Shipping container homes have grown in popularity and seem pretty straightforward in theory. There are things to keep in mind when building a shipping container home, to ensure that your home is structurally sound, sustainable, and the way you want it.Don't miss this presentation if you are planning to have a container home!

1. Things You Need to Know
Before Building a Shipping
Container Home!!

2. INTRODUCTION
❏ Shipping container homes have grown in popularity and seem pretty
straightforward in theory
❏ There are millions of excess shipping containers lying around in ports
around the world and are conveniently the perfect size for a home
❏ You can stack a few together if you want a multi-story or larger square
footage home
❏ There are things to keep in mind when building a shipping container
home, to ensure that your home is structurally sound, sustainable, and
the way you want it

3. See before you buy
❖ Always inspect the shipping container before purchasing it
❖ You can always ask the seller for detailed pictures and a thorough
description of the container before buying
❖ Older shipping containers, especially, might have several dents, issues
with rust, or other structural problems that come with a lifetime of being
tossed around on the high seas,so ensure to inspect!

4. Know your building code restrictions
❖ Many towns and cities have certain restrictions against building a
shipping container home
❖ Before you invest several thousand dollars in used shipping containers,
make sure you check your local and state building codes

5. Make sure you have a plan for insulating
❖ Ensure that you have a good plan for adding insulation to avoid being
unbearably hot during the summer and cold in the winter
❖ ou can ask certain contractors about insulation ideas when designing
your home. Don’t forget that you will have to insulate the roof as well
as the walls heavily

6. Find a good contractor
❖ It is best to find one contractor that can oversee the entire process,
rather than finding several for different parts of the project
❖ Take the time to research the contractor and contact them for a
consultation beforehand

7. Protect against harmful chemicals
❖ Some containers have wood flooring that has heavy pesticides to deter
rats and rodents from eating through the flooring
❖ The paint on these containers also often contains chemicals to protect
them from saltwater spray from the oceans,You can simply choose to
buy a new shipping container that does not have these chemical issues
or renovate the container yourself (Take out the pesticide-covered
wood flooring and install your own flooring)

8. Avoid cutting your containers into pieces
❖ Shipping containers are extremely strong and built out of solid steel,
each time you cut a hole into it for an extra door or window, you are
compromising the structural integrity of the container
❖ The more reinforcement it will need, and the higher your budget will
rise!

9. Plan ahead for plumbing and electrical
❖ Be sure to plan where the plumbing and electrical will be when
designing your shipping container home
❖ Consult with your contractor to cut the holes for plumbing and
electrical lines before finishing the interior so that you can avoid
frustration and wasted time

10. Know the difference between containers
❖ Not all shipping containers are the same. While traditional shipping
containers are eight feet tall, high cube containers add an extra foot in
height!!

11. Prepare for the wind
❖ If you live in a windy area, strong winds and gusts will then most likely
hit the walls of the home and cause interior noise. Consider placing
your home behind a windbreak or in an area that protects your home
from the wind!

12. Consider local and vernacular options first
❖ Shipping containers are heavy, and the transportation required to move
them from far away to your region can have a large environmental
impact. It is the most sustainable if you can find a used container that
is being sold relatively close to home, especially if you live near a port!
❖ To be even more sustainable, consider combining vernacular
construction methods with shipping container homes, such as using
straw bales and natural plasters for interior insulation and walls

13. Be willing to spend the extra dollar
❖ Although shipping containers are known to be affordable, it is
important to understand that the project can become expensive
❖ Finishing the exterior and interior of a container can add up. The extra
cost associated with welding, insulating, and finishing a multi-container
home might end up being just as expensive as a regular wood-framed
house, especially if your shipping container is larger than normal!

14. ❖ REFERENCE
❖ https://sigmacontainer.ca/container-housing/11-things-you-need-to-kno
w-before-building-a-shipping-container-home/
❖ https://sigmacontainer.ca/service-area/toronto/

15. THANK YOU!!!