- Do shipping containers make good homes?
- How long will a container home last?
If you have conflicting thoughts on whether to move into a shipping container house or not, keep reading. We will provide you with concise shipping container house advantages & disadvantages to guide your decision-making process. To build or not to build with shipping containers has been a lingering debate among architects, builders, and homeowners.
Before we delve into the container house pros & cons, do you know what a shipping container house is? For the benefit of those who are not familiar with shipping container houses, let us explain.
What is a Shipping Container Home?
A shipping container is a huge and hollow metal box, just like a boxcar, sometimes called Conex boxes. Such containers are used to ship goods all around the globe. Immediately these containers are used and put out of service; they are often stored around ports.
Until 1987, shipping containers were only used for the transportation of goods internationally. Although shipping containers can be used to build massive buildings, most people prefer the tiny house version. You get to see more container houses made of one or two shipping containers than mansions of 10 or more containers. The availability of these containers, its sturdiness, and the modern look make them customizable.
You have known what a shipping container home is, now let’s go further to consider container house advantages and disadvantages.
Container House Pros & Cons
Container House Advantages
There are many reasons why you should consider switching lifestyles from traditional homes to container homes. Here are some of the advantages of choosing to live in shipping container homes:
1. It is relatively affordable compared to conventional homes
One of the significant benefits of shipping container homes is the low cost of construction. Using shipping containers as the primary construction material greatly reduces your cost of construction. You already have the basic framework for your home as the wall, roof, and floor are all available. This means you don’t have to pay for any work regarding the structural building. If you have the requisite skill to build the home yourself, you will also reduce the construction cost.
2. Shipping Container Homes are Eco-friendly
Most times, these shipping containers are not shipped back because of the cost involved. Therefore, these “no longer in use” containers are seen as waste. By using these decommissioned shipping containers for a home, you are doing something great for the environment. On the other hand, you are helping in conserving the vegetation because you reduce the use of wood in house construction.
3. Container Houses Are Easy, And Fast To Build
When using shipping containers as your home, you are assembling a home and not building one. You already have the necessary structures in place, and it helps to reduce the construction time. On some land spaces, it is not feasible to erect a permanent structure. You can have a shipping container home constructed off-site and placed on the land space in such scenarios.
You can easily relocate your house to any new location of your choice. Furthermore, if you don’t have the available workforce to erect a shipping container home in your area, you can have it constructed off-site.
4. Shipping container homes are strong.
These shipping containers are made from materials designed to withstand the harsh weather conditions of the high sea. How long will a container home last? It can last as long as possible and would outlast traditional houses. They are built with a tough exterior that can hold up to hurricanes and earthquakes. You can stack ten containers on each other, and the containers won’t lose its strength.
Container House Disadvantages
Irrespective of its great advantages, shipping container homes also have their downside. Here are the major disadvantages of container houses:
1. It comes with some health hazards
Shipping containers are not designed for human habitation, as they are built with materials like industrial paint and solvents. If these substances are heated or removed without masks, they are detrimental to your health. Some of these containers are used to ship toxic materials, and sometimes their traces can still be there. You must ascertain the goods transported in a container before making your purchase.
2. You May Need A Building Permit
Although shipping container homes are becoming prominent in most places, some local authorities are yet to permit such dwellings. Steel frameworks for residential purposes are not readily accepted in some places. However, time will undoubtedly change such laws. Meanwhile, you need to ensure that such construction is permitted in your area before you start making plans for it.
3. High Internal Temperature
Since these containers are made of metal, the internal temperature can be unbearable if you don’t insulate it. You need to acquire good insulating material to make the inside of your container home conducive and comfortable. Another downside to insulation is that it uses up the limited space of your container house.
Conclusion
We have given you the container house pros & cons; it is now left to make your decision based on these facts. If you decide to go for a shipping container home, you should seek an experienced shipping container home contractor. You need an expert in this field if you want to get it right and enjoy your new home.
From this container house pros & cons, we can see that the pros outwit the cons. We believe that this article has answered the questions posed earlier. It would be best if you considered the needs of everyone who is going to live in the home before designing the container house. Kindly share contributions and suggestions using the comment box below. Enjoy your new home.
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