| |
The first additional cost you need to account for is transportation: getting the shipping container from where it is docked or stored to your building location. Transportation costs will vary, depending on whether your container needs to be shipped to your area via land or sea. To reduce costs, start by looking for containers that are stored in shipping areas or ports close to where you live. Also, make sure that any price given to you for the shipping container itself already includes transportation and/or shipping costs. Remember that this is a buyer’s market!
Another expense you need to factor in are labor and materials cost. If you have experience in construction or design and you are planning to do the necessary refurbishing and insulating yourself, this will greatly reduce the labor cost, which can range from $50 up to $150 per hour. But if you are hiring workmen for the job, expect higher costs.
If you already have a design in mind and just need a ready shipping container to implement your ideas, it may be best to look for an option somewhere in the middle, such as a shipping container that has already been cleaned, modified, and is ready for additional insulation, plumbing, and other interior and exterior details. Once you get the unit, you can then add whatever other enhancements you are able to do on your own, and save on the labor expense.
One alternative way which you may want to look into is getting designs and interior plans from artists or college students in your area. They may be looking for internships or other opportunities to enhance their skills as well as add to their portfolio. Shipping container homes are a popular trend these days, especially among younger, more environment-conscious individuals who are championing the cause of eco-friendly repurposing. This could be a win-win situation for both of you!
You may be able to contact college students or artists in your location that would be all too willing to use their talents and skills to help you design a creative, comfortable, and cost-effective living space. The cost of working with these up-and-coming designers, architects, and planners would certainly be less compared to what you would need to shell out for a large, established firm providing the same services. Of course, you do need to make sure that any plans or layouts given to you take note of structural integrity, occupant safety, building code regulations, and other important variables. But aspiring architects and designers are already aware of this and may be able to give you valuable insights without charging too much, as long as they can add your home project to their portfolio.
If you do decide to go with a professional firm for the refurbishing of your shipping container home, it would be more advisable to work with just one company that handles it all, from the cleaning to the finishing touches. This way, you can establish a clear theme and unified goal from the start, and also reduce or eliminate the possibility of mismatched or incompatible materials or designs in between the stages of the modification. Communication would also be easier if you are working with just one contractor that can handle the entire process.
As far as costs go, do not hesitate to pay more for superior quality for the most necessary details, especially when it comes to safety and comfort. Remember, you are the one who will be living in that space, presumably for a long time, after all the modifications have been completed. If the designer or engineer suggests a type of material or add-on for more protection against the elements, it is better to consider it rather than trying to cut expenses now and then paying for it later.
On the other hand, it is also true that more expensive does not always mean better quality. With the rise of DIY home building and improvement, you are sure to find cheaper ingredients and solutions that work just as well as others. The important thing to focus on is a home that you will be excited to live in, provides comfort and protection for you and your loved ones, and can be your place of refuge and rest.
***
