# Cargo container houses?



## nadonailer (Nov 15, 2005)

Anyone have any experience with these? I have a desert lot and am considering using these. Check out the site below... If anyone has any info, please pass it on. Thanks!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/portabach_shipp.php


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

> Anyone have any experience with these?


I think there is one in every other yard in every city in alaska. You can buy them for 2-5 grand in several lengths. Its a con-ex.


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## SLSTech (Sep 13, 2008)

A little spray foam, a couple of welding buddies, a little electric, plumbing, HVAC, drywall & carpet work - your good to go

I saw someone had welded like 8 of them together, used CC spray foam insulation, & finished off the interior & exterior like a regular house - you almost couldn't tell the difference


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Search You tube with "container house" and see what you find.


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## Cletus (Jan 7, 2008)

Other than the 'because I can' challenge to it (like building an 8000 HP tractor to pull a big sled), I don't see any benefits to using containers for housing. 

Why start with an odd sized, heavy gauge steel box and then construct a house around it?


edit - Containers also provide good protection from bears.


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## jtpro (May 21, 2009)

I had a chance to pick up a couple of these for like $200-$400(living in a military town has it's perks sometimes) a few years back and put them on a buddy's "hunting camp" property.

Wasn't going to be that elaborate, just cheaper than a small travel trailer and a little bigger.

Cool idea but seeing the pics mine would end up being like the 8 of them example different "wings",Double stack etc. :laughing:


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

I know a builder up here who was considering useing containers for the cottage market. They could be singular, or joiner together. The main advantages are that the main structure is cheap, and they are easily transported. He hasn't yet done it though. Have no idea if they would pass all building code requirements.


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## fireguy (Oct 29, 2006)

I rented one as a temp shop for several months. The people who rented it to me have one set up as an office. There is a bathroom, waiting area, small office. It looks nice, has a sliding door, a couple of windows, insulated, sheetrock, carpet on the floor. 

They had a problem with the building inspector, who was concerned the box car would not carry the snow load. This in an area where 6 inches is a lot of snow. Anyone have any idea how deep the snow would be to weigh as much as 4 or 5 of those boxes full of china stuff?


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## skyhook (Mar 17, 2007)

fireguy said:


> They had a problem with the building inspector, who was concerned the box car would not carry the *snow load*. This in an area where 6 inches is a lot of snow. Anyone have any idea how deep the snow would be to weigh as much as 4 or 5 of those boxes full of china stuff?


When they are stacked, the compression load is on the sides. As posted above, they are used in Alaska. Some simple calcs from a Structural Engineer should be enough to satisfy the Building and Safety Dept.


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## Storage (Jul 17, 2010)

*Cargo Container Housing-Legos for Grownups*

Used cargo containers are like legos-you can build anything with them! We have done custom containers for the past several years. Sea cargo containers can convert into homes, offices, workshops, hunting cabins-you name it! Right now I have a few customers that are buying them and bulding housing for Haiti and the Gulf disaster (to house BP workers). Once I had a cutomer that covered the exterior with logs to make a log cabin style office.

I have a cool link on my website-Container City from Modern Marvels. It shows an entire community built out of shipping containers. This site won't allow me to post the link, but my company name is Atlas Sales & Leasing, Inc. of Lilburn, GA. Find my site and go to the news page or find similar examples on u tube.

I have bulit an evidence locker for a county police dept., a gun locker for a military supplier and office storage combos. We have added wiring, ac/heat, windows and doors. If you are a contractor-you could really get crazy with one of these-add whatever you want.

The advantage of a container is they are standard-you are always dealing with the sames specs to start with. Containers can be more secure than other types of buildings. We have a model that shuts completely to cover a window, door and ac unit-locks up tight and looks like a typical unmodified container.

Cargo containers are usually 20' to 40' long, but there are other sizes. They are quite strong and made out of cortens steel. Protect your container from rust by applying a proper paint job (Sherwin Williams Industrial Enamel works nicely). We always acid wash and buff down any rusty spots before painting-lasts much longer.

Currently, in my market (Atlanta), a used 20' sells for $1650.00 and a used 40' sells for $1950.00. I have seen price increases in the last few months and a decline in available inventory. Pricing goes up if you are further inland (away from port cities) or as you move away from transportation hubs. If you consder buying a container, get delivery prices-usually based on milage or time.

I have been in the storage business for over 15 yrs-happy to answer any questions.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Containers are about 20% higher here in Oklahoma...probably since we don't have a port, per say, but the last 40 I bought came from Ft Worth, Texas, and I paid $2100 delivered. I hope the price comes down as I could use a few more, plus, they make great job site storage.


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## Storage (Jul 17, 2010)

*Container Prices*

I think prices will come down...eventually. We have just seen inventory dry up everywhere. A few reasons:


rough global economy slowed container production, they just didn't make as many the past few years
As freight picks up-shippers use and repair older models to fill orders rather than selling them off
Haiti-lots of folks trying to help there
The latest is the Gulf Disaster-supplies, housing and so on
From what I hear in my industry, pricing may continue to go up. The challenge for me right now is to find good equipment to meet demand. Business has really picked up in the past few months, but I am working my tail off to keep a good supply. I having been trying to find equipment in the Gulf area for a client-it either isn't there or sky high!

$2100.00 is a good price for your container with delivery. If you trust the folks yyou bought from, ask them if they can give you a discount on a second one-I do that for my customers when I can. Best of luck!


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

joasis said:


> but the last 40 I bought


Okay, I gotta know, where are they all? What are you doing with 40 containers?


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

nadonailer said:


> Anyone have any experience with these? I have a desert lot and am considering using these. Check out the site below... If anyone has any info, please pass it on. Thanks!
> 
> http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/portabach_shipp.php


Who wants to join me?

We will move to Mexico or some country like that and provide container houses. We hire an arch/engineer to figure out all the issues, give us plans, import the containers and hire locals to build them out in our shop/yard and transport them to the new owners land.

Like a 3rd world modular home center.

Of course we are going to have to start a chicken exporting business to deal with all the chickens we will be paid with.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Mike Finley said:


> Okay, I gotta know, where are they all? What are you doing with 40 containers?


\
I wish I had 40 of them....my bad, 40 foot container. Singular. :laughing:


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Gotcha. I was going to say, damn you are storing a lot of stuff!


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## JDavis21835 (Feb 27, 2009)

joasis said:


> Containers are about 20% higher here in Oklahoma...probably since we don't have a port, per say, but the last 40 I bought came from Ft Worth, Texas, and I paid $2100 delivered. I hope the price comes down as I could use a few more, plus, they make great job site storage.


One outfit I worked for used con ex boxes exclusively for job trailers. We modified them a little bit. They all sat on 8 inch steel pipe. They had a "hoop" built out of two 8 inch 90 deg elbows, and were angled up away from the ground. The pipe extended behind the box by 2-4 feet, and had expanded metal welded to them to serve as a boot cleaner. 

The way they were set up, you could push pull drag them around site, as well as lift them. It was nice for the pipe crews, they could drag their tools with them as the job progressed. Even nicer for the truckers. The lowboy would haul one machine to the next job, come back, load out the jobbox with any of the machines at the previous site, and unload with the first machine hauled to the next site. 

Some say old vans are a better use, because all you gotta do is hook up the lowboy tractor and go. But if you think about it, most of the time there ends up being something wrong with the brakes or electrical system on those old vans. Not to mention, they have to leave the lowboy some where. Finally, you have to have steps and landings for the vans, which opens you to slip and falls, and osha issues.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

I know of an Architect, (go figure) trying to put together low income housing using Con-ex's. They make great storage but I wouldn't want to live in one.


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## Wayfarer Doors (Feb 2, 2010)

I've done a bit of research on them, have one as a shed/shop at the back of my property. The advantage is that they're post and beam construction, so you can cut out the walls with out compromising the structure. Cut out the sides of 3, weld them together, add a bunch on top, spray foam the exterior and you're "done". Easy squeezy
I paid $2000 for my 20', $100 delivery.


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## remster (Jan 8, 2007)




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## bobarchitect39 (May 28, 2010)

I feel like these could only be practical in a limited number of climates. Imagine how fast you'd bake in one of those things! And the concrete tube house, well you have to appreciate the vision.


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