Building and designing a new home with shipping containers is not only fun but also financially rewarding. People worldwide are turning towards shipping containers for building new homes as the cost of housing materials is increasing. Shipping container homes are not only strong, durable, and less expensive, but they can develop innovative designs in comparison to conventional materials. Supertech industries in Dubai provide time-tested premium shipping container designs without any flaws. Let us see the tips and the factors to consider while designing a shipping container house in the article below.
Things to Consider While Building a Shipping Container House
The important factors to consider while designing a house with shipping containers are:
Preparations & Planning
Preparations and planning are the basics for building a home. They help analyze the structural stability and determine the timeframe, functionality, budget, council approval, and ongoing costs.
Climatic Condition
Hot, rainy, cold, no snowfall, or snowfall will help identify the right materials for the roof and wall. The prevailing climate and the standard local climate must be considered when designing a shipping container home. This will help determine suitable ventilation and insulation methods. The climatic condition will dictate the kind of insulation to be used.
Designing a Brief
While designing a shipping container home, it is important to design a brief. A brief defines how much space you should be allocating for multi-functional space. As it is possible to configure shipping containers in different ways, you can calculate the number of containers you will need by determining the required space. Furthermore, it will also allow you to know how to place the containers appropriately.
Structural Modifications
It is possible to modify the structure of a shipping container as per requirement. However, as an initial move, you must determine the amount of welding and cutting costs necessary for building the shipping container home.
Interior Design & Furniture
The shipping containers have a default measurement. The width is only 2.4 meters, which raises the need to consider the interior design before building the home. With the restricted dimensions, a different approach has to be made to install furniture to create an illusion that there is more room space.
Outdoor Living
Shipping containers have limited space. Therefore, it is best to provide as much outside living area as possible to compensate for the small indoor space. Roof decks are a great option for an outdoor living space. Another option is to create an outdoor terrace or balcony with original container doors. The more outdoor space you give, the bigger and more spacious your home will look.
Openings or Fenestration
The final aspect to consider while building a shipping container home is the opening or fenestration. In order to maximize daylight adequate openings are required. The opening also enhances the ventilation inside the home. By adopting designs with full-height doors and windows, maximum daylight will fill the entire place and, at the same time, offer unrestricted access.
Everything You Need to Know Before Building a Shipping Container House
Making a house from shipping containers is not as easy as it sounds. It has many challenges, mainly because the idea is new. Only a few people have the experience and knowledge to build a shipping container house without a hitch. Below are a few proven essential tips to help design a shipping container home.
Condition of the Shipping Container
While purchasing any used shipping container, it is best to analyze them closely before making the investment. Old shipping containers are prone to have a lot of dents, structural problems, and rust as they are tossed around on seas for a longer duration. On the other hand, one-trip containers are a bit more expensive than the old shipping containers but will be in great shape. One-trip containers are always worth the investment as they eliminate the need to fix dents and reduce the unnecessary service expenses. A few shipping containers have more height than the standard shipping containers. These containers are the most expensive, and the extra height is beneficial to circumstances when you have to heavily insulate the ceiling or floor.
Local Rules
Restrictions for building a shipping container home vary from place to place. Therefore, it is recommended to check the local rules and building codes before investing a huge amount in the shipping container. It is also essential to know the ordinances which might impact the design choices, container home projects, deed restrictions, governing bodies, and property zoning.
Right Contractor
It is important to find the right contractor who can do everything without just modifying or placing unfinished containers. As constructing and converting a shipping container into a home is a new niche for the building industry, it is not easy to identify contractors with in-depth experience. Spend time checking various portfolios of contractors and then employ the right contractor.
An Insight Into Factors to Consider While Designing Shipping Container Homes
Minimize Welding
If you need adequate square footage for your home, it is obvious that you have to use several containers. It is possible to convert a single shipping container into a tiny home. But while connecting various shipping containers, you should understand that the welding process is expensive, so you have to limit the amount of welding and create a design accordingly.
Insulation Techniques
An unfinished steel shipping container is unbearably hot during summer whereas extremely cold during winter. Without a good plan and additional insulation, it is impossible to reside in a shipping container. Therefore, you must enquire about the insulation ideas and consult with the best contractors before designing a shipping container home. Learn about the various ways to insulate the walls and roofs. You can consider blanket-style insulation that will be studded to the wall’s interior or foam insulation which will be sprayed on the wall directly. But if you are particular about a sustainable insulation option, substitute them with sheep wool. For a greener home space, you can add a green roof on the deck of the shipping container home.
Chemical Exposure
Every shipping container is painted to withstand the saltwater sprays while in transit in the sea, and these paints contain chemicals. The wooden flooring of the shipping container has heavy pesticides to make the container last a lifetime and stay safe from moisture. In order to avoid chemical exposure in your home, you have to make necessary modifications and make them completely chemical-free.
Strategy to Handle Wind
When placed in a windy area, shipping containers will make great noises as their rectangular shapes are opposite of aerodynamics. When strong winds hit the wall of the shipping container home, they produce more noise in the interior space. Therefore, if you reside in a windy area, you must protect the container from piercing winds or place them behind a windbreak.
Wrap Up
Shipping containers can create a home, office, or stack space. It is a relatively new concept slowly gaining popularity in the market because it is an eco-friendly and modular housing option. Supertech Industries create personalized shipping container homes in UAE Dubai with more innovative features to meet the needs of every customer. We make the most cost-effective solutions, which significantly cuts down your construction budgets.
