Shipping container tiny homes are a flexible and affordable alternative to conventional houses. They offer a solid, weatherproof structure at a fraction of the price of a traditional build. But what exactly is a shipping container tiny home? Let’s dig into this more and find out.
Shipping Container Tiny Homes Basics
Tiny homes are houses with very small external footprint and an inside designed to space maximization. The tiny home movement uses a lot of creative building materials, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Shipping containers are a popular building material for tiny homes because they already arrive with a sturdy corrugated steel shell. Shipping container tiny homes interiors offer a blank canvas to build out this space into an ideal home layout.
It’s also relatively easy to use more than one container to expand this space, side-ways or upwards. Extra containers can quickly give you a second or even a third story. As you can imagine, there are lots of shipping container tiny home plans to choose from. You are only limited by your imagination, budget and space constraints.
Ready-Built or DIY?
One of the benefits of a shipping container tiny home is the ability to customize your home economically. However, to make an empty container into a functional home takes a lot of work and specialized knowledge. If you have a good working knowledge of carpentry or metal work, adding internal walls and external windows to your shipping container could be easy. Plumbing and electrical work can be trickier in such a small space however.
Building your own shipping container home from scratch might save you money, but it can lead to frustration and expensive mistakes. If you are already a skilled builder, it might be possible to buildout your entire home by yourself, but that isn’t an option for everyone.
There are a handful of companies that sell ready-built shipping container homes and offer customization services to take care of the more complex building tasks for you. These services give you the freedom and flexibility to make your home your own while also giving you the experts you need to do it right.
To save on transportation costs, check for shipping container service providers in your area first.
Know Your Local Regulations
The first thing you’ll need before you build your shipping container home is a place to put it. Owning a piece of land might seem like thats enough, but you’ll need to check with your city’s government about building permits before your start. A fabulous shipping container tiny home is no good if your city won’t let you live in it. Knowing the zoning laws for your area is an important step to take when you are considering a tiny home.
While some places have restrictive zoning rules, Houston, Texas is a great example of a place with very few restrictions when it comes to building a shipping container home. They do not have zoning laws, and instead use development ordinances to regulate buildings in the city.
Find Your Containers
Shipping container tiny homes are an easy and affordable way to design the home of your dreams. While building a long-lasting, functional shipping container home that complies with local regulations may seem daunting, there are experts who can help!
Reach out to us today to start your tiny house journey soon.
