What to Know Before Building a Container Home

Building a shipping container home seems pretty straightforward in theory. There are millions of excess shipping containers lying around in ports around the world, and they are the perfect size for a home. If you want a multi-story or larger square footage home, you stack a few shipping containers on top of one another and, voila, you’ve got a house. Unfortunately, things are never as easy as they seem from the outset. When building a shipping container home, there are several things you need to know to ensure your home is structurally sound, sustainable, and beautiful.

See Before you Buy

You would never purchase a used car without first inspecting it and taking it for a test drive. When purchasing a used shipping container, you will most likely not be able to do a complete walk through. Especially if it is located at a port that is too far to visit. However, you can ask the seller for detailed pictures and a thorough description of the container.

Older shipping containers, especially, might have several dents, rust issues, or other structural problems that come with a lifetime of being tossed around on the high seas. One-trip containers are a little bit more expensive; however, they are almost in great shape. They might be worth the investment if you want to avoid the work and expense of fixing a container that is all dented up.

 

Required permits

Before you invest  in used shipping containers, make sure you check on your local authorities. It’s important to understand ordinances that may impact container home projects, design choices, deed restrictions, and governing bodies. 

Acquire the necessary permits to facilitate the building (for onsite conversions) of your container home. 

 

 

Make Sure You Have a Plan for Insulating

An unfinished steel shipping container will be unbearably hot during the summer and cold in the winter unless you have a good plan for adding needed insulation. 

The most popular insulation methods for shipping container modification are:

• Gypsum
• PUS panels
• EPS panels

 

Find a Complete Contractor

It’s best to find one contractor that can oversee the entire process instead of dealing with placing and modifying your unfinished containers and others for the interior finishing. Since shipping container construction is still a relatively new niche in the building industry, it can be difficult to find contractors with relevant experience. Container Design Africa offers:

• Dry shipping containers
• Design
• Container Modification (including insulation options)
• Logistics

 

Protect Against Harmful Chemicals

If you are purchasing used shipping containers for your home, it is important to understand that they were designed for a lifetime at sea. The wood flooring on most shipping containers includes heavy pesticides to deter rats and rodents from eating through the flooring. Furthermore, the paint on these containers often contains chemicals to protect the containers from saltwater spray from the oceans. 

To avoid harmful chemicals in your shipping container home, you can buy a new chemical-free shipping container or make some adjustments.

 Consider installing your own flooring. Foam insulation on the interior of the shipping container will protect from any off-gassing from harmful chemical paints.

 

Avoid Cutting Your Containers into Pieces

Shipping containers are extremely strong since they are built out of solid steel. The walls can certainly be load-bearing if you want to add a second story or build a separate roof structure.

In the event that you choose to do your own modification it’s important to note that each time you cut a hole into your shipping container for an extra door or window, you are debilitating the container’s structural integrity. You will most likely have to invest in a steel beam reinforcement. 

The more you cut into your container, the more reinforcement it will need, and the higher your budget will rise.

 

Plan Ahead for Plumbing and Electrical 

When designing your shipping container home, make sure you know where the plumbing and electrical lines will enter and leave your home.

 Ask your contractor to cut the holes for plumbing and electrical lines before finishing the interior. Doing this can avoid moving your kitchen cabinets to cut a hole to run that one extra pipe you forgot about.

 

Know the Difference between Containers

Not all shipping containers are the same. While traditional shipping containers are eight-feet tall, high cube containers add an extra foot in height. 

If you plan to insulate your floor or ceiling heavily, you can be left with a house that ends up being strangely “Hobbit.” While high cube containers are usually a bit pricey than regular shipping containers, the extra height can undoubtedly come in handy.

 

Call in the Professionals

With your site thoroughly prepped, you’re now ready to receive your container. However, if you still have some questions around how you can get a spot ready for a container, feel free to give us a call today. At Container Design Africa we are happy to answer any queries you might have.

 

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