Living in a Box

The dream home is changing. Gone are the pie-in-the-sky options of a mansion on a hill. Those are still being dreamt of and built, but let’s face it, not many of us will ever afford that quintessential house on the hill. More and more, however, people are finding creative ways to get their ideal homes. In recent years, with a new interest in repurposing and being mindful of the environment, shipping containers are being used in a variety of ways to build small and large homes. More people are considering using them as a unique and relatively inexpensive way to customize their home.

A brief history of shipping containers

For many of us, we don’t think much about shipping containers, but before the 1950s, the transportation and delivery of goods was laborious and slow. Malcom McLean saw an opportunity to change that and is credited with the concept of the shipping container. His containers could transport goods by sea and be immediately loaded onto trains, thus reducing the time it took to deliver cargo.

Two decades later, people were already devising of ways to use them for other reasons. In 1987, Phillip Clark was the first to file a patent to use shipping containers as building material, but other builders and architects had already had similar ideas. The first recorded structure built from a shipping container was in 1998 in South Africa, called Simon’s Town High School Hostel. It’s a huge structure built to house 200 students, and it’s still standing, proving the longevity of the containers as building material. In 2006, the popularity of this new building material was showcased by architect Peter DeMaria for a home in Redondo Beach, California. The home, as many others, is a hybrid of traditional construction with the stacked containers attached. The house stands white and glorious and is comparable to any modern luxury home. Its sleek modernity hides the obviousness of the containers.

In the past decade, however, the use of shipping containers has increased in part because of an ongoing surplus of containers available in the U.S. It is estimated at 90 percent of our goods are delivered from overseas via cargo shipping containers. Because the U.S. imports more than it exports, the containers have become abundant in supply. That surplus has made it an affordable building material. Its frugality combined with a cultural drift to repurposing items and being mindful of waste – whether it be wasted space or building refuse – has made shipping containers an alternative home affordable to many.

Tom Woods, author of the blog, “Container Home Plans,” thinks the recent interest in container homes is possibly out of environmental and financial reasons. “I think there are many reasons why people are opting (for) this type of home, including both financial and sustainable. But fundamentally, I see it as a movement by people who are both environmentally conscious but also seeking financial independence through more affordable building materials,” he said.

Designing the container home

Building a home out of shipping containers is considered a strong and quick way to construct a home. Costs, of course, will vary depending on the number of containers used and their arrangement, but a home could cost less than $100,000.

These steel boxes generally come in two standard sizes: They are either 20 feet or 40 feet long 8 feet wide and 8-feet 6-inches high. There are two routes for future homeowners: purchase your own containers and hire contractors or hire a company that specializes in these homes.

You can purchase a container from a dealer. Prices range between $2,100 and $5,800, and you can purchase them new or used. When hiring contractors, they should be familiar with shipping containers and know that you’ll have to comply with local regulations and permits.

Although deemed a faster and more cost-effective, it doesn’t mean it’s meant for everyone. Placing a container on top of a newly poured concrete foundation can conceivably happen in one day. However, building a home is still a full-time project even if you hire professionals, and there are always details that will arise during construction.

You’ll still need to budget. It’s advised to have a working budget plus an emergency one as there are always unforeseen costs with any building project. Next, location is probably one of the bigger factors to consider. A shipping container makes it easier to build a home in almost any location, however, you still need to consider the feasibility of building with the containers. Also, are they acceptable where you want to live? Will you live on or off the grid? Consider these points too as you search for property. You’ll also need to consider your blueprint and stick to it. Changing your mind about room dimensions after construction begins will cost you.

There are several concerns particular to shipping container homeowners. One of the primary concerns, if not purchasing a new, unused container, is what did it transport? You can inspect your containers by checking for corrosion, holes and bad odors. These could be indicators of previous chemical loads. There’s also been some concern about the chemicals used to treat the flooring for the containers to withstand shipping overseas. Homeowners can remove the floor boards, tile over them or use a sealer to prevent contamination. The decision may ultimately depend on your budget too.

Shipping containers are strong and built to withstand harsh weather. However, if your property is on a high location, you should consider building in noise reduction capabilities to damper the sounds of the wind. Insulation and proper ventilation are other factors to include in your design. You must avoid anything that will trap moisture as condensation will create mold inside the containers.

Using shipping containers as an alternative building source will certainly allow you to create a novel home from the rest in your surrounding area. Do your proper research online and with the experts to gain ideas about what to do and not. Being innovative with building materials and design is a sign of the times, making a custom home accessible to more prospective homeowners.

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