.md
index 70905d87..f7c6205f 100644
--- a/docs/cli.md
+++ b/docs/cli.md
@@ -1,3 +1,48 @@
 # laconic-so
 
 Sub-commands and flags
+
+## build-containers
+
+Build a single container:
+```
+$ laconic-so build-containers --include <container-name>
+```
+e.g.
+```
+$ laconic-so build-containers --include cerc/go-ethereum
+```
+Build the containers for a stack:
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack <stack-name> build-containers
+```
+e.g.
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack fixturenet-eth build-containers
+```
+Force full rebuild of container images:
+```
+$ laconic-so build-containers --include <container-name> --force-rebuild
+```
+## build-npms
+
+Build a single package:
+```
+$ laconic-so build-npms --include <package-name>
+```
+e.g.
+```
+$ laconic-so build-npms --include laconic-sdk
+```
+Build the packages for a stack:
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack <stack-name> build-npms
+```
+e.g.
+```
+$ laconic-so --stack fixturenet-laconicd build-npms
+```
+Force full rebuild of packages:
+```
+$ laconic-so build-npms --include <package-name> --force-rebuild
+```