10 Tips Before Building a Shipping Container Home
The latest architectural tend is shipping container homes. The use of recycled shipping containers as the shell of your home provides a sustainable alternative to brick and mortar. If this appeals to you then here are a few tips to keep in mind before you get started! It may not be as simple as you expect so take note of the advice offered by people who have made their own shipping container homes.
Inspect the shipping container before purchasing. If you hope to use the container as the structure of your home then check it is in good shape. Look out for dents and rust damage.
New containers are purchased ex-factory Shanghai, and will always do one-trip to reach their destination. These are sold as “new” containers.
Review your country’s laws regarding housing and fire regulations to ensure that your shipping container house complies with your local laws.
Source a contractor that can manage the exterior conversion as well as modifying the interior of the container.
Explore your options to find the shipping container that is best suited to your specific requirements. Not all shipping containers have the same dimensions so choose the size that is appropriate for your home.
Understand the limitations associated with the structure of shipping containers. There will be certain alterations that the container will not be able to support. Close considerations should be made to these design restrictions.
Know your financial limitations. Using a shipping container as the base of your home does not guarantee a huge saving on the cost of your home. Be sure to allocate funds accordingly and stick to your budget.
Welding may be required to alter your container. Keep in mind that this can be costly and take a long time. Try to keep this to a minimum.
Shipping containers are manufactured from steel. If you want to make one your home then insulation and adequate ventilation is essential. Be sure to keep this in mind when implementing internal structures.
Finally, when you are planning your shipping container home, make plumbing a priority! Plumbing and piping can be a real challenge so be sure to hire a professional who is acquainted with this particular type of plumbing project.
