4 ms·

Shipping containers are often used, which can be had for half this used. Usualy a much better idea IMO. Refrigeration units offer good insulation, often alongsi

by polshaw 15y ago

Shipping containers are often used, which can be had for half this used. Usualy a much better idea IMO. Refrigeration units offer good insulation, often alongside partial burying of them. They can also look fairly like the western norm inside. Heres an example built with 2; http://thechive.com/2011/07/26/unbelievable-home-built-out-of-two-shipping-containers-39-photos/ http://thechive.com/2011/07/26/unbelievable-home-built-out-o... e: also, a more aspirational one.. obviously more expensive and more containers required; http://www.lowimpactliving.com/blog/2009/07/07/affordable-shipping-container-house-in-quebec/ http://www.lowimpactliving.com/blog/2009/07/07/affordable-sh...

samstave 15y ago
I love the idea of the shipping container home, especially when fixed up like this - though I lack the skills/patience to DIY like in that link you posted. There was an amazing compund a guy in Texas built from shipping containers, shown on the show "Doomsday preppers" on TLC the other day. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-preppers/prepper-bunkers-stockpiles-pictures/ http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-prepp... This guy used NINE containers for his thing. I like the idea of prepping, but it still takes a good deal of resources to be able to do stuff like that..
- mc32 15y ago
  Here's a mid-rise made from shipping containers: http://www.citycenterlofts.net/ http://www.citycenterlofts.net/ And homes: http://zerocabin.com/ http://zerocabin.com/ Pretty impressive, given the basic template they're made from.
  - samstave 15y ago
    Looks like you'd still need a fair bit of structural steel to support that citycenterlofts building. I would say the engineering skill needed is fairly non-trivial, although straightforward -> i.e. not a low-cost DIY type of structure. I'd be interested in seeing the construction costs of that though, as compared to a similar design not based on shipping containers. I forgot about zerocabin - I had seen that site before. Thanks for the reminder.
    - mc32 15y ago
      >Looks like you'd still need a fair bit of structural steel to support that citycenterlofts building That's likely, to conform to building code. Still, they stack those things full of goods 7-8 high on shipping vessels.
epikur 15y ago
I have heard that most shipping containers, even refrigerated ones, have quite toxic linings that can be difficult and expensive to remove. I can't find a source for this at the moment, but it came up as a problem for shipping container living in a reddit thread a few months ago.
prewett 15y ago
It doesn't look like they used refrigeration units here, or any insulation either. Seems like these would be really cold in the winter?

by polshaw 15y ago

samstave 15y ago

I love the idea of the shipping container home, especially when fixed up like this - though I lack the skills/patience to DIY like in that link you posted. There was an amazing compund a guy in Texas built from shipping containers, shown on the show "Doomsday preppers" on TLC the other day. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-preppers/prepper-bunkers-stockpiles-pictures/ http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-prepp... This guy used NINE containers for his thing. I like the idea of prepping, but it still takes a good deal of resources to be able to do stuff like that..

mc32 15y ago
Here's a mid-rise made from shipping containers: http://www.citycenterlofts.net/ http://www.citycenterlofts.net/ And homes: http://zerocabin.com/ http://zerocabin.com/ Pretty impressive, given the basic template they're made from.
- samstave 15y ago
  Looks like you'd still need a fair bit of structural steel to support that citycenterlofts building. I would say the engineering skill needed is fairly non-trivial, although straightforward -> i.e. not a low-cost DIY type of structure. I'd be interested in seeing the construction costs of that though, as compared to a similar design not based on shipping containers. I forgot about zerocabin - I had seen that site before. Thanks for the reminder.
  - mc32 15y ago
    >Looks like you'd still need a fair bit of structural steel to support that citycenterlofts building That's likely, to conform to building code. Still, they stack those things full of goods 7-8 high on shipping vessels.

epikur 15y ago

I have heard that most shipping containers, even refrigerated ones, have quite toxic linings that can be difficult and expensive to remove. I can't find a source for this at the moment, but it came up as a problem for shipping container living in a reddit thread a few months ago.

prewett 15y ago

It doesn't look like they used refrigeration units here, or any insulation either. Seems like these would be really cold in the winter?