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Constructing a home using shipping containers is a very exciting and unique endeavor and somewhat difficult as well. This is a completely new and different housing option that has become a sensation all of a sudden.
Although it is a fun and exciting idea there are plenty of technical aspects and key factors you should consider before building or acquiring a container home. The following are some important things you should look for in a shipping container home.
Cost
One of the many reasons the container home industry is really catching up is the cost-effectiveness of these homes as compared to traditional brick and mortar homes. On average, a container home costs half the price of a traditional one.
A great way of saving your money is to look for customizable containers that can be re-used and converted into a garage or a weekend getaway place.
Container Type
There are many different types of shipping containers that can be transformed into a complete home. There are open side containers, roofless containers, double door containers, etc. When deciding the type, keep your requirements in mind as each is suitable for a different purpose.
For example, if an insulated floor is important to you, go for the high cube containers. They are the same dimensions as any other shipping containers except that they are a foot taller, which provides ample room for insulation. If you want a big living space, a double door container might be a good idea.
Container Body Modification
Try and keep the container home’s outer body modification to the minimum. A container body is strong enough to bear the load of two, three, or even four containers to help turn your home into a double or triple story home. If you go overboard with the stacking of containers, it will decrease the structural integrity of the container making it weaker.
Making too many modifications will also cost you time and money as you will have to hire workers to remove solid steel and then reinforce the walls or roof with beams. Instead, it’s better to find container homes like JJC flat pack container house that is a ready-to-assemble container house that can be customized.
Electricity and Plumbing
Since you are looking to use a container as a complete home, electricity, and plumbing are obviously factors to think about. Make sure to get a container home that has appropriate holes and cavities for pipes and wires underneath the floor and inside walls.
If you are building a new container home, it is better to ask the contractor to carve up the required holes early on so you don’t have to change your interior design later on. You can also use slim LED strips for easier connections.
Insulation
As the containers are made completely out of metal, the walls are not like the walls of our traditional houses. The metal alone is not a good enough insulator so unless you add insulations you will be burning up during summer and freezing cold in winter.
There are various methods of insulation that can be used to make the container liveable. The walls of the container are not the only thing that should be insulated, make sure the roof is also insulated and the floor too just to be sure the container is well equipped to face all seasons.
Weather Resistance
Shipping containers are anything but aerodynamic and if you live in a windy area you will be haunted by the noisy winds hitting your container walls. You can remedy this by putting the container home behind a windbreak.
You also need to make sure the container is capable of withstanding rain without any leakages. We suggest applying marine-grade direct-to-metal paint on the exterior walls and the roof.
Experts’ Opinion
Although you can get loads of information about container homes and how to choose and build the best container home using the internet, keep in mind that you can not get the knowledge that an expert possesses. So, when looking for your dream container home try and hire the services of expert builders, structural engineers, and designers.
Hiring an expert may seem pricey at first but you will end up benefitting from it in the long run and it may also end up saving you from making any poor decisions regarding the container home and its design.
Conclusion
The main attraction of the container homes is that they are a much cheaper alternative to traditional homes. If you are not well informed then this unique and exciting endeavor can become very stressful, so remember to consult experts.
Building the perfect container home starts by buying the perfect shipping container and then hiring the best contractors to complete your dream. We hope our guide can be of some use and help you make better decisions regarding acquiring a container home.