Would you live in a house built from shipping containers ?

Originally posted by Lil Drummerboy
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Trailers are specifically built for transport over highway
while shipping containers are built for shipping AND stacking
Lots of weight pressure.
the rigidity of a shipping container is truly not comparison to a standard
over the road transport trailer.

Indeed.... except for, again, the trailers designed and constructed for Intermodal Transport operations. Those are generally seen on rail, but I've also hauled refrigerated trailers to the Port of Miami for shipping to the Caribbean and Spain (don't ask me why Spain...I just hauled stuff, I didn't pick destinations lol).

I assume you have some long term professional background with working hands on to this equipment? I mean I introduced my comment here as a casual and helpful thing for the OP to consider, and you've bit into it like a dog with a bone. I'm really curious where your structural knowledge comes from on these? I figure working with them for the majority of my adult life works pretty well on my side. Oh well....

The oddest things seem worth picking for correcting people on these days.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Yep I made a correction your honer
I work with companies that ship things overseas and receive as well.
I have traveled extensively

I live in a 34 foot motor home and my idea is the stack two shipping containers stacked 30 foot apart on a cement pad. and put a roof on top between the stacks and a back wall.(the back wall could also be shipping containers)
I can then park my motor home inside in the shade and use the shipping containers for storage and work shops, hot tub ECT ECT.

Originally posted by ANNED
I live in a 34 foot motor home and my idea is the stack two shipping containers stacked 30 foot apart on a cement pad. and put a roof on top between the stacks and a back wall.(the back wall could also be shipping containers)
I can then park my motor home inside in the shade and use the shipping containers for storage and work shops, hot tub ECT ECT.

I had the same idea a bit back when I received 23 acres. I'm a small house kinda guy and prefer to roam, rather than veg in a house. But the County would not allow it. I have to build a permenant house on the property.

Check zoning laws.

Originally posted by TDawgRex

Originally posted by ANNED
I live in a 34 foot motor home and my idea is the stack two shipping containers stacked 30 foot apart on a cement pad. and put a roof on top between the stacks and a back wall.(the back wall could also be shipping containers)
I can then park my motor home inside in the shade and use the shipping containers for storage and work shops, hot tub ECT ECT.

I had the same idea a bit back when I received 23 acres. I'm a small house kinda guy and prefer to roam, rather than veg in a house. But the County would not allow it. I have to build a permenant house on the property.

Check zoning laws.

I was thinking about starting a RV park where i did it.
A little extra income.

Originally posted by ANNED

Originally posted by TDawgRex

Originally posted by ANNED
I live in a 34 foot motor home and my idea is the stack two shipping containers stacked 30 foot apart on a cement pad. and put a roof on top between the stacks and a back wall.(the back wall could also be shipping containers)
I can then park my motor home inside in the shade and use the shipping containers for storage and work shops, hot tub ECT ECT.

I had the same idea a bit back when I received 23 acres. I'm a small house kinda guy and prefer to roam, rather than veg in a house. But the County would not allow it. I have to build a permenant house on the property.

Check zoning laws.

I was thinking about starting a RV park where i did it.
A little extra income.

That acreage is my sisters worm on the hook to get me to move back to Wisconsin. I want to, but finances are just not there at the moment. I recommended a RV park/snow bird community to her as well and once again, the county is a obstacle making it not very profitable as a start up. Not to mention State and Federal regulations. It became such a headache that she nixed the idea.

reply to post by generik


You'll want to be careful if you bury it. I did some research on this a while ago and the main concern is the strength of th walls. The cheapest way to manage against this that I found is Gabion baskets: containerauction.com...

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000

Originally posted by Lil Drummerboy
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Trailers are specifically built for transport over highway
while shipping containers are built for shipping AND stacking
Lots of weight pressure.
the rigidity of a shipping container is truly not comparison to a standard
over the road transport trailer.

Indeed.... except for, again, the trailers designed and constructed for Intermodal Transport operations. Those are generally seen on rail, but I've also hauled refrigerated trailers to the Port of Miami for shipping to the Caribbean and Spain (don't ask me why Spain...I just hauled stuff, I didn't pick destinations lol).

I've got a fair amount of experience with trailers, and containers. My main concerns with trailers has always been 1) aluminum - light weight... 2) the tires... dry rot 3) If you ever need to move it, especially on a highway, you've got to shell out a bunch of money to get it back to code. The lights have a wonderful habit of not working for random reasons.

I have looked into this pretty extensively and I don't think it's an economical way to go at all. You will still need to finish the interior and insulate the inside very, very well. As well as building a strong foundation for the containers to sit on. You'll also need to use a huge ac and heating unit because that steel will get super hot in the summer and super cold in the winter.
The cheapest way to build a house is find an area without building codes and inspections and stick-build your house. You can build a very livable home for $20-$30,000 or less depending on location and your own abilities. Stick-building is using milled lumber. For what you pay to get a container delivered and finish the inside of it, you can build something twice as big and finish the exterior with vinyl siding.

Not to mention, you still have to install plumbing, electrical, etc. (and lightning protection) That said though, the end result will be a fortress...so there is that. I doubt after all is considered you'd SAVE money, but for the SAME or a little more money, you'd likely be better off with the end result. Of course, if stacking, (or even when positioning), you're going to need a crane or some other heavy machinery to move them around. I think this is where your money really goes into the red.

Cheapest way to go is to build a cob house.

I'll be starting mine next summer. There still 800-1000 years old cob houses still standing all over the world. UK as well as stateside.

Just check the net with key word "cob house".

Shipping containers would be my last resort. You have to pay for containers, for shipping, for concrete slab, for insulation, wiring, plumbing...........