Here are the benefits of shipping container homes you probably had no clue about. Keep reading to find out more.
So as you must imagine, this post is a slight deviation from our norm. We typically write about only Tiny houses, but since Container houses are sort of like a sub-niche of Tiny Houses, let’s try something divergent for a change.
What Is a Shipping Container Home?
A shipping container home is a house made from steel recycled shipping containers. These steel containers are the ones used for transporting goods on the ship. They are made to fit on trains, ships, and trucks and are mostly the same in shape and size. Due to their homogeneity in shape and size, they are great for custom home building.
There are two sizes of shipping containers, they are the 20ft x 8ft or 40ft x 8ft, thee 40-foot shipping containers have 320 sq. ft. of living area, compared to the 160 sq. ft. of the 20-foot shipping containers.
You can combine many of these containers to make a multilevel home or use them alone as a standalone home or office. As prospective homeowners look for alternatives to conventional multi-bedroom houses, shipping container homes, along with tiny houses, RVs, and silo homes, are growing in popularity.
Homeowners looking for low maintenance and construction costs opt for shipping container homes. These homes have boxy, rectangular shapes. You just have to arrange the containers nicely, then design the inside. Shipping container homes are cost-effective and a customizable option for a conventional two-bedroom home in the suburbs and a walk-up in New York.
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You may ask why will I choose a container home over a standard home. It is:
- Cheaper
- Customizable
- Faster to build
- Energy efficient
- Long-lasting
- Eco-friendly
Benefits Of Shipping Container Homes
#1. Quick and Easy to Construct
It is very easy to design your shipping container for a comfortable home. First contact a company that sells or rents a shipping container, get it delivered to you and then you can put your ideas to work and get a beautiful home at the end.
If you intend to employ contractors to do the work, they can get it done in less than a month. Though it adds to the costs if you are okay with it, you can go ahead or avoid the costs by employing your DIY skills or buying a prefabricated container home.
#2. Affordability and Cost-effectiveness
One of the benefits of shipping container homes is their affordability and cost-effectiveness. You can buy a shipping container home for as low as $10,000, cheap right? These homes are less expensive, they require fewer building materials and labor to build.
You can decide to make use of your DIY skills to customize your shipping container and reduce costs. You just have to get a used shipping container and convert it to a home unlike building a traditional house, which will demand lots of building materials and labor.
#3. Free Expression of Imagination
With shipping container homes, you have the opportunity to express and actualize the kind of Imagination, and style that you want for your house. There is no obstacle to the expression of your imagination. You can get the exact picture in your mind, in your shipping container home.
#4. Eco-friendly – benefits of shipping container homes
These homes are eco-friendly. So if you are confused about using these homes, just remember that when you do, you are doing good for the environment. Most companies sell both old and new containers, you can get any for your home. If you decide to reuse a shipping container, you are saving the environment and energy too.
#5. Defining your Style – benefits of shipping container homes
Shipping container homes can show a lot of your personal style or taste. It can reflect who you are, and what you like and also be unique. These homes give you the opportunity to get exactly what you have in mind.
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#6. Mobility – benefits of shipping container homes
You can move your shipping container homes anywhere in the world. As long as you make use of the right shipping transportation service to pick up and move your off-grid single container house to the required location.
#7. Modular Homes – benefits of shipping container homes
As said before you can create your style with shipping container homes. You can choose to combine a 20-foot and 40-foot container, to get a larger home with a dining room, living room, extra bedrooms, guesthouse, and a second floor. These homes are easy to change to fit your taste.
#8. They’re Long-lasting
The manufacturers of shipping container homes make use of COR-TEN steel to build shipping containers. This is a self-healing steel that shields the cargo during its transportation across bodies of water. These homes made from this weathering steel can withstand rough weather conditions than traditional houses.
#9. Predictable Cost – benefits of shipping container homes
Here, you can likely predict the costs of shipping container homes. The factory manufacturing cost of shipping container homes is fixed but the site preparation, foundation, delivery, utility connections, and assembly costs may vary.
Steps to take before building a Shipping Container Home
1. Prepare for the Costs
You need to research and make a budget. You can’t start this project being unprepared or with just the idea that it won’t be that costly. You will spend on buying your shipping container home, labor and if you want a larger container, it will cost more. Don’t forget you will be designing your home. Though it may be less expensive, you have to be prepared.
2. Contact your City Planning Department
Traditional houses have building and zoning regulations, your city or county may not have set rules for shipping container homes but to be on the safe side, I’d advise that you contact them and ask for information regarding the regulations that apply to container homes.
3. Plan with Consideration for Natural Light
Shipping Container homes have no access to natural light. So, when planning your home, consider putting skylights or glass doors to make your indoor space look open and bright.
4. Properly Check your Container before Purchase
Before buying, you must check your container properly in case of any leaks, rusting, or dents in the siding which will add to your costs during construction.
Benefits Of Shipping Container Homes: Conclusion
In a nutshell, Shipping container homes are affordable and cost-effective homes. Just like other homes, you need to be informed about the regulations that apply to container homes in your city or county to avoid legal issues. Contact the building and zoning department in your city or county for more information.
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