Compared to other homes and buildings, container houses are the most affordable and they do not cost much. This is the reason why more and more people prefer container houses to other residential properties. More and more architects are coming up with new ideas of building a house using shipping containers.
The innovative designs can be used in some unique styles of homes. Container style homes can be also bought or rented.
Container homes are one of the hottest and most popular types of housing and residential property today. A container home is basically a home built using recycled shipping containers. Any home that has been made from shipping containers is said to be modular.
The prefabricated steel-framed homes are also known for being cost-effective, environmentally friendly and sustainable.
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What is a shipping container home?
Shipping Container Homes are exactly as the name implies – a home built from shipping containers. These containers are designed to be transported and lifted using cranes, which means they can easily be used to create modular homes in standard sizes and shapes.
In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the number of people building container homes in the USA. This is because they’re fast to build, affordable, reasonably priced compared to traditional homes, and eco-friendly. They can also be made into tiny homes, which are becoming more and more popular as more people look to downsize their lives.
Shipping containers come in standard sizes and shapes (8 feet wide by 40 feet long or 8 feet wide by 20 feet long). They’re typically made from steel that’s 1/4 inch thick. The steel helps them stand up to rain, wind, snow, fire, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
You can either buy containers new or used from shipping companies or online merchants. These companies will deliver them directly to your land where you can start building your home with them immediately.
How Much Do Shipping Containers Cost?
The cost (materials, delivery, concrete foundation, assembly, etc.) to build a container home is very much dependent on the scale of the project. A typical 40-foot container costs anywhere between $1,400 and $4,000, whereas building a custom home out of shipping containers can range between $150k and $175k.
The range in pricing for a standard 40-foot container depends on the condition of the unit — whether it’s new or used — and the type of container you select. Commonly used containers with no rust or dents cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000. For example: A high cube 40-foot container is 9 feet 6 inches high and costs around $3,500.
Factors that make a container home different from other homes.
Everyone has a different reason for building a shipping container home. Whether you want to build an affordable new family home or just want to live the simple life in a steel box, you need to know what the costs will be.
While it’s easy to be attracted by the novelty and intrigue of living in a shipping container, first-time builders need to consider how much it will all cost.
Here are some key factors that make a container home different from other homes:
- Size. Container homes are usually smaller than traditional homes, so they can take less time and money to build. But they’re still large enough to be comfortable — most have multiple rooms.
- Condition of the containers. If you’re buying used shipping containers, you’ll need to check them for damage and do some maintenance work before you can turn them into a home. You may also need to cut doors and windows into the walls.
- Location of the containers. If your containers are local, it will reduce your transportation costs significantly. If they’re not, you’ll need to hire a specialized truck and trailer for delivery — which can cost thousands of dollars depending on where you live.
- Land and foundation costs. Containers won’t sit directly on the ground — you’ll need some kind of foundation for
The most important factor when deciding what your home will cost.
The most important factor when deciding what your home will cost is how much you are willing to spend on it. If you want to build a $200,000 home then that is how much it will cost. The larger the home the more materials and labor needed.
- The size of your home – The price of a container home comes down to several factors. With any type of home the price rises with the size of the home. A bigger home means more materials and labor. If the house is larger than 400 square feet, then you will have to attach multiple containers together. The price rises with the size because of this reason. However, you can save money by building a small container house that does not need additional materials for support columns or trusses.
- Finishes – Your choice in finishes will also have an impact on your budget and final cost. Choosing high-end finishes will increase the price as well as choosing special flooring, countertops and appliances all increase costs significantly. These decisions have to be made within your budget and decided before any construction takes place so you don’t go over budget once you start building.
Finishing the interior of a container home.
The sky is the limit on what you can put inside your container home. In many ways, the interior of your container will be similar to a conventionally built home.
What makes the interior of a shipping container unique is the material used for the walls and ceiling. These walls are made from corrugated steel. For most people, this is a new material and one that might not look that great as exposed walls.
One way to address exposed steel walls is to insulate them. Once insulated, the walls can be covered with drywall (or some other covering) to give your container home a more conventional look.
Another option for covering your walls is to use wood paneling or shiplap boards. Using wood gives you the ability to paint the wall in any color you desire or simply leave the wood unfinished for a rustic look.
Shipping containers are available in multiple sizes and heights to accommodate different roof designs. If you are going with a single story design, then shipping containers work well because they come in lengths up to 53 feet long (16 meters). This gives you plenty of space for rooms inside your shipping container home.
How to decide what you need for your container home.
As you may already know, shipping containers can be used for some pretty amazing things. They can be used for restaurants, bars, cafes, and even retail stores. But container homes are becoming more and more popular as well.
In the past few years, people have started to recognize that container homes offer more than just a funky way to live. They’re actually an efficient and cost-effective way to build a home.
If you’re thinking about building a container home, you may be wondering how much it will cost you.
Here are some examples of the cost of container homes:
- 20 foot standard container — $1,500-$5,000
- 40 foot standard container — $3,500-$7,000
- 40 foot high cube container — $4,500-$9,200
Last words
If you’re looking for the cheapest container home, then it’s probably best to build your own. At $15,000, the cost sounds reasonable enough (although the labor will add everything up quickly!). If you’re looking for something that is way more customized and deluxe, you can expect to pay upwards of $100,000 for one. However, if you want a prefabricated one for about $75K to $90K, consider checking out Container Homes.