Your Guide to Shipping Container Homes (2024)

Your Guide to Shipping Container Homes

Have you been tracking the trend of people moving into shipping container homes? Everyone knows that the housing market is competitive right now so it makes sense that people would look for alternative options.

A shipping container house might not seem appealing to someone who's used to living in ritzy apartments or high-end homes, but if you're thinking about downsizing, you'removing outon your own for the first time, or want to completely design your dream home, it might be the perfect choice.

But how do you make shipping containers into perfect little abodes? What's the point of living in one and how does it compare to a "normal" home? We're here to tell you all about it!

Keep reading to learn everything that you need to know about how shipping containers can become homes.

Can Shipping Container Homes Look Good?

When people think about shipping containers they often think about ugly steel boxes with rust and grime. These can't possibly make nice homes, right?

Shipping container homes are what you make of them. If you want to live in a shiny steel box youcan, but you don't have to. Shipping containers come in all colors of the rainbow (and you can paint them if you choose).

A shipping container is just a box. Your home, at its core, is also a box. You add stairs, windows, fences, and other accessories to your box to make it a home.

Shipping container homes can look modern and fresh. They may even look better than some "real" homes that you've seen in your own neighborhood. Check out someshipping container home inspirationto see how great these homes can look.

You'd never know that these homes were made from shipping containers!

Keep in mind that the better the home looks, the more expensive it will cost to assemble (as with any new home). That said, you can save money. It's cheaper than a comparable "standard" home would be.

How Do Shipping Container Homes Work?

So you might be wondering how you can turn a little shipping container into a fully functional house. Is it large enough? Can you insulate it so you're comfortable during the summer and winter months?

Don't worry about that. Shipping containers come in various sizes. While they're all smaller than real homes (unless you live in a micro-studio), they can combine to build larger homes.

Insulation is tricky but a good contractor is able to add a thin layer of insulation between the "wall" and your interior. Some shipping containers already have insulation because they're good for shipping temperature-sensitive goods.

You need to have land for a shipping container home. The land is more affordable than buying a pre-existing home. You can build the home while you're already on the land or you can move it from the building area to the land when it's done.

Can You Make Your Own Shipping Container Home?

You might look at shipping container homes and think that they're simple enough to turn into DIY projects, but this isn't always the case. Sure, if you want a one-room bungalow for yourself or even a mother-in-law suite, you might be able to make it work. If you want something more substantial, though, you'll need to hire a savvy contractor.

You still have to do some work beforehand. Buy land and make sure that you have all of the required permits for building. You don't want to get in legal trouble later.

Pick the right shipping containerdimensionsfor your needs. You'll likely use multiple containers so make sure that they'll all fit together.

Hire a contractor that has experience with shipping container homes. Give them your ideas and consider assembling amood board.

Make sure that you take care of all of your utilities. Because you're starting from scratch, you need to make sure that you have water, electricity, and everything else that you need for a comfortable home.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Shipping Container Home?

So why bother with a shipping container home? What's the point of living in an alternative home environment when there are perfectly good homes for sale elsewhere?

Here are a few benefits of shipping container homes.

Good for the Environment

Shipping container homes are great for the environment as long as you do it right. If you use shipping containers that have already served their purpose, you're being more sustainable than you would be if you were using brand new materials.

If you're going for asustainable home, make sure that you also use repurposed wood and other building materials when you're assembling accessories for your shipping container house.

Easy to Move

Shipping containers are easy to move by design. While this isn't a traditional "mobile home," it is still movable (within reason). Unless you have a home that's large and ornate you can take it with you when you move to a new location.

This is great for anyone who isn't sure about their forever home yet. If you're worried about putting all of that work in just to move later, don't be.

Easy to Modify

Shipping container homes are modular. You put together severalshipping containers to build a home that's as large as you want it to be. The home can have multiple floors and as many rooms as you need.

Are you adding to the family? Do you want to build a small guest house on your property?

No problem. With a shipping container home your new rooms are just a few weeks away. Can you say the same when you live in a normal house?

Are You Ready to Move Into a Shipping Container Home?

Shipping container homes are unconventional but that doesn't mean that they're bad. If you've been struggling with rising home prices and you're ready to have something of your own, why not try a shipping container home on for size?

When you're moving to your new shipping container home, we want to help! We're College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving and we can help you get all of your things to your new shipping container home with ease.

Contact uswith questions or book now!

What Are Shipping Container Homes? Everything You Need To Know |

A container home is a residence made from one or more shipping containers, also called cargo containers, storage containers, or conex boxes. Typically used for transporting goods, these containers are made of corrugated steel and are designed to be durable, secure, and weather-resistant, making them well-suited for temporary or permanent homes. Shipping containers are available in a variety of sizes, offering flexibility depending on your preferences and lifestyle.

Shipping container homes can be built quickly and often inexpensively, making them a popular choice in areas with high costs of living. Some people choose to build shipping container homes for this reason, while others choose them as a sustainable alternative to traditional homes.

Others are simply attracted to the unique look and feel of the containers! They are often associated with a minimalist and industrial aesthetic but can be designed and decorated to suit a wide range of styles.

6 Steps to Building a Shipping Container Home

What is a shipping container home?

Shipping containers are a functional modular building block for constructing useable living spaces at a modest price.Storage container homes are homes using versatile shipping containers to provide the structural components of the house. Container homes vary from tiny houses using one or two shipping containers to multilevel dwellings with plenty of space for a growing family. Container houses' appeal includes a shorter construction time and a significant cost saving in many projects.

Steps to Start Building Your Container Home

If you think a shipping container home may be ideal for you as a primary residence or a holiday cabin in the mountains, there are some essential planning stages:

1. Choose Your Location

Before you can start your container home build, you need a plot of land. Land costs vary depending on the desirability of the location and the access to amenities.

Points to consider in choosing the location include:
Sufficient access for delivery and positioning of the shipping containers – you need truck access and possibly a crane for larger containers.
Ground quality – a steeply sloping sight will need more work on building a suitable foundation than a flat piece of ground.
Available utilities – some remote areas may mean planning an off-the-grid home because you cannot easily access a power supply.
Before buying your plot of land, check it is possible (in principle) for you to get permission to build on the site.

2. Plan Your Project

Most construction projects work best if you have a plan for the finished project. You may choose to work with an architect, structural engineer, or contractor with experience in container home build or draw up the plans yourself. Because you are working with modules, it is relatively simple to draw up a three-dimensional model of your proposed container home build using cardboard boxes. The advantage of creating a 3-D scale model as part of your planning process is that you can see where the shipping containers need to be modified and where you will connect and weld the blocks together.

At the planning stage, you need to establish:

Project budget with a 20% contingency fund.

Number and type of containers you need for your project.

How each shipping container needs to be modified.

How you are going to build it – DIY or contractors.

Interior and exterior finishes.

Power supply along with wiring and plumbing.

Project timetable and action plan.

3. Get Approval for Your Building Plans

Before you purchase your containers and get started on your project, get all your legal paperwork in place and make sure you know what needs to be inspected and certified at each stage. The best approach is to talk through your plans with a local planning officer as they can give you all the guidance you need.

Building codes cover the details relating to a safe home – structurally sound, fire safety, and other areas that meet relevant local building standards. Container home builders must meet all the applicable building codes for occupancy. Zoning regulations cover where you can build and the type of permitted buildings. Your State may have a category for storage container homes, or it may come under non-traditional structures.

4. Prep Your Site

Before you start your container home build, you need a stable, level foundation that supports your home. The foundation protects you from ground movement – the earth beneath your feet rises, sinks, contracts, and expands. Plus, the ground is not uniform – rocks, clay, sand, and other materials with different properties.

Yourshipping containerhome needs a stable foundation to keep your floors level, protect your structure from moisture and corrosion and evenly distribute weight. The basic types of foundation are:
Concrete piers or blocks at strategic points – minimal ground excavation, DIY friendly, and you can use to level up a sloping site.
Pile foundations – expensive as you hammer in solid steel tubes to reach the bedrock, but the only solution for soft, shifting ground.

You need a professional to install a pile foundation.
Slab foundation -reinforces concrete slab just larger than the footprint of the building. More expensive than the pier foundation and takes more work. It fully supports the building with no voids underneath for potential pests. Potentially increases heat loss and makes it challenging to access utility lines.
Strip foundation – a concrete slab or channel one or two feet wide and four feet deep lies under the container's edges. More affordable alternative to slab foundations with less concrete pouring. It has less earthquake resistance. Better for small to medium-sized builds in stable climates.

It is better to anchor the shipping container to the foundation rather than relying on the container's weight to keep it in place. Intense floods and high winds can move a container with devastating consequences if it is your home. The best foundation depends on your land, budget, and project, but a sound foundation is essential for a successful container home.

5. Lay the Foundations and Buy Your Containers

All buildings need the right foundations, and it makes sense to plan and lay your foundations before your containers arrive on your site. Meanwhile, you can source your shipping containers (read our guide to buying shipping containers) and arrange for modifications – removing panels, cutting the door and window spaces before delivery onto your site. Careful selection of your container for house building can save modification costs and allow you to save money on base containers. For example, a container with a hole in the side will be cheaper than one without – if your building plan includes cutting away that side of the container, then the gap is not an issue for you.

6. Await Delivery and Installation

The final stage before you can get on with your shipping container home project is waiting for delivery. Careful planning means each container installs in the correct position to connect to the other modules. Shipping containers stack and connect along the edges and at the corners. Once the shipping containers are in place and fastened to the foundations and each other, you are ready for your container home build.

How Much is it Going to Cost You?

Unless you buy a prefinished home, any calculation ofshipping container homescost is an estimate covering the following factors:
Cost of land and preparing the site for your container home.
Number of shipping containers and extra costs to modify.
Delivery and off-loading costs.
Cost of employing contractors for some or all the build.
Levels – multiple levels mean building stairs.
Regulation costs including permits, fees, and inspections.
Build quality – materials for finishes, floors, roof, and insulation.
Utilities, wiring, plumbing, and other infrastructure.
Part of the planning process is working out what you can afford within your budget. The total cost of a storage container home depends on your build quality and proposed design.

Consider Purchasing a Shipping Container Home Already Built. There are two types of shipping container homeowners – the enthusiastic designer and builder and the person who wants an affordable home with minimal effort.

A prefabricated home's massive advantages are that you know how much you will spend, get it delivered and ready to use, and meet local building codes. Shipping container homes for sale arrive prepared for occupation. You save time, and you minimize the risk that the costs on your affordable container home build will spiral out of control.

You contribute to the design decisions because you choose the modules, fittings, and finishes to suit your budget and style. You delegate the project management and installation. You provide the site, finance and accept the key to your new shipping container home.

Last Word

Container houses cover the whole range from single container cabins to five-bedroom container homes with a rooftop garden and container pool. You can self-build or commission the work depending on your inclination. Some people choose shipping container homes for affordability, and others because they want to design a spectacular home. You can be on-grid, off-grid, in the heart of a town, or on a mountain top – a shipping container helps you build quickly and to a high standard whatever your housing dreams.

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