USING SHIPPING CONTAINERS TO MAKE A HOME – Is it possible to fashion a house out of shipping containers? Many people are not even aware that these huge steel boxes are regularly being used as temporary shelters, small shops or emergency clinics in several countries. An average person thinks of bricks, steel, cement, wood, and stones as the only exclusive materials that can be used for building a house. People can only think of these cargo containers being used to transport all kinds of merchandise. However, very few people understand the benefits of fashioning a house using these containers. This article will certainly help you to understand the various aspects of using these metal boxes for constructing houses.
Benefits of Using Shipping Containers for Constructing Houses
1. Cargo Containers are Exceptionally Strong and Long Lasting
These containers are made of excellent gauge steel which is of extremely good quality. This sturdy material has exceptional strength and long life – the two basic properties which are most essentially required in the construction of houses. Hence, these containers make an adequate replacement for the conventional materials used in constructing houses.
2. Shipping Containers are More Affordable
The cost of used cargo containers ranges from $1500 to $3000. Sometimes, they can be bought at much lower prices. This cost effectively works up to only about 20% of the cost of building a house using conventional materials. Hence, these containers are certainly affordable by most people.
3. Cargo Containers are Easy to Assemble
Fashioning a good house using as many containers as you desire is easy. The average size of these containers is 40ft X 8ft X 8ft. Four of these containers can quickly be lined up next to each other and mounted on stilts to create a house. Further, doors and windows can be designed as required. These cargo containers can also be stacked up one above the other as required. Hence, it is possible to assemble these containers and create a new house within a short time. In fact, during the recent bush fires in Australia, they were widely used for emergency housing.
4. Containers are Environment Friendly
These shipping containers are eco-friendly and promote the latest go-green craze. These metal containers promote this latest fad because they are being used as alternate housing materials instead of being left to rust or waste in landfills. Moreover, these containers make for excellent recycling materials and do not pollute the environment in any manner.
The Disadvantages of Using Cargo Containers to Build Houses
There are a few disadvantages of using cargo containers to build houses. Firstly, they are not suitable for locations in extreme climatic conditions. Secondly, there are no qualified specialists for building houses using these containers. Thirdly, in many urban neighborhoods, obtaining the requisite building permission may be extremely difficult. However, some small towns are allowing these containers to be used as houses. In fact, these containers are being used as homes in remote ranches in Australia.
Conclusion
Despite a few disadvantages, shipping containers undoubtedly serve as a suitable alternative material in the construction of houses. Hopefully, if the latest fad for fashioning eco-friendly houses is sustained, we may see entire apartment complexes made of these cargo containers spring up in a few years’ time.
