The Truth About Using Old Shipping Containers

There are lots of videos all over YouTube regarding the use of old shipping containers. Some people are building entire homesteads from these old steel boxes. If you’re considering making a building or extra room out of a shipping container… Consider the following as well.

Get the Real Story on the Following Financial Factors

Talking about doing something and actually doing it means actually paying for it as well. Yes there are lots of ways to save money by refurbishing old shipping containers, but they can also run into unexpected costs:
make sure you know how much this project is going to cost you in the long run
the cost of ventilating and heating is going to be a consideration – these are like big ovens in the summer
DO spend money on good paint because it’s going to be what protects your new home from the elements – namely, rust
these things are heavy and you’re going to need some heavy duty machinery to move them at a cost
some people have landed these old shipping containers for free but most people have to pay for them and transport them on their own

Why Would Anyone Live in an Old Shipping Container?

If you have to ask that, clearly you haven’t seen what can be done with these massive, heavy-duty four walls, roof and a ceiling. Regardless of some of the unplanned finances listed above, you’re going to spend far less on this than you are the building of a house from the ground up. And recycling is huge in today’s green friendly world so recycling something of this stature is certainly a step in the right direction. Security isn’t much of an issue with these containers turned home or storage building either. Ordinarily, your neighborhood cat burglar doesn’t carry a blow torch or stick of dynamite with which to break in.

Yes, it’s a big metal box. But a house is nothing more than four walls, a roof and either the natural ground or some flooring to walk on. It’s what you do with what you have that makes it into what you want it to be.