Would you ever live inside a shipping container?

• justincredible

  

  Browsing the interwebs over my break I found out about a pretty cool practice of turning 20' and 40' shipping containers into housing.
  
  
  This was the first house to catch my eye. It was built out in Colorado.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What say you, would you live in a house like this?
• sleeper

  

  No.
• sportchampps

  I would but I've always loved the urban chic look. I'm guessing you would need some good installation.
• Sonofanump

  Yes.
• gut

  That's a pretty cool place. I just wonder if the cost to retro-fit isn't another example of paying thru the nose for the status of being "green".
  
  If you don't mind all straight lines, I'd guess different size containers could make the house virtually indistinguishable from traditional methods.
  
  Only thing I might not care for is all the doors (some of which could probably just be walled-in and ignored). But combined with some traditional bricks-n-mortar you could probably eliminate the doors with other framing outside (i.e. screen in that porch the doors open to).
• gut

  That HAS to be more expensive, given the price for scrap steel (and they probably weren't using scrap containers, which would be even higher retail) than regular wood framing.
  
  Judging from the property it's on, I'm guessing we might get sticker shock from.
• justincredible

  

  Yeah, I have a feeling this project wasn't cheap.
• mcburg93

  

  Containers were selling for scrap price not sure what they are going for now. The neighbor bought four to make a barn out of and it turned out pretty sweet. I know here in the US we are well overstocked with these things.
• justincredible

  

  mcburg93;1355796 wrote:Containers were selling for scrap price not sure what they are going for now. The neighbor bought four to make a barn out of and it turned out pretty sweet. I know here in the US we are well overstocked with these things.

  I've seen them for around $1000 for a 20' and $2000 for a 40'.
  
  This isn't a home, just a studio, but if you lived a truly minimalist lifestyle you could get by in something this size.
  
  
  
  I've seen some plans for a ~1300 sq ft home using two shipping containers that are estimated to cost about $25k total. If you were handy you could probably make yourself a livable home for far less than that.
• gut

  Yeah, I saw an article on EBAY saying 20' was going for $2500-$3000 and 40' about 20% more. 8-10' wide, I think.
  
  So probably cheaper than wood framing (+labor). But the finishing expenses have to be a lot higher. Maybe net-net it isn't that different from the cost of traditional materials.
• mucalum49

  

  Saw a show called "Extreme Homes" where someone did this. I liked the living space and it's contemporary look but when they showed the bedrooms that's when you realize you're living in a narrow shipping container. Maybe it was the way these people had their room set up but I didn't really like it. Here's the house I saw:
  
  
• gut

  ^^^fugly
• justincredible

  

  I like that one a lot.
• TedSheckler

  

  No*
  
  *The Wire-Season 2
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  sportchampps;1355779 wrote:I would but I've always loved the urban chic look. I'm guessing you would need some good installation.

  Insulation too.
• Ironman92

  

  Just south of Columbus off of route 23 there is a large building made of these....business, small factory...not sure.
• Trueblue23

  

  I think it's pretty sweet
• se-alum

  

  I know someone that actually lives in a shipping container. It's just a shipping container though, it's pretty sad.
• Fab1b

  

  the ones posted here are sweet
• said_aouita

  

  As a single dude with no kids that I know of, hell yea.
• Pick6

  

  doesnt look well insulated at all.
• justincredible

  

  Pick6;1355968 wrote:doesnt look well insulated at all.

  From what I've read they are extremely energy efficient. There is a ceramic paint that you spray on the outside and then you can insulate the inside with foam or whatever.
• OSH

  

  I've been looking at them for quite some time.
  
  I think my wife and I will go that route once we have the financial capability. I like them.
• gut

  Better than stacking two double-wides
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  maybe stack two side by side and two on top and one jetting out in an L.
  
  2000 sq ft of shipping container heaven.