

Who has heard of container homes? What do you think of them? - PCollins


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DonCarlitos
Homes constructed from standardized shipping containers make a lot of sense on
a lot of levels. First, size and spec are standardized. Second, construction
is rugged. Third, the size of most containers lends itself to multiple-
container configurations and thus to design flexibility. Fourth, they last a
long time if maintained. There are a number of excellent web-based resources
available through a simple search.

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PCollins
Thanks for the input Don. People love these homes!

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mc_hammer
some turn out really nice :)

couple bad features IMO:

    
    
        - sometimes painted with toxic paint
        - have to insulate anyway
        - have to frame the interior walls with wood and then drywall tape & paint anyway
        - have to weld them together
        - worse energy efficiency than concrete (IMO)
        - can be hard to find
    

IMO the 9 - 10' ceilings are cool though, and the 40' length is really great.

I'm still leaning towards concrete -- With a simple roof one end higher than
the other. Concrete and tile seems to be insanely efficient to keep cool in
hot weather. I'd love to use ICF but it seems to just add 10k to the price
without any other benefits that I can save 10K by doing the work myself.

these look really cool also: [http://www.homedepot.com/p/SmartBlock-
Twenty-8-in-Insulated-...](http://www.homedepot.com/p/SmartBlock-Twenty-8-in-
Insulated-Concrete-Forms-12VWF8/203012855)

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PCollins
Thanks MC,

Couple quick adjustments:

\- Toxic paint is mitigated through encapsulation with spray foam insulation,
or proper paint coating.

\- Wood studs are not the best way, steel studs are the way to go. Further,
because the furring is not structural, you can go 24" wide versus 16".

\- Raw containers are cheap and easy to find. Just ask Craig.

The main advantage of containers is their modular capabilities. Produced
entirely off site and delivered to client in completed form. Concrete must be
site built, which is not a scalable.

People are really more into the aesthetic than anything.

Good points MC, thanks for the comment.

