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Are you looking for a more affordable and innovative way to own a home? If so, you may be wondering about the cost of building a tiny container home versus a traditional house. Tiny container homes, also known as shipping container houses, have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their unique aesthetic and their affordability. In this blog post, we will compare the cost of a traditional house to that of a tiny container home, discuss the pros and cons of each, and explore why more people are choosing to go the container home route.
Building a traditional house is a major undertaking, requiring planning and a significant financial commitment. The cost of building a home varies depending on a range of factors, including the size of the house, the materials used, the location, and other design elements. On average, it costs around $200 to $400 per square foot to build a traditional home. The average build time for a traditional home can range from 6 to 12 months, depending on the complexity of the project and the availability of contractors.
The timeline for building a traditional house typically includes designing the home, securing financing and permits, excavating the site, pouring a foundation, framing the house, installing windows and doors, siding and roofing, electrical wiring, plumbing, finishing and painting, and landscaping. Although most people choose to hire contractors to handle the entire process, it is possible to complete some of the work yourself as part of a DIY project.
No matter how you choose to approach building a traditional home, it’s important to be aware of the high cost associated with this type of project. Many people look for ways to reduce costs by searching for DIY shipping container house plans, small container home designs, and DIY container home kits. However, these projects still require considerable planning and resources in order to be successful.
When it comes to building a tiny home, one of the most affordable options is to use a shipping container. Shipping containers are becoming more popular in the tiny home world as they provide an affordable and versatile option for those looking for a smaller, more sustainable living space.
The process of building a container home starts with selecting and purchasing a suitable shipping container. Shipping containers come in a variety of sizes, so you can find one that suits your needs. The cost of shipping container houses varies based on size, condition, and the distance it must be shipped. Prices typically start at around $3,000 USD for a 20-foot container and go up from there.
Once you have the container, you will need to prepare it for construction. This usually involves cutting windows and doors, making sure the roof and walls are properly insulated, and making sure the interior is well-ventilated. You may also need to reinforce the walls and floor of the container before you start building out the interior space.
The actual construction process for building out a container home is similar to building any other type of home. You will need to install plumbing, wiring, insulation, floors, walls, ceilings, and any other features that you want in your tiny home. This will require some knowledge of carpentry and plumbing, but most people with basic DIY skills should be able to tackle this project.
Once your container home is complete, you will have a comfortable, stylish, and sustainable tiny home that is significantly cheaper than a traditional house. While the cost of building a container home can vary depending on materials used and any customization needed, most people who build their own tiny homes report spending between $10,000-$40,000 on their projects. That’s significantly less than what you would pay to build a traditional house. Additionally, it only takes a few weeks or months to complete a tiny home project, compared to the several months or even years it could take to build a traditional home.
Building a container home can be an excellent way to save money while getting the tiny home of your dreams. It may not be as luxurious as a larger traditional house, but with careful planning and creativity you can create a unique and beautiful home that meets all your needs.
Building a traditional house is a great investment, but it is not always the most cost-efficient. The cost of materials and labor for a traditional house can be quite expensive, often exceeding $200,000. In addition to the high costs of construction, there are several other factors that should be considered. For example, the process of building a traditional home can take months or even years to complete, and there are many regulations and codes that need to be adhered to.
Alternatively, tiny shipping container homes can be built quickly and easily. These structures are made of shipping containers and require minimal construction time. Therefore, container homes can be constructed at a much lower cost than traditional houses. The process of building a container home can be completed in a matter of weeks instead of months or years. Their smaller size and modular design also make them easier to maintain than traditional homes.
One advantage that DIY shipping container houses offer over traditional homes is the opportunity for customization. With a wide range of shipping container house plans available, one can create a unique tiny home tailored to their needs and budget. Furthermore, small container homes' designs can be changed and updated more easily due to their modular construction. DIY container home kits are also readily available, allowing one to purchase all of the necessary materials at once and assemble their own container home without having to hire professionals.
The main disadvantage of building a shipping container home is that it can be difficult to find the right property to build your shipping container home on. It's important to contact your local zoning department to make sure you are able to build a shipping container home on your property. Furthermore, it may also be difficult to find contractors who are familiar with the process of constructing shipping container homes. Finally, while the cost of tiny homes may be cheaper than traditional homes, they still require some investment, especially if one decides to not perform a DIY shipping container home build.
In conclusion, building a traditional home or a tiny shipping container home can both be worthwhile investments depending on one's circumstances and needs. Traditional homes are more expensive but offer more stability, while tiny homes are cheaper but require more planning and effort. Ultimately, the decision between the two will depend on one's financial situation and lifestyle. Those looking to save money may benefit from researching shipping container home plans and attempting a DIY container home kit project.
One way to save a lot of money when building a tiny shipping container home is to take on the construction yourself. A DIY Shipping Container House requires that you gather all of the necessary materials and resources, and often includes plans or kits to guide you through the process. There are many resources available online to help with the design and construction of a DIY Shipping Container Houses. These range from detailed step-by-step instructions, complete plans, and even pre-made kits to help you construct your own tiny shipping container home.
By building your own tiny home, you can cut down significantly on the cost of the build itself, as you don’t have to pay a contractor to do the work for you. This can result in substantial savings, even though you may end up spending more time on the project yourself. The cost of materials for the build is also an important factor to consider, as shipping container homes require fewer materials than traditional houses. A typical small container home design could cost less than $20,000 in materials alone. Depending on where you purchase your materials from, you can find DIY Container Home Kits which contain almost all of the components needed for a quick and simple build.
Overall, when taking into account the cost of traditional houses and comparing it to the cost of tiny homes, it is easy to see that by constructing your own DIY Shipping Container House, you can save a considerable amount of money. Taking on the project yourself can also be a rewarding experience, as you can customize your home exactly to your specifications and preferences. All in all, DIY Container Homes offer significant savings over traditional houses and provide an exciting opportunity to create a home that is truly unique to you.
By Luke Hunter
Rise Writer
Jul 16, 2017
Container homes are exactly what they sound like; homes made from the steel shipping containers that you see carrying goods everywhere on trains, trucks, and ships. From these giant Lego blocks, people are building homes of all shapes and sizes.
Shipping containers are generally available in 10ft, 20ft, and 40ft. The smallest shipping container can provide about 100 square feet of floor space for a shipping container home. Eight larger containers together can make a two-story house at about 1400 square feet. Hundreds of container micro-apartments together can make a huge apartment building.
Shipping Container Home, Costa Rica. Photo Credit: Benjamin Garcia Saxe
Why are shipping containers being used to make homes, studios, cabins, and offices? Well, with about 14 million ‘out-of-service’ containers in the world, there are lots of them available. And playing with giant blocks has a definite appeal!
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Besides trendiness, interest in container homes is also part of a wider interest in saving money with prefabricated and modular homes. Many potential homeowners are looking for lower construction and maintenance costs. There is also a perception that container homes are contributing to recycling.
Container Home. Photo Credit: Patrick Bradley Architects
Could a container home be a good choice for you? Here are some pros and cons to consider.
Many shipping container homes are available as prefabricated modular homes, making construction time shorter. Some companies advertise delivery within 10 weeks! Most of the building code inspections are done at the factory, which makes things simpler and quicker. Or if you are designing a custom home or building a do-it-yourself project, the container gives you a fun prebuilt structure to work with.
A worldwide system exists for moving containers around. Once they reach your site, they are relatively simple to set in place on a prepared foundation.
Most of the work is completed on a factory floor for a fixed price. Delivery to the site, site preparation, foundation, assembly and utility connections are the only variable costs. That said, container homes are not always less expensive. Estimates vary, and some put the savings at 5-10%, depending on what you’re comparing against.
The environmental appeal of a container home is the idea that you are re-using a leftover product of the shipping industry to make a home. This can be a good thing, but as we will see, it’s not always true or the best thing.
Some of the advantages, like short construction time and predictable pricing, are the same for all prefabricated and modular homes, not just those made with shipping containers. But container homes benefit uniquely from the worldwide infrastructure built to move shipping containers. Even container home skeptics admit they can be useful where local building expertise is lacking or for emergency shelters that can be moved easily. In these scenarios, the versatility of container transport is a huge advantage.
Catskills Container Home. Photo Credit: Porter Fox
Container homes are often marketed as being environmentally friendly because they are said to be made from used containers, thus conserving metal resources. There are lots of old shipping containers out there, no longer in circulation, and repurposing them into homes has a strong appeal. But is a container home really the best use of a container, from a sustainability perspective? Many would disagree.
Most factory-built container homes are built from ‘one-use’ containers that have only had a single trip. These containers tend to be in good shape, without dents or rust, so they are nice for building with, instead of containers that have gone ‘out-of-service’ and may be damaged from years of use. Taking a box with lots of shipping life out of service after a single use isn’t effective recycling. And there is way more steel in a container than you need to build a house - if recycled as steel, it could make enough steel studs for 14 framed houses the same size.
A shipping container is very strong at the corners, but the roof is not that strong, so typically you need to build another roof over it, especially where there will be snow. Also, the corrugated steel walls are essential to the strength of the structure. This means anywhere you cut out a large window, or door opening requires new reinforcement. And when they are stacked together to make larger homes, welded (expensive) reinforcement is needed wherever two containers join at a spot that is not a corner. Any later renovations require significant engineering and welding.
It’s often not possible to know what has been shipped in a used container – anything from harmless consumer goods to hazardous industrial materials – or what the container has been through. The paints and finishes used on containers are industrial and intended for shipping across the ocean, not residential homes, so that they could contain lead and toxic pesticides.
The size of shipping containers is quite limiting and can quickly be consumed by plumbing, HVAC, insulation, and other systems. A container was designed to fit on a train, which means it’s narrow, and ordinary furniture doesn’t fit right. A standard container is also only 8ft wide and 8 ft 6 in high, which doesn’t leave much headroom after insulation and wiring are installed.
The narrow shape of a shipping container doesn’t lend itself to insulating the exterior very well. To avoid using up interior space, a relatively thin layer of insulation with a high R-value per inch, such as polyurethane spray foam, is often used. Although spray foam is an effective and airtight insulator, the blowing agents used in many brands of spray foam are powerful greenhouse gases.
While shipping containers are reinforced at the corners, the existing roof may lack structural integrity. Those looking for container homes capable of support weight, such as weather, should consider if building a roof is right for them. A roof can also provide aesthetic and architectural flair that is common amongst homes in North America. While there are multiple styles of roofs that can be used for a shipping container home, flat roofs, pitched roofs, roof terraces, and living roofs are the most common.
Making a poor insulation decision can have a negative impact on climate change than other kinds of insulation. To construct a well-insulated wall, it would be better to build outward for more wall thickness and use a more environmentally sustainable type of insulation. But then what use is a heavy, corrugated steel exterior if it’s buried in insulation?
Buddina Beach Box. Photo Credit: OGE architects
As container homes continue to rise in popularity, so do requests for homeowners to build homes with them. Repurposed shipping containers are even popping up as markets, hotels, fairs, and mobile shops at local events. Even with the increasing popularity, your ability to build a home with shipping containers relies heavily on zoning regulations and building codes set forth by the local government. It's essential to do your research, understand zoning and building codes, and speak with the proper housing authorities if anything is unclear.
Suburban and rural areas tend to be more open to shipping container homes; however, some states are visibly more open to alternative living. Texas, California, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Oregon, and Alaska are among the more progressive states that have, to some level, opened their doors to shipping container homes. Texas already plays host to many container homes. Even though California is known for its red tape, it has been open to container homes and hybrid container homes. Louisana and Tennessee experience some of the most lenient and forward-thinking zoning regulations in the United States. As alternative living options continue to grow, it's only a matter of time before more states in the country begin to allow shipping container homes in designated areas.
So what will a shipping container home cost? Smaller, more basic container homes can range between $10,000 to $35,000. Large homes built with multiple shipping containers and amenities can range in price from $100,000 to $175,000. Shipping container homes, in some cases, can cost half as much per square foot than traditional stick building. However, it isn't easy to compare apples to apples, and there are many factors to consider.
So what can increase the cost? While land costs and climate requirements are significant considerations, it can also depend on many factors, including:
There is a report of a simple shipping container home self-built by an engineer in Canada for only $20,000. But a pre-manufactured container home has a price tag that looks more like a regular home.
Shipping container homes should last at least 25 years but will last much longer if they are well maintained or if you use siding to protect the exterior. Rust is the single most common issue that can reduce the lifespan of a shipping container home. It's important to inspect your shipping container home and look for rust spots. Any problematic areas should be treated and repaired to reduce the chance of rust spreading.
Since shipping container homes are made out of metal, there is the possibility that they may rust. Some shipping containers are initially manufactured with alloys, a process commonly referred to as weathering steel or corten steel, which helps to form a surface level of rust that mitigates further corrosion. The climate where the container is located factors into whether a shipping container home will rust as wet and dry climates affect shipping containers differently.
A well-maintained shipping container home can retain its resale value much like a traditional home. They're relatively easy to resell since they can be loaded onto a truck and shipped almost anywhere. Before purchasing, you may want to inquire as to whether the shipping container home was manufactured for your climate and, if not, inquire as to the modifications you may need to make so that it's appropriate for its intended location.
Image courtesy of Honomobo
Here is one example. Honomobo is a builder of pre-designed, factory-built container homes based in Edmonton, Canada. They create homes using one to eight containers with high-quality finishes. Their largest model, HO8, is a two-story home with just over 1400 square feet of floor area.
NOTES: All prices are approximate, based on available data. The land is not included in this comparison and is assumed to be the same for both. *Posted price from Honomobo. **Estimated $220 per square foot construction cost in Canada, not including land or foundation. ***Estimated $1.30 per km per container for shipping, considering Edmonton (Canada) to Winnipeg (Canada) (1300 km).
Image courtesy of Honomobo.
You might love to have a container home because you like the idea, the look, the chance to play with blocks in a DIY design, or the quick delivery time for a manufactured model. But don’t assume it will cost less or that it’s necessarily more environmentally sustainable.
Disclaimer: This article does not constitute a product endorsement however Rise does reserve the right to recommend relevant products based on the articles content to provide a more comprehensive experience for the reader.
Last Modified: 2023-08-23T12:45:59+0000
Article by:
Luke Hunter
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