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Have you ever fantasized about buying an idyllic plot of land and building a trendy modular shipping container home?
Well, you’re not alone!
In fact, googling “Modular Shipping Container Home” returns an astounding 11.2 million results!
On top of that, there are hundreds of companies hoping to sell you some version of a shipping container home. Price points vary from tens of thousands to nearly two hundred thousand dollars.
In fact, Container Home Hub, states the average cost of a shipping container home in California is $184,000.
Why is there so much variation in cost and can you believe the hype?
Is it time to buy a shipping container, make it Instagram swoon-worthy, and let the Airbnb bookings flock in?
Not so fast…
For years I’ve been watching the rise of shipping container homes, and as someone who values and enjoys good design, they’re pretty rad.
However, there are some important things to know before you embark on your modular shipping container home. Here’s your definitive guide.
Shipping Container Strength
First, let’s talk about the structural engineering behind a shipping container. Shipping containers are incredibly strong, which seems obvious when you see photos like this of containers stacked six units high.
So, logically, it makes sense that a shipping container would make for a very strong home, right?
Well… kind of.
Shipping containers are actually made of relatively flimsy metal. The strong edges of the container and the corrugation are what allow containers to keep their form, rigidity, and strength.
However, if you cut into a container, to make a door or window for example, you lose that inherent strength. Every opening made for a modular shipping container home must be reinforced. So it’s not quite as plug and play as one would home.
To make matters more confusing for homeowners there are different types of modular shipping containers.
Trust us…they aren’t all created equal!
Legalizing a Shipping Container
To build a legal home, whether it’s made from traditional construction methods or a unique building material like a shipping container you have to comply with the local building code.
What does that mean exactly?
Every jurisdiction will have its own building code and it’s typically updated every 3 years. This code ensures that structures comply with local regulations, energy efficiency requirements, are built well, and are safe to live in.
For a container home to be legal it’s going to need a foundation. Either a poured concrete slab or piers that it can be set on.
The shipping container will also require insulation. Insulation is incredibly important at creating an energy efficient space, think cool in the summer / toasty in the winter, and it’s not just a nice to have.
Insulation is required in every home. In fact, there are even articles on how to insulate shipping containers.
On a shipping container, your best best for adding insulation is a blow in insulation.
This is also why you see the price points online vary so much. The reality is that the vast majority of these units would not be be able to receive a permit nor could anyone legally live or rent your shipping container home.
That’s why that $18,000 sq ft “container home” being sold on Home Depot is really just a fancy-looking shed.
Products like this from reputable companies like Home Depot really do homeowners a disservice. This “Container Home” which even says “ADU” in the title is NOT an ADU.
Unless you go through a permitting process and legalize your unit it’s not going to add value to your property. That could cause you to miss out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in increase in property value!
Shipping Container Homes are Modular, Right?
Part of the appeal of shipping container homes is the ability to mix and match, stack, and build in a totally modular way.
The company is the world’s best 20ft expandable container house supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Do you sense a but coming?
But…
Remember when we talked about the engineering behind shipping containers? They’re engineered to function as vertically stackable containers to ship goods. They have a lip in the front and back of the container that allows the containers to stack and click into place.
If you try to cantilever the shipping containers like this:
You’ll need to undergo some serious modifications and retrofitting to make the unit structurally sound.
If you’ve made it this far and you’re not dissuaded by the idea of a shipping container home, congratulations! We’d encourage you to get in touch to discuss your project idea.
So as a quick recap — Shipping container homes are absolutely trending in the home design space. Believe it or not, Airbnb now has a shipping container category.
After browsing some of the shipping container homes like this one:
or this one:
or this one:
or this gorgeous container home:
I can see why people are so obsessed with the idea of converting a shipping container into a home!
Unfortunately, the typical reasons why people cite containers as a great option for your next home can be debunked.
However, they absolutely can be legalized and they are incredibly cool!
When does a shipping container home work really well? If you are design forward and want to create a truly unique space that’s the talk of the neighborhood a shipping container home could absolutely be for you!
It’s important to embark on this project with a realistic understanding of the timeline and costs. Want help evaluating your project idea? Book an ADU planning call with us!
So, why would you buy a shipping container instead of hiring one? There are a fair few reasons it would make good financial sense. Whether new, used or a specialised container space, there are a variety of containers out there that may suit your needs.
Let’s have a look through just 10 ideas for you to consider buying a shipping container from us!
Has business improved lately? Someone’s got to do well even in the current economic doom mongering we hear on the news every day! Perhaps you’ve developed a new line of face masks that the world wants by the tonne!
In this case it could make sense to buy either an A-grade used container for transporting your goods to their markets or to order a new one from us. Once you own it you can have it painted up in your company’s livery too, advertising your business to the world as it travels on motorways and trains to its destination.
With a six-metre standard shipping container capable of taking all the possessions from a 3-4 bedroomed family home, moving house with a shipping container makes a lot of sense. It’s also quite costly to ship the empty box from Europe back to us here in Brisbane. Many international home movers come to Gateway Container Sales and buy a good quality, used container from us and send their goods to the other side of the world. At the other end they sell it to a company like ourselves, and even with the margins involved, it will often be a lower cost after the sale than hiring it from us and sending it back.
Whether a mobile storage space such as those used on building sites, or a permanent one for your yard at home/club premises, a shipping container can keep your goods and tools secure and out of the weather perfectly happily for many years. The odd lick of paint and rust treatment will keep the container in good condition for a decade or more.
Larger restaurant or grocery store? Buying a reefer container from us could save on the expense and hassle of installing a walk in fridge or freezer on your premises. Reefer containers are efficient to run and can be maintained on site for many years to come.
Shipping containers aren’t just a metal box! Whether the reefer, such as the one above, one with side doors or even one that is designed for aggregates it could pay over the years to own your own specialized container. If you use it periodically over the year then owning it guarantees access to one when one of those times arises.
Shipping containers make perfect accommodation spaces. If you are a construction company then you can shift the site office from site to site as required with no hassle at all. Many shipping container site offices can be made to they sit on the same trucks with the same fittings.
Have you a product that you want to test on different parts of the general public? Perhaps you are a public relations team and want to promote your company to different audiences? Shipping containers can be converted to your specifications and taken from site to site with the bare minimum of hassle. All you need is the permission of the local council and government and off you go from there!
In all the examples above, from showroom or shop to traditional use for shifting cargo around the world, you can hire out your container to other people or businesses when you aren’t using it yourself. Could the shipping container pay for itself in this way? Better than sitting gathering dust in your yard!
Shipping containers can be made into the most amazing things with a bit of imagination. If your folks want to come and stay for a while (perhaps after you’ve had a new baby or as they themselves get older) then it could pay to have a 12 metre container converted into a living room with a bedroom, kitchen and even bathroom in the space. This can be dropped into your garden so you can have them near but not always under your feet!
Over the years, the Gateway Gazette has covered hundreds of architectural uses for shipping containers. Whether for a mansion or for temporary emergency accommodation after a disaster, shipping containers can be converted in ways only limited by you or your architect’s imagination.
Inspired to buy a shipping container from us? Why wait? Contact our sales team today and we’ll happily discuss what we have on offer with you.