Recycling shipping containers have emerged as a housing trend that can save you money and time. You can get many of the same advantages of regular residential housing in your shipping containers, as long as you carefully design and plan your build. These shipping container build tips will help you plan for your new container home.
Create a blueprint
Creating a blueprint of your planned design allows you to estimate how many shipping containers and the size of the containers that you will need. Your blueprint should include the size, layout, and each specific room. This will also help you figure out how and where to connect shipping containers for multiple unit residences. If you are not comfortable creating your own blueprint, you can work with an architect that is familiar with container houses.
Decide where you will purchase shipping containers from
You will also want to decide where you will purchase your shipping containers from. There are many used shipping containers for sale, you just have to locate them. Currently, there are around 17 million shipping containers in the world, with only 6 million of these in use. So approximately 11 million shipping containers are currently unused and could be converted into homes for people. Ask around or request information from your local shipping companies on where you can buy used shipping containers.
Choose a size of shipping container
There are also many different sizes available in shipping containers. If you are going to use multiple used shipping containers in your design, the size is not as important. However, you will want to consider the size of each room and what size of a container you will need. This is why it is so important to lay out the rooms first. If you are looking for a smaller house, something similar to an apartment, you might even be able to get away with just one container. Some of the world?s biggest container ships are almost 1,300 feet long, that is nearly 400 meters or the distance around an Olympic running track, with a maximum width of 180 feet (55 meters).
Renovate to meet your room needs
Used shipping containers can be renovated to include all of the same features of a regular room, including windows, doors, and even designer floors. If you want to add a home office to your shipping container, for example, this is a possibility. In fact, many businesses use shipping containers to create mobile offices or portable office containers. If you are going to do business out of your shipping containers, you might want to choose larger containers, such as the 40 foot shipping containers. It can also be helpful to have separate entrances from the entrance of the house to the entrance of the business.
Maintain and upkeep your container
If you owned a traditional house, you would be responsible for routine maintenance and upkeep. These routine maintenance tasks would ensure that your house lasted as long as possible. These same maintenance care routines are also important for your shipping containers. Fortunately, if shipping containers are taken care of with regular maintenance, they can last for a total of 20 years, according to Container Auction. Many of the routine maintenance tasks are similar to that of a traditional house.
There are many advantages to small house living in used shipping containers. However, if you are going to take the leap into container living, it will require some prior planning and designing. You want to create a detailed blueprint ahead of time, find a good supplier of used shipping containers, and keep up with routine maintenance. If you follow these tips, you are likely to have an affordable housing option that lasts for many years.
