Love how those stairs fold up, very cool. It did occur to me that a container house that had settled out of level would be pretty easy to jack back up to level periodically.
Not sure those stairs meet code. At least not the code around here where there is a given riser height and the riser cannot allow a 4" ball to pass through. Still cool if you don't have to meet code.
i believe the steel floor joists are 12" on center. and the underside of the floor decking is coated with something to prevent pests and rot. becuase my container is so close to the ground and i didn't want spray foam under the unit, i have opted to lay 2" poly iso down on the floors and cover it with 3/4" tongue and grove plywood. that will get me a continuous layer of closed cell foam , floor, walls, and ceiling. Which hopefully will also encapsulate whatever chemicals are used to treat the floor plywood.
Your 2" of foam is a better solution because every one of those 'purlins' - they're actually just joists - would be a cold-bridge thru spray foam on the underside
You all make good points about why do you even need the container. I built a very similar guesthouse and here are the pros for me. I don’t need to pour a slab which would save me about $3500. I don’t need to buy trusses or even necessarily build the roof as the container I purchased is 100% watertight from the roof prospective. I can have it picked up and hauled away if I needed to or moved it within my property as long as I have RV hook up somewhere.. I don’t necessarily need a permit because it’s a temporary structure that I can plug and unplug from electricity anytime I want, from an exterior standpoint I don’t have to worry about stucco or wood siding. It all depends on what your looking for. These look great 👍
You can frame out with lumber the same amount of square feet of space much cheaper then the cost of a shipping container and avoid all the problems associated with a metal container. The “shipping container” craze is an answer to a problem that never existed and the creation of a problem that can be avoided.
The reason the cost is so high is cuz of the commercialization of these structures. You don't need typical framing either which further reduces the cost. The framing in place should only be enough to fit the needs of the design. You don't need a board every 16" in a structure like this. You only need structural reinforcement when you put huge wholes in the wall or completely remove a wall to make the space larger, I've digressed from my point enough. The original intent was to build a structure diy and affordable. As well as reuse material and reduce the consumption of trees for structures. In other parts of the world lumber isn't as abundant as it is in The US.
The weight on a shipping container is carried through the two big pillars you mentioned. You don't get that load bearing weight across the roof. (If someone wants to bury one, you need a support structure over it that can bear the weight of the overburden). You can design "survival sheds" pretty easily with drop in components (the bathroom, for instance). If you keep the bathroom at the blind end with the kitchen right this side of it with a tankless water heater, you can keep your plumbing super simple. The trick in a 40' container is to multipurpose the middle with fold-down bunks on one side and a fold-down table on the other -- since you don't eat and sleep at the same time. Then you have "closets" (lockers). Near the door end, you can have a decent living room with shelves and a flat-screen TV (fold out couch will block the entire width at night, however -- but if you put a "man door" in the dining room side wall by the fold down table, no big deal). Hook it all up to solar and you are golden. Other option is to have a wind generator recharging car batteries. You can run the electric in 12V DC with power ports. Lighting can be salvaged car headlights. Truck stops sell all manner of 12V stuff from microwaves to vacuum cleaners to stoves to coffee pots to electric blankets. Of course, you can also run an inverter for normal 110 AC housing circuits. In an emergency, 4 people could live in a single 40' container reasonably comfortably. 2 sleep on fold down bunks, 2 sleep on the fold out couch. If someone reading this is thinking along those lines, you'll also want a 20-footer shelved out as a "pantry" to store non-perishables, 5-gallon jugs of water with a hand pump ($10) and power for a deep freezer.
I have it set up for "worst case scenario" (nuclear winter) with air intakes. Water collection is on you. Grey water (to reuse for non-potable purposes) is on you. Brown water (responsible disposal) is on you. I didn't show electricals because you can wire it conventional AC or run it with survivalist DC off car batteries being recharged by wind and solar. This is a survival shack and isn't really for permanent occupancy. But hey, it could be a sweet bachelor pad.
I bet this would be an upgrade from trailers for actors on set. They could have their own "set house" that is just shipped to the new filming location with all their stuff already set up.
Yep. And since they are actors who tend to be all environmentally friendly they can just let the raw sewage run out onto the ground... their poop don't stink.
they use custom 53ft semi trailers. alot more space than shipping containers. some even have a popup second floor that extends up once they're on location.
At that point, though, there are honestly some really nice RV trailers that would work just fine and are already built around being moved at least semi-regularly. They're not taking hurricane winds, but most actors tend to get out of dodge when a storm like that comes around anyway.
I remember 11 years ago in HS I was highly interested in shipping container houses before the were widely accepted. My model was so funny since I had to stick to a sq foot requirement. Unfortunately I didn’t continue architecture but I’m re considering it.
Yeah, those minimum sq ft laws are a pain. Too much of code is about artificially inflating property value, which is a major waste. For example, as you're probably aware, many places require 100sq ft for at least 1 bedroom, which is kinda silly since it's a bed room. I've seen a 5x8 work as a bedroom with a futon-bunk hybrid(to accommodate a guest), a small entertainment center(in the days of CRT TVs), and a closet. It worked out fine, so, something something like 75 or even 64 sq ft would probably be suitable for a bedroom. That arbitrary code is probably why a lot of shed house conversion are built with sleeping lofts.
Shipping containers are a novelty item. I got 4 times the square footage cost wise with a standard stick frame compared to a shipping container. This was 2017 prices.
Bravo! ;) I'm a civil engineer and the shipping container homes dream just makes me tired at this point. People are still allergic to calculaters and just refuse to go through the numbers. It'd be more efficient to just melt that steel and make an actual home from it. :)
@@valdius85 I actually came up with an idea for using shipping containers to build a home that I think makes financial sense on a per-square foot basis, but it involves using multiple containers with minimal alterations to their structure to build a fairly large home. The second you start cutting into these things and then reinforcing them your costs go thru the roof. Also if you’re framing the interior you’re essentially stick building a home, and losing like a foot of space along an already narrow dimension.
@@sunspot42 nobody wants to live in a metal box and when u add plumbing, permits , electric.. you are only saving money on using them as storage while building.
Belinda Carr has a great analysis of this as well that includes problems with their condensation, reusing ones that carried toxic products, and the fact the strength they have goes away once you start cutting into them
For a DIY dual shipping container home, take a look at the "Life Uncontained" channel. They're in Texas so maybe you could arrange to meet them and talk with them about their build. They're also completely off-grid with solar for their electric and rainwater collection for their water supply.
My issue with a shipping container home is that it's not any better than just building a home with normal materials. You get the container, then you literally build a house on the inside, 2x4s and all. You still need a foundation all the same. The metal will heat and cool faster than an ICF and for the size I'd bet ICF is faster and cheaper build. I remember liking the idea when I first saw a shipping container home, but after a small amount of time they just seem like a bad idea. It's a worse R rating that limits your floor plan unless you start cutting and welding. Once you go down that route the cost spikes and again, an ICF would just be many time better.
I built mine out of 3 containers and when you include the $11,000 on the land, $4000 on the well, $6500 on the septic system, etc etc etc I ended up at around $81k for the entire home/developed property. Most of the expenses were paid during 2021, with sky high lumber prices etc. Cost of my own labor? How much should I pay myself?
That brings a whole new meaning to "trailer home." I'd take one of those! With the current housing market in our area, I could buy 3 of those $80K units for me and my two brothers, and still only come to half the value of our current (not as well-built) home. 🙄 👍️
You need to add shipping, permits, install, electric, plumbing, and land. If you are trying to get off to cheap housing I can give a better option than 7.8' wide container
@@kenreynolds1000 Or as a survival cabin. But I wouldn't put 80k into a survival shed. The garage door made zero sense -- unless you have a motorcycle. Maybe to get a hide-a-bed couch inside if you have welded shut the original doors....
@@blindjustice8718 there is a local mini cabin place that will knock out a 16x28 shell on piers for 21k. 30% more floor space and the county won’t look at you weird. That’s a lot of money left over for trim, not as fire or tornado resistant, but your kids won’t have problems selling it.
Great video!! Generally I think there are better options, but this looks like a good route to go in cases where shipping container homes do make sense.
@@dlorien7306 It make sense in cases were speed of eretion is important, or were it is impratical to build a house in situ (like a remote place with a lack of local labour). But yes, it is a marginal product.
A common complaint with sea cans is their narrow living space. Better to twin a pair and weld together, then cut out a few ‘double door’ width openings to communicate between both spaces.
Shipping containers make excellent storage devices when bought for a low cost, and can occasionally make for a unique little shop or shed build if only doing light modifications and performing the work yourself. Once you start paying for someone else to modify a shipping container, or performing heavy modifications to incorporate into a home, it makes zero sense to use one. Unless you just absolutely love the idea of a shipping container you are basically paying 2-3 times the cost of just framing a 400 square foot rectangle home. The shipping containers we just saw were the more expensive ones, and for the 80k price tag you could do so much more. Still cool to see someone's operations though, and good on Bob for making absolute bank on these.
@Boy George Not sure you followed my post. My point is that regardless of where you put this, or what land you use, for the square footage that you are getting these are grossly over priced. The 30k dollar versions are basically shipping containers with windows and doors, what we saw were the 80k versions. So no, I don’t think they are a viable solution for the ‘housing crisis’, because again, if you truly wanted to just pump out inexpensive 400 square foot homes, you could do that much more efficiently and cheaply than buying shipping containers and modifying them.
@Boy George I am not talking about using a shipping container. Shipping containers increase the overall cost. The whole point is that they are not cost effective. You are paying 4-8k for a shipping container and then STILL have to modify them and wood line the interior. Again, my point is that shipping containers - when you are modifying them and turning them into homes - ARE NOT COST EFFECTIVE. You end up paying far more than you would for just building the equivalent sized structure out of wood and standard siding. As a basic storage shed they are a great option. Also, just to be clear, the pricing for Bobs containers lists a basic 20ft container home at $32 thousand dollars. That is bare minimum interior. If you want to pay 32k for a 20 foot shipping container home then be my guest.
Matt please do a video on rainwater collection systems for a home. I am starting to plan a completely independent home and this is the part with the least companies providing products and services IMO.
These are basically RVs without the Vehicle. They are trailer homes just a bit skinnier/more stackable. They are not more sustainable if anyone is thinking that. Real shipping containers are used until they are unusable, like needs to be recycled not upcycled. They are often coated with toxic paints meant to survive the oceans harsh treatment. These new containers have rarely if at all seen the seas
No, most RV's are minimally built and are more like a tent on wheels than a real structure. The steel structure of a container is multiple times stronger than required for a residential structure, which is what allows containers to be stacked with tens of thousands of pounds of goods and stacked up to 7 high... While in most places container homes have to meet residential building codes! So comparing them to RV's is grossly inaccurate...
@@ZeoCyberG Yeah. but cutting a hole in the side for a door or a window greatly impacts the integrity of the structure. Also the are not multiple times stronger than a residential structure, they are like aluminum cans, strong in compression so that many can be stacked on top of each other but you wouldn't build a house with them.
@@EqualsThreeable Yes and no, cutting hole impacts the structure but that's easily dealt with and containers are multiple times stronger than normal stick built residential structures. Fact is they are a steel structures. Most of the strength is just in the corners and not in the sides, which is what you're confusing, but they can take loads that would easily crush a residential house. You can't load a house with over 10,000 lbs of stuff and then stack them 7 high on top of each other like you can containers... So strength isn't the issue, just the fact they weren't designed to be used to make a house but that hasn't stopped people from doing it anyway.
I got Insuladd and added it to my paint for my that I use for a hunting lodge. It adds extra insulation in paint and since I painted it anyway I used it and it made a nice difference. You should give it a try.
Concerns about condensation on the inside where the studs meet the metal? There’s going to be a spray foam gap at each 2x4, where it touches the metal, and I would think condensation would start accumulating and getting absorbed by the studs almost immediately, leading to rot and mold in a short time.
@@everydreamai A timber frame stud is 1-1/2' X 3-1/2". Steel studs are 1- 1/4" X 2-1/2". Steel studs are lighter, always straight, and easy to cut. Because of the corrugated steel walls of the container, spray foam insulation is always deeper than the studs. Typically, this will yield somewhere between an R13 and R19 value. Where you really notice the difference is in the ceiling height. Remember, steel containers "sweat". Encapsulating wood against sweating steel could have longevity and mold issues over time. Steel studs are simply better overall.
@@everydreamai I have a pile of steel stud cut offs that have been sitting in a pile outdoors since I finished my container home in 2014. Only the cut ends have any rust on them. The steel studs are coated with some sort of coating that prevents corrosion.
The only savings I see with this as opposed to a house of the same size, is the concrete slab or foundation that is not needed for the storage container. Other than that, it’s the same as building a small house. I would prefer to build my own tiny house (500 sq ft) for $50K.
@@nirpy Unless you are building outside of a code zone, most places won't allow it unless A) it is brought in with a certificate of occupancy already attached; and B) is firmly anchored to a foundation.
Interesting. Obviously not for everyone or all "occasions". However ,I recall reading some years ago about a similar business in FL doing this. The containers are generally a one way tripper from Asia east to the US. They are made from recycled steel ( from US largely). The cost to deadhead them back ( extra fuel , handling etc.) was more than cost to make a new one there. The article I read was , I believe, that they sometimes joined two together and installed a "conventional" sloped roof with steel panels. Either way, they are probably more stable and survivable in wild fire areas and tornado alleys ? Unless things change a lot, wood stick built are going to be out of reach coastwise for millions. Be interesting to see some experiments with precast concrete panels.
That first one had what looked like nice construction, but that floorplan wasn't very well optimized. Probably could take some lessons from Tiny Homes and RVs for some ways to get more out of the units The beauty of the shipping container is that since the container itself is structurally solid, the interior framing only needs to be strong enough to hold up the interior walls. That means that that one could go for like a 2x2 instead of 2x4 for the framing, while keeping most of the gap a 2x4 would give and get arguably *better* insulation by filling in what would normally be wood on a tradition frame with insulation.
I've yet to see a container house built right -- it'll be nice when there's a high quality one showcased. Good insulation, minimal thermal bridging, good air quality, good materials/craftsmanship, a conditioned utility room, etc/etc. All the ones I've seen, even with high price tags, are all just flashy without the building science behind it. Maybe the Build Network can make one the right way and raffle it, that'd probably be a great way to raise money for a charity.
Im building one out of 8 boxes plus two for a guest house. Im well versed on all your complaints. I found a styrofoam product that is made to fit the metal sides exactly that will hyper insulate the structure and give me a place to mount siding to avoid radiant gain. Ill probably be in it for $300k in cost but ill end up with 3100ft2 under roof in the main
I spent $240 on the land but its 90 acres so the value prop is very high and I imagine I could flip it for $1. 7-1.9m immediately based on the ft2 and property size (located in san diego county)
@@mattbrew11, it doesn't make sense to use containers if you're going to splice that many together. You can probably build a 12' tall single story house, steel framed, on an insulated slab -- for that cost -- and it'd be a lot better.
@@alexmills4091 1) my center slab is side insulated and is directly affixed to bedrock so the bottom doesn’t need any thermal management. 2) the containers are sistered together for beds and baths and 16’ cantilever stacked like a Tetris piece. Ill try to find another example of the stacking and link it below. The “great room” located between the two sets of double width tetris pieces is traditional slab on grade with tinted and polished concrete floor with integrated radiant heat which is driven by thermal solar system that can be reversed for passive cooling. 3) I could probably build a square or common shaped home with steel frame for less but I definitely could not reach the level of structural rigidity, durability and seismic resilience for less and likely 30%+ more. It also wouldn’t be architecturally remarkable. This is my first freestanding home and I wanted something truly special. When complete my condo 16 miles closer to the ocean will literally pay for the entire project (stupid SoCal pricing) 4) my property includes its own boulder strewn mountain with a very small amount of space on which to land a slab. The containers themselves give me 1story ft2 I simple could not get in any other fashion without involving granite demolition which is both very expensive and time consuming. 5) when finished this building will likely last hundreds of years with very minimal maintenance. I’m building a family heirloom not just a home. It’ll have a rooftop deck that is the biggest ive ever seen on a home. My goal of this to a have a special place that some day my great great great great grandkids will both enjoy and be able to afford because their distant relative blessed them with a property that will never have any debt and will generate passive income. Its not even connected to the electric grid (I own a large solar company) and water capture is the predominant water source so its quite nearly impossible that any type of overhead would ever force their exit 6) R40+ in the walls, r60 on the roof, R30 under the connex boxes plus a bed rock slab will make for a home that is just a quiet, cool, virtually earthquake proof, incredibly fire resistant and just wonderful place to be.
I spent most my military days living in them. but a bit on the ruff side... oh who am I kidding it was really ruff. Yet I stayed dry so can't complain to much.
Even the paints they use on these sea cans is heavy duty stuff, able to withstand the harsh salty ocean environments. May be better to completely strip the paint and redo at with normal commercial grade paints before inhabiting.
It would be, if you could get a basic shipping container for less than $6,000 here in Australia. Something like you were showing here are in the $80-120k here in Australia. I remember decades ago you could get a decent container for $2k and deck it out yourself, not any more.
the problem with normal insulation (like in-so-fast) is moisture will condense on the steel and water will fill up the walls. thats why they use the closed cell spray foam, its an air barrier as well (if done correctly!). i have seen houses where they have drains installed in the walls to drain away that condensation, but that can fail as well. of course you could simply live somewhere thats so dry condensation doesn't occur.
Containers are a fad option. You can build better for less and it will perform better also. I was one of the first people to research using them in the early 2000's. The thermal bridging is the largest issue and then the 8' width isn't useful. As a shed type house in the hills somewhere that's just pay and place it has a place.
Zoning for this kind of buildings (Shipping, tiny, dome, foldable etc.) is usually between the highway and the water treatment plant, local governments just hate them.
if they made a 2 story model might be cooler. you could put the bathroom upstairs for a little more frost resistance in colder climates. not sure how the floor plan would work with just 8 ft wide.
why do the containers need a 2x4 footer at all? Couldn't they get away with just one layer since the container is providing the actual wall strength? It's only supporting the drywall and plumbing right?
Hey, so I've been seeing this product several times for shipping container builds and it's called INSOFAST for insulation/framing. I was hoping if I could get your opinion on it. I think it would make the build easier and help with the moisture problem and would beat out the cost for the price of lumber at the moment while also reducing the weight, by a lot. Would you consider looking into it? I think it'd be a game changer and make it easier for others to get into a shipping container home or build. Thanks for the content! Love the show!
The full scale 2x4 framing inside feels like overkill. I mean, we have an ultra durable steel box that is a scant 7'10" wide... and then we narrow it another seven inches?? What about light-gauge interior steel framing with the runs already punched through? Wouldn't that leave you at least a couple extra inches of room width? Why not do a slim steel interior frame just for services and interior finish, then frame out some cavities on the exterior, and insulate and clad that exterior to avoid the severe industrial look that limits these containers. Plus Canada Joe would be really, well, he'd like it. Somebody please explain this to me; why or why not would this idea work?
The framing within the container does take up space but you have to take into account electrical, plumbing, insulation. All of those need space and the framing inside the container is exactly what’s needed for those.
I can't believe how much people spend on these things. My father-in-law built a horse barn from eight of them (two long two tall on each side, connected with steel trusses). One is a junk room for family storage, one is a tool room, one has used tires for farm equipment, but two of them are called The Chateau and is a two bed two bath apartment. Many of us have stayed there when remodelling or whatever. It works but I'm not a huge fan. Practically zero insulation and the long skinny layout makes things like the "living room" kinda weird. Not sure how much he paid exactly, but at the time each container was $1500 so the Chateau would be $3000 and I imagine the tile floor, showers, windows, etc was no more than $5000, though he and his farm hand did do most of the work themselves. Either way, I wouldn't personally spend more than $10000 per finished box. But then again, there are crazy people spending $60,000 on a tiny home so if this guy is selling them, good form him I guess.
For all the work involved to get a shipping container to standard, I think I'd rather stick to dreaming about concrete box culverts, or the easy-set pre-cast building systems.
@@augustreil Right? Other than the potentially cool aesthetics on the outside they made building that house 3x more complicated. That doesn't take away from the channel and their abilities, but shipping containers that you purchase and then begin to modify and try to integrate into a home become far more costly than they are worth and the end result is a structure that has more compromise and cost associated with it than it would otherwise.
What determines why a container gets taken out of service? If you're taking one out of shipping service wouldn't they have to replace it with another new one?
I’m wondering about moisture and condensation on the inside of the steel, and what kind of moisture barrier can be used to prevent or mitigate moisture in these things?
The cool thing is you can stack 62 of them on top of each other which makes for some great views into your neighbors skylights
LOL
7 of them not sixty2
62 before cutting the wall. Also they probably cut some main load beams.
Gonna need to upgrade the plumbing materials though….. for fire rating.
Love how those stairs fold up, very cool. It did occur to me that a container house that had settled out of level would be pretty easy to jack back up to level periodically.
Not sure those stairs meet code. At least not the code around here where there is a given riser height and the riser cannot allow a 4" ball to pass through. Still cool if you don't have to meet code.
@@blindjustice8718 it could be built out to meet code once it reaches its permanent location!
i believe the steel floor joists are 12" on center. and the underside of the floor decking is coated with something to prevent pests and rot. becuase my container is so close to the ground and i didn't want spray foam under the unit, i have opted to lay 2" poly iso down on the floors and cover it with 3/4" tongue and grove plywood. that will get me a continuous layer of closed cell foam , floor, walls, and ceiling. Which hopefully will also encapsulate whatever chemicals are used to treat the floor plywood.
Your 2" of foam is a better solution because every one of those 'purlins' - they're actually just joists - would be a cold-bridge thru spray foam on the underside
the steel they're made of is Corten. once it has a light rust surface it will block any more rust from forming.
You all make good points about why do you even need the container. I built a very similar guesthouse and here are the pros for me. I don’t need to pour a slab which would save me about $3500. I don’t need to buy trusses or even necessarily build the roof as the container I purchased is 100% watertight from the roof prospective. I can have it picked up and hauled away if I needed to or moved it within my property as long as I have RV hook up somewhere.. I don’t necessarily need a permit because it’s a temporary structure that I can plug and unplug from electricity anytime I want, from an exterior standpoint I don’t have to worry about stucco or wood siding.
It all depends on what your looking for. These look great 👍
You can frame out with lumber the same amount of square feet of space much cheaper then the cost of a shipping container and avoid all the problems associated with a metal container. The “shipping container” craze is an answer to a problem that never existed and the creation of a problem that can be avoided.
The reason the cost is so high is cuz of the commercialization of these structures. You don't need typical framing either which further reduces the cost. The framing in place should only be enough to fit the needs of the design. You don't need a board every 16" in a structure like this. You only need structural reinforcement when you put huge wholes in the wall or completely remove a wall to make the space larger, I've digressed from my point enough.
The original intent was to build a structure diy and affordable. As well as reuse material and reduce the consumption of trees for structures. In other parts of the world lumber isn't as abundant as it is in The US.
The weight on a shipping container is carried through the two big pillars you mentioned. You don't get that load bearing weight across the roof. (If someone wants to bury one, you need a support structure over it that can bear the weight of the overburden). You can design "survival sheds" pretty easily with drop in components (the bathroom, for instance). If you keep the bathroom at the blind end with the kitchen right this side of it with a tankless water heater, you can keep your plumbing super simple. The trick in a 40' container is to multipurpose the middle with fold-down bunks on one side and a fold-down table on the other -- since you don't eat and sleep at the same time. Then you have "closets" (lockers). Near the door end, you can have a decent living room with shelves and a flat-screen TV (fold out couch will block the entire width at night, however -- but if you put a "man door" in the dining room side wall by the fold down table, no big deal).
Hook it all up to solar and you are golden.
Other option is to have a wind generator recharging car batteries. You can run the electric in 12V DC with power ports. Lighting can be salvaged car headlights. Truck stops sell all manner of 12V stuff from microwaves to vacuum cleaners to stoves to coffee pots to electric blankets. Of course, you can also run an inverter for normal 110 AC housing circuits.
In an emergency, 4 people could live in a single 40' container reasonably comfortably. 2 sleep on fold down bunks, 2 sleep on the fold out couch.
If someone reading this is thinking along those lines, you'll also want a 20-footer shelved out as a "pantry" to store non-perishables, 5-gallon jugs of water with a hand pump ($10) and power for a deep freezer.
Please link us to your set-up. It sounds like it's super simple and efficient.
I have it set up for "worst case scenario" (nuclear winter) with air intakes. Water collection is on you. Grey water (to reuse for non-potable purposes) is on you. Brown water (responsible disposal) is on you.
I didn't show electricals because you can wire it conventional AC or run it with survivalist DC off car batteries being recharged by wind and solar.
This is a survival shack and isn't really for permanent occupancy. But hey, it could be a sweet bachelor pad.
I bet this would be an upgrade from trailers for actors on set. They could have their own "set house" that is just shipped to the new filming location with all their stuff already set up.
Yep. And since they are actors who tend to be all environmentally friendly they can just let the raw sewage run out onto the ground... their poop don't stink.
they use custom 53ft semi trailers. alot more space than shipping containers. some even have a popup second floor that extends up once they're on location.
At that point, though, there are honestly some really nice RV trailers that would work just fine and are already built around being moved at least semi-regularly. They're not taking hurricane winds, but most actors tend to get out of dodge when a storm like that comes around anyway.
I remember 11 years ago in HS I was highly interested in shipping container houses before the were widely accepted. My model was so funny since I had to stick to a sq foot requirement.
Unfortunately I didn’t continue architecture but I’m re considering it.
Yeah, those minimum sq ft laws are a pain. Too much of code is about artificially inflating property value, which is a major waste.
For example, as you're probably aware, many places require 100sq ft for at least 1 bedroom, which is kinda silly since it's a bed room. I've seen a 5x8 work as a bedroom with a futon-bunk hybrid(to accommodate a guest), a small entertainment center(in the days of CRT TVs), and a closet. It worked out fine, so, something something like 75 or even 64 sq ft would probably be suitable for a bedroom.
That arbitrary code is probably why a lot of shed house conversion are built with sleeping lofts.
Looks like a perfect situation to use "screw piles" for leveling and securing to the ground.
Exactly. Why waste money on a slab? Something that's a pain to do in any remote area too. Screw piles or even pylons are a better choice.
Shipping containers are a novelty item. I got 4 times the square footage cost wise with a standard stick frame compared to a shipping container. This was 2017 prices.
Bravo! ;)
I'm a civil engineer and the shipping container homes dream just makes me tired at this point. People are still allergic to calculaters and just refuse to go through the numbers.
It'd be more efficient to just melt that steel and make an actual home from it. :)
Sign of the times perhaps. Seems like that's been a trend for decades, less for more.
@@valdius85 I actually came up with an idea for using shipping containers to build a home that I think makes financial sense on a per-square foot basis, but it involves using multiple containers with minimal alterations to their structure to build a fairly large home. The second you start cutting into these things and then reinforcing them your costs go thru the roof. Also if you’re framing the interior you’re essentially stick building a home, and losing like a foot of space along an already narrow dimension.
@@sunspot42 nobody wants to live in a metal box and when u add plumbing, permits , electric.. you are only saving money on using them as storage while building.
Belinda Carr has a great analysis of this as well that includes problems with their condensation, reusing ones that carried toxic products, and the fact the strength they have goes away once you start cutting into them
I love how open you are to alternative methods while also being honest about pros and cons.
With lumber prices and since walls are non-load bearing might be worth changing from wood stud to non-structural steel framing.
Would be good for wildfire reasons, too!
Honestly one of your best videos..
For a DIY dual shipping container home, take a look at the "Life Uncontained" channel. They're in Texas so maybe you could arrange to meet them and talk with them about their build. They're also completely off-grid with solar for their electric and rainwater collection for their water supply.
I was gonna reference life uncontained too.
@@LanaPhillips LOL The more suggestions for them the better, they're doing a WONDERFUL job on their build especially with a toddler and a "creeper".
Yes! A crossover episode would be amazing!!!
You should have reference they have had two kids since they started building. th-cam.com/video/cYQYhK-bFEM/w-d-xo.html
fantastic channel, they have done well...
It’s ready for a flush/ recessed baseboard detail with that stacked bottom plate!
You can have the nicest home in the stacks!
underrated comment.
Very nice build out. One of the best if not the best I ever seen.
Matt finally did it. He met Bob the Builder.
Nice.
If you're going to stick frame finish the inside and steel reinforce the windows/doors, etc, do you even need the container?
My issue with a shipping container home is that it's not any better than just building a home with normal materials. You get the container, then you literally build a house on the inside, 2x4s and all. You still need a foundation all the same. The metal will heat and cool faster than an ICF and for the size I'd bet ICF is faster and cheaper build.
I remember liking the idea when I first saw a shipping container home, but after a small amount of time they just seem like a bad idea. It's a worse R rating that limits your floor plan unless you start cutting and welding. Once you go down that route the cost spikes and again, an ICF would just be many time better.
just need to find an ICF builder that isn't booked out for 5 years and sure
And since it’s done just like a house, we can all see that Bob is making bank! Go, Bob.
I’d love to learn more about those. Seem like a great way to use way less material.
@@timgleason2527 im building a house for myself out of 8 of them. Expect
Videos in about 6 months
I built mine out of 3 containers and when you include the $11,000 on the land, $4000 on the well, $6500 on the septic system, etc etc etc I ended up at around $81k for the entire home/developed property. Most of the expenses were paid during 2021, with sky high lumber prices etc. Cost of my own labor? How much should I pay myself?
where is land 11k
@@conradcoolerfiend 2019
@@thinkoutsidethecontainer where???
@@conradcoolerfiend 2019, Florida, 1.25 acres. The year twenty nineteen.
@@thinkoutsidethecontainer wow
Matt, you have to check out our container home build, it's a 4400 sq ft work of art. We're at Sunfish Budget.
Beautiful
Homes!!!❤️🎉🎉🎉🎉
Bro thank u for the information. Summarized my whole inquiry
Awesome. Very welcome
Dollar for dollar, BUILD A SMALL HOME OUT OF BLOCK, no question about it.
That brings a whole new meaning to "trailer home." I'd take one of those! With the current housing market in our area, I could buy 3 of those $80K units for me and my two brothers, and still only come to half the value of our current (not as well-built) home. 🙄 👍️
You need to add shipping, permits, install, electric, plumbing, and land. If you are trying to get off to cheap housing I can give a better option than 7.8' wide container
It really does not make sense to build a home in a shipping container if it costs 80k+
Yeah, that would buy a decent mobile too. Only reason would be serious location and labor limitations.
@@kenreynolds1000 Or as a survival cabin. But I wouldn't put 80k into a survival shed. The garage door made zero sense -- unless you have a motorcycle. Maybe to get a hide-a-bed couch inside if you have welded shut the original doors....
@@blindjustice8718 there is a local mini cabin place that will knock out a 16x28 shell on piers for 21k. 30% more floor space and the county won’t look at you weird. That’s a lot of money left over for trim, not as fire or tornado resistant, but your kids won’t have problems selling it.
This is what so many people need.
Bob builds and plays anything
Great video!! Generally I think there are better options, but this looks like a good route to go in cases where shipping container homes do make sense.
I.e., in no cases
@@dlorien7306 It make sense in cases were speed of eretion is important, or were it is impratical to build a house in situ (like a remote place with a lack of local labour). But yes, it is a marginal product.
A common complaint with sea cans is their narrow living space. Better to twin a pair and weld together, then cut out a few ‘double door’ width openings to communicate between both spaces.
Actually working on a small container development here in Austin. You should come check it out if you have time, may make great content!
Can't believe u don't have a million or more subscribers. You should have many millions. 🤠
Ready player one.
hi from Colorado neat to see good job
From Colorado th-cam.com/video/cYQYhK-bFEM/w-d-xo.html
Shipping containers make excellent storage devices when bought for a low cost, and can occasionally make for a unique little shop or shed build if only doing light modifications and performing the work yourself. Once you start paying for someone else to modify a shipping container, or performing heavy modifications to incorporate into a home, it makes zero sense to use one. Unless you just absolutely love the idea of a shipping container you are basically paying 2-3 times the cost of just framing a 400 square foot rectangle home. The shipping containers we just saw were the more expensive ones, and for the 80k price tag you could do so much more. Still cool to see someone's operations though, and good on Bob for making absolute bank on these.
@Boy George Not sure you followed my post. My point is that regardless of where you put this, or what land you use, for the square footage that you are getting these are grossly over priced. The 30k dollar versions are basically shipping containers with windows and doors, what we saw were the 80k versions.
So no, I don’t think they are a viable solution for the ‘housing crisis’, because again, if you truly wanted to just pump out inexpensive 400 square foot homes, you could do that much more efficiently and cheaply than buying shipping containers and modifying them.
@Boy George I am not talking about using a shipping container. Shipping containers increase the overall cost. The whole point is that they are not cost effective. You are paying 4-8k for a shipping container and then STILL have to modify them and wood line the interior.
Again, my point is that shipping containers - when you are modifying them and turning them into homes - ARE NOT COST EFFECTIVE. You end up paying far more than you would for just building the equivalent sized structure out of wood and standard siding. As a basic storage shed they are a great option.
Also, just to be clear, the pricing for Bobs containers lists a basic 20ft container home at $32 thousand dollars. That is bare minimum interior. If you want to pay 32k for a 20 foot shipping container home then be my guest.
I hope you got an interview with Bob that we can see.
Matt please do a video on rainwater collection systems for a home. I am starting to plan a completely independent home and this is the part with the least companies providing products and services IMO.
A shipping container is a giant heat sink .. cold when you want hot n hot when you want cold.
These are basically RVs without the Vehicle. They are trailer homes just a bit skinnier/more stackable. They are not more sustainable if anyone is thinking that. Real shipping containers are used until they are unusable, like needs to be recycled not upcycled. They are often coated with toxic paints meant to survive the oceans harsh treatment. These new containers have rarely if at all seen the seas
No, most RV's are minimally built and are more like a tent on wheels than a real structure. The steel structure of a container is multiple times stronger than required for a residential structure, which is what allows containers to be stacked with tens of thousands of pounds of goods and stacked up to 7 high...
While in most places container homes have to meet residential building codes! So comparing them to RV's is grossly inaccurate...
@@ZeoCyberG Yeah. but cutting a hole in the side for a door or a window greatly impacts the integrity of the structure. Also the are not multiple times stronger than a residential structure, they are like aluminum cans, strong in compression so that many can be stacked on top of each other but you wouldn't build a house with them.
@@EqualsThreeable Yes and no, cutting hole impacts the structure but that's easily dealt with and containers are multiple times stronger than normal stick built residential structures. Fact is they are a steel structures. Most of the strength is just in the corners and not in the sides, which is what you're confusing, but they can take loads that would easily crush a residential house. You can't load a house with over 10,000 lbs of stuff and then stack them 7 high on top of each other like you can containers... So strength isn't the issue, just the fact they weren't designed to be used to make a house but that hasn't stopped people from doing it anyway.
I got Insuladd and added it to my paint for my that I use for a hunting lodge. It adds extra insulation in paint and since I painted it anyway I used it and it made a nice difference. You should give it a try.
I have been interested in that product so it does make a difference?
30k would build a reasonable 20x40 slab home here, not including labor or extravagant extras
Building a DIY 28'x40' for
Bob builds a cool living space.
Concerns about condensation on the inside where the studs meet the metal? There’s going to be a spray foam gap at each 2x4, where it touches the metal, and I would think condensation would start accumulating and getting absorbed by the studs almost immediately, leading to rot and mold in a short time.
Steel studs are so much better than typical timber framing in a container. You actually get more interior space volume too.
Are you limited on interior space more by the studs or the depth of insulation you need for a giant steel can?
@@everydreamai A timber frame stud is 1-1/2' X 3-1/2". Steel studs are 1- 1/4" X 2-1/2". Steel studs are lighter, always straight, and easy to cut. Because of the corrugated steel walls of the container, spray foam insulation is always deeper than the studs. Typically, this will yield somewhere between an R13 and R19 value. Where you really notice the difference is in the ceiling height. Remember, steel containers "sweat". Encapsulating wood against sweating steel could have longevity and mold issues over time. Steel studs are simply better overall.
@@allenj5865 wet wood bad, but what happens when steel gets wet?
@@everydreamai I have a pile of steel stud cut offs that have been sitting in a pile outdoors since I finished my container home in 2014. Only the cut ends have any rust on them. The steel studs are coated with some sort of coating that prevents corrosion.
Really like to hear this was an un paid episode. Looks like a lot of great work from Bob
SWEET!...i loves me some container homes. much thanks!
The Ugly Truth th-cam.com/video/cYQYhK-bFEM/w-d-xo.html
you gotta do one on fully earth sheltered homes.
The only savings I see with this as opposed to a house of the same size, is the concrete slab or foundation that is not needed for the storage container. Other than that, it’s the same as building a small house. I would prefer to build my own tiny house (500 sq ft) for $50K.
Structurally superior, in many locales no/lower taxes, can easily relocate
@@nirpy Unless you are building outside of a code zone, most places won't allow it unless A) it is brought in with a certificate of occupancy already attached; and B) is firmly anchored to a foundation.
Most Land Use Office require "on A Fixed Foundation" for taxes. th-cam.com/video/cYQYhK-bFEM/w-d-xo.html
wow.. love it.. were looking at doing a "kid" pod
Interesting. Obviously not for everyone or all "occasions". However ,I recall reading some years ago about a similar business in FL doing this. The containers are generally a one way tripper from Asia east to the US. They are made from recycled steel ( from US largely). The cost to deadhead them back ( extra fuel , handling etc.) was more than cost to make a new one there. The article I read was , I believe, that they sometimes joined two together and installed a "conventional" sloped roof with steel panels. Either way, they are probably more stable and survivable in wild fire areas and tornado alleys ? Unless things change a lot, wood stick built are going to be out of reach coastwise for millions. Be interesting to see some experiments with precast concrete panels.
Very cool
Gostei desse design ❤
Hi, I would like to see more of these and smaller stick built homes. Thank you.
That first one had what looked like nice construction, but that floorplan wasn't very well optimized. Probably could take some lessons from Tiny Homes and RVs for some ways to get more out of the units
The beauty of the shipping container is that since the container itself is structurally solid, the interior framing only needs to be strong enough to hold up the interior walls. That means that that one could go for like a 2x2 instead of 2x4 for the framing, while keeping most of the gap a 2x4 would give and get arguably *better* insulation by filling in what would normally be wood on a tradition frame with insulation.
I've yet to see a container house built right -- it'll be nice when there's a high quality one showcased. Good insulation, minimal thermal bridging, good air quality, good materials/craftsmanship, a conditioned utility room, etc/etc. All the ones I've seen, even with high price tags, are all just flashy without the building science behind it. Maybe the Build Network can make one the right way and raffle it, that'd probably be a great way to raise money for a charity.
I agree. So far the only companies that I've liked are "Relevant Buildings" in Oregon and "Honomobo" in Canada.
Im building one out of 8 boxes plus two for a guest house. Im well versed on all your complaints. I found a styrofoam product that is made to fit the metal sides exactly that will hyper insulate the structure and give me a place to mount siding to avoid radiant gain.
Ill probably be in it for $300k in cost but ill end up with 3100ft2 under roof in the main
I spent $240 on the land but its 90 acres so the value prop is very high and I imagine I could flip it for $1. 7-1.9m immediately based on the ft2 and property size (located in san diego county)
@@mattbrew11, it doesn't make sense to use containers if you're going to splice that many together. You can probably build a 12' tall single story house, steel framed, on an insulated slab -- for that cost -- and it'd be a lot better.
@@alexmills4091 1) my center slab is side insulated and is directly affixed to bedrock so the bottom doesn’t need any thermal management.
2) the containers are sistered together for beds and baths and 16’ cantilever stacked like a Tetris piece. Ill try to find another example of the stacking and link it below. The “great room” located between the two sets of double width tetris pieces is traditional slab on grade with tinted and polished concrete floor with integrated radiant heat which is driven by thermal solar system that can be reversed for passive cooling.
3) I could probably build a square or common shaped home with steel frame for less but I definitely could not reach the level of structural rigidity, durability and seismic resilience for less and likely 30%+ more. It also wouldn’t be architecturally remarkable. This is my first freestanding home and I wanted something truly special. When complete my condo 16 miles closer to the ocean will literally pay for the entire project (stupid SoCal pricing)
4) my property includes its own boulder strewn mountain with a very small amount of space on which to land a slab. The containers themselves give me 1story ft2 I simple could not get in any other fashion without involving granite demolition which is both very expensive and time consuming.
5) when finished this building will likely last hundreds of years with very minimal maintenance. I’m building a family heirloom not just a home. It’ll have a rooftop deck that is the biggest ive ever seen on a home. My goal of this to a have a special place that some day my great great great great grandkids will both enjoy and be able to afford because their distant relative blessed them with a property that will never have any debt and will generate passive income. Its not even connected to the electric grid (I own a large solar company) and water capture is the predominant water source so its quite nearly impossible that any type of overhead would ever force their exit
6) R40+ in the walls, r60 on the roof, R30 under the connex boxes plus a bed rock slab will make for a home that is just a quiet, cool, virtually earthquake proof, incredibly fire resistant and just wonderful place to be.
Mildly surprised Bob didn't get into the details of performance! Blower door test? Fresh air exchange?
There’s no hood over the stovetop! So maybe Bob hasn’t discovered the world of home performance yet?
I spent most my military days living in them. but a bit on the ruff side... oh who am I kidding it was really ruff. Yet I stayed dry so can't complain to much.
Gotta make sure they’re single use food containers only. Anything else has no history and could have held toxic/radioactive materials
Interesting point about using "pre-owned" containers.
For 80k it better be brand new lol
Even the paints they use on these sea cans is heavy duty stuff, able to withstand the harsh salty ocean environments. May be better to completely strip the paint and redo at with normal commercial grade paints before inhabiting.
Cool to see shipping container homes on this channel
th-cam.com/video/cYQYhK-bFEM/w-d-xo.html
Awesome
It would be, if you could get a basic shipping container for less than $6,000 here in Australia. Something like you were showing here are in the $80-120k here in Australia. I remember decades ago you could get a decent container for $2k and deck it out yourself, not any more.
Would be a good Airbnb rental. Could set up a couple on a property
Haha my Puerto Rico bunker!
what % left is shipping container? Wonder what it would cost to frame it all out of time and not use a container shell.
I imagine Aerobarrier would be useful for sealing these up
wow... a shipped home right to ya...
Would have loved to see in-so-fast insulation kits mentioned, insulation and framing in one product, low profile, corrugated to match the container...
the problem with normal insulation (like in-so-fast) is moisture will condense on the steel and water will fill up the walls. thats why they use the closed cell spray foam, its an air barrier as well (if done correctly!). i have seen houses where they have drains installed in the walls to drain away that condensation, but that can fail as well. of course you could simply live somewhere thats so dry condensation doesn't occur.
Way to go Matt, didn't know you had some interest in shipping container homes.
Curious as to how you handled the roof loads since the sides are not designed to handle much if any load.
Containers are a fad option. You can build better for less and it will perform better also. I was one of the first people to research using them in the early 2000's. The thermal bridging is the largest issue and then the 8' width isn't useful. As a shed type house in the hills somewhere that's just pay and place it has a place.
Wow
Could just dig 3 to 5 ft deep for cement piers cheaper than slab
Zoning for this kind of buildings (Shipping, tiny, dome, foldable etc.) is usually between the highway and the water treatment plant, local governments just hate them.
if they made a 2 story model might be cooler. you could put the bathroom upstairs for a little more frost resistance in colder climates. not sure how the floor plan would work with just 8 ft wide.
why do the containers need a 2x4 footer at all? Couldn't they get away with just one layer since the container is providing the actual wall strength? It's only supporting the drywall and plumbing right?
Hey, so I've been seeing this product several times for shipping container builds and it's called INSOFAST for insulation/framing. I was hoping if I could get your opinion on it. I think it would make the build easier and help with the moisture problem and would beat out the cost for the price of lumber at the moment while also reducing the weight, by a lot. Would you consider looking into it? I think it'd be a game changer and make it easier for others to get into a shipping container home or build. Thanks for the content! Love the show!
I feel like the framing isn’t enough
Why do you need more framing with an already solid structure? Jw
@@nicgurkweitz389 hanging tv or heavy objects such as mirrors.. most wouldn’t trust in something that looks cheap/weak, even if it is
How do you insulate, and add verandahs? I live in Queensland
The full scale 2x4 framing inside feels like overkill.
I mean, we have an ultra durable steel box that is a scant 7'10" wide... and then we narrow it another seven inches??
What about light-gauge interior steel framing with the runs already punched through? Wouldn't that leave you at least a couple extra inches of room width?
Why not do a slim steel interior frame just for services and interior finish, then frame out some cavities on the exterior, and insulate and clad that exterior to avoid the severe industrial look that limits these containers. Plus Canada Joe would be really, well, he'd like it.
Somebody please explain this to me; why or why not would this idea work?
The framing within the container does take up space but you have to take into account electrical, plumbing, insulation. All of those need space and the framing inside the container is exactly what’s needed for those.
I can't believe how much people spend on these things. My father-in-law built a horse barn from eight of them (two long two tall on each side, connected with steel trusses). One is a junk room for family storage, one is a tool room, one has used tires for farm equipment, but two of them are called The Chateau and is a two bed two bath apartment. Many of us have stayed there when remodelling or whatever. It works but I'm not a huge fan. Practically zero insulation and the long skinny layout makes things like the "living room" kinda weird. Not sure how much he paid exactly, but at the time each container was $1500 so the Chateau would be $3000 and I imagine the tile floor, showers, windows, etc was no more than $5000, though he and his farm hand did do most of the work themselves. Either way, I wouldn't personally spend more than $10000 per finished box. But then again, there are crazy people spending $60,000 on a tiny home so if this guy is selling them, good form him I guess.
Want!!!
Sets one by a pier at the beach, goes to sleep wakes up on a ship heading to China LOL
For all the work involved to get a shipping container to standard, I think I'd rather stick to dreaming about concrete box culverts, or the easy-set pre-cast building systems.
WHERE CAN I GET GARAGE DOOR LIKE THAT? Pleeeessseeee help 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Show us more containers please
looks kinda narrow for $80 k dollars, and the outside is ugly as a shipping container. maybe for Homeless refugees some where in the world ?
My container home in Afghanistan was very similar. Didn’t have foam or the finish out tho lol
they seem comfy, probably wouldn't live in one though.
Check out the channel: Life Uncontained ... a family who built their home out of two shipping containers. No experience. And they did fantastic.
They are doing an awesome job, but if it was a stick built home, they would have been done in half the time and cost.
@@augustreil Right? Other than the potentially cool aesthetics on the outside they made building that house 3x more complicated. That doesn't take away from the channel and their abilities, but shipping containers that you purchase and then begin to modify and try to integrate into a home become far more costly than they are worth and the end result is a structure that has more compromise and cost associated with it than it would otherwise.
@@jimyeats, Agree 100%
What determines why a container gets taken out of service? If you're taking one out of shipping service wouldn't they have to replace it with another new one?
You can tell the health of an economy by the fact that people are living in Shipping containers.
Do you guys deliver to Puerto Rico?
Want to go on holiday? Load your house onto a truck and take it with you
Better yet, book an extended international sea cruise aboard a Maersk ship!
Just a simple solution, put it in a pillar
Watch “ Life Uncontained “ on TH-cam to see a real nice shipping container home !
U have a hunting ranch?
I’m wondering about moisture and condensation on the inside of the steel, and what kind of moisture barrier can be used to prevent or mitigate moisture in these things?
Easy to ship I guess 😁
Are you sure they are strong with all the opens or no?