Shipping Container Homes

[Laura]

Ya'll gotta see what can be done with shipping containers:

http://www.viralnova.com/shipping-container-homes/

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

I like the 'mid-century modern' vibe of the third option.

 

[A Jay]

Is it possible to get a home loan for shipping containers!? ;D

Some of those are really beautiful, especially the ones that have roof gardens!

 

[canavare]

It is fascinating, thank you.

Please find below similar links.

Tiny houses with estimated material cost:
_http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/04/24/sell-your-crap-pay-off-your-debt-and-do-what-you-love-this-makes-it-all-possible/

One man one hammer a 64 sqf solar home:
_http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/one-man-one-hammer-a-64-square-foot-solar-home/

Sustainable house:
_http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/hondas-smart-home-isnt-such-dumb-idea.html

 

[Voyageur]

Ya'll gotta see what can be done with shipping containers:

http://www.viralnova.com/shipping-container-homes/

Synchronicity: I had viewed these a few weeks ago and was going to link them here, too. There was also a link that deals with building living spaces by utilizing wood pallets - _http://dornob.com/worlds-greenest-cargo-container-wood-pallet-homes/

 

[theos]

Very nice. Such a great and inexpensive way to flex your creative muscles.

Here's a really fantastic one. I think this is the same as #7 in Laura's original post.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...JA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Nević Nenad]

Few years ago I was telling my mother to get some credits and to buy one for the village. They come totally built for the living and the price is 5000 euros tops (depending what you want in it), but it was "oh my, what would the people tell!" so nothing of it :)

There, some more, luxurious ones:

_http://www.homedsgn.com/2014/04/14/22-modern-shipping-container-homes-around-the-world/

 

[Angchop]

Those are so cool

 

[Lilou]

No. 5 is pretty cool, but for just extra sleeping quarters, the very last one, using only 1 container, would be pretty cost effective and sturdy. Some of those take a bunch of containers!!

 

[luc]

Ya'll gotta see what can be done with shipping containers:

http://www.viralnova.com/shipping-container-homes/

Synchronicity: I had viewed these a few weeks ago and was going to link them here, too. There was also a link that deals with building living spaces by utilizing wood pallets - _http://dornob.com/worlds-greenest-cargo-container-wood-pallet-homes/

Synchronicity here too: My wife and I were looking at these things for the last couple of days and thought "well maybe that's an option"! And then, my wife spoke to a friend of hers who is a restorer of historical buildings and told her about those container homes, and her friend said "funny, we were looking at this as well lately".

Then again, maybe it's because this topic is kind of hyped a bit at the moment?

Anyway, thanks for the pictures, we didn't know these! It's really a great idea imho.

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

Here are some pros and cons of shipping container housing:

Shipping container housing – pros and cons

You’re interested in the idea of shipping container housing? If that’s the case, you’re likely to consider pros and cons of the project. In this article I’ll tell you advantages as well as disadvantages of living in a shipping container.

Advantages

There’re many advantages in the bold and innovative thought of container housing. First of all, building with shipping containers save costs. A house built from used shipping containers cost significantly less than a conventional house with the same usage area and space.

Secondly, shipping container construction is eco-friendly. Reusing transport receptacles actually lessens the impact of the use of conventional construction materials like brick, cement, and wood. Building a “green” home also saves considerable energy which is otherwise needed to meld down metal containers when scrapping.

Thirdly, importing countries like USA, which import more than export, are now having some hundreds of thousands of freight containers abandoned in ports and container yards. That’s because it’s not economical to send (re-position) them to other places for loading cargo. So building houses helps to solve the problem of container abandonment in those nations.

Fourthly, container structure is designed to be exposed to heavy loads, harsh climatic conditions, and regular rough handling. Thus, their later use in construction ensures durable projects. Besides, shipping boxes comply with ISO standards, and are easily stacked with many layers (tiers) in transit and storage. That feature makes their use in building multi-storied houses easy and safe.

Fifthly, benefit of container houses also results from their structural strength: they are ideal for harsh conditions and on difficult sites. They can make perfect shipping container homes in areas with the high risk of hurricanes and earthquakes thanks to the fact that modular elements are welded together.

Lastly, you can build houses from modular and sturdy units in relative short time, in comparison with construction of regular dwellings.

Disadvantages

Along with above apparent advantages, shipping container housing also has potential pitfalls that should be overcome when building container houses.

First, shipping containers are made of metal (usually aluminum or Corten Steel), which conduct heat very well. That means the temperature inside containers can easily go too low in cold season, and conversely, rise quickly to unbearable levels in the hot season. Therefore, controlling temperature inside your steel container house is a major concern.

Secondly, those ISBUs (Intermodal Steel Building Units) actually are used shipping containers and most of them are old enough for scrapping. So rust may become an annoyance when use the recycled material. Theoretically, ISO containers are covered with weather resistant paints. During transport process, however, the protecting layer can be scratched and damaged somewhere and not sufficiently repaired. Those scratches present potential rusty places for later use in housing purpose.

Thirdly, producers of cargo containers never intended them to be used for long-term living, so they may have used harmful paints and solvents during their manufacturing. Breathing the vapors of those substances is harmful to human health.

Besides, shipping boxes in transit carry many types of goods, including dangerous cargoes, even toxic or radioactive materials. Spillage of those cargoes may leave contaminants that are not easily detected. That will be a risk if you don’t carefully and thoroughly strip and clean used boxes before using them for housing.

Fourthly, in many residential areas, there are rules (e.g. zoning rules) which restrict the types of homes that can be constructed. Steel homes, particularly those created from shipping containers, are not commonly built in these neighborhoods. This can cause problems when applying for a building permit within residential zoning. Thus, you will need to consult with local authorities to make sure your new container home meets all local building codes.

Lastly, there must be enough free space available for handling during construction, because modular containers (with needed necessary modifications of appearance, structure, etc…) need moving and placing in the right place.

 

[Gary]

These are certainly some innovative ideas for sure! Gets folk thinking 'out the box' :)

This is another article relating to the concept:

http://www.archdaily.com/160892/the-pros-and-cons-of-cargo-container-architecture/


Essentially, in the more ponerised countries, such creative options are not available to most folk. Planning Permission (Permits) and Building Control approval being so strictly enforced, make such 'alternative living' unaffordable for most.

But then, some folk 'take the bull by the horns' and circumnavigate the planning system anyway.

 

[LQB]

Here are some pros and cons of shipping container housing:

Good list Mrs T. The better designs I've seen go to serious lengths to insulate both the exterior and interior. This is really required for all-weather applications.

Also you will want some kind of air handler/circulation system which may not be easy to implement.

 

[Arwenn]

Re: Shipping Container Shops

The first time I witnessed the concept of shipping containers being used for other things was when I went to Christchurch, NZ in 2011 a few months after the earthquake. The images on the news did not prepare us for the extent of the devastation. So a temporary shopping mall built out of shipping containers was set up to help shops, businesses and cafes that were affected by the quakes.

The Re: START project, also known as the "Pop-up mall", was set up two years ago on Cashel Street following the devastating earthquakes, which saw hundreds of collapsed buildings in Christchurch city centre. The project was prompted by the Christchurch Appeal Trust, which provided a total of $3.36 million to house various stores and cafes that were affected by the quakes.

_http://www.weekendnotes.com/restart-shipping-container-mall/

 

[Laura]

I bet those shipping containers would withstand hurricanes and earthquakes.