Shipping Container Homes

[matt_vtr_15a]

What are peoples thoughts on shipping container homes?

Basically buy second hand containers, fit them out (insulation, doors,windows, reinforce etc. and position them on site)

I'm honestly considering doing it as it is a far cheaper way to have your own property!

And it would be pretty cool to design and project manage your own place!

Basically it would start small (2 containers) which would give an approximate floor area of 320 square foot which is similar to a small apartment! However the cost to create container homes to a luxury standard would only cost £48k maximum (£150 per square foot) plus cost of land etc but that is not a factor to me..

Personally they appeal to me as although they are basic blocks there are a few design options and routes to take to make them suit your needs and make them look how you want.. As well as being very easy to fit-out other containers as and when you can afford them and incorporate them into the property!

I am currently in the process of doing some 3D modelling of one of the options I have drawn up in my spare time, I'll try get it on at some point when it's finished :y:

Here are some examples:-

http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sg-blocks-container-house-1.jpg

http://www.mnn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/node-gallery-display/gal_housenight.jpg

http://leadingleed.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/shipping-container-homes-500x330.jpg

[titchster]

Holy shit, they look awesome!

[Vtrluke]

Personally I wouldn't I repair shipping containers and they do rust so that would be a problem but them pics look good considering its containers

[Nates-VTR]

Seen one of these on teen cribs I think they had 5 containers converted into a 2 story home with solar pannels on the roof and a greenhouse in the back, it looked awesome and very modern but the people who owned it pissed me off, like these green peace fuckers

[matt_vtr_15a]

I've liked them for a while but not particularly looked into them in detail, and was too busy doing my degree to look into it seriously but now's the right time for me!

They look so so much more expensive than they actually are imo, and it would make an awesome batchelor pad...

Yeah the general units are prone to rust, as they would I guess travelling overseas etc. but part of the process of fitting them out would be to treat them with a special paint to prevent rust and increase the insulation values :y:

so there is a way around the general rust issues

[Ryan]

I'd do it, I've always wanted to do something outside of the box... (no pun intended)

I've liked the idea of some of the German/scanadanvian prefabs you get built to your spec and cost. However this also seems cool, for me I'd want a home and a studio with them. Just a shame land prices now are also crazy.

[motocrossjord]

Them pics look fab! Wonder how much they cost though?

Once you take into account how much a GOOD container costs, + land + planning + fitting it out etc IMO i think it would work out fecking expensive.

If i had land, rather build my own fresh build. then fitting everything around a metal container.

[Ryan]

The cost of a container is nothing, fitting them it will cost the same as when fitting out a normal home I'm reality (give or take a small percentage difference).

Just a shame land prices are so shit and also planning permission for a non standard looking home can also be an issue in some areas.

[AzzNoble]

I slept in a container for four nights on exercise during Jan/Feb months and I've never been as cold as that. I would rather sleep outside of it knowing how cold they get! Probably wouldn't have this issue if it was made as a home though.

[MuZiZZle]

ikea sell them, there's a load in gateshead, as stated, unless you can get a plot for a load of modular places the groundworks and land cost will be the killer

[matt_vtr_15a]

Planning shouldn't be a massive problem especially if pushing the sustainable side of things!

I'd just have to write a long and dull d&a statement plus a lot of the strict planning policies have been slackened to promote new construction projects.

Apparently cost of construction of these is around 20% less per square foot than a traditional home!

I like the prefab homes too ryan it might be something that can be incorporated!

Looked at some prices and for 20k (euros) plus shipping to site fully fitted units can be purchased which is basically a 1 bedroom flat.. I'd want two of these ideally plus do some work on the external appearance!

Land is available with outline planning to construct 1 dwelling so that saves a lot of hassle!

As said groundworks and providing services to the site are additional costs but this is something i could save on with friends in the trade!

I hate the ikea units not the look im going for really i'd be after a really sleek design in which people wouldn't believe is made of storage containers!

The units are also insulated and in some cases can provide similar insulation values to a modern home!

Gonna look into this a little more at work today

[baker556]

By the time all the fittings are finished etc i guess it would be close to 100k but then again this price gives you a new home, land, all newly finished, something different and a detached property. So it works out better than buying a 120k terraced house if you could do it for that sort of money.

[wicked-vtr]

Resale value would be shit though surely?

[matt_vtr_15a]

By the time all the fittings are finished etc i guess it would be close to 100k but then again this price gives you a new home, land, all newly finished, something different and a detached property. So it works out better than buying a 120k terraced house if you could do it for that sort of money.

Excluding land (cause that's already covered) I think it would be around 75k all in for something that looks the dogs bollocks including groundworks, fees, service costs and landscaping afterwards etc. (So yeah if it was to include a fairly sizable plot of land i think you'd be bang on the money) :y:

But you get the satisfaction of designing and watching it all come together...

Re-sale I'm honestly not sure, but the piece of land in which it would be built I would never want to let go as no houses do or ever will overlook it as the piece of land is pretty much surrounded by protected forests!

So re-sale doesn't particularly bother me.

That's why this form of construction appeals to me, I can start off something relatively small and build it up over the years.. These do last considerably longer than you would think as well :y:

[mechsman]

I think they're a great idea. My basic idea would be to cast a massive concrete slab 40ft by 40ft + 2x container width, and then plonk 3 containers at the outer edges. Infill the front with glass panels for loads of light and roof the whole thing like a warehouse. When you want to extend, move one of the container side walls 40ft to the left or right and then infill the back and front with another 2 containers.

As said though, land cost is the killer, along with ground works.

[matt_vtr_15a]

Just seen a different ikea home option which looks ok suprisingly!!

Shipped & Built for $86k...

http://dornob.com/flat-pack-ikea-house-built-shipped-for-under-100000/

If I did the work myself and with friends who are in the trade I think something nice could be achieved for under this!

[matt_vtr_15a]

I think they're a great idea. My basic idea would be to cast a massive concrete slab 40ft by 40ft + 2x container width, and then plonk 3 containers at the outer edges. Infill the front with glass panels for loads of light and roof the whole thing like a warehouse. When you want to extend, move one of the container side walls 40ft to the left or right and then infill the back and front with another 2 containers.

As said though, land cost is the killer, along with ground works.
This is similiar to what you're on about, I think it looks a lot better from the inside as it's like a massive open plan apartment..but from the outside not to keen.

http://blog.hgtvremodels.com/2012/04/03/recycled-shipping-container-houses/

[mechsman]

This is similiar to what you're on about, I think it looks a lot better from the inside as it's like a massive open plan apartment..but from the outside not to keen.

http://blog.hgtvremodels.com/2012/04/03/recycled-shipping-container-houses/

Yeah, that's pretty much the idea I had in mind but using 40ft containers rather than 20ft ones, and a longer middle section. They've left the containers visible but it wouldn't take much to put some lightweight cladding on the outer walls to cover them up. The ikea one has shiplap planking type cladding but you could make it look like whatever you wanted. Personnally, I don't mind a slightly industrial/modern look but each to their own.

Shipping containers can be stacked 8 (yes 8) deep with no reinforcement so you could pretty much build a block of flats with them if you wanted. In fact, I've seen a hotel built like that. All the rooms were outfitted off site while the ground works were being done and then shipped in and stacked 5 or 6 deep and 3 wide (iirc) with the stairwells being dropped into place as they went.

[matt_vtr_15a]

heres a company that does everything in the uk and costs around £60k fully fitted, and serviced that's £85 per square foot..

http://www.brightbuild.co.uk/page/films-279

Move in after 3 days...

I'd love to do it myself as a project, instead of employing a company and I think it would be fairly straight forward to do so but it's useful to see what can be achieved and at what cost!

[Mr_X]

Wonder if it would be easy to get a mortgage on one though.

[blackie_2k5]

Why not just build your own home? Costs about 1/3 of the cost of a normall purchase

Eg you can have a 300k home built for about 100k

Most banks will give you an awesome mortgage on them also, and the house will ALWAYS be worth more then the amount you owe.. thus making you still win and them defo win even if you can't afford to pay off your mortgage

[McGuire86]

Could build a gym in one of those, cheaper than renting or buying a place, therefore more money on equipment.

They had a thread about it over on uk-muscle.co.uk where two guys were seriously considering doing it.

[cruze]

theres an office block on the north side goin south of the blackwall tunnel. its red with round windows. looks great

[Brettles1986]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2176087/A-holiday-getaway-London-s-Olympics-cleaners-China-opens-hotel-recycled-shipping-containers.html

[mechsman]

Knew I'd seen this somewhere:

http://inhabitat.com/travelodge-shipping-container-hotel/