Looking into getting a Container House Built

[superide]

Where should I start, we have been looking at alot of picturs of them online and my wife and I are really intrested in finding out what I need to do to star? From what I see there are only a handfull of people in the US that have done it. Any information you may have would be helpfull.

Thank you,
David

[superide]

is this somthing that people do or is it jst alot of hype?

[lavardera]

I don't know where you are, but Peter DeMaria is the architect who has actually had a project built from containers built:

http://www.demariadesign.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22

He is west coast. Contact Peter if you think he will be able to serve you.

I have not had a container project built yet but I am also very interested in working with them. I am on the east coast. I would be happy to work with you on it if it made sense. Send me an email if you wish and we get into it more off of the message board.
_________________
Gregory La Vardera
architect www.lamidesign.com
modern stock plans www.lamidesign.com/plans
modern workplace www.workalicious.org

[eamesdaedelus]

Greg JUST beat me to it, literally by seconds BUT, yes people do this. It does however take commited clients (read $$) to make it a reality.

If I had a dollar for every person that contacted me inquiring about "container housing" I'd be out building my own container project empire and not having to worry about commited clients. There are however things that need to be made clear, namely that you aren't going to build one for too much cheaper than you can build a regular house, unless you are OK with the aesthetic of the boxes themselves and you can deal with the size limitations imposed by the boxes, AND you can deal with your local building department givinng you a hard time because it is "different".

Of course there are ways to design around almost all of the issues that will come up (which is where those of us that think about this sort of thing all of the time earn our money) but container-based housing is no Holy Grail (at least not for a good 99.9% of the American populace.)

First things first:

Do you own land?

If so where is it?

Do you have a decent expectation for your constructin budget?

If so what is it?

Why do you think containers are the right way for you to build?

What do you hope to gain by using containers as opposed to some other system (either conventional or alternative)?

Answer these questions (you don't need to do it on the board here) and I'm sure you'll get some more questions and some more answers that will help you push your own project further towards realization.


Like Greg I too have been researching this thread for amny years now, so far to no avail. I am Central so between Greg on the East Coast, and Peter De maria on the West, and myself we should be able to come up with something that will help you to realizing your project, even if it entails finding a non-container based answer for you.

Regards,
Mark Meyer
_________________
designSTUDIO
box 684742
Austin, Tx 78768

512.619.6962

[superide]

I am in Maryland, So you are close. I have been interested in a house like the one in the link below.

http://www.architectureandhygiene.com/99KHouse/99k_main.html

[superide]

I really dont know what I am looking for I guess at this point I just want options, but I like the look of the container houses. My wife and I are in the process of selling our current house and buying property, the lots that we are looking at are wooded lots up in the mtns. we are going to have a budget of around 200K. We are not looking for anything big, just somthing around 1500sq ft.

[superide]

Mr. La Vardera,

Did you get my email I sent you, because it looks like I might be having sdome email problems over here.

[yeldarbaz]

me too, me too. I'm an engineering student looking into building my own container home. in the north midwest. MN. I have a floorplan and sketches of the building i think i want to build and am researching the details: Insulation, HVAC, all that fun stuff. Structurally i have some questions. I am experienced in the construction trades and plan on doing alot of the work myself and with some friends.

So you can add me to the list of people asking about container homes.

for me, it's a simple 980 sq ft. 4 container home. 3x 40's and a 20'. 2 story, and a garage.

-Brad

[superide]

Brad I would like to see what you have come up with, do you have anything in email form?

[sailboatescape]

Mark,

You so hit it on the head with you description of the ONLY way to do it cost effectively, "unless you are OK with the aesthetic of the boxes themselves and you can deal with the size limitations imposed by the boxes, AND you can deal with your local building department givinng you a hard time because it is "different". ", which is EXACTLY what I intend to do. I am still a good ways off from starting (but I closed on the land 3 weeks ago) but I am working out hundreds of miniscule details in an effort to make the boxs themselves asthetically pleasing, cost effective innovative built-in furniture that can make it work with the size limitations and I expect to have to do battle with code officials.

[yeldarbaz]

i couldn't agree with you more. In my mind, a container has an advantage because it already has walls, structral stability, a floor, and a little bit of a roof. So to take a container and strip it down to the frame then build a traditional home around it is silly. you might as well build a stick home. But, if you utilize what the containers can give you, by building structures that work inside the existing dimensions of the box, and you take advantage of the strength inherit in them. That is when you maximize the value of building with containers. Also, it makes sense to build something that you would not be able to build within a reasonable budget with tradtional methods. for instance, it you were building a high rise. building costs increase exponentially with the height of your project. Because you need an extremely strong base and because hauling materials and personnel up there gets tough. Now imagine a modular system of shipping containers, say 2 side by side 40's. and each one is finished to the point of cojoinment, then you simply crane them up, pull open the access hatches and finish connecting the plumbing, electrical, ducting. Make the finishing touches and voila. you just put up a 18 floor complex for the cost of a single story.

With regards to my drawings... let me see if i can scan one in. My wife convinced me to add one more container for additional square footage, it'll help the resale value without adding much cost. So i am up to 4x40' and a 20'.

Brad

[Michael]

Greetings David:

In the mountains could mean logistic problems? Having moved my 40’s a few times, I’m considering 20’s next time. A truck here on island can deliver a 20’ & tow a forklift big enough to load & stack it (one story). A 40’ requires an extra truck & trailer to move a 10 ton forklift.

If you want to save money, stay with as much of the original box design as you can. Stack them side by side or on top, (they do that well). Don’t tear out the whole side wall, only doors or a small section for making one room bigger. If you are going to take out a lot of wall consider a “high cube”, it’s a foot taller than standard, so that same size opening will leave some metal web in the wall to keep the structure stronger.

You might considering calling these trailers to go around the building dept. if they give you a hard time?

If you must permit, and can’t stand the look of the “cube”, light weight trusses and a metal roof can make these boxes look pretty “normal”.

Best of luck, Michael