Suppose you’ve just learned about these homes called maritime container homes and want to learn more about them and how to plan before starting to build your house.
Don’t worry, every week we receive many emails from people like you asking us what they are and where we can get more information about them.
We’ve been the number one resource for everything related to shipping container homes in recent years. Our website is dedicated to educating container enthusiasts. We have a wealth of articles designed to help you navigate your journey.
Today, we’ll start from the beginning and explain exactly what container homes are, and then we’ll provide you with some articles you should read if you want to learn more.
What are container homes?
Containers are homes or offices that have been built by converting and reusing containers. These containers can be used or new, 20 or 40 feet long.
There are several options available to you, but all that matters in terms of definition is that some type of container is used at the core of the construction. Thousands of shipping container homes have already been built worldwide, including:
United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Germany, and the Netherlands.
You can see more photos of container homes in our beautiful article on container homes or take a look at this article on 20 amazing container homes.
Are container homes popular?
Now that you know what container homes are, you’re probably wondering if they’re popular or not. Yes, they are extremely popular for housing and office construction.
Over the past two decades and beyond, they have been gradually increasing in popularity worldwide. But why are they so popular? In fact, we’ve published an article that answers why people build container homes.
One of the most popular reasons people build container homes is the price. Container homes can be built for a small sum of money, which means they can offer a path to financial independence for many people. Another big reason they’re so popular is that they’re quite environmentally friendly. Each recycled container saves over 7,000 pounds of steel.
Do you still need to know more to convince you? Read Why Do You Need a Container Home?
Are container homes dangerous?
This is a fair question since you’ll be living in this house with your family. You need to be sure!
As long as the house is built correctly and the containers are converted properly, then yes, container homes are absolutely safe.
We’ve covered this thoroughly in our article on how safe container homes are, if you want to read more.
Pros and cons of a container home
For many people, building a container home is a perfect choice. That said, it’s not the right decision for everyone. For example, if you have no DIY experience, building your own container will be a challenge.
Some of the biggest advantages of container homes are the economic cost, quick construction, and ecological compatibility. We cover this in greater depth in our article detailing the advantages and disadvantages of building container homes.
Building your own home with containers
If you’ve considered the options and have made the decision to build a container home, that’s fantastic! We can’t wait to see the results. Remember to contact us once you’ve finished construction and send some photos!
We’ve talked to numerous people who have built their own container home, and there are several mistakes people make along the way that end up costing them a lot of money. Two of the most common mistakes are buying the wrong type of containers and using the wrong insulation material. Read more in our article 6 mistakes to avoid when building.
Once you’ve read this and are getting familiar with container homes, you might be interested in our interviews with 23 container owners. In these interviews, we ask owners to share their best tips for people wanting to build their own container.
The top three tips are:
- Buy the right type of container.
- Check local building standards and permits before starting construction.
- Use contractors who have previously built container homes.
Planning your container home
By now, you know what a container home is, why people build container homes, and have even seen some beginner mistakes people make when building container homes.
Now consider these 8 questions to ask before building. The most important decision you’ll have to make is whether to build it yourself or hire a contractor to do it for you. Most people decide to build it themselves.
One of the reasons is that it’s much cheaper, but also because it brings you closer to the house as your blood, sweat, and tears have been poured into it! We understand that there are people who don’t want to build it themselves.
As idyllic as it may seem to build it yourself, it can be very stressful, especially if it’s your first time. Hiring a contractor can help eliminate many of these headaches, allowing you to do all the fun things like designing the kitchen and the flow of the house.
It’s about making these decisions now, so you know what to expect. Planning your project is as important as the old saying goes: “A failure to plan is a plan to fail.”
We won’t go too deep into planning in this article, except to say that you need to do it! Read our full article on planning your container home. From design to budget, to using contractors, everything is there.
Conclusion
When you’re new to the concept of container homes, the amount of information available can be overwhelming, but we hope this article has helped you get started. Remember, there are dozens of articles on our website about building homes with containers.
Building your own container can be extremely rewarding not only financially but also as a sense of personal achievement. Let us know in the comments section below if you’ve decided to embark on the container journey.
