Lessons to Learn from Shipping Container Conversion Pioneers
It may be a new trend to build using a shipping container as the main source of material, but there have been people doing this for years. They have created homes worthy of architectural magazines, and simple homes fit for a young couple wanting a place of their own in the back country. There have been shipping containers homes installed on rivers, as student housing for universities, and as container stack creating apartment complexes. This idea, while new, is catching on fast.
The reason that many new concepts are springing up in the shipping container conversion field is that people are building on the knowledge from those original pioneers. They early adopters might have gotten in on the trend early, but they made a few mistakes along the way. The knowledge has been spread around to others wanting to do the same, and these are a few of their words of wisdom.
- Researching for the best
shipping container to convert is worth the time and energy. There may be a
container lease store on the corner of nearly every small town in this country,
but they might have the best quality or grade of container. There are an estimated
2 million unused containers at any point in time on the ports of the world, so
it's worth the time to find a one-time use container, or one that has extensive
history on what goods have been stored in there.
- Shipping container conversion specialists are hard to come by. Builders are always willing to have a go, and normally have the mentality of "She'll be right" because that's the sort of people they are. It's worth the time to find someone who knows their way around the material and quirks of a shipping container. Containers need to be floored, insulated, panelled, and in some cases, sprayed and professionally cleaned before being suitable for dwelling. Finding a contractor who knows how each of these steps is done can save plenty of money and headaches in the future.
- Australia has different council regulations and permit requirements than other countries. In places like Denmark or Sweden, where these container homes are more popular, their laws might be more lax than Australia's. Each state also has specific guidelines and requirements such as a Bushfire Rating in Victoria and New South Wales.
- The climate matters as to where the home is built. While steel containers are practically indestructible, they aren't designed to be completely insulated against heat and cold. It's always advisable to get a proper assessment of insulation requirements by a certified professional.
Container Conversion Possibilities
The future is exciting for shipping containers, and as long as people are willing to be open about their early mistakes, new innovators will find their way to create new concepts for homes, apartments and cabins.
https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/07/shipping-containers-home-sweet-home/