At this point, we’ve all thought about owning a shipping container home. It just seems so affordable, comfortable, and environmentally-friendly. So, of course we’d want to live in one! But, what about building a shipping container home? As in, building your very own shipping container home.
Sound easy? Yes and no… let’s explain.
Building a Shipping Container Home
Choosing the proper shipping container
When choosing the right shipping container, there’s both a lot of room to move and the need to be a bit picky. Treat this home like it is: a long-term home. You must account for all the things you will be putting inside this shipping container home, so choose the size carefully. That means measure out everything you own.
On top of this, check the quality of the shipping container. We don’t need to go into the obvious of WHY.
Zoning permits
Surprisingly and sadly, a lot of areas still won’t allow for building a shipping container home. They’ll have certain regulations and standards to uphold, so your dream of owning a shipping container would have to be somewhere else. However, in areas where they do allow it, you still have to figure out the regulations. Make sure to get your proper building and zoning permits. Before you start to build, contact your local planning department and they’ll get you squared away.
Planning your budget
The most important aspect of planning a budget is making sure you stay realistic. It’s very easy to think that you’ve got it handled with a small amount of cash. But people often underestimate the cost of supplies and permits. A good budget should keep about 20% of the funds towards a contingency allowance—which leaves you with some wiggle room in case the unexpected happens.
Insulation
Building a home takes time and skill. Not to mention, a list of to-dos, so you know you’re building a house and not an unlivable shack. The most important step in building a shipping container home especially is insulation.
Insulating your home prevents the environment of the outside from coming in and vice versa. Many shipping container homes end up paying a lot more for power because they were not properly insulated.
Building a Shipping Container Home with Storage on Wheels
If you’re looking for supplies to build your shipping container home, contact Storage on Wheels. We have everything you’ll need that pertains to shipping containers.
