So You Think You Want a Custom-Built Shipping Container Home?

So You Think You Want a Custom-Built Shipping Container Home?

Posted by Stephen Shang on Fri, Sep 19, 2014 @ 07:33 AM

  

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We’re not here to dash your dreams, but the growing cargotecture trend has definitely inspired a lot of unique ideas in shipping container homes. And while shipping containers themselves are pretty simple, all those industrial chic additions (retractable walls, floating staircases) can make building with boxes a bit more complicated.
Here are three shipping container home considerations we recommend you think through, before deciding if container living is really for you.
Container Home Design we are big fans of upcycling—i.e. repurposing the global surplus of steel shipping containers for broader, long-term purposes.  But we’re not setting out to build the world’s most luxurious treehouse (no offense, Pete Nelson), or try to make a Conex box look like the Sydney Opera House. Instead, we create safe and efficient living spaces inside our popular Living Boxes. Living Boxes can be customized to an extent—in terms of stacking and joining multiple containers. But they can’t be made to replicate the Guggenheim. That’s just not what we do.
Container Home Materials
Contrary to popular belief, shipping containers aren’t dirt cheap. A quality, used, 40-foot container can cost around $4,000. (There are cheaper units out there, but we wouldn’t recommend living in them.) Four thousand is certainly less than framing and foundation materials for a traditional home, but it doesn’t represent the entirety of a shipping container home’s price tag. Don’t assume that a shipping container frame will allow you to outfit your pad with Brazilian hardwood and gold leaf ceilings. Being able to incorporate nice materials and furnishings into a modest-sized space is one great advantage of a minimalist home. Just be sure you’ve done your homework on standard container costs first.
Container Home Timeline
Already sold your brick and mortar home in the city? Hoping to take advantage of a prime seller’s market, or snag the perfect plot of land you just found for sale?  Your plans may not sync with a shipping container home if you’re hoping for 30-foot ceilings and a sunken living room. Custom containers can take months to build. And more complex designs often require onsite intervention (grading the property, compacting the soil, pouring the foundation, etc.)  Choosing a new home is certainly a major decision—one that’s worthy of a little wait time. But if you want to minimize unforeseen snags and delays, a custom build may not be your dream home.
The bottom line?
For a lot of container home enthusiasts, opting for a standard Living Box unit is a much better solution than a custom build. For one thing, the “standard” label is a little misleading. Our shipping container home buyers have found plenty of cool, inexpensive ways to modify and personalize container houses. Having fun with exterior paint, patios, window boxes and living roofs are just a few examples.
The other piece of feedback we always hear from Living Box buyers: context. Many homeowners have trouble weighing their full appreciation for a shipping container home until it’s placed in the landscape they love. And yet, the ability to live in a quiet, unspoiled environment is usually the prime reason people chose container homes in the first place. Living Boxes help to preserve that goal; set-up is fast and minimally invasive.
Still think you’re in the market for a shipping container home? Get more information here:

HOW MUCH DO STEEL SHIPPING CONTAINERS COST/Brian Dieringer & Stephen Shang

I highly recommend Falcon Services Jesse Smith blog owner

How much do steel shipping containers cost? Great question. The answer depends on a few factors: Are you going to rent or buy? Do you care about the shipping container’s quality rating (i.e. dents and dings)? What kind of modification options do you need (climate control, added security, etc.)? The quickest way to get an accurate estimate on a steel shipping container is to request a quote or call us at 877.704.0177, and describe your specific needs. Remember, anyone can give you a figure. Only Falcon Boxperts can give you knowledgeable advice based on 10 years of industry experience. Brian Dieringer and Stephen Shang Co-Founders, Falcon Services

Building Codes for Shipping Container Houses

THIS IS NOT MY WRITING BUT IT IS VERY GOOD INFORMATION

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Building Codes for Shipping Container Houses
Probably the most challenging aspect of using ISBUs in home construction is the question around building codes for shipping container houses.  The perception is that they can’t be used in most suburban areas.  The reality is that many building departments simply lack knowledge and experience in this area.

While you may be considering building a home from shipping containers, what you are really doing is using steel construction for residential purposes.  Since steel is generally not the material of choice for traditional homes, building departments may not have much experience in understanding your plans.

If you are interested in pursuing this option, do some homework up front so you are prepared to have your design reviewed in the best possible light:
Check with your community planning or building department office and confirm  which set of building codes apply to the area in which you want to build a shipping  container home and the date those codes were last updated.
Review the code online yourself or discuss the code with an architect who has experience in using shipping containers or steel in home construction.
Get a firm understanding of the use of steel construction allowed by the building code that applies to your area before you begin coming up with your own shipping container home plan.

Here’s a website that lists links to all of the current building codes in the US organized by state:

Building Codes For Shiping Containers
More cities now have building firms and architects with more knowledge about using shipping containers in construction than ever before.  If you have any concerns, simply call and ask to speak to a design member at one of these firms and ask whether or not they have run into challenges having their projects approved, how they got around any challenges, and what advice, if any, they have for you.

It’s possible they’d be more interested in taking you on as a client than they would be in giving information freely, but it’s worth a shot.  If you explain that you are comparison shopping at this point and that they are on your list of possible resources, they may be more open.

The other thing to keep in mind if you have concerns about building codes for shipping container houses is that it is your finished design that has to be approved, not your use of shipping containers that has to be approved.  If you called your local building department and asked if it was okay to build a home out of used shipping containers, you might get an interesting, or negative, response.

Going in front of any review committee with pictures of a well designed home and a thorough set of plans that meet current code requirements keeps any consideration focused on your well laid out plan and not the fact that you are using used shipping containers in the construction.  That piece of information will likely be nothing more than a novelty item of interest to a review board.

20' Modular Shipping Containers

Multi-Level Shipping Container Offices: Stack and Combine

This is a very good blog about all the things you can do with shipping containers by Stephen Shang

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Multi-Level Shipping Container Offices: Stack and Combine

Posted by Stephen Shang on Wed, Jul 24, 2013 @ 03:32 PM

  

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Shipping containers come in lengths of up to 53 feet, meaning that relatively large offices and living spaces can be created within a single shipping container. However, for practicality in cost and shipping, the 40-foot length is what’s typically used.  When a larger office space is needed, you can create a shipping container office using stacked Conex boxes, creating a multi-level building that fits a great deal of office space into a compact area.
Multi-level shipping container offices can be equipped with numerous features to make communication and access between the various parts of the office effortless. For example, the office can be equipped with both interior and exterior stairways. This allows for travel between office spaces that mimics the functionality of traditional office buildings.
While Conex boxes can be stacked, they can also be joined to create wider office spaces. The choice will depend on your business needs. For example, if you are placing your shipping container office in an environment with limited surface area, or if you would like stricter partitions between each component of the office, a multi-story office may be best. On the other hand, if you have concerns about mobility or just prefer a single-level office, you need not sacrifice space or utility.
What Can a Conex Office Hold?
A shipping container office can hold all the amenities that a traditional office holds, while being portable and efficient. Examples include:

• HVAC systems to keep workers comfortable 
• Windows to improve lighting and ventilation
• Electricity to run copiers, computers, and other office essentials
• Security to ensure the safety and confidentiality of important files and equipment 
• Personnel doors for ease of access

In addition to these basic amenities, you can choose more advanced options to make your office more customized and homey if needed. For example, you might opt for a custom paint job either inside or outside of the container. Floors, lighting, and windows can all be adjusted to meet each individual company's needs, which tend to vary based on environment, budget, and personal preferences. You can choose specialized wall coverings or floor finishes, specialty shelving or cabinetry, even advanced security features.
When your office is built inside a shipping container, it can easily move from worksite to worksite, to accommodate your company's changing locations. In addition, a shipping container office can be a great investment for any small or mid-sized business.
If you are interested in using a shipping container office for your company, please click here for a quote from Falcon Containers.

Tags: Falcon Office Box, Modified Shipping Containers

Modified Shipping Container - Your Next Interior Design Project Posted by Stephen Shang on Wed, Apr 10, 2013 @ 08:00 AM

 


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The use of a modified shipping container for your business’ operation has been decided.  The steel structure has the ideal exterior dimensions. The inherent strength of the corrugated steel combined with its overall stability and mobility has made it the perfect base structure for the extra space you need.
Now comes the interior layout and the placement of openings, personnel stations, electrical hook-up or bathroom facilities. Whatever the intended use of your conex box is, there are some Questions to consider to assist in the interior design of your 20 or 40 foot repurposed shipping container.
What Are You Using the Space for?

• Be aware of the dimensions of the interior space. While the exterior dimensions are standard, the addition of insulation, finished ceilings or ductwork reduces the maximum interior height and width.

• Consider the square footage of the interior space after the addition of modifications when determining the amount of items that can be contained inside a Falcon Utility Box.
• In the case of the Falcon Office Box, ideally 2 individuals to one 20-foot container and 4 to a 40-foot container is ideal if the space is used for a full 40-hour workweek.

• Are you in a client-facing business and is the office furniture you plan on using sized to accommodate this?
• Interior space planning through modeling is recommended for the placement of workstations and interior equipment.

How Often Will the Space Be Used?

• If the Utility or Office Box is used intermittently, consider the maintenance steps to insure ventilation is continuous and the interior space is cared for.
  • Using interior cooling and heating occasionally without continuous humidity control can create moisture build up.

How Much Heating and Cooling is Required?

• You have taken into consideration the use of the conex box and the amount of items or personnel that will be using it. It is important to consider the interior climate needs.

• If the interior space is broken up into rooms or workstations, it will be important to design airflow through duct work or wall placement to maintain uniform temperature.
• The Boxperts at Falcon Container will work with you to determine the correct amount of air conditioning combined with the insulation type to use to create a climate-controlled environment.
• Different HVAC units have different space requirements and energy source needs. Depending on your needs this will be taken into consideration.

What is the Climate Where the Conex Box Will Be Located?

• The exterior climate will be a factor when deciding on a few of the interior design elements of your repurposed shipping container.

• The exterior climate will help determine how much heating or cooling needs to be supplied to the interior structure.

• The elements of snow, wind and rain should be taken into consideration when considering floor insulation and interior ceiling finish outs.
• The use of a steel repurposed shipping container is ideal due to its exterior strength and water and wind resistant structure. The amount of snow, rain and ice will be factors in insulation, ceiling structure and opening protections.

Where Should We Position the Openings?

• The standard repurposed shipping container comes with cargo doors at one end. These doors swing open and hinge flat against the sidewalls.
  • These doors may or may not be used and can be disabled.
• Additional openings such as personnel doors and roll up doors should be positioned to accommodate the cargo doors if they are enabled for use.

• Personnel door placement will need to be reviewed.
• Door handles and exterior facades can add inches to the overall dimensions and should be taken into consideration.
• These structures are moved via forklift operation and additional dimensions can affect those supports.

There is a lot to consider when planning out the interior space for your conex box project. While we have touched on some key questions to consider at the onset of your next project, your business operation may have unique circumstances. You may not be aware of areas to consider in addition to the above questions when planning the interior space of your repurposed shipping container. The Boxperts here at Falcon Containers have a wealth of industry experience and have worked with a wide variety of businesses. Our staff is ready to assist you in your product selection and any additional interior design elements to create the ideal solution to simplify your business. Visit us at Falconcontainers.com