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“I wish I knew how to insulate the shipping container, we ended up soldering elements on the walls and then sprayed them with a foam anti-fire insulation. Also I wanted to know how to keep the sun off the roof; in the end we did this by double ventilating the roof.”
Arnold Aarssen (Studio ArTe) on what he wish he had known before building the Nomad Living Guesthouse in Portugal.
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Key Takeaway: Building a container home from the ground up can be overwhelming, but definitely satisfying as well! Unless you are an experienced home designer or builder, you would do best to hire a pro to assist you in realizing your shipping container home dream. Do not use free floor plans you find online to build your container home. Although they can be helpful in inspiring ideas, they are mostly clickbait. Instead, purchase a floor plan template or ask your architect to create a custom floor plan. Other things to consider are: floor selection, choosing the right foundation, proper temperature and noise insulation, using the right toolset, and adding a hip roof. You are in the driver’s seat and will get to see your ideas come to life, so enjoy the ride but make sure all bases are covered. Plan ahead, and stay on track.
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Many people would go for the convenience and ready-made designs of prefabricated shipping container homes. After all, if manufacturers already have visually-appealing designs and are also able to make certain modifications to fit your needs and your lifestyle, purchasing ready-made shipping container homes would save you from a lot of the stress that comes with laying out your own home design, selecting building materials, hiring construction crews, and the other details involved.
However, for those who like the challenge of do-it-yourself building and designing, all of the tasks involved in building a shipping container home from the start would be welcome and enjoyable. This hands-on project really allows you to put your designing, engineering, and creative skills to the test!
A container house made with a single shipping container
If you have decided to do this on your own, the good news is you have a lot more control over the kind of home you will be living in, and the sky’s the limit as far as the innovations and concepts you want to apply to your project.
So where do you start?
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