In the past, a shipping container is something you would only see in ports and docks. Nowadays, creativity and ingenuity has allowed people to find many new uses for these steel boxes. In fact, one of these uses is repurposing shipping containers into a house.
If you want a two or even three-storied house, that’s not a problem. Shipping containers are made of steel which can be stacked up to ten containers in height. Better yet, the walls are corrugated which help to resist severe weather and harsh environments. One more advantage of using shipping containers as the skeletal structure of your house is that you can do it on a small budget, as long as you remember these tips.
Plan and Prep
Everyone living on a tight budget knows how important a good plan is. While shipping containers tend to be cost-efficient, it will do you no good if you don’t have a proper building plan. Improvising throughout the building process will not only cost you more money but also risk causing serious problems down the road.
The first thing you need to do is to decide how much money you want to spend on a new house. Next, decide on the features you would want in your new home. How many bedrooms and bathrooms will there be?
You may also want to make sure that you use the same brand of shipping containers as different manufacturers have different measurement tolerances which can lead to disparities that can be quite a pain to fix. Apart from the measurements, consider the fact that a US shipping container may be different from one in Denmark in terms of all the standards and regulations (e.g., fire, government) that they have to comply with.
Work with a Knowledgeable Contractor
Work with a contractor who has done this type of work before. Shipping containers do not have the structure as a regular home. There are special considerations a contractor need to make when they are cutting the metal frame or installing the plumbing. To save money though, you may also want to work with the same contractor who can do both the shipping container modifications as well as the interior.
Removing too much steel from a shipping container is one of the most common mistakes in home construction and modification. If this happens, its structural integrity can be compromised. You may also want to make sure that your contractor is well-versed in all the local planning regulations when it comes to building a shipping container home. If you haven’t acquired the right permits, you might be in for a rude awakening!
Spend Your Money Wisely
A trick in a budget home building that not everyone knows is to spend money on things that cannot be altered and skimp on those that can be altered later. For example, the shipping containers you are using will be a lot harder to replace than kitchen appliances as they provide structure to your home. So, don’t skimp and get a high quality shipping container from the get-go. When searching for shipping containers for sale in Dallas, you can also consider used ones that have been refurbished to be as good as new.
When building on a budget, you need to keep a ledger and track every dollar. Sometimes, the leak comes from the little things that you think was trivial at the time but can add up to a pretty substantial amount. When shipping for new or used shipping containers, consider only reliable suppliers such as Equipment Management Services. Other than that, building a home out of shipping containers is very beneficial and enjoyable. Happy building!
Sources:
How to Build a Shipping Container Home with a Small Budget, ContainerHomePlans.org
11 Tips You Need to Know Before Building a Shipping Container Home, ArchDaily.com
