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Shipping Container Homes

Picture
Written by: Ar Rinka D'Monte

Date: 14 May 2020

 
If you have been reading about alternative home construction, then you surely would have come across houses made out of shipping containers. It is not a new concept, but has been experimented for a while now. With such vast examples from all over the world and in India, we feel it is a very lucrative and intriguing idea. Initially, it may sound as a fast way of design and build option for a house which is best suited for weekend homes or row houses in large residential complex or unique hotels / resorts which are spread over a large chunk of land, but mind it that every modular house or every container house is not well designed, planned and executed.
​
No wonder container homes still remain as a curious adventure for most, yet it does have potential. The design of the container houses is crucial for its life and usage (along with safety for its users), no doubt it sounds as a sustainable choice for faster home construction, but it will still depend upon the prior usage of the container.
With our ever increasing interest in developing newer methods and formats of house construction, we would like to explore the idea of an ideal container home in India and its possibilities.

​FACTS
  1. A container comes in two size formats which are universally available and around 80% of the same are manufactured in China.
  2. The smallest size being 20 feet in length by 8 ft (depth) and 8.5 ft is its height. The larger one is 40 ft in length and 8 ft in depth and of of 8.5 ft. in height. The smaller one weighs around 1.8 to 2.2 M.Ton and larger one weighs around 3.8 to 4.2 M. Ton  so it needs to be carried / maneuvered with a crane where as smaller one can be moved around with forklift and tow truck.
  3. Most of the time a shipping container is used once for shipment before it is discarded at the landing port, as the cost of sending an empty container is higher than discarding it at the destination port. This makes up for a very skewed proportion of shipping containers being stacked at destination ports (increasing waste). So quite a number of local sellers make use of them as rental site offices for construction sites and others. Most of them are left to rot and get damaged over time (also waste land parcels for stacking and storing them). Only a handful of shipping containers are reused for the destination port for another shipment.
  4. Usually they are priced quite handsomely but there may be a good price for transporting them from one port to an inland location. Also certain additional government certification needs to be checked and verified before it is allowed to be used for a house construction (as some of them may have carried hazardous chemicals in their last shipment). The pricing of each container will differ from port to port location in India (but its marginal) and also transportation cost depends upon the no of states it will cross and distance to travel. Another factor to consider is the time of shipment to the actual site of constructions as it depends on many other factors which are beyond the realm of house design and construction.
  5. Usually it is presumed that with the shipping containers, the time of house construction will reduce but that is not necessary as the base foundation has to be erected before the super structure is installed and fixed on it. So from excavation to the construction of foundation, it will take as much time as any other regular construction. But this process is quite tangible and depends on various factors, so if proper planning, procurement and construction is done as per schedule then time can be saved. This in turn will help is reducing the overall cost of labor and cost of the house.
  6. Finally it is about MONEY. Yes constructing and maintaining a container home will be lesser than standard construction practice as the area enclosed is smaller. The overall construction, planning and design will be more in modular format, so it will be very well optimized in terms of space and usage. The basic cost of a container may range anything from US $ 1500 to US$ 1600, but the rest of the investment will be as per the finishes and facilities that are required. As per the choice of the client the finishes can be regular or high, but it is better to go for long lasting materials (durability) rather than just for looks of the material.
 
Overall it is a house with purpose and conscious decision by its owner as it not following the usual path of house construction. It is giving an opportunity to a client to live in a uniquely designed house.
​​
PROS.
  1. Because of the pre-designed size of a container, it will be mandatory to design a house which is just the right size. As a minimalist approach is very personal but there is no way a container home will be ostentatious due to its size.
  2. If it is well planned and fabricated and partly finished at a workshop /factory then the time of its construction at site will be lesser and economical.
  3. As any container is by default fire resistant and flood proof, it makes certain construction issues already handled.
  4. It is much easier to add or attach awnings, canopies etc to the container as it is just a steel welding job away.
  5. A life of a container is approximately 15 years so the investment into its construction is way worth it. Yes,  if you want it to last longer than certain additional design aspects have to be considered, but the basic framework of a shipping container is its Steel Skeleton which rusts over time if not painted well from the very beginning.
  6. If designed in a modular format then it can be dismantled and shipped to a different location from time to time.
  7. Since its modular it can be repeated in an overall Master Planning layout to create an interesting Row House Complex. 
​

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  • HOME
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    • E-Book 1 of House Plans by HomePlansIndia.com
    • E-Book of Apartment Floor Plans
    • Sketches
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    • Architectural Design Consultancy
    • Master Planning and Design
    • Landscape Architecture Design
    • Parks, Playgrounds and Children's Play Area
    • Interior Design
    • Structural Design and Detailing Consultancy
    • Building Services Consultancy
    • 2D Rendering & 3D Modelling in Sketchup for Floor Plans
    • Freehand Watercolor Rendering of Site Plan & Floor Plan | Architecture Sketch | Hand Rendering
    • Cost Estimation of House Plan
    • Online Consultation for Architectural Design
  • CUSTOM DESIGN
  • PRICING
  • ARTICLES
    • Terrace Garden Landscaping
    • Tiny Home Design Ideas - An adventure for our future from 2020 onward
    • Online Architecture Practice During World Pandemic 2020
    • How to choose the best outdoor Solar light for walkways and landscaping
    • Boston Design Week 2020 - Presented by Architect Rinka D'Monte
    • Apartment Building Elevation Design
    • Container Homes | Homes with Shipping Containers | Steel Houses | Modular Structures
    • Hire an Online Architecture Firm from Mumbai
    • Importance of having nurturing Indoor Plants for your house
    • Top Ten Green Home Building Ideas
    • Sustainable Building Materials to consider for your House Construction
    • Sustainable House Design by HomePlansIndia
    • Importance of Passive House Design and Construction in India
    • Why Outdoor living spaces are as crucial as designing the interior spaces when planning for a new house
    • 5 Architectural Design elements which make a small house plan look and feel big
    • What is Rain Water Harvesting and how to do it for your house
    • How solar energy can reduce energy consumption for your weekend bungalow.
    • Design a House with Proper Light and Ventilation
    • Advantages of Green Roof for new Bungalow Designs in 2015
    • What to add in your bucket list when you are planning your house floor design-2015
    • Stages of House Construction in India
    • Calculate the Cost of Constructing a Bungalow in India
    • 10 Different flooring material suitable for Bungalows in India
    • The need for structurally sound housing in India
    • Importance of Contemporary Family House Plan
    • 5 Basic Design Flaws to watch out in a House - Home Plans India
    • 10 Reasonable Questions to ask Prospective Contractor for building your House
    • 10 Reasons why small house plans are best for 2014
    • 15 Steps to Draw a House Plan like an Architect
    • How to Draw a Simple House Plan
    • Why buying House Plans Online in 2015 makes sense for plot owners in India
    • 10 Important key features for planning and building an energy efficient house in India
    • Top Five Green Home Building Ideas
    • Guest Post 1 - Custom Home Plans and Design
    • Guest Post 2 - How to Paint the Exterior of Your Home?
    • Guest Post 3 - How to Improve Your Home’s Value with Super Screen
    • Guest Post 4 - Home Construction and Home Design: Prefab Homes
    • Guest Post 5 - Advantages of Windows with Blinds
    • Guest Post 6 - Redecorating your kitchen on a budget
    • Guest Post 7 - Map mural designs for your room decoration
    • Guest Post 8 - Interior Decoration Trends to Look-Out for in 2019
    • Guest Post 9 - Smart Houses: What Are They? , and Should You Build One?
    • Guest Post 10 - Popular Styles of Vinyl Replacement Windows
    • Guest Post 11 - 10 Small Kitchen Designs in 2019: IDEAS AND ADVICE
    • Guest Post 12 - Provide an Elegant Addition to Your Home’s Exterior
    • Guest Post 13 - Common indoor plants for health benefits
    • Guest Post 14 - Opt for Bathroom Renovation after Paying Off Existing Debt
    • Guest Post 15 - Cutting Grass is Essential for Proper Growth & Health of your Lawn
    • Guest Post 16 - How to Design a Kitchen with Beauty and Class
    • Guest Post 17 - Save Money with Outdoor Solar Lights
    • Guest Post 18 - How to Break Free From the Debt Cycle
    • Guest Post 19 - Best Energy Efficient Space Electric Heaters
    • Guest Post 20 - Living Room Design: Do’s and Don’ts
    • Guest Post 21 - How to Design a Home with Beauty and Class
  • HOUSE PLANS
    • Small House Plans
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    • Apartment Building Designs
    • House Floor Plans
    • Master Planning of Row House
    • Luxury Bungalow Plans
    • Sustainable Homes
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