This article discusses the features and specifics of such budget housing as a house made from a sea container: the advantages and disadvantages of buildings, the technical parameters of the building material and the average prices for its purchase. The text contains information that will allow you to independently create a house from containers on your site: interesting ideas, photos and videos, tips for creating a layout and unusual projects, step-by-step construction technology.
If you want to acquire comfortable and practical housing in the shortest possible time, you should pay attention to the projects of houses made from sea containers; the price of such structures in comparison with standard buildings is much lower and more affordable for most owners of suburban areas. This type of construction is only gaining popularity, which is due to low awareness of the population. Housing made from containers has been actively used abroad for several decades.
How container houses are built: photos and features of buildings
Container construction is rightfully considered a technology of the future, which will soon help many people solve their housing problem. In European countries, this approach is widespread, resulting in the emergence of a new business sector. This area includes services for the design and construction of turnkey container houses, the so-called “semi-finished structures”.
A semi-finished product is a model used as a basis for the construction of a building. This structure is manufactured in a factory and has a rough floor and walls. In addition, the standard equipment of the semi-finished product includes additional systems and elements:
- window structures;
- electrical wiring;
- doors;
- heating system.
After selecting a specific project, the owner of the land plot will only have to buy cargo containers in the required quantity. They are delivered to the construction site, where they will subsequently be combined into one structure. The use of such models can significantly reduce the construction time of a house, which is one of the most significant advantages of this technology.
Helpful advice! During the process of building a house, you can advantageously combine shipping containers with other building modules, for example, reinforced concrete or brick.
Why is it profitable to buy a house made from shipping containers: the advantages of buildings
Houses made from sea or cargo containers have many advantages. They have a seismically resistant design, so buildings of this type are often built in regions where various natural disasters are observed, such as hurricanes or earthquakes.
Blanks in the form of containers allow you to get a home that is practically no different from permanent buildings. The outer side of the modules can be finished with clapboard; the inner side is covered with plasterboard sheets. Moreover, the cost of container buildings is much lower than the price of permanent housing. By choosing a shipping container as a material for building a house, the owner can be sure that his home will not be inhabited by harmful insects and rodents.
It takes no more than 2-3 months to construct a container-based building. If you minimize some types of work, for example, simplify the finishing, then 2-3 weeks will be enough to put the house into operation. Since container buildings are light in weight, there is no need to build a massive foundation. The modules can be installed directly onto compacted earth.
Billets can be used not only for the construction of residential buildings. They are ideal for the implementation of projects of houses from shipping containers with extensions and utility facilities.
This technology is not limited to certain climatic conditions. If there is appropriate thermal insulation, a container house can be built in almost any latitude. Since modular blanks are designed for sea transportation, such houses can be safely installed on frozen ground. They are resistant to low temperatures and adverse weather conditions. Container houses can be built on plots with a large slope.
Interesting fact! Shipping containers are widely used for housing construction in Antarctica and regions located in the Far North.
If the design of a house made from shipping containers does not involve the installation of stained glass on the entire wall, such a building will provide residents with maximum protection from intrusion by strangers.
Disadvantages of modular houses made from block containers
Housing made from cargo and sea containers does not have many disadvantages. The amazing durability and longevity of these structures also includes a downside. To ensure that containers can withstand long-term use under aggressive weather conditions, they are pre-treated with special compounds and dyes. These protective coatings contain toxic substances. Therefore, before you start building a container house, you should remove the paint.
The blank modules are made of metal, so in the summer the surface of the structure gets very hot, and in the winter it cools down. To ensure comfortable climatic conditions in your home, you will definitely need to take care of high-quality and effective thermal insulation.
Under the influence of moisture, the metal becomes covered with rust. To prevent premature destruction of the building, it is advisable to regularly inspect the building for corrosion and carefully care for it. Low ceilings are one of the most significant drawbacks. If you insulate the ceiling and floor, the maximum height of the room will be 2.35 m.
Dimensions and photos of containers for building houses
Container dimensions are usually indicated in feet. For the construction of houses, structures intended for the transportation of railway and sea cargo are suitable. Moreover, the dimensions may vary depending on the load capacity. Containers of various capacities are used for transportation by rail, but exclusively large-capacity containers are used for housing construction.
The internal dimensions of a 20 t container are 2.33 x 5.86 x 2.19 m. Having similar dimensions, the structure has 29.5 m³ of usable volume. Minus the space allocated for installation of sheathing and insulation, this will be the approximate size of the interior space of the room.
Typically, standard sized 40 foot long shipping containers are used for building construction. The internal dimensions of this design are 2.4x12x2.35 m. One container will be enough to create:
- utility room;
- spacious extension;
- storage;
- workshop.
Using 2-3 blocks, you can build a house with an area of 120 m². An interesting option would be to install two containers opposite each other, connecting them with stained glass and covering them with one roof.
Interesting fact! In America and Europe, houses made from 40-foot containers are widespread. The first creator of such housing was the architect Adam Kalkin. The house appeared as a result of a creative experiment and consisted of 3 sea containers.
Dimensions of container blocks:
Container size, feet External dimensions of the container, m Container internal dimensions, m Internal volume, m³ Doorway size, m 20 6.05x2.43x2.59 5.75x2.35x2.39 33,1 2.34x2.28 40 12.19x2.43x2.59 12.03x2.35x2.38 67,5 2.34x2.28 45 13.71x2.43x2.89 13.55x2.35x2.7 86,1 2.34x2.58 In most cases, containers are rectangular in shape, although there are also square options with increased height.
How much will it cost to buy building material for a house made from containers: price of blocks
The price of blocks for building a house from containers depends on various factors. It is influenced to a greater extent by the configuration and size of the structure. In addition, the cost depends on whether the container is new or has been previously used. If the product is used, its price will depend on the condition. The cost of shipping containers that are well preserved and have normal geometry will be significantly higher than that of defective products.
Average prices for 40ft containers:
Container type Product Features price, rub. New containers 40 HCDD tall, double doors 305000 40DV standard 330000 40 HC high 360000 Used containers 40DV standard 120000 40 HC high 125000 Building a house based on container blocks will cost about 30% less than the cost of stationary housing made of brick.
Interesting projects and photos of container houses, prices for turnkey construction
Every year the architectural design of residential buildings becomes wider and more diverse. Some people, in an effort to emphasize their status, buy large houses with a modern design, made of steel, concrete and glass, others prefer extravagant solutions, for example, housing made from shipping containers. Moreover, there can be countless variations on this theme. Some people use a container as an extension to a building, while others have their entire house limited to the walls of one container.
Container house design: photos, ideas, design options
Despite their simplicity, house designs made from 40-foot containers look quite interesting. Such structures can be used as guest or country houses. The buildings turn out to be small and at the same time very neat. This option is ideal for budget construction if the land area is small.
Of course, the small dimensions and shape of the container significantly limit the owner’s design and decoration of the future home. However, this doesn't stop some people. You can improve the appearance of the building with the help of sliding doors and large stained glass windows, visually expanding the interior space. Homes painted in bright colors, such as blue, green or yellow, look great.
Helpful advice! If you install a small canopy over the front of the building, then during summer rain you can keep the doors open without fear of water getting into the room. Sheets of cellular polycarbonate are suitable for these purposes. To support the overall exterior, you can buy colored polycarbonate for a container house that matches the color of the building.
To create a warm and comfortable environment, it is advisable to use wooden panels as interior cladding. Even the simplest design can be turned into a great place to relax and live by experimenting with colors and materials. Such a house will fit perfectly into the surrounding landscape if you plant flower beds around it. Brave designers can try organizing a flower garden right on the roof, using cacti and other light-loving plants for this purpose.
Houses made from shipping containers: photos and designs of impressive buildings from the best architects
The design of the houses, developed by architect Adam Kalkin, who appreciated the advantages and durability of shipping containers, looks quite impressive in the photo. If you want to acquire housing with a large area, you can use his designs of multi-level buildings.
According to the idea, a kind of “house within a house” is created. To do this, individual smaller components are placed inside the massive structure, which can be used as independent full-fledged buildings. Thanks to large sliding glass doors, you can harmoniously connect your living space with the outside world.
Despite the unusual concept, such a house can accommodate everything you need for a comfortable stay:
- living room;
- kitchen;
- several bedrooms and bathrooms.
From an aesthetic point of view, a multi-level house with many container sections looks attractive and unique, and due to the presence of transparent glass doors, its already large space is filled with lightness and lightness.
Photos of a 2-story house designed by architect Marcio Kogan look no less impressive. This project allows you to create a residential building on the basis of industrial elements combined into one whole in a limited period of time. In order to give the house the required area, the containers are stacked on top of each other, and then the building is expanded. The result is a structure with large internal space. In the widest part you can arrange a comfortable living room.
Helpful advice! By using a clever retractable door system, the living room space can be extended to the outdoors, thereby providing a beautiful view from the room and quick access to the yard.
40 foot shipping containers can be used for construction. Through the use of vibrant colors and modern home ecosystems, simple blocks are transformed into functional homes with a joyful and cheerful design.
Unusual examples of container houses: photos and projects of non-residential buildings
Cargo containers are used not only for the construction of residential buildings, but also for the creation of other projects. An excellent example of this approach is the Starbucks coffee house, which, according to the idea of one businessman, was made of modular elements. This modern cafe made from containers has an original and unusual design, unlike the usual design of these establishments.
Many people associate shipping containers with fast delivery and fresh food, so this concept can be easily used to build your own store or cafe. A compact building made of containers can accommodate everything you need to start your own business. There will be enough space to install equipment and create a small work area for staff.
Taking an idea from designer Stephen Shoup, you can create a temporary office out of containers for a young company. If you are not sure about the stability of business development, modular buildings made from cargo blocks will be an excellent solution to the problem. This method is unusual and does not require large expenses. Stephen Shoup designed the L-shaped office building. However, this does not mean that other container placement options cannot be used.
The shipping container office building is a bit reminiscent of warehouse buildings, but it doesn't lack the appeal of an industrial style. The interior space can be effectively used for arranging office space. In this case, everything necessary for work will always be at hand, and if desired, there will be enough space for holding a small meeting or business meeting. It all depends on how many containers are used to build the office and what its internal layout is.
Interesting container house projects: design options
To create a beautiful modern home, two 40-foot containers will be enough. Such projects are suitable for people who do not strive for excesses. High-quality finishes and modern furniture will help turn a container house into housing that meets the basic requirements.
For people who prefer spacious housing, it is better to give preference to house designs consisting of several blocks. On the Internet you can find photos of houses made from sea containers, which do not always have a presentable appearance, but at the same time they are very practical and comfortable inside. In a building consisting of 4 blocks, you can arrange a large living room and a spacious kitchen, several bedrooms, etc.
Helpful advice! If the second level of the building is pushed forward above the first floor, you can get a kind of canopy. The space underneath is ideal for arranging a terrace, which will be an excellent place to relax outdoors in the summer.
Interesting houses that successfully combine container blocks and open spaces look unusual in the photo. Using modern technologies and design solutions, you can create comfortable living conditions in such a building. Before you start construction, you should think about adding elements such as:
- exploitable roof with landscaping;
- high-tech porous thermal insulation;
- geothermal heating system.
All these innovations will allow you to create a real home suitable for permanent residence of an entire family.
Popular container house projects and construction prices
The cheapest option for housing construction is to purchase and implement a country house project consisting of one container. If you need a place for permanent residence, you should think about building it from several blocks. Thanks to the principle of volumetric design of buildings consisting of individual rectangular cells, it becomes possible to obtain housing with an original design and different number of storeys, and in a limited space.
You can buy a house made of containers with a total area of about 90 m² for about 360-450 thousand rubles. Such a project involves installing three blocks in one plane. If you add a second floor using additional 2-3 containers, the cost of housing will double.
Single container houses are characterized by simplicity and practicality. In one room you can combine a dining room and a bedroom, and also organize a small bathroom behind a partition. This option is suitable for temporary residence of 1-2 people.
If you place 3 blocks in one plane, such housing will be suitable for a comfortable stay for a family with two children. A total area of 85 m² will be enough to equip a kitchen (14 m²), a dining room (23 m²) and several bedrooms (36 m²), as well as a bathroom (12 m²).
Two-story buildings made from cargo blocks have the same conditions as modern buildings with a large area. In this case, it is advisable to divide the layout of a container house into zones according to their intended purpose. On the ground floor it is better to arrange a spacious living room, which can be used for receiving guests and family meetings. It is advisable to organize a dining room and kitchen nearby. The second floor can be used for recreation. It is better to arrange bedrooms here.
It is advisable to locate general purpose premises on each floor:
- toilets;
- bathrooms;
- utility rooms (storage rooms, dressing rooms).
Important! Before construction begins, containers must be checked for radiation. The safe norm is 35 µR/h (micro-roentgen per hour).
Average price of a turnkey container home:
Materials for work price, rub. Used sea containers (2 pcs.) 160000 Arrangement of strip foundation 90000 Flooring installation 40000 Construction and roof insulation (tile or bulk insulation) 36000 Installation of external thermal insulation (mineral wool slabs) 30000 Construction of a wooden frame + clapboard cladding 25000 Ceiling organization (chipboard and timber) 12000 The cost of purchasing materials is 393 thousand rubles. If you hire a contractor to build a modular house from containers, then taking into account the cost of services, the price of housing will approximately double and will be 786 thousand rubles. The figures given are approximate only. Costs will depend on various factors, such as the quality and type of finish, soil characteristics on the site and other conditions.
Features of bathhouses made from sea containers and average construction prices
Cargo containers can be used for more than just residential buildings. Baths made from blocks are in high demand among consumers, who are attracted by the mobility of these structures, affordable price and the ability to adjust parameters to suit individual needs. Most often, 20-foot High Cube blocks are used to build bathhouses from containers. The area of such an element is 13.53 m².
This space is enough to organize the main components:
- shower;
- steam room;
- rest rooms.
Average prices for turnkey baths:
name of the project Equipment price, rub. Standard Cleaning and preparation, foundation installation, flooring, sewerage and water supply, wall and floor finishing 300000 Optimum Standard + glazing, finishing of walls and ceilings, installation of electrical wiring, installation of doors 400000 Maximum Standard + optimum + installation of all elements of the lighting system, plumbing, heating devices, ventilation, heated floors 500000 Note! All projects indicated in the table involve the installation of a steam room, water supply and sewerage systems, supply of electricity and cutting out window openings. The cost of double glazed windows is not included in the total price.
Consumer opinion about container houses: user reviews from forums
Many owners of summer cottages have already taken advantage of the idea of building residential containers and shared their opinions on forums.
“If you adhere to all the requirements and perform full insulation, a house made of container blocks will be a good solution to the housing problem. I like that a minimum of time is spent on erecting the supporting structure. After this, you can select doors and windows, as well as finishing, to your taste. There is no need to build a massive foundation, which greatly simplifies the work. Of course, the size and shape of modular elements are limited by standard frames, but if you have a creative streak, even this problem can be circumvented.”
Evgeniy Dorosh, Moscow
“My neighbor in the country started with one block, gradually adding additional modules to it. Now his country house made of containers looks no worse than a stationary building made of bricks. So I seriously thought about building such housing. The house looks interesting both inside and outside. I’ve never heard any complaints from my neighbor, so I think it’s worth a try.”
Igor Skripach, Ekaterinburg
“A container house can hardly be compared with a brick building. But taking into account the price, which is about 5 times less, such housing can be safely considered if the family’s budgetary capabilities are limited.”
Roman Lubko, Samara
How to build a house from containers: technology and recommendations
Construction of housing on the land plot is carried out in stages. Since the building does not require a complex foundation, all work can be done independently. Main stages of construction:
- project development;
- arrangement of the foundation part of the building;
- installation of containers;
- roofing;
- installation of insulation;
- internal and external finishing works.
Designing a 40ft Container House: Building Layout
The layout is developed taking into account the purpose of the building. Many companies offer standard projects for construction, but to create modern housing from containers it is better to use an individual approach. However, you should not rely solely on your own intuition. Despite the obvious simplicity of the construction process, it is imperative to act within the framework of the design work.
Before you begin constructing a building from cargo containers, it is necessary to perform strength calculations. To do this, weight loads are calculated and, based on the data obtained, the optimal dimensions of the foundation are calculated. In addition to these calculations, the design documentation specifies the type and quantity of building materials, as well as the appearance of the structure.
Note! To find out the cost of container housing, you need to take shipping into account. This service may affect the final price.
Depending on how many containers will be used to build a house, and how they will be placed in relation to each other, you can get rooms with different layouts and areas. Most often, developers resort to an option where several containers are installed in a row under one roof. In this case, the modules are adjacent to each other with the long side. With this arrangement, the rooms are connected by organizing internal openings.
An interesting option is obtained if one of the walls has a folding design. In this case, it can serve as a home space. Panoramic windows can be installed on the inside of the wall. Such a project will not only be successful in terms of ease of use, but also safe.
The layout of a country house made from containers will be more varied if you place the modular blocks in a checkerboard pattern. The designer will have a chance to show his imagination and achieve an interesting result. Options for parallel placement of cargo containers are quite popular. In this case, the modules are installed at a certain distance from each other.
Convenient and comfortable layouts are obtained in those projects where containers are located one above the other. From the outside, this design looks like dresser drawers. If the blocks are placed in a U shape on the site, it will be possible to arrange a patio. This area can be decorated and arranged for family fun.
How to build a container home that meets safety requirements
Bacteria and rodents can cause serious damage to a building, but there are other dangers, such as burglars. There are special design and technological techniques that allow you to avoid invasion from the outside and provide your home with reliable protection.
The front door is one of the most vulnerable areas. To secure this area of the house, it is advisable to install a frame wall immediately behind it, where an opening is cut. During the absence of the owners, the property will be protected by two door structures at once: standard and burglar-resistant.
Another way to make a building more secure against burglary is to install a wall with a lifting structure. This method is convenient and reliable, although it is expensive. A glass wall is installed behind the lifting structure, which will provide the building with additional natural light.
Helpful advice! If the climbing wall will be used as a terrace, it is advisable to use wood for its construction.
The size and shape of door and window structures do not affect the safety level of the building. These elements are selected taking into account the design of the premises or exterior of the house.
Building a foundation for a house from shipping containers with your own hands
The first stage of construction involves carrying out foundation work on the site. The house can be installed on piles, FBS foundation blocks, tapes. The choice of base depends on the relief features of the site and the properties of the soil. It is not recommended to install blocks without a foundation, since the soil will sag under the weight of the building, and in winter the structure will freeze very much.
If you intend to build a country house for temporary residence, foundation blocks are suitable as a basis. The two-story building needs careful preparation. In most cases, experts advise using a reinforced strip foundation. To build it, you will need to dig a pit, so you cannot do without specialized equipment, for example, an excavator, as well as trucks that will remove the soil.
If the site is located on weak, marshy soil, it is better to give preference to a pile foundation. To pour a monolithic foundation for a house made of block containers with several floors, it is advisable to use grade 400 cement, which is mixed with water and sand. By adding special hardeners to the resulting mixture, you can significantly increase the service life of the base.
It is allowed to use the ready-mix for concrete work. In this case, a reinforcement frame and a formwork structure are installed, which is filled with mortar. To get a high-quality result, concrete must be compacted. For this purpose, a deep vibration tool is used.
The structural part of building a house from cargo containers: installing blocks
The installation of cargo containers on the site can only begin after the concrete has completely dried. This requires at least 22 days. If 40-foot-long shipping containers are purchased for construction, then a truck crane will be required for their installation.
Helpful advice! While the concrete is drying, you can perform anti-corrosion treatment on the shipping containers. To do this, the blocks are painted using iron and lead. As a finishing layer, it is better to use a dye that is resistant to high temperatures.
When the concrete pour has completely hardened, the modules can be installed on the foundation. Then they are tied and scalded. This is done in order to secure the structure of the house from two containers to the foundation and connect the modules to each other.
At the next stage, internal interior partitions are formed. For these purposes, it is advisable to use plasterboard sheets. This material is easy to handle and can be processed well. As an alternative, corrugated sheets can be used. To obtain the necessary elements, you need to remove the inner walls of the container, which do not fit into the requirements of the project. This procedure is performed immediately before the blocks are installed on the foundation.
At the same stage, openings for windows and doors are cut out. A grinder can be used for this. After the operation is completed, you should carefully treat the edge of the cut with special means.
Since the design of the cargo container is not designed to have holes, the rigidity of the block will be significantly reduced as a result of installation work. To strengthen the supporting structure in weak places, namely in window and door openings, it is necessary to weld pipes or channels around the entire perimeter. This must be done so that the stiffening ribs extend from the floor to the ceiling.
It is advisable to use a continuous seam to connect all elements of the supporting structure. Fastening the container body to the stiffeners is best done by spot welding. If you do not have the skills to operate a welding machine, it is advisable to use the services of a professional, since it is very important to maintain the necessary inclinations and angles.
How to do roofing work in a container house with your own hands
First, the frame part of the attic floor is formed. For these purposes, it is recommended to use timber with a section size of 10x10 cm. The frame is fixed to the container using self-tapping screws. To fasten the beams together, it is advisable to use plumbing bolts.
When the frame part of the attic is ready, the rafter system is installed. If the size of the boards is specified correctly in the design documentation, then during the work they will not have to be spliced, making the structure more durable and reliable. Self-tapping screws should be used to connect the rafters. Next, a sheathing is formed, on top of which galvanized steel sheets are laid. When performing roofing work, you should not forget about vapor insulation. To do this, a vapor barrier film is placed between the sheathing and the steel sheets.
There is another way to organize vapor insulation. To do this, pipes 40 cm long and 10 cm in diameter (3 pieces on each side) are installed under the roof itself on both sides of the house. They will provide ventilation to the space under the roof. The holes intended for installation of pipes are made in advance.
Important! Steel sheets are affordable, but they make too much noise during heavy rain and wind. Therefore, it is worth giving preference to soft roofing materials, for example, ondulin.
High-quality insulation of a modern container house
Any residential premises need thermal insulation. This is especially true for buildings made from shipping containers, which conduct not only heat well, but also sound. Therefore, it does not hurt to install soundproofing materials along with thermal insulation.
The following types of materials can be used as insulation:
- polyurethane foam;
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam.
The maximum service life of mineral wool is 10 years. After this, the material loses all its properties. Unlike mineral wool, polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam have a dense structure. Thanks to this, installation of such thermal insulation is quick and easy. The service life of polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam reaches 20 years. These materials have not only heat but also sound insulation properties, which mineral wool cannot boast of.
To fix the insulation, you can use plastic pins or a special adhesive. Plastic elements are screwed into the walls of the cargo container in advance. A polyethylene film is laid over the insulation. Then a decorative layer is installed, for example, chipboard or lining.
Insulation of floors is carried out in a similar way. For this you should use polystyrene foam boards. The use of mineral wool on floors is extremely undesirable, because it can retain moisture. Additionally, you can make a concrete screed.
In the process of insulation, it is very important not only to use high-quality materials, but also to try to eliminate sources of heat loss as much as possible. As a rule, their role is played by design flaws, which include:
- cracks;
- cold bridges;
- areas with high thermal conductivity.
The main source of heat loss is cracks. If the assembly of the structure is performed poorly, all efforts to insulate will be in vain. Therefore, it is very important to carefully treat all joints. Cargo containers are made of metal. This material has high thermal conductivity, so insulation is carried out not only from the inside, but also from the outside of the building.
Window and door openings can serve as a source of heat loss. In order to prevent rapid cooling of the premises, it is necessary to select high-quality materials for thermal insulation of the door structure, as well as double-glazed windows for windows of appropriate thickness.
Note! You shouldn't skimp on insulation. If all the work is done efficiently, in the future you can significantly reduce the heating costs of a container building. Therefore, the choice of materials must be approached very responsibly.
What materials are used for interior and exterior decoration of a house made from modular containers?
After the internal insulation of the house has been completed, the surface of the walls is covered with OSB boards, plasterboard or plywood sheets. These materials are attached to a rigid frame, which is assembled from metal profiles.
Ceiling coverings can be very diverse:
- drywall;
- Armstrong system;
- stretch ceiling;
- painted wood.
To decorate wall surfaces, the same materials are used as in standard houses, for example: wallpaper, plastic panels, decorative plaster, paint. The floors are covered with tiles, parquet, and linoleum. It all depends on the purpose of the room, personal preferences and budgetary capabilities of the owner.
The following materials are used in external finishing works:
- natural stone;
- block house;
- siding;
- decorative plaster;
- fake diamond;
- plastic panels.
Finishing materials for exterior work are selected taking into account the climatic conditions and design of the building.
Connecting a container house to communication systems and heating
Since container buildings do not require a massive foundation, the floors can be cold. The best option for modular houses would be a “warm floor” heating system. If there is high-quality insulation on the walls and roof, it can create comfortable climatic conditions for living. The underfloor heating system cannot be used as the main source of heating, especially if the ceilings in the house are high. Additional heaters will be required.
Helpful advice! If you install solar panels on the roof of a building, you can organize a convenient and efficient heating system.
If the house will be used for permanent residence, care should be taken to ensure that all necessary communications are available. These include:
- sewer system;
- electricity;
- water pipes;
- gas supply.
If electricity and gas supply can be supplied to the house at any time, then the calculation of sewerage and water supply is carried out at the stage of design work. If there is no centralized water supply system, you will have to find alternative sources, for example, build a well and connect pumping equipment. If there are no conditions for creating a sewer system, this issue can be solved using a cesspool or septic tank. It also wouldn’t hurt to install a system that provides natural and forced ventilation.
When all construction and finishing work is completed, you can begin arranging a house from shipping containers. There are no restrictions regarding the style of decoration and furniture. The owner can make his own decisions when creating the design of the premises. The exception is styles such as baroque and classic, which are characterized by the use of massive furniture. In conditions of low ceilings, such a design would be inappropriate.
It is advisable to avoid gloomy and dark colors. White and pastel shades will visually increase the space inside the containers. Mirrors and glossy surfaces create a similar effect. Container buildings are ideally combined with panoramic windows. This type of glazing will give the building a modern appearance.
Using your imagination, you can turn a modular structure into a full-fledged and comfortable home, and the presence of awnings or a veranda will give it additional comfort.
How to build a house from containers: video review of technology
A container house is a practical, fast, cost-effective and reliable structure. Modern technologies make it possible to construct buildings from cargo containers. And it doesn’t matter at all what kind of containers the construction will be made of: sea or railway. Both of them perfectly withstand the aggressive influence of the external environment, have a very durable structural part and can be used to construct buildings with your own hands.
Container house - simple and original design
Using two shipping containers will allow you to build a house from 60 m2 to 120, depending on the project. For example, 40-foot containers installed opposite each other can be connected with stained glass windows and covered with a common roof.
Small container house
From one 40-foot container you can make a luxurious extension, a convenient utility room, temporary housing for daily wage workers, or equip a workshop or storage facility. Houses built using this technology have great seismic resistance, so it is possible to build such a house in earthquake-prone areas.
Types of projects
“Container” projects are diverse, there are a huge number of them. Therefore, seeing modular buildings made from block containers in person or in photographs is not difficult. This kind of construction is very popular not only in Russia, but also abroad.
Unfortunately, projects for this type of building are extremely individual. Standard projects cannot be found in the public domain.
However, like any construction, a house made of containers requires mandatory calculation of loads, foundations, strength - in a word, it is necessary to create design and estimate documentation.
Container house plan
You should not treat the need for a project as something negative, cumbersome and unnecessary. After all, not only the strength and reliability of the structure depend on what the design of the building will be, since it is this package of documentation that determines the appearance, convenient arrangement of rooms and rational use of space.
You can build such a house with your own hands, but to create a project, you need to contact a special organization. Professional engineers will calculate every little detail, determine not only the scope of work, but also correctly calculate the loads, create an impressive appearance, indicate the necessary building materials and calculate their quantity.
The house for the construction of which the project is being prepared is always beautiful, reliable, safe, comfortable, and does not threaten to collapse. Built in compliance with all the designers' recommendations, it will serve faithfully for a long time.
Original design of a house made from shipping containers
Projects drawn up by architects and designers, as well as the buildings built on them, are always individual and unusual. These can be houses of two or more floors, built in the form of a cascade, steps, or chaos. The project may involve combined construction, when, along with the use of sea containers, railway containers and other structures are used.
Construction Features
Freight, most often 40-foot, containers for rail or sea transportation are a ready-made and reliable skeleton of a future building. These are ready-made modules from metal structures made in a factory.
The construction of buildings and structures from containers is much faster than structures made by any other method.
The apparent simplicity of constructing residential buildings according to projects attracts those who are accustomed to working with their own hands. But, it should be remembered that the construction of buildings from sea and railway containers is a serious and responsible undertaking that requires certain skills and knowledge.
House made from sea or railway containers
Therefore, to build such a country house or residential house from containers, it is best to invite specialists. Many construction companies offer, among other works, the construction of buildings from 40-foot cargo containers.
These companies have experienced welders, concrete workers, and roofers on their staff. Therefore, modular buildings made from block containers, regardless of the number of floors, total area, or intended use, will be built with high quality and quickly.
But all further work on the interior and exterior decoration of the house can be done with your own hands.
Stages of construction of the structural part
If you nevertheless decide to build a house with your own hands, without involving a contractor, then you need to take into account that the construction of structures will take time and will require the use of special equipment and the ability to handle welding and other construction tools. To weld metal structures, it is necessary to use only high-quality domestic electrodes, since Chinese-made electrodes are not suitable for such construction.
Foundation. Construction work begins with the construction of the foundation. Because if you place the container directly on the ground, it will settle and the house will freeze. Therefore, first of all, you need to dig a pit of size and depth in accordance with the requirements of the project. In most cases, a strip foundation is sufficient, but in some regions it is impossible to do without piles. The last requirement applies to regions with weak, marshy soils. In order to dig a pit, you will need an excavator accompanied by trucks to remove soil. During concrete work, it is necessary to leave outlets from the reinforcement to connect the foundation to the container.
You can simplify the concrete work of pouring the foundation yourself by ordering a ready-made concrete mixture. In this case, it is enough to mount the reinforcement cage in accordance with the drawings, install the formwork and pour the mortar.
Fresh concrete must be compacted using special deep vibration tools. You can move on to the next stage only after the concrete has finally matured, that is, no earlier than 22 days after it is poured. The dimensions of the foundation depend on what containers will be used, since the dimensions of sea and railway containers differ significantly. In addition, they are produced in different versions, including: 20 and 40 feet. When designing foundations, the number of modular blocks from which the house will be built is taken into account. Accordingly, there is a difference in the size and design of the foundations for two, three or more blocks. To build multi-storey structures from sea or railway containers, more powerful, reinforced foundations will be required.
Installing the container on the foundation
Structural part. The next stage is the installation of containers on the existing foundation. You can’t do without special equipment here. Since both sea and railway containers have significant weight, you will definitely need a truck crane. Therefore, when building a house with your own hands, you should take care of this in advance. Special equipment, especially during the season, is in great demand. After the modules are installed, they should be tied and scalded, fastened to the foundation and to each other. Next, all the necessary work on the installation of internal, interior walls is carried out. This could be as simple as installing gypsum plasterboard partitions, which you can easily install yourself. But, most often, before installing them, the corrugated sheet from which the walls of the containers found inside the new building are made is removed or trimmed. At the same stage, holes for windows and doors are cut. If both sea and rail containers are used for construction at the same time, the difference in size should be taken into account. Combining 40 and 20 foot containers allows you to create an unusual, individual design.
Roofing device
This is also a rather complex type of activity. Despite the fact that sea and railway containers already have a ceiling, it will not replace the roof. It is done in the same way as in conventional construction.
Container house with roof
It is unlikely that you will be able to do this part of the work yourself. Therefore, it is best to invite a contractor who will perform all the work efficiently and in accordance with the project.
Containers can support a lot of weight, so even buildings of two or three floors can be covered with any type of roofing material, including heavy tiles.
Insulation and finishing of facades
Insulation of a living space built from containers is carried out in the same way as in the construction of ordinary houses. Having arranged the sheathing along the walls and on the upper outer part of the ceiling, you need to lay insulation. This can be glass wool, mineral board, polyurethane, penoplex, polystyrene foam, on top of which work is carried out on the exterior finishing of the building. You can do this work yourself, without the involvement of contractors.
To decorate the facades of such houses, special panels, decorative bricks, natural stone tiles, as well as ordinary painting and Munich-type plasters are used. For painting, special façade paints are used that are resistant to sudden changes in temperature and sunlight, as well as withstanding frost and an abundance of moisture.
The decoration of the facade can be varied depending on the style and imagination
Interior decoration
The interior decoration of container houses usually begins with covering the external enclosing structures with sheets of plasterboard, plywood or USB panels. It is best to mount them on a metal frame made of a rigid profile, since the wooden structure will be movable due to the constant change in the percentage of moisture in it. In order to insulate the house from the inside before covering the external walls, it is best to cover them with isocork. The material made from natural cork wood is an excellent antiseptic, resistant to the formation of various biological microorganisms, the appearance of which is associated with the formation of condensation.
After covering the walls, the ceiling is finished. As the simplest option, the wooden ceiling of the container can simply be painted and varnished. But plastering and gesso are the least suitable for it. Firstly, because the existing floor, as a rule, is perfectly smooth, and secondly, the emulsion and gesso will constantly crack due to changes in the percentage of moisture in the wood. Therefore, it is best to use suspended or suspended ceilings made of plasterboard, Armstrong or MDF panels. At the same time, suspended ceilings will maintain the ceiling height as much as possible, lowering its level by no more than two to three centimeters.
Interior of a container house
After installing the ceilings, you can return to finishing the walls. Since they are no different from the walls of any other house, the decoration is determined solely by the taste of the residents. Technologically, you can use any materials: wallpaper, paint, decorative plasters, etc.
Floors also require minimal finishing. Since the wooden flooring is treated with various antiseptic and fire-fighting agents, it is better not to dismantle it, but to leave it as a base.
Wooden flooring can be covered with any material - from linoleum to parquet. Laying ceramic tiles will need to be done not with a regular tile adhesive solution, but with a special glue - “liquid nails”, the instructions for which involve gluing wooden and ceramic surfaces.
Application in industrial and civil engineering
The construction of buildings from containers intended for freight transport by rail or sea in the 21st century has ceased to be the prerogative of private construction. An increasing number of countries are introducing this type of structural part into industrial and civil engineering. Shopping complexes, multi-storey residential buildings and even children's institutions have already been built using this technology. In Finland, the issue of constructing an entire residential complex from containers, including a large number of multi-storey buildings, is being considered.
Project to build apartment buildings from shipping containers in Detroit
In Detroit, Steven C. Flum, Inc. has already started construction of a 20-apartment building from used containers. In addition to other advantages directly related to the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of construction, this type of construction is considered an environmentally friendly project that saves natural resources.
This is due to the fact that it is not profitable to send arriving containers back, and the issue of their disposal is quite acute. Therefore, the construction of small and medium-sized repair shops, residential complexes, snack bars and restaurants, shopping malls and entertainment buildings from them is an excellent solution for recycling containers that does not require an expensive recycling process.
Finland is also interested in construction of this kind. According to the government, this will help solve the housing shortage. The small area of the apartments and their relatively low cost will make housing affordable for young people who are in dire need of it. Such a house should appear in the city of Vantaa in 2016. It will have from 50 to 100 apartments, each from 14 to 28 m2.
In Buenos Aires (Argentina), a shopping complex of 57 brightly colored modules with a roof made of solar panels was built; they provide the opportunity for restaurants, offices, and shopping boutiques to operate. There is also even a gallery and a cafe with huge stained glass windows.
A unique shopping street has been created in London; 61 shipping containers were used for its construction. There's more to Boxpark Shoreditch than just walking. There are places to relax, sanitary stations, cafes and even a small park with beautiful well-groomed trees.
The construction of buildings from modules is also gaining momentum in the CIS. In Kazakhstan, for example, this method is widely used to create boutiques in markets where a warehouse is located on the second floor.
Auxiliary mobile premises
It is convenient to build modular houses to create living conditions for shift workers. Prefabricated dormitories are easily dismantled and transported from one facility to another.
Container cafes: easy to install, dismantle and transport
The containers house canteens, baths and sanitary stations. In addition, in winter, when working outdoors is difficult, some of the work performed can be transferred to modular workshops.
Installation of furnace equipment and external insulation make it possible to use structures made from containers all year round. The ability to install one container onto another without problems or loss of strength ensures maximum efficiency in the use of land. If necessary, containers installed in a row, in addition to their main purpose, can form a temporary fencing of the territory.
Many people solve the problem of expensive housing by choosing inexpensive but reliable container buildings.
The basis for such houses are containers used in shipping.
It is noteworthy that you can easily build a house from containers with your own hands, and you can vary the area and number of floors of such buildings at your discretion.
Container houses are just gaining popularity in Russia, but we are sure that they will soon become a common alternative to standard buildings, so let's learn more about the features, as well as the pros and cons of container houses.
Container houses: latest projects, photos Advantages of container housing
Of course, in some of the operational characteristics of the house, containers cannot be compared with brick, wooden and other buildings common in our area. But you can turn a blind eye to most of the differences if you want to quickly and inexpensively furnish your home. Moreover, container houses have their advantages: 
Container houses: photos and projects 
House made from a sea container, photo
How much a house made of containers costs depends on many factors: its size, strength of the material, features of finishing work, etc. But, in any case, even complex designs of houses made from sea containers will be more attractive at prices compared to ordinary houses, and this is one of the main advantages of creating houses from sea containers in Russia. 
House made of containers: photos in Russia
Increasingly, new materials are being used in low-rise construction - find out what the advantages and disadvantages are, the features of the material - in the article at the link.
Read about where to start a phased renovation of an apartment. Main stages of construction
Let's talk about how to make a house out of a container. Let us describe this process using the example of a house made of two containers.
You will need beams 100 by 100 mm and 60 by 60 mm, 8 and 6-meter boards with a section of 10 by 4 cm and 15 by 2.5 cm, respectively, self-tapping screws, chipboard with parameters 27.5 by 12 by 1.6 cm, galvanized steel in the form of corrugated sheets, bolts for plumbing, two reinforced concrete piles with a section of 35 by 35 cm, MP-50 mineral wool, S-10 corrugated sheets, welding equipment, an angle grinder with discs, a gasoline generator and a screwdriver.
Before installation begins, it is necessary to prepare a project for a container house with plans for the main work. Most often, a house project is made from a 40-foot container, since this is the standard size for such structures. 
Beautiful houses made from containers, photo
Advice: There is not enough space for a family in one container, so we recommend that you plan to create a modular container home with at least two components.
Main stages of construction houses from containers:
- purchasing containers of the required quality with parameters corresponding to the plan;
- creating a foundation (if desired);
- installation of containers;
- reconstruction of the interior of the container house;
- roofing;
- insulation and finishing;
- laying the necessary systems and communications.
Container houses: photos, ideas, options
For a house made from 40-foot containers you will need about 100 thousand rubles (excluding other materials).
Inspect structures for defects and use radiation detection equipment.
Remember! The radiation background of the house from the container should not exceed 35 microroentgens per hour.
Container house, photo
If you are wondering how to build a house from a container, and still decide to make a foundation, you should not settle for the monolithic option. During operation, cracks and other defects will form on its surface. And the soil under the house will gradually subside. This is why the foundation should be minimalistic or even dispensed with (in this case, a residential building made from containers will be easier to move if the ground begins to sink).
The procedure for creating a foundation for such a house consists of several procedures. To begin, create a “cushion” of gravel or other inert material. Then anchor the piles parallel to each other every 6 meters to form a square base.
The average weight of each container will be about 6 tons. Therefore, you will not be able to build a cottage from containers yourself. You will have to use special equipment and transport and call specialists.
If you are creating a house from several blocks at once, they must be welded together (do this in a circular pattern).
Container house, photo
After installing the house from iron containers, we begin interior work. Using a grinder, get rid of unnecessary elements inside, and also cut niches for doors and windows.
It is better to do such work not in hot weather, so during the day in the summer season you can start building an attic or roofing work.
The main stages of creating an attic and roof in an apartment from a container:
- use a beam with a section of 100 by 100 mm to create an attic frame. To secure the beams, use self-tapping screws, and to connect the beams to each other, use plumbing bolts;
- when the frame is ready, start installing 8-meter rafters. Boards must have appropriate parameters. It is better to connect elements of such a structure not with nails, but with self-tapping screws;
- make lathing on the rafters: for this you will need boards 6 meters long. Place galvanized sheets on top, and also provide a vapor barrier between these elements.
Vapor barrier is done using a special film. Instead of film, you can use another technique: six (three per side) pipes 40 centimeters long with a 10-centimeter cross-sectional diameter are mounted on the sides of the house under the roof.
Since the attic is not intended for use in cold seasons, there is no need to close them in winter.
Container house: projects, photos
Insulation and finishing of a container house
Another point that needs to be considered is how to insulate the container for housing. This is done very simply: first, beams with a 6 cm cross-section are used to create the sheathing (keep a distance of approximately 0.9 m).
Advice. To keep the sheathing against the walls of the container, use self-tapping screws.After this, you can begin the insulation itself: take large sheets of mineral wool and secure them between the beams. The larger the sheet of cotton wool, the better it will stay between the beams at a given distance.
DIY container house, photo
At the next stage of building a house from shipping containers with your own hands, you need to think about the external cladding of the house. For these purposes, use corrugated sheeting - and, traditionally, secure it with self-tapping screws. For aesthetics, it is better to choose light materials.
Next, you can begin decorating the interior of the house using metal containers. Carry out internal insulation in the same way as external insulation using chipboard sheets. 1.5-centimeter gaps should be left between them: they are intended for mounting foam, which will prevent dust from entering the house.
The next procedure is the installation of double-glazed windows (preferably double-glazed windows) and insulation of the floor (traditionally, lathing-insulation-flooring). For the floor, as a rule, 15 by 4 cm boards and chipboard are used.
Modular houses from containers, photo
Heating and communications
Often, special stoves are used to heat modular housing containers. A cutout is made in the floor chipboards and a brick oven is laid directly on the container bottom. If over time one of the sides of the container settles along with the stove, it will be enough to use a jack to lift it - and lay down a durable material.
As for electrical wiring, in container housing it is better to conduct it not along the outer walls, but through special channels for greater safety.
It is better to foresee the need for sewerage equipment in advance when planning a house made of containers. For this purpose, a hole is made in the floor: through it the pipe will be connected to a dug drainage ditch or septic tank.
Buying a container holiday home
If you don’t want to spend time building it yourself, you can purchase a ready-made country house made from containers. The advantage of garden containers is that they initially issued with the condition of use for domestic purposes, so that the external and internal design will fully suit your needs.
Container cottages, photo
So, in a container country house there will be all communication systems, thermal insulation and decorative finishing.
The average price for such containers for a dacha starts at 90 thousand rubles, and the cost of a house made from a container with a shower and plumbing, designed to accommodate more than 3 people, will be about 170 thousand.
The idea of building a home out of shipping containers is not that new. Original designs from one, two or more assembly elements can be easily converted into a residential building. Let's look at the characteristics of different standard sizes of containers and talk about the stages of building a one-story house from shipping containers.
A house made from shipping containers is a topic that interests many. In our country, containers are mainly converted into cabins and outbuildings, but only a few houses are being built so far. Why is this happening?
Some people think that it is impossible to build original, beautiful housing from ISO containers. Others believe that such houses are only good for warmer latitudes. Still others are stopped by the uncertainty of the final estimate. Let's try to figure out all these questions.
Architectural solutions options
A house made of containers can be built into almost any landscape of the site, and it can be built from one container or several, located in one, two or three tiers.
Examples of non-standard placement of houses
The house of three blocks in three tiers, located on a hillside and occupying a minimum of land area, was built in New Zealand by industrial design teacher Ross Stevens.
A houseboat built from shipping containers on a pontoon.
A folding house with folding and folding walls for summer holidays.
Tree house in New York from the German studio Baumraum.
A house hanging over the water.
Examples of container houses in Canada
Winters in Canada, especially in areas with a continental climate, can be as harsh as in Russia. In this regard, the houses that were built there are interesting.
A house of three blocks in the forests of Canada, created by Pierre Morency.
Another house made of three containers, built for himself by Canadian Joseph Dupuis.
House made of containers in Kharkov
Project by architect Oleg Drozdov, implemented in Kharkov, Ukraine. Complex: two containers laid perpendicular to each other in two tiers - a residential building and a separate guest house, also from a transport container.
Original ideas
Projects have been developed for a house built from containers in the shape of a cross; there is an idea to create a house from one 40-foot container placed vertically. There are other developments that are complex and impractical in terms of using the space and volume of the container. We want to give some original and at the same time useful ideas.
The house and pool are all made from shipping containers.
Several blocks united by one roof. The largest room is formed by the area between the containers.
A similar solution for an asymmetrical house. A pitched roof over three containers significantly increases the area of the house.
The veranda can rise in winter and form a wall, thermally insulating a significant area of glazing.
What to pay attention to during construction
In building a house from shipping containers, there are several main points that should be thought through most carefully at the planning stage:
- Foundation, foundation - unlike a change house, a house for permanent residence must rest on a reliable foundation.
- Thermal insulation is an important aspect when designing a shipping container home in our harsh continental climate.
- Ventilation - the walls of the container completely isolate the internal volume of air, therefore it is important to provide high-quality air exchange to create a healthy atmosphere.
- The roof has a greater impact on aesthetics, but also provides additional benefits in insulating the building.
Foundation
Some authors claim that a foundation is not required to set up a house. However, most experts believe that the climate of the main part of Russia requires a foundation. It can be slab, strip, columnar or pile, depending on the type of soil, winter temperatures and the mass of the structure.
For most buildings, in our opinion, inexpensive columnar or pile foundations are suitable, and if the house overhangs the water, only pile foundations are suitable. In addition to providing support, the foundation allows the containers to be positioned exactly horizontally.
A house made from two 40-foot containers was built in Costa Rica by Benjamin Garcia. The house has a columnar foundation.
House designed by Benjamin Garcia
Thermal insulation
Thermal insulation of a house made from containers is one of the decisive issues when creating full-fledged housing. Thermal insulation is carried out both from the inside and outside, and the choice of method depends on the mode of residence: permanent or “in-and-out”.
Selection of thermal insulation materials
The choice of materials depends on the location of the insulation and the budget. Mineral wool is suitable for interior work. If it is reliably protected from precipitation and wind when carrying out external work, then it can also be used outside the building. For floors, the use of mineral wool is not recommended if there is a risk of water ingress. To lay mineral wool, you need to make a sheathing and lay the material so that it does not sag down over time, leaving areas without thermal insulation. When using mineral wool slabs, to ensure a thickness of 100 mm, it is better to lay two sheets of 50 mm each so that the seams in the layers do not coincide.
Polyurethane foam can be used to foam the thermal insulation layer on both sides of the container. Foam plastic has also proven itself well, work with which you can do yourself. For good durability of these materials, it is necessary to make a lathing by attaching it with self-tapping screws to the wall of the container or by pre-welding a steel corner.
Thermal insulation of the container from the outside
Insulating the container from the outside makes sense when the house is intended for permanent residence. Thus, the dew point shifts beyond the inner surface of the walls. If thermal insulation eliminates all cold bridges and ventilation is provided, condensation will not form in the house. In this case, the thermal insulation material must be protected from the influence of the atmosphere and precipitation, for example, with siding.
Thermal insulation of the container from the inside
If the house is used exclusively in the summer or visits are planned at other times of the year, it is better to insulate it from the inside. Arriving in a frozen house in winter and turning on the heating, you can quickly warm up the air and not get dew on the walls if the thermal insulation is done correctly:
- a continuous layer of thermal insulation, without even part of the metal of the container exiting into the living space;
- all internal walls are either non-metallic or mounted in such a way that a sufficient layer of thermal insulation material or wood is laid between them and the metal of the container.
For this type of thermal insulation it is also necessary to provide for ventilation.
Ventilation
Since ISO containers are airtight, and modern windows and doors also do not allow air to pass through, you need to take care of ventilation. This could be a window, the possibility of micro-ventilation in a plastic window, an automatic valve that is triggered by high humidity, or more complex engineering systems. If you leave a house without ventilation, not only will people lack fresh air, but condensation (ice) will also appear on the windows, and dampness, mold and mildew are possible.
The ideal solution would be to install supply and exhaust ventilation with preliminary air preparation.
Ventilation solution for the house of the architect Maria José Trejos
Roof
Roofing is desirable, but not necessary, for container houses. Installing a single- or gable roof will make the house warmer; it will be possible to combine two or more blocks into a single house, increasing the area, as we showed above in the examples. But you can only thermally insulate the ceiling from the inside by covering the structure with a layer of roofing material on top: the container is sealed, the steel is of high quality, there should be no leaks. Moreover, some owners even arrange a lawn or flower garden on the roof of such a house.
Lawn on the roof of a container house
Characteristics of sea containers
The containers are based on a frame made of longitudinal and transverse steel beams, lined with corrugated alloy steel sheets 1.5-2 mm thick. The floor is covered with pressed plywood, usually impregnated against mold, up to 40 mm thick. This material can be removed (a rather labor-intensive process) and used after laying the thermal insulation on the floor. At the end there is a double swing door, the tightness of which is ensured by sealing rubber around the perimeter of the opening.
40ft container
Sea containers vary in size and volume. The dimensions of the most common options are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Dimensions of sea containers
| Container | Volume, m3 | Dimensions, mm | |||||
| external | internal | ||||||
| length | width | height | length | width | height | ||
| 3t | 5,16 | 2 100 | 1 325 | 2 400 | 1 930 | 1 225 | 2 128 |
| 5t | 10,44 | 2 100 | 2 650 | 2 400 | 1 950 | 2 515 | 2 128 |
| 20 feet | 32,12 | 6 058 | 2 438 | 2 591 | 5 867 | 2 330 | 2 350 |
| 20 feet high | 36,91 | 6 058 | 2 438 | 2 895 | 5 867 | 2 330 | 2 700 |
| 40 feet | 65,64 | 12 192 | 2 438 | 2 591 | 11 988 | 2 330 | 2 350 |
| 40ft high | 75,42 | 12 192 | 2 438 | 2 895 | 11 988 | 2 330 | 2 700 |
Installation stages
Building a house involves many elements. We list the main installation steps:
- Construction of the foundation.
- Supply of communications, laying of passage elements for insertion into the container.
- Transportation of containers and building materials to the site.
- Connecting containers to each other. Can be done:
- welding two walls along the edges;
- welding a steel strip between two containers with preliminary laying of heat-insulating material;
- bolted connection.
- If the hinged doors of the containers will not be used, they need to be welded.
- Cut through windows and doors. In this case, the structure loses its rigidity and must be restored immediately. Profiled square pipes are welded along the opening from floor to ceiling. The same pipes frame the opening horizontally and are installed between vertical pipes—supports.
- Metal inspection. Cleaning and priming seams, straightening bent areas, anti-corrosion treatment.
- Installation of windows and external door. Porch equipment.
- For internal thermal insulation, cover the external walls with siding over the sheathing. You can simply paint the metal with light exterior paint. At this stage, you can build a pitched roof, cover the top of the container with roofing felt, or prepare a cushion for the lawn: drainage, geotextiles, soil.
- Mark out the interior layout. Perform water supply.
- Perform internal (external) wall insulation. Thermally insulate the floor and ceiling.
- Build internal walls, install interior doors.
- Electrical installation: sockets, switches, lighting, appliances.
- Install the heating device and carry out the heating wiring.
- Ventilation device (if this is not provided for by the design of the windows).
- Install a sewer system.
- Install the water heater, distribute the supply of cold and hot water to the points.
- Install plumbing.
- Finishing of walls, ceiling, floor.
This is not a complete list of all the work, but it will help you navigate when planning construction and drawing up estimates.
Construction estimate
The calculation we performed is rather a convenient form for adjustments based on individual initial data:
- number of containers;
- way of organizing the foundation;
- installation method and selection of utility network equipment;
- selection of thermal insulation, construction and finishing materials, etc.
An approximate calculation of the cost of basic materials for a house for permanent residence from two 20-foot containers without an equipped roof (all without delivery) as of July 2016 is shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Approximate cost estimate for building a house from shipping containers
| Expenditures | Unit change | Price | Price |
| Containers 20 feet, high - 20" HC, used | 2 pcs. | 70,000 rub./pcs. | 140,000 rub. |
| Pillar foundation + gravel bed + porch: Concrete M300 Steel reinforcement, Ø 14 mm and Ø 6 mm Gravel |
~4 m 3 70 kg 4 t |
3,200 rub./m 3 25 rub./kg 1,400 rub./t |
12,800 rub. 1,750 rub. 5,600 rub. |
| External wall cladding: Mineral wool insulation "Ursa GEO M-11" URSA 1200x7000x50 mm (15 m2, 0.78 m3) 2 plates/pack. Ruberoid RKK-350 TU, b = 1000 mm, l = 10000 mm |
12 pcs. - 0.72 m 3 72 m2 10 pieces. 7 rolls |
6850 rub./m 3 150 rub./m 2 750 rub./2 pcs. 370 RUR/pcs. |
RUB 4,932 10,800 rub. RUB 3,750 RUB 2,450 |
| Internal wall cladding: Unplaned timber for sheathing 100x50x6000 mm Lining 96x12.5x3000 mm, Economy grade |
12 pcs. - 0.36 m 3 72 m2 |
7000 rub./m 3 150 rub./m 2 |
RUB 2,520 10,800 rub. |
| Wooden ceiling: Unplaned timber for sheathing 100x100x6000 mm Lining 96x12.5x3000 mm, Economy grade |
7 pcs. - 0.42 m 3 36 m2 5 pieces. |
6850 rub./m 3 150 rub./m 2 750 rub./2 pcs. |
RUB 2,877 5,400 rub. RUB 1,875 |
| Wooden floor: Unplaned timber for sheathing 100x100x6000 mm Planed board 25x100x6000 mm Mineral wool insulation "Ursa GEO M-11" URSA 1200x7000x50 mm (15 m2, 0.78 m3) 2 plates/pack. |
7 pcs. - 0.42 m 3 0.9 m 3 5 pieces. |
6850 rub./m 3 9000 rub./m2 750 rub./2 pcs. |
RUB 2,877 8,100 rub. RUB 1,875 |
| Roof felt roofing material RKK-350 TU, b = 1000 mm, l = 10000 mm | 7 rolls | 370 RUR/pcs. | 2590 rub. |
| Doors: Entrance metal with insulation Interior |
1 PC. 2 pcs. |
10,000 rub./pcs. 5000 rub./pcs. |
10,000 rub. 10,000 rub. |
| Window | 3 pcs. | 6000 rub./pcs. | 18,000 rub. |
| Solid fuel boiler with stove | 22,000 rub. | ||
| TOTAL: | RUB 280,996 | ||
| + electrical installation, lighting + heating system wiring + water distribution, boiler, shower (bath) + sewerage or dry closet + ventilation |
In addition to these costs, you need to take into account the wages of hired workers (if you don’t do everything yourself), the cost of finishing materials and filling the house with furniture, household appliances, etc.
Before deciding on such construction, it is advisable to weigh everything and draw up an estimate several times, without looking at the previous version. If you still want such a house, but you do not have enough funds to implement such a project, remember that a house from containers can be built in several stages: during the breaks it will not get wet, will not become loose, and will not let moisture in. This is one of the advantages of such construction.
A resident of Minsk named Yaroslav had long wanted to build his own country house, however, ordinary summer houses did not attract him and then he decided to build his own small country house based on. The Minsk resident saw examples of such modular houses during his travels abroad, in which he spent 4 years. Upon returning home, he began to make his dream come true, and six months later he became the owner of an excellent alternative to a regular dacha, which we will talk about later.
This is what the site looked like this spring before work began.
The house was manufactured in a factory for about a month.
No foundation was needed to install the house. A metal structure was placed on the ground as a foundation.
Then two block containers, already insulated and lined with wood, were brought on trailers, connected and installed using a crane. The installation process took two days. Then communications (water, sewerage, electricity) were connected, for which we had to call craftsmen, dismantle a third of the house and reassemble it.
View of the room without interior decoration.
The frame of the unusual dwelling is a metal skeleton. Unlike a classic sea container, there are no walls made of corrugated metal profiles. Instead, steel pipes are used, the spaces between which are filled with insulation.
In section, the wall looks like this: an outer board, an OSB board, insulation (100 mm mineral wool), a vapor barrier, another OSB board and plasterboard. The floor and roof are insulated in the same way.
The dimensions of the house are 4x8 m, the height from floor to ceiling is just under 2.5 m. The total area is 32 sq. m. m, residential - 27 sq. m. Several “squares” were spent on creating a storage room in the end wall, where the most necessary garden tools are stored. The photo below shows fragments of the metal frame.
The threshold turned out to be quite high - I had to make a step. Two comrades helped in this matter. Then we installed a sun canopy on the terrace. We also did the interior decoration ourselves.
The interior space is organized according to the principle of a studio apartment and is divided into four parts: a living room with a sofa, a kitchen, a place to sleep and a bathroom. The area is zoned using two partitions, where the stiffening ribs are hidden. There is wallpaper on the walls, heavy-duty class 33 laminate on the floor, and a rake on the ceiling. Furniture (except for the sofa and bed) includes a small closet and a shelving unit.
There is a refrigerator in one of the cabinets in the kitchen.
The home is heated by a wood-burning fireplace. Its power is enough to heat a room three times larger in size.
There is no forced ventilation in the house. At the same time, you can create a draft and ventilate a small room in a few minutes. There is a place for an air conditioner, but the owner has not yet decided whether there is a need for it.
“I plan to live here while it’s more or less warm outside. My neighbors in Minsk have just started renovations at their place, and this is a good reason to move from the city to the country. It’s wonderfully quiet here. Recently, an acquaintance came with a device that shows the noise level. an open window measured 19-22 decibels, and in a Minsk apartment - 30-35 decibels,” says Yaroslav.
A container house is unlikely to be suitable for all-season living. No matter how good the fireplace is, an open door in the frost will quickly cool the room down. In winter, Yaroslav plans to appear here only occasionally.
In the absence of the owner, security in the house and on the property is monitored by video cameras, the online image from which can always be viewed on the phone. Another camera is installed inside the house in front of the door. It automatically starts recording as soon as a person appears at the entrance and sends the data by email.
The plans include landscaping the area, laying out a lawn and installing a gazebo with mattresses. Neighbors advise Yaroslav to set up garden beds. In response, he smiles: his views on life do not fit in with the prevailing image of a Belarusian summer resident.
According to Yaroslav, with minimal costs for finishing and landscaping, such a house would have cost about $20 thousand, but his cost was more expensive.
Yaroslav considers a container house an ideal option for a country holiday. True, he does not rule out that over time he will want to sell it. Long-distance travel has taught us not to become attached to any place for long.
