Estimates suggest there are between 12 and 15 homeless per 10,000 individuals in Texas. In Houston alone, that number equates to approximately 6,300 homeless individuals.
Living paycheck to paycheck is also a national reality affecting 78% of the American workforce. These low-income families spent a whopping 1/3 to 1/2 of their income on housing needs. Cargo container homes provide a unique solution to this housing crisis.
The Cargo Container Home Solution
Many are looking at a cost-efficient solution to homelessness and increasing housing costs in larger cities like Houston and Dallas. Welcome to the dawn of the Tiny House Movement, where cargo container homes use new or used shipping containers to address today’s current housing issues.
Whether you are choosing to downsize out of financial necessity, looking for more freedom, or a home with a smaller impact on the environment, cargo containers are a creative solution. For the homeless, even a small home is superior to life in the elements.
Cargo containers homes also called shipping container homes or tiny houses are not just boxes. They can be beautiful, self-sustaining homes that people are proud to own.
Curious to learn more? Keep reading to learn about shipping containers and how they can help both low income and homeless families.
What is a Shipping Container Home or Tiny Home?
Tiny houses, by most definitions, are typically between 100 and 400 square feet and provide the same things other dwellings provide. They have beds, showers, kitchens, and eating areas. There is no rule on what defines a tiny house. Some homes are as small as 26 square feet and a 1000 square foot house is also considered tiny because it measures less than half the size of the typical American home.
Tiny houses and shipping container homes are unique in their use of space. A bed may pull out from a raised area or drop down from a wall for use. Many spaces in tiny homes serve dual purposes. A kitchen table, for example, serves as both an eating space and an office or homework space, a common experience in most homes, regardless of size.
Because of size and materials, Tiny Houses are less expensive to build and maintain, making them very affordable housing solutions.
What is the Size of a Shipping Container House?
Cargo container homes typically range from 56 square feet to 320 square feet. Specialty cargo containers also exist, with extra high ceilings. Most new shipping containers come with one main door opening (typically a double door) and a wood panel.
The smaller size allows for less energy and water demands making them easy to convert to off the grid or semi off the grid systems. Lower energy demands also equate to a lower overall cost to maintain.
Why Use a Shipping Crate Home as Opposed to Another Tiny Home Solution?
1. Used shipping containers are plentiful. Most goods shipped both nationally and internationally are shipped in shipping containers. Shipping containers are moved by railway cars, river barges, and ocean liners.
2. Used containers are also environmentally friendly. Converting a shipping container into a dwelling allows you to Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse all in one.
3. Shipping containers are already built and therefore prefabricated. Prefabricated homes allow for quicker build times and can also significantly reduce costs.
4. Shipping containers are designed to be stacked for transport in harsh environments, so they are sturdy and durable. Depending on your location, additional attachments can make them very wind, storm, and hurricane proof.
5. Multi-level home or even an apartment building can be made by stacking containers.
Already many cities like Houston, Orlando, Los Angeles, and San Diego are using shipping container homes and apartments to address the needs of their homeless and low-income residents.
I Don’t Want to Live in a Box
You may be convinced by the price and utility of a cargo container home, but what about the aesthetics? Ultimately, you are only limited by your creativity. Modifying a storage container is not difficult and you can check out our photo gallery for some inspiration.
Need more inspiration? Imagine this, a porch can be added off the existing door structure, to allow for you to open up your entire house in temperate climates. Installing a similar door on the other side allows for cross ventilation if you follow the prevailing wind pattern for the area. This design allows you to be closer to nature which reduces stress but also decreases cooling costs. Because of shipping container stability, rooftop gardens and seating areas are very easy to create.
Haven’t you always wanted a home with a view? Stacking two containers parallel to each other, with a third crossing them, perpendicularly. Now you have created an instant breezeway. This design may be the ideal way to keep the in-laws living space separate from yours.
Things to Be Aware of Before You Buy a Shipping Container
Cargo containers can be bought new or used. Used shipping containers must be completed cleaned and prepared before use as a new home. The cleaning should be done by a professional to prevent contamination from the previous shipments.
Local laws may dictate where container homes may be placed, so be sure to check all local permitting prior to purchase.
Other Uses for Shipping Containers
Because of their cost, size, and shortened build time, cargo container homes can also serve many other purposes. Looking for the perfect mother-in-law suite to drop into an existing backyard.
Need a private home office away from the traffic of the family? Shipping containers can even be an easy to build a second home on a piece of land you own. Shipping containers can also be rented as a temporary storage unit.
Regardless of your needs shipping containers can be an affordable solution to space, housing, and storage needs.
Time to Purchase?
We are here to help you choose the right cargo container home for your dwelling or storage needs. We can also assist you with modifications and arrange services to install it on your property. Contact us for all your cargo container home needs.
