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Entrance. Here's a construction design thought: make a secondary entrance to the container. I don't mean cutting another doorway in one of the 3 walls (although that's a fine option, and a bigger project), but something located just behind the big metal swinging doors. Unlocking and unlatching the closure mechanisms, then swinging open a 4x8 foot heavy metal door each time you enter will get tedious. Personally, I would keep one door
Some simple passive features would make a container home more comfortable and pleasurable. Depending upon climate (and maybe season) painting the outside to reflect or absorb the sun's heat. I haven't discussed insulation. A metal box would heat up and cool off fast. Refrigerated shipping containers are insulated with four inches all around (10cm). The outer walls are always made of aluminum with stainless steel interior walls and floor. But I think this would cause difficulty for cutting vent holes and windows. A twelve inch deep refrigeration unit covers the entire rear wall and normally runs off of electricity supplied by a truck, train, or vessel. For insulating a basic steel container, I'd plan on wood paneling with some foam or fiber-fill that might add two inches or so onto the interior walls. Or I might pick the right climates and skip insulation altogether. That plan would also keep my water pipes from ever freezing. Lockdown. When moving or transporting the container home, I imagine a significant amount of time spent securing and packing it. Drawers and cabinets need to have good latches to hold in packed contents. All loose items would be packed or tied down. Outside vents, ports, and drains would be sealed. The empty living spaces can be filled with gear and equipment such as large water tanks, awnings, canopies and poles, generator, greenhouse panels, bicycle, maybe a motorcycle. Roof vents and any windows should be bolted over with steel to insure structure and attract less attention from customs officials. Then kiss it good bye and wait for it to arrive at your next new home town! As I said before, I originally thought about using two 40 foot containers to create a living arrangement. Now I see no need for more than one container unless you plan to develop an elaborate site. However, for greater ease of moving and site locations (especially urban sites) I think it¹s interesting to consider just a single 20-foot container. In my design efforts I first tried to solve the issue of efficient basic utilities like a shower, toilet, and kitchen. After making full-scale floor plan drawings, I developed a kitchen and bath layout I think is comfortable using only twelve feet (3.6m) of the container. And it includes lots of storage and a big table. Tightening the layout could easily shave a couple more feet, but it's comfortable and fits within a 20-foot container leaving space for a bed and closet. I'd put the same 12-foot bath and kitchen plan in a 40-foot container and just have that much more living space. Take a look at the sketches and let me know what you think. Signing off: I am very
interested to develop and discuss any projects relating to conversions
of shipping containers into homes or studios. Please contact
myself or join the discussion group established to share and develop these
concepts.
Useful links :
More Articles using alternative
construction:
Global Nomadic Housing For Expatriates - Update - An update on one of the most popular articles we've ever run, along with some feedback from others. Living In A Shipping Container on the New Zealand Coast - We already owned a steel shipping container modified as a small but relocatable living space and obtained another insulated aluminium one. The containers, positioned at the core of the home, are set at right angles to each other and 3m apart in an L shape. They are sitting on 0.5m x 0.5m x 1m plus, concrete foundations at each corner with large bolts protruding up into the twist-lock places. Building
a Straw Bale House in the Baja - I got started with
a foundation and storage building three months on my 80x80 lot after flopping
trying to do the same project in the USA. The lot in Mexico cost $1800
with septic in, the foundation was $1500, the storage building about $500.
There the project stood for three years while I tried to jump start my
life again. After I remarried I put $6000 together and that was enough
to hire a local Mexican contractor to raise walls, stucco the inside and
outside, and instlall window and door frames. I was less than $10,000 into
the project and was at roof level
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