Two 40ft Shipping Container Home

Using two 40ft shipping containers as a home is not everyone’s ideal of home. The thought and structure give mixed vibes to many. However when looked at with open eyes there is a great benefit of using shipping containers as home other than just financial.

There are many benefits to using two 40ft shipping containers as a home. The most beneficial is the recycle and reuse of a structure that is no longer required by the shipping community. Another is the area, 640 sq ft of available room to bring to life your shipping container home. The beauty is the design and style possibilities.

Shipping containers have a varied life stream. They are built strong and sturdy to carry cargo then discarded along the way to sit in container yards waiting on their next assignment. The repurposing of shipping containers to be used as the basis of a home is not new and yet we are still reluctant to pursue this idea. Opting for traditional style homes with a mortgage. Read on…

You may like to read more of our articles here on Container Living

First, they are incredibly durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions, making them ideal for use in areas that experience extreme weather.

Shipping containers are designed to withstand harsh conditions from ocean voyages to climatic tropical storms. The design gives durability with strength in one. Making them ideal for almost any location. Made from Corten Steel which is corrosive resistant to ocean salt and water. A shipping container can last for 50 years or more if looked after.

That is to say the Corten Steel will not rust if it has regular maintenance. Similar to a traditional home where there are always ‘things’ to attend to around the home. Your shipping container home requires a little less maintenance around the home, but still requires some.

Typically roof tops are going to be troublesome with fallen leaves and dirt collecting over time. A traditional home you would be clearing gutters and you might say the same for a shipping container home. The roof top needs to be cleaned be it the flat roof of a container or perhaps you have a gable roof attached to your shipping container. Either way house work is an essential part to maintaining your home.

Second, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to find, making them a great option for those on a budget.

A 40ft shipping container is available for around USA$5k which is the structure for you home in one. Adding a second joined at the side or above is going to give you 640 sq ft of living space. A typical studio bedroom apartment is around 350 to 600 square feet. A two bedroom apartment is around 699 sq ft. Renting said apartment is going to cost between A$300-500 per week dependent on location.

At the least a shipping container needs land to be based. Not something you have in an apartment. Even a small parcel of land can accommodate a 40 ft shipping container comfortably and allow for a surrounding yard. Having two 40 ft shipping containers, one on top the other provides equal living space on a relatively small location of land.

We talk ‘budget’ buy but in reality a shipping container home is more about style and design. The concept is away from traditional home builds. A traditional home has a structure of brick and mortar or timber frame and cladding. A shipping container has a structure of steel frame and metal walling. One is premade, the other requires money and builders, hence a mortgage.

Third, they are highly customizable and can be easily modified to suit individual needs and preferences.

With the framework and structure already created the only additional work is to create doors and windows. Doors and windows can be cut out of the shipping container walls and refitted with glass and door frames and components. Once you have your design, the work can proceed.

Shipping Container Home business’s will do this at their place of work and then transport the container to the site. Foundations will have been laid to place the shipping container on. The design and extras can all be done in the factory or on site. Many have DIY their shipping container home on site. Saving in costs and labor. With a little skill base you can do most of the design and modifications yourself.

The beauty of shipping containers is you can add another at will. A traditional home requires additional work to add a room whereas a shipping container was made to be stackable from origin. Stacking shipping containers is structurally sound. They are designed for that purpose. The strength is within the structure itself.

And if you don’t like the idea of a metal box home, add a gable roof, plants, flowers, and gardens. You can paint the outside, clad the outside, even mural the outside. It is only your imagination that prevents creativeness and style to evolve.

Finally, they are Eco-friendly and can be recycled and reused, reducing the environmental impact of construction and providing a sustainable building solution. 

Being able to reuse an item is environmentally friendly. Even if it is a shipping container. Shipping containers have found a new lease of life. With ever increase housing, accommodation, and business premise costs the humble shipping container can provide. A cost effective solution for many.

Many small business fail because rent is so high and profits not. As a home owner you may want to add an office or extra room but costs are ridiculous. But not so with a shipping container. A shipping container can be a new business premise, or a spare room, at a fraction of a traditional build cost.

Places like Japan entrepreneurs are starting up business in a shipping container. Cafes, restaurants, bakeries and such are appearing all over in shipping containers. Construction sites have been using shipping containers as office sites for years. It’s the repurposing that makes a shipping container viable and sustainable.

Conclusion

When we look at a shipping container some see a metal box while others envision a object to be advanced. When we look at a traditional home we see a home of typical style and design. What we miss is the creation process, the fame work, the brick and cement. It’s covered by what we are familiar with. A shipping container is raw and requires the make up to transform itself.

Shipping containers are just not for the ‘budget’ minded. They are creative blocks to be artfully manipulated by those with foresight. Not something for the unimaginative. It requires an open mind to style and design a container home, office, or business premises. We have seen the results of multi story apartment blocks and the living conditions they have created. A shipping container home may just be the freedom we desire living arrangement.

Using a shipping container for a dwelling can save financially and provide a safe long term home. They are used more in Japan, the land of earthquakes, because the are structurally sound and viable buildings. Our future is one of bleakness if we can not afford to own our home. Rent is a fools game unless you are the owner. What is a home? A home is a structurally sound dwelling that is safe and secure for our family.