Are you or any of your friends considering the purchase of a shipping container in order to construct a house? If so, you’re in good company as people in recent years have come to realize their value in terms of conservation and durable house construction. There are three main points to consider before buying what will become your container home, and the land where it will be sited: 1) the building and zoning codes in your locality 2) finding a house and home contractor experienced in modification and interior finishing and, 3) knowing the dimensions and condition of the container before you buy it.
Before buying the land and the shipping container, know the zoning regulations of your locality Your local Building and Planning Department should be your first research stop to find out which permits are required for a container house as well as what the overall planning and building process will entail. By familiarizing yourself with the steps involved in advance, you will save time, money, and aggravation during the construction project. Find a contractor experienced in shipping container house modification It is critical to find a good contractor who has verifiable experience in the whole package of modification including the interior finishing work. Preferably, your contractor will be familiar with local planning protocol. It would also behoove you to have an awareness of the basic modification principles so you can communicate effectively with your contractor. For example, since welding is a relatively expensive part of container modifications, it is better to make fewer and smaller cuts in general and on the long walls in particular. Also, remember that shipping containers need to be insulated, framed, plumbed, and wired on the inside. Know your container dimensions and condition Many people mistakenly don’t consider the height of their container before purchase and end up with a seven foot ceiling after the interior insulation is added. There are shipping containers available that have a higher then
standard ceiling height so that after the modifications are complete, you will still have a ceiling of eight feet or more. Another common error people make is to believe the salesperson’s claim that the container is in excellent condition. There are many stories of buyers being stuck with dented, dinged, and damaged shipping containers because they did not inspect the container before buying. Since it isn’t always possible to inspect in person, buy from a reputable company like One-Trip, which sells containers in near perfect condition for only a slightly higher price. In summary, if you do some homework, there will be few surprises before, during, and after converting your shipping container into a home. Be aware of mitigating factors such as the sound effect of wind on containers, and if possible site the container near vegetation to lessen the effects of the prevailing wind. Construction costs are generally higher in very remote locations. Especially in extreme temperature zones, the quality of insulation will affect the level of personal comfort, since containers are poor insulators in and of themselves. Consider light-weight solar panels and/or vegetation on the roof to keep the direct sun off the roof, maintaining strong house construction by bearing in mind that the roofs of containers cannot support heavy weights. Here is a product I’ve been recommending to friends for its breadth of valuable information and resource tips to help in the planning process – click here for product page!