Want to Live in a ISBU Shipping Container Home?

Hey thanks for the article. I came across this idea a week ago and have been hunting sources for containers and you provided 2 great ones.

A blog I’m really enjoying right now is Renaissance Ronin. He’s in the process of building a shipping container home for his family: http://renaissanceronin.wordpress.com/

Pardon my enthusiasm, but that is totally cool!! I love the entire idea. And after having lived in a “similar” situation for the past year – I was in a trailer in the rainforest studying and teaching ecology – I can honestly say that if you have a great place to plop down your crate and can open it up to your natural surroundings, it beats any McMansion out there, hands down. Good luck finding your crate!

I love this idea. I watched a TV program one time about all kinds of alternative homes and there was a home made of a shipping crate on there. While I’m tempted to consider a shipping container home, I’m still in love with the idea of having either an earthship or a straw bale home.

Living in a shipping container sounds interesting. Unfortunately, I live in a tornado-prone area. I have seen what happens to a tractor trailer during a tornado, and I imagine the same would happen to a shipping container. I also wonder about rust. How badly damaged must a container be for it not to be used for its original purpose?

Hi Heather (and Mzzingu),

Heavy wind, whether it’s measured in Gale Force, Category “OMG”, or even F scales is much easier on a container home than a traditional one. I’ve seen properly affixed (Heather, you’re exactly right)container houses take direct hits in big winds, with little or no damage. And this, on several continents, in several different types of heavy weather. You’re inside a steel box, built to take a beating. And, you’ll be better off than your neighbors in their stick-built houses, I promise you that.

A tractor trailer is an entirely different animal than an Shipping Container. Tractor trailers are built to be lightweight, reasonably durable, and replaceable. Many people confuse the two. Don’t. If it’s not a Shipping Container with those massive locking doors, you don’t want it. (I’ve heard of people buying the “refrigerated” (insulated) ones to use as home fodder, but I wouldn’t do it. Nuh-uh!)

Shipping containers don’t rust. Corten steel doesn’t rust. It just oxidizes. A good clean-up, and a coat of paint is all they need.

And finally, shipping containers aren’t generally “discarded” because they’re damaged, they’re discarded because they’re not re-used. Thank the trade deficit for that. And for some of us, that’s a bonanza, when we’re looking for “building material.”

Sorry for the lengthy comment… 😉

Ronin

Shaun,

Lofty goals for the current economy. I looked over your website carefully. I suspect you have miles and miles to go, before you sleep…

But the “fear mongering” was a good touch. 🙁

Ronin

More pictures with container home, illy cafe bar in container http://www.pro-container.com

I am interested in learning about using shipping containers as a combination retaining wall so that I can build against a large bank on one border of my property. (as compared to a project I have seen locally where they excavated a large area and put up interlocking cement block as a retaining wall, and built their new building a few feet away.) I want to get the benefit of the earths constant tempature that is only a few feet into the ground. As this is a Retail Commercial lot I expect that the ground floor will be retail, possibly a Vermont Maple Gift shop, and/or Creme stand, with my Accounting office and storage above, with some really cool looking porches overlooking the street. I expect to go up to the 40 foot max that the zoning allows for.
As of now I am an accounting student that was lucky to find this affordable awesome property on a paved road in Vermont!!! (I hardly even know what mud season is.. LOL). But as I have much going on in my life as I am going back to school for my accounting degree. I would love to collaborate with green builders that are willing to work together on an ECO friendly project. There should be enough office space to go around for those that do get onboard my dream. I also have a conditional use permit to reside on the property, but the old building that is here, isn’t very effecient. But I would like to save what I can, at least until I have some new space to move into… As I do not have the time to go through my stuff, to see what can be recycled, sold, or trashed(most of it).

i want to make a cheap club house out of one of these mini shipping containers. can any one help?

I want to add in some of what I have learned while researching building a shipping container home.

First off, don’t give up, they can easily be transformed into an above housing code home. BUT again, the unknowing will look at you like you are insane. Be persistant, bring a list of links where it has been done, bring pictures printed off the web, bring everything you can find to promote containers as a building material. Or just simply call it a steel structure home, I don’t want to get anyone, namely a county official mad at me for fibbing him, I want a CoO (Certificate of Occupancy). I don’t want to fail that just because I didn’t give all the right details up front. But again, bring everything you possibly can reguarding the building abilities of shipping containers. Everything! You might have to convince them that it is possible to build a nice, safe and up to code home out of these things. Anyone with a half a brain will be able to see the possibilities with a quickness. I called mine and talked about the possibility of getting a permit, and he’d said he had heard of it, and saw some things on TV about it, and if I can bring a good plan up there for him then he didn’t see any problem at all to get the permit, and if everything checks out a CoO will be no issue either. Whew, that was easier than I expected.

Now on to sourcing these things. First off, it’s MUCH easier to get them to your site in reasonable time going through the most local dealer you can find. But a lot of them are going to try and charge out the nose for them. Don’t let them rip you. Search EVERY company you can find within a somewhat reasonable distance, I reached out 500 miles, got an in writing quote from several sellers, and presented that to my local company that is literally a few minutes down the road from my current house. he said he would match their price. So I got priced $1800 each for 6 40′ HQ containers, $1500 each for 2 20′ containers delivered on site. I even called the shipping yards in Mobile Alabama, and around New Orleans, if I wanted to recieve them over time as they can find shippers needing to move cargo to Huntsville, I could get them delivered for a couple hundred dollars less per container, but once I get started I just want to get started. I don’t want to get partly started and have to wait months on the last containers I need to get REALLY started on it. So if I stay locally I can get the entire set of containers for $13,800. Not to bad at all. Lowest straight from the shipping yard would save me about $3000, but like I said, what if I have to wait two years to get all of my containers, I’m sure if I worked with them enough I could manage them faster and cheaper. So the guys I need to satisfy for the permit are receptive, I’ve found out where to source the containers for the best price at the moment. Now to getting the land ready.

For my house I’m wanting a 60×60 pad of concrete. I will tell you folks, you will save an insane amount of money if you level the property and setup the concrete forms yourself. Then you just purchase the concrete, have the mixing truck pour it for you, and you smooth the surface yourself. A couple of pairs of rubber boots for you and a friend or two, some old raggedy clothes, and some long 2x4s to run across the top of it to level it. Mine will be poured in 3 20×60 pours to make the leveling process a lot easier. I will also lay the rebar myself, and source all of that I can from a scrap yard, some rebar and old chain link fencing and I’ll be in business. After calculating the square Yard of concrete I need for that it comes out to about $2400 with rebar.

Now what? You likely need between $300 to $1000 for a crane to come stack them. $300 an hour for my local company, it’ll take about an hour to stack them, and an hour travel time for them, about $600 for me. Not too bad.

Now I want to tie the uncovered areas together at the container seams, I’ve sourced the 2″ wide 16 gauge steel, that’s going to set me back around $1500 after I pay a friend of mine to come weld it all in.

I own an Acetaline Torch I can use to cut the walls out of the interior, likely need new tanks, so $100 or so for that since I am the labor.

For the upper deck that will be left on the top level It’ll cost me about $150 to deck it with plywood and about $300 to cover that with torch down rubber, again I am the labor for that.

Around $500 for 15 gallons of Insulflex paint to cover exterior surfaces both inside and out. Labors is ME.

Instead of paying $6000 for spray in insulation, I will be using the insulflex paints, and fiberglass insulations under my wall and floor coverings. It’ll cost me about $1200 total for that.

I’ll do both my plumbing and electrical for around $1500 materials, labors on me.

Now with that said, that’s the basics, not counting windows, doors, floor and wall coverings. cabinets, toilets, appliances, etc. I will be sourcing those from Habitat for Humanity, salvage companies, used and overstock sotres, etc etc. I’ve seen $1000 windows for $200 because of a single cracked pane when I can get a crappy $20 window and cut a new pane out of it, etc etc. Just shop around, most of those stores that sell that kind of stuff don’t advertise, talk to home remodelers, your local lumber yard, etc. Get it all seriously discounted, install it all yourself and save tons of money.

None of the work is that hard to do, none of it. Get some books, study them, practice one some scrap materials, etc etc.

Essentially for about $25,000 (Leaving $3000 variance in materials pricing) estimated I can have my house, minus windows, cabinets, wall and floor coverings, applicances, and windows and doors. Add in another $15,000 to finish up if we get real fancy with it, and now I have a 1900 sq ft home for about $40k. That’s less than most luxery cars.

You have to be willing to put in most of the labor work on your home to save that kind of money, you have to be willing to spend the phone time getting the best pricing in your area for both containers and all needed materials. But you can do it. When I get everything together and get started on this thing, I’ll be in touch with the owner of this site, and hopefully I can find someone willing to document the build. I know once I get started on it, between work, my child and building that house, I’m not going to have time for it. I’ll keep you guys up to date though.

Thanks Heather,

I’ve helped do a couple of concrete foundations, and they really are pretty easy. You get the ground level (If needed). Measure out the dimentions of the foundation, pound 1×1 stake in every corner, then take a piece of trot line string (Twine), and stretch it around all 4 corners, then about every 2′ pound in another string along the piece of twine, then take 2×8 boards and form in the area for concrete (With the stakes on the outside of the form. Then lay out rebar in a grid pattern about every 2′, and best if you can get it a couple of inches off the ground (You can use old chain link too if you find a bargain on it, not as strong, but it does work.). Call in the concrete trucks to fill it all in.

Most concrete companies use “cubic yards” to estimate how much concrete you need. a 60×60 8″ foundation is about 89 cubic yards, concrete.com has a calculator so you can get the cubic yard of concrete you need.

Once it is poured you can then get some shovels and push high spots into the low spots. Once it’s pretty close to level, take some really long boards and set them on edge on top of the concrete forms, then you and a partner standing outside of the forms take the board and saw it back and forth while pulling from one end of the form to the other pushing excess concrete out of the back of the form, while doing this watch for low spots and broom higher spots into the lower spots. Do this a couple of times until you no longer see any low spots and get all the excess out of the form. Once you are done as long as you were careful and used a string level to make sure the forms are perfectly level, then the concrete will be level also. Let it dry for a few days and you are set.

It is A LOT easier then the concrete companies and foundation builders would want you to know. You may not make this beautiful smooth concrete surface, but it will be level and strong enough to do its job.

And seriously Home Depot has books you can buy for about $25 each that will teach you step by step how to do Plumbing, Electrical, cabinet building, etc etc. You can save more money than you ever dreamed doing all this stuff yourself. Also installing hardwood floors and carpet is insanely easy too, saving you a few thousand in labor costs.

These are all must haves for the average home owner.
Home Depot books:
Plumbing 1-2-3
Wiring 1-2-3
Home Improvement 1-2-3
Flooring 1-2-3
Tiling 1-2-3

Others:
The Complete Kitchen Cabinet Maker
Trim Carpentry Techniques
Windows and Doors

These are all must have books that will help the average person do ANYTHING they will need to do while building one of these homes. Only things I see being a problem with the average builder is cutting the walls of the container to make rooms and doors and windows. Most will need to hire someone to do that for them. But just so you know, acetaline cutting torches are rentable and not hard to use, but in the unsteady hand can make some rough cut surfaces. Pretty much anything you need to do these things is rentable. Do it yourself, save TONs of money to purchase some really nice interior upgrade and appliances.

Oh yeah, I just wanted everyone to know that PL400 can be used to bond wood to metal for floors and walls, for ceilings I think it would be best used in conjunction with bolting the wood directly to the metal in order to ensure your ceiling doesn’t fall in over the years.

If you are using no exterior sheathing (I’m certainly not) then the windows will not flush against the inner portions of the metal corrugation, you will have to use a cardboard template and wood to seal the window completely flush with the corrugated metal, once that’s all done correctly, caulk the seams, paint and be proud of your work.

If someone starts building one of these before me, please send me a message or something with any questions you may have, I will answer with the most cost effecting solution to solving most of your issues with building one.

Also made a mistake on the concrete tips, it’s not a 1×1 stake, it’s 2×2.

A lot of the people building these things are actually paying huge labor costs to have people do the work for them, and since mixing wood and metal together can be a little bit of a chore they charge out of the butt for labor to work on these things. Electrical and Plumbing has complications as well that likely drag installation costs much higher than normal. Not that the extra complication warrants the rise in labor costs, but all they need is an excuse to jack up labor costs and they will. A person that is willing to take the time and effort to do 90% of the work themselves will save more money than you thought possible. Do it yourselfers will be able to build the same home at less than 1/3 of the costs.

You hire a contractor and you will pay at least tripple for materials just because they had to go through the trouble of making the call rather than you, then there is the labor charges, license charges, design costs (Even if you design it yourself), The crane I paid $600 for will cost you likely $2k just because the contractor made the call and you didn’t, The welder is going to cost you typically $45 an hour, Electrician is going to charge you likely around $45 to $50 an hour, Plumbers are going to cost you about $35 an hour, That concrete pad I built for $2400 is going to cost you likely about $6k. Those containers I got for $1800 each will likely be at least $2500 each if the contracter sources them. Basically if you don’t do the work yourself and you hire a contractor, you can expect to pay at least quadruple the amount that you could have if you had done everything yourself. I’m at an advantage because I know how to do pretty much everything I need done already. That’s why it’ll cost me between $40,000 and $50,000 as opposed to $150k or more. There are always hidden costs, but there is no way building one of these should cost more than $70k to $80k for a reasonably sized family home.

I’m curious about that, too. Like I said, I’m so glad to hear someone say it: you CAN do it yourself, if you’re willing and you have the time. However, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m not a contractor, and am worried that I would be SOL on the more precise elements of homebuilding (connections to city sewage being one of them).

Thanks again!

Let me see what you all think of this.

I’ve come up with a model of how I’d like to build, based off the 12 container house by Adam Kalkin. Picture this: you pour a 40 x 60 concrete slab (yes, that’s BIG), and erect on it a prefabricatetd metal strucutre (basically, a large garage or workshop). I would dub this part the ‘superstructure’. Then, you bring in eight 20×8 containers, and arrange them at the far walls (along nthe 40′ side) and cut doors appropriatly. Spray each container in and out (or just in, if cost gets too high) with ceramic insulation, and now you have a very large home with 8 seperate well insulated rooms. Each room can be climate controlled independantly at very low cost, as 160 square feet (or 320 for two together) is not very much space to heat or cool.

The big concerete space in between can act as living room area, dining room area, and so on. You could even acid stain it for looks. I’d probably arrange the units to provide one master bedroom (2 containers), a kitchen, 2 smaller bedrooms, a bathroom/laundry room, an office, and a storage/utility room (1 container each).

Anyway, that’s my latest thinking. I should mention that I’m looking to build in middle Texas, where I don’t have to worry much about cold weather (or hurricanes).

Thanks again!
Matt

I’ve been working on my container home along side my boyfriend & his father. Our website is: thearkhaus.com its been a very rewarding process, but I’d love to know counties where there are no building codes so we can move them there. It is currently off grid and we’d like to keep it that way. 🙂

PS: MacDaddy, we’ve considered the same thing about a swimming pool, but from what we’ve read containers are not good to bury. You can design an above ground pool with no problem though. 🙂

This guy uses dumpsters as pools: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=8130958&page=1

You would do well looking into a used refrigerated container. They are super insulated. I use one as a store room and the temperature inside never varies, summer or winter it’s always the same and I don’t use heating or air conditioning. I also use non insulated standard shipping containers which I have to air condition to keep cool. You can also use the space that used to house the refrigerator unit for your service hook ups and mechanicals.

Anyone else using Google Sketchup for designing their container home. When you import the continer models there isn’t much you can do with them, but you can easily get a good idea of layouts and other external mods you want to do, and what the finished product will look like. Just wanted to give a heads up on those. I intend to save some of my models as JPG so I can share them. I will likely stand up a website and start posting up Blogs and info, and as a place to document my build when I get started.

Jeff: Good luck with your website. I’ll be sure to keep checking back for updates. Feel free to visit our project at: http://www.TheArkHaus.com

Take care,
-Jen

Hi Heather,
I like your very comprehensive link system, Zack Smith also covers A LOT! (see http://www.firmitas.org ).
We just had our plans for building a container-house approved in South Africa, a 1st for residential property!
I’ll report back as things progress – at the moment we’ve got summer & Xmas vacation and no-one seems to work.
Keep well and God bless!
Gabriël

Kat,

You had me up to that “they must be put on a POURED foundation” line.

A lot of us live in flood planes, and in places where a slab just won’t work.

I’ve put DOZENS of Shipping Container Homes on pilings, quite successfully. And some of those homes have seen “above the ground now’ for over twenty years.

While it’s true that the strength of the container IS in the corners, you don’t have to set them on the ground to make them work. There’s more than one way to support those long rails that hold everything together.

The naysayers immediately scream about increased costs, but it’s just not true. Pilings can be poured cost effectively, and some steel added in there supports the boxes with strength to spare.

I talk about this on my blog. all the time.

And anyone who’s built more than one of these homes has already figured out that the “spray on closed cell insulation” goes on the OUTSIDE of the boxes. Why make a small space smaller?

As you probably know, the beauty of closed cell foam is that it’s just that. A vapor barrier, a moisture barrier, and the insulation all in one shot. Literally.

Hope this helps.

Ronin

Hi Jen,

Ah… the “myths and urban legend” of “ISBU ingenuity…”

Okay, as we’ve demonstrated, there are many ways to “float” a container home.

Each building site and budget will point you at the “right” solution if you pay attention.

The problem with floating a container home on (masonry) blocks is that the block isn’t a permanent part of the structure. Unless you attach it to something permanently… something like…um… a foundation. 🙂

If you’re trying to float a shed or a workshop in your backyard, it’d work, but for a real house, it’s foolhardy and prone to failure at best.

The phrase “Building houses on sand” comes to mind…

And there are as many ways to insulate a box as well. But to say that closed cell foam doesn’t have the r-value of fiberglass batts is just nonsense. An inch of closed cell foam will give me an r-value of 7. Show me a fiberglass batt, one inch thick, that can do that.

Admittedly, closed cell foam is more expensive, especially if you have a contractor apply it. However, there ARE kits available that allow the home builder to apply his own spray on closed cell foam, just like the big boys do, at reasonable rates. And it’s easily workable, as it hardens quickly.

Sometimes… within minutes, actually.

And those achieved closed cell foam r-values exceed similar applications of fiberglass batt by MANY times, and aren’t prone to some of the break-downs of fiberglass over time.

Additionally, it serves several other purposes, including making your home stronger (that stuff sticks to everything like duct tape, and aids in dealing with shear and lateral forces) leak resistant, bug and rodent resistant (they don’t like it), vapor resistant (but don’t feed the dog chili!), and provides all this in an “easily encased and enclosed” package, like stucco, siding, or veneer. 🙂

I don’t recommend that people just “leave the steel exposed” without some kind of lightning protection. The beauty of Container Homes is that you can build them anywhere, and many families build them in “places rather remote and off the beaten track.” That house may be the only steel mass for miles. I’ve gotten several reports from families about container homes that have been struck by lightning.

I personally know of ISBU dwellings in Iraq and Afghanistan that were struck by lighting.

(Although I’ll add the note that luckily, no home that we ever built has been similarly struck, to our knowledge.)

Container home building isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires new skills, and presents new challenges. Just because you own a skillsaw or a hammer, or you’ve built a “wood” home, doesn’t mean that you can just “go build a container home.”

There’s a LOT to learn. In over 30 years of repurposing these boxes (and I’m talking about building over a hundred), we’re still learning new tricks.

Lot’s of people “talk” about building container homes, but few actually HAVE done so. Choose your design and contracting team carefully. Building one or two homes using ISBU’s doesn’t make you anything close to an expert.

Start by asking those guys how many Container Homes they’ve actually built. Then, go talk to the owners. THEN… engage them in serious conversations. You’re investing in something that’s investing in your family. Do your homework.

Man… talking about Container homes is getting to be like talking about religion or politics…

In the end, you do what you do, and your mileage may vary.

Good luck with your projects!

Ronin

So my company and I have begun “piloting” a container home. I’m looking for a company in the US, possibly Michigan that has built a container home, who I would be able to ask questions to. I’m literally starting at square one with land and zoning and am so confused.

first I must say thank you for this informative site! I have recently purchased a container to use as storage but I plan to include it in my future home. I would like to receive a notification of the for mentioned book being written on building a container home. I have been on the fence over what direction to go in building a home. I live in an area that has hot summers and cold winters with wind that seems to be on the move about 65% of the time. I look forward to the wealth of information that may be able to help in my decision which appears to be leaning in the cargo way. thank you again
crissy

Is there a do it yourself CD on making a home from a shipping container? Think I saw a CD adv. many months back around $58. can’t find the online ad, now that I want to build a shipping container home, wouldn’t you know-this computer can’t handle online downloads- thanks

ebooks are all well and good but I’m a bit old-school in that I love the feel of paper and the heft of a book. Any chance of hard copies coming out?

I love the idea of re-using something old in an unexpected, creative way. My mother-in-law turned me onto this site, and this article in particular, about two weeks ago and I have to say that you’ve really inspired me to live off the grid in an eco-friendly way. I’ve always wanted to be completely self-sufficient, but thanks to your research, I now know that it can be done fairly afford-ably – suddenly my dreams are within reach! You’ve even inspired me to do my own writing/research into off-the-grid living whereas once it was just on the To-Do list. And I must say you compile the information in a chatty, DIY-for-the-layman, easy-to-read style. Thanks for an informative, fun read!
~Nicole

Oops! Just realized you responded to a similar question in April. I’m waiting patiently (sort of). ; )

Oh! And I’m very exited to have found your site!

Wow, this is one of the most informative posts on container houses I’ve seen! Thanks for all of the links to the various blogs and resources – great stuff!

Is there a do it yourself CD on making a home from a shipping container? Think I saw a CD adv. many months back around $58. can’t find the online ad, now that I want to build a shipping container home, wouldn’t you know-this computer can’t handle online downloads- thanks

thompson44

If like us at Taylored containers you love the concept of what can be created with a shipping container let us create a Taylored container just for you.
Bespoke and commercial units undertaken and we ship Worldwide.
We offer a full service and have an architect service to create your taylored home.

Wishing this forum a delightful 2011 ahead .

I am an Indian who has been in the shipping industry for last 20 years ,having worked in china / gulf & europe ….moving these colored lego boxes globally …. where some of you shape them to an exquisite marvel of art …
I have always been intrigued by the creativity that some brilliant architects and designers whip up with these soul less steel boxes … some of the designs that i have seen really reflect creativity maxed out ..oh they are mind blowing …

i am now based in india and very recently was discussing with a senior cabinet secretary for town planning and development ….about housing problems for our exploding population ; justifiably he was miffed at the costs of settling the masses who still live on BPL – below the poverty line; as the discussions got more serious my thoughst gravitated to exploring an option with the box(s) i have lived with in these last 20 years…why can we not explore housing options with them …so my quest started to look out for designers / architects who can do some feasibility study and come up with a cost saving hosuing resolution ..but in vain …so i thought my initiative would die in its infancy as for some inexplicable reasons NONE of them sounded gung ho about the concept ..perhaps can be attributed to their minimal exposure in this stream or lesser enterprising streaks …but i am not throwing in my towel as yet …

as luck would have it , while surfing i stumbled upon this blog where i could see an eclectic mix of designers/ first timers / authors and experst on container housing …. bouncing off their ideas and experiences so openly and each one of you is so upbeat about the concept ….this looks like my holy grail ..

if u all would pardon my absolute ignorance on the subject , may i request you to pls accept me in the forum to allow me to pinch u with some basic questions till i get into the flow and match up with your frequencies …

@ renaissance ronin – if i am not mistaking your identity , are u Alex Klein the famous architect ..one of the pioneers in ISBU housing ??

i am especially seeking your help to take this on … i have seen your commitment to the cause.. hope you would not let me down

if possible JEN / Melissa / jeff and heather to please send me your email coordinates …. there is huge potential of this concept in the indian scenario and can be plugged ….wish to start a company hinging on CSR ( corporate social responsibility ) ; and guess would need support from each of you ..to bring housing to the masses in here ….costs of labor here is much cheaper in comparison with USA / Europe and i am sure it will be a win win for all involved in ..
but before i begin to setup my company its impeartive that I showcase the concept to the world …by building something for myself …. to dispel the general apprehensions attached with the concept …i have about 1000 sq yards of land on the main highway which in itself will be a BIG show window …once the house is done …

any suggestions how i get a good design going …if any one could help me with the designs / conceptualising / drawings / do’s and don’ts / pitfalls and challenges it will be much appreciated …. I have to get this going ….n i am sure this forum would contribute to my cause

pls share your details with me at – [email protected]

Ashish Bhasin

This shipping container is something unique.I was wondering how my life with be different if I’ve lived in that place.Exciting.And the fact that it is environmentally friendly i may also help our environment.

Hi Guys,
I love Containerized living. A company which makes Container Park Models just opened in B.C. check out our website. It is truly incredible what can be done with a Container.

http://www.kottagerv.com

Cheers,
Tim

here is an other intresting page.
http://www.twotimestwentyfeet.com/p/warschauerstrasse
Found this on my Research, and can´t stop watching

Went to buy this book for $9.95, but paypal says $10.95. Read about a How-to book coming out a year ago but no book yet. When is the huge how to book coming out? After much research, I am learning 90% of this stuff is just in theory. Not many people are actually building shipping container homes, just talking about it. Well, I have bought 7 containers and fully intend on making these truly green, inexpensive homes, not stacked, flipped, unrealistic desgined homes that no one could afford anyway. My goal is $5K investment on each container to make it a livable space with a usable bathroom. Can anybody help me or giude me to where I can purchase books or cd’s on this. I don’t want to pay for information that is unrealistic to build and financially unobtainable.

THINK of a Cargo Container, like a RV Motor Home without wheels, where closet space can be added between Containers.

And, bury it in the Sand or Dirt with sliding glass doors at one end facing a good view. Or, add Styrofoam Panels to the outside to make it look like anything you choose. But, they “sweat” in high humidity; so, have a good air flow with air conditioning or circulation fans! Plus, they are “fireproof” and secure (with the outer doors closed), if you are working somewhere else, except on “weekends”.

Bathrooms and Kitchens can be designed in one end, with or without a view, if buried.

Dear,

We are the largest FLAT PACKED MANUFACTURERS in the world, using container technology we have engineer our product under a Coccon to Silk Butterfly vision. We can provide the system and architecture (if required). Please contact me, should you be interested in how we can help !!

Best Regards

In the UK there’s a lot of about this now – especially after the channel 4 series “George Clarke’s small spaces” which has had some great designs in this area.

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