Building materials have become outrageously expensive in recent years with many fires around the world destroying ecosystems and driving up lumber costs. The dream of owning a home is simply out of reach for many people because of the expense. With many people having difficulties finding a place to call home, it is very important to have options.

Shipping Containers – Building Blocks

Shipping containers are gaining popularity as an option to be used as literal building blocks for homes for people. These items come in many lengths and can be easily transported to any location, worldwide. Once delivered, these containers can be modified and customized to create a home out of a simple item that had a previous use.

All one needs is a place to have the shipping containers delivered to. Land is simple enough to find and purchase and depending on zoning, the containers can either have a solid foundation or be placed temporarily in a location. The interior can be wired and plumbed very easily, and then interior walls can be added. Containers are simple to stack and connect with a few simple braces, making it easy to have a home as small or as large as you want.

Envision, Design, Build

The interior the container provides enough space to create a tiny home (using one container) or several containers to create a home on several levels. Many designers are creating simple floor plans that work for shipping containers to provide people with all the amenities that they need to create a home. It is easy to request windows and doors to be cut out of the container before delivery so that you have a shell that is ready for you to install windows and doors into.

In many parts of the world shipping containers are providing an affordable option for people to become homeowners. The alternative to this affordable housing option is living in temporary housing (rental unit) or not being able to move out from home / parents for an extended period.

Home Ownership – Totally Possible

If you are picturing a metal box with some windows cut out, nothing could be further from the truth. Most shipping container homes look nothing like a shipping container once they have been completed. The exterior walls can be painted and sections of them can have siding attached to break up the metallic appearance. One of the main selling points of a shipping container home is that it allows a person (people) to own a home and not have to pay for it for the next 50 years. The home is customized and completed with a low amount of funds and the borrower can become debt free in a fraction of the time that is required to pay off a traditional mortgage.

Mortgages are becoming more expensive and more out of reach for the average person. The truth is that most people cannot even hope to pay off a mortgage in their lifetime, particularly when they consolidated debts and add them onto their mortgage over the years. Shipping containers offer an affordable option for anyone who is keen enough to come up with a plan and purchase a piece of land somewhere so that the shipping container can be delivered there. Once the container is finished with interior and exterior construction and landscaping, it is ready for occupancy.

Many people go with one container for a tiny home style build. Two containers can be stacked on top the other, allowing for an upper floor which can container a walk-out deck area and the main bedroom. The top of the container can also be used as extra space for accessing the outdoors with a sunroom or an additional deck area.

IMAGE from: Tiger Containers Melbourne

Construction time can be reduced by up to 40% when you utilize shipping containers as your building blocks. This means that your home is move in ready in nearly half the time of a traditional build. If you are looking to find a place to call home in a shorter amount of time, then this is probably a viable option for you and your family. With the time and cost savings, it is possible to use those extra funds for more things that want to purchase for your new home (new furniture) and upgraded lighting and appliances.

When you think about shipping containers you probably do not imagine beautiful homes, but they are very possible with these units. They are also very affordable when compared to traditional homes built with extremely expensive materials in today’s market. Shipping containers are plentiful, you just need to find a reliable supplier to deliver the containers to your location and ensure that your containers are placed where you want them so that you can get started converting them into your dream home.