Shipping Container Homes Australia Container House

shipping container Homes Australia

With more and more people starting to focus on the environment, it makes sense that shipping container homes are becoming a common talking point among people everywhere. A quality container home can last for decades, and it is very easy to modify to suit your needs and tastes. Tiger Shipping Container Homes has a range of new and used shipping containers available that can help you make your container home dream, a reality. Be it a single-story container home, or a multi-story container home, we’ll modify your container just the way you need it.

Reasons to Build a Container Home

At Tiger Shipping Container Homes we ensure that our customers always get the highest quality shipping containers possible. This is why our customers return to us again and again for all of their container needs.

Reasons to own a container home in Australia include:

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Cost - cost is a huge factor in building a new home. And with prices of regular homes in Australia continuing to go up, building your very own container home becomes as much a necessity as it does a choice.

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Security - shipping containers have thick metal walls that are, for all intents and purposes, almost impenetrable, meaning your family and possessions are always going to be safe.

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Resistant to weather - weather can be unpredictable in Australia, and you need to be prepared when it takes a turn for the worse. Especially with Global Warming causing abnormal weather patterns to increase in frequency. Traditional homes don't usually offer much protection against extreme weather but a container home can potentially withstand things like cyclones, heavy rainfall and very hot or humid weather.

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Sustainability - Using and repurposing old or used shipping containers is healthier for the environment. Additionally, you are not worried about having a lot of waste or debris left over when you finish building your container home.

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Portability - depending on how your container home is sited, you can often take your container home with you when you move. Making it the ideal option for those people who like to move around a lot.

Contact Tiger Shipping Container Homes Today!

We invite you to contact us at Tiger Shipping Container Homes today if you are looking for a solid structure to build your new container home with. We have numerous containers available, and we can help you design the perfect home made from 20’ and 40’ shipping containers from the Container Homes specialists!

Despite shipping containers only becoming used for alternative and creative purposes within recent years, it is difficult to remember when they weren’t constantly being modified into uses other than for the transportation of goods.

It is almost as if buying a shipping container to repurpose it has become the norm. We constantly see homes, accommodation, offices, storage, kitchens, bars, and more built within these sturdy metal boxes.

Shipping container homes are rapidly rising in popularity as potential homeowners seek housing alternatives different from the traditional multi-bedroom home sold on the market. This trend is becoming so popular that the market size for global container homes is expected to reach $73,070.5 million by 2025, which will be a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from 2018.

The use of shipping containers as bases for homes is clearly popular for a reason. However, we could also say the same about building a house with traditional infrastructures. So, what is it about shipping container homes that have people so intrigued, and what are the potential cons or considerations you should consider before ditching the traditional home and purchasing a container?

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOMES : Basics

While the name essentially speaks for itself, what exactly are shipping container homes?

ARE THEY SUSTAINABLE?

When looking for a home to buy, you probably want to feel comfortable knowing it will last you a long time. So, how long do shipping container homes last?

When maintained correctly, shipping containers can last for 25 to 30 years. Proper maintenance includes not placing any weight on the middle of its roof, keeping the container on level ground, using sufficient insulation materials and ensuring that dust and rust are thoroughly cleaned.

DO THEY DEPRECIATE

Considering shipping container homes and traditional homes are situated very differently economically speaking, we can not compare depreciation at face value. While putting a specific resale value on shipping container homes is tough, this doesn’t mean they don’t hold value.There are ultimately many factors that can affect the resale value and depreciation of a shipping container home, including:

How Much Do They Cost?

Buying a home is often one of the biggest expenses people ever make. So understandably, shipping container homes aren’t necessarily cheap either but can become much more affordable with the proper knowledge.

Considering they can be built on land that isn’t always suitable for typical construction without much site work, they are generally cheaper than traditional homes. Perhaps you want to build on a rocky or steep area; container homes can simply be elevated using sturdy pilings rather than excavating and preparing the site for a hefty fee.

How Are THEY STRUCTURED?

Ultimately, this factor is predominantly up to the homeowner. The flexibility of shipping containers allows you to get creative with your project and modify the traditional concept into your own structural vision.Your house can be uniquely designed based on the site, floor plan requirements and your budget. You can also invest in modular, ready-made container homes that you simply need to transport to your desired location.

In addition, purchasing the container as the base for construction is cheaper than buying traditional scaffolding and labourers.

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PROS OF Shipping Container Homes

While we briefly touched on the affordability and structural perks of shipping container homes, the list of benefits doesn’t end there.

One of the most tedious aspects of building a traditional home can be the highly lengthy process and the often unreliability of contractors. Contrarily, shipping container homes are rapidly constructed, as you already have the base (generally a 20ft or 40ft shipping container), where some contractors can build a container home in under a month. However, if you’re looking to avoid construction costs altogether, you can purchase a prefabricated container home that is nearly ready for you to move straight into.

Architecturally speaking, shipping container homes are highly durable, which is one of the main reasons why people began repurposing containers into homes in the first place. Containers are typically built out of corten steel, which is self-healing and can handle intense weathering better than traditional housing.

This next pro will be appealing for all the nomads out there. Increasingly in today’s society, people are becoming more hesitant to settle down in one place; however, they don’t necessarily want to compromise on having a place to call their home. Shipping container homes somewhat solve this problem, as they are mobile and can be relocated if you so desire with the help of a dedicated shipping transportation service.

Lastly, shipping container homes aid creativity. While you can certainly decorate your traditional home any way you desire, building a home out of nothing but a container is extremely exciting. shipping containers provide you with more potential and opportunities to display your personality and creativity in every aspect of your home.

CONS OF Shipping Container Homes

As much as container homes can undoubtedly be sustainable, they were not originally intended as inhabitable spaces, so they aren’t always eco-friendly. While purchasing a used container does make your container home a lot more environmentally friendly than buying a new container, they don’t always make ideal homes, thanks to previous wear and tear.

Like anything modified for its unintended use, there will be minor inconveniences. Specifically, it can be challenging to operate some modern appliances in your container home, especially if you plan to live off-grid. While it certainly is possible, you will have to find:

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A reliable, licensed electrician who happens to be familiar with shipping container architecture to install custom electrical setups in your home and;

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A plumber to install customised plumping work.

While containers are made of durable steel, making them an excellent material for a home, they still often require additional reinforcements. This means you will likely have to pay for modifications such as:

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Cutting holes for doors and windows,

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Load-bearing walls and a sloped rooftop, and;

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Insulation.

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Air conditioning

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Indoor plumbing

ARE SHIPPING CONTAINER HOMES WORTH IT?

If you’re looking for a creative, innovative and sustainable new home, shipping containers can undoubtedly be worth the time and investment. While there is certainly an extensive list of both pros and cons, their durability, low cost and flexibility make them much more appealing than pricey traditional homes that require a lot of time, resources, labour, and effort to construct.

Lending themselves to complete customisation from the inside and out, you may end up with a new home and a reignition of your creative flare after constructing your container home. While we’re all for creativity in shipping containers, we understand that it can be a big decision and investment to make.

WHY GET A SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSE?

YOU CAN COUNT ON THE COMFORT OF A TIGER CONTAINERS HOME.

There are a lot of reasons to get a sea container converted into accommodation. Maybe you’re going on a holiday and want a place that’s more flexible than a regular holiday home. Or maybe you’re getting your bedroom remodelled and find yourself without a place to sleep. It could be that your house is still getting built and you need a place to live until it’s done. Or any of the other hundreds of reasons.

Here at Tiger Containers, it doesn’t matter what your reason is. Whatever you want, we can provide. We will custom-create container homes to suit your exact needs. Whether you want a full home or even just a bedroom, simply provide us with your specifications and we’ll get to work converting the container just for you.

No need to worry about the container not having all the comforts of home. We take care of electricity, flooring, doorways, windows, and lighting. And most importantly, temperature control is not an issue, since we handle air conditioning as well.

For many years now shipping containers have become popular for other purposes besides transportation and storage. These days they are refashioned and repurposed for all manner of new ideas, and one of the most popular is using new or used shipping containers to build houses and home extensions. 

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR HOME Big

The fantastic thing about building with shipping containers is they go together like a Lego set. They are very uniform in shape and size and are really big rectangular blocks of steel. Much of the construction is already done before any conversion even takes place, and containers are built super tough.

As far as the size of your home goes, this really depends on your budget and how much space you have to work with. You can build a container home three storeys high if you like, or have the entire house on ground level. It’s up to you.

Some people choose to go the tiny house route and build a really small house from just one 20 foot container. This won’t suit everybody, but it’s doable. If you purchase two 40 foot containers, you can actually construct a fairly decent sized home. And remember, not all of the home’s construction has to be made up of shipping containers. You can add in some regular construction as well to expand the footprint of your home.

Container Homes Are Insulated

Just like with any other kind of home people build, a house made primarily from shipping containers can be insulated to regulate the internal temperature.

When you imagine a house built out of steel boxes, it’s only natural to assume that it would be blazing hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. If you lived in a container as is, that would be pretty true, but container homes are a lot more sophisticated than that.

Living in a home made from containers is just as comfortable from a climate point of view as residing in a conventional house. You’ll be warm in winter and cool in summer, so long as your house is also equipped with some climate control (air conditioning and heating).

The point is, a home built from shipping containers doesn’t have to be small and cramped, which is a common misconception. In fact, you can create a massive, spacious home out of brand new or second-hand shipping containers.

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So can you

Are Container Homes Noisy?

Whether a home is noisy or not often depends on how much stuff is in the house, whether the floors are hard or carpeted and many other factors.

Once your container home is built and decked out, it likely won’t just be a series of metal walls and ceilings. There will be coverings on many of the internal walls, such as plasterboard, just like a regular house. Floors might be timber, tiles or carpet, just like a regular house, and it will also be filled with furniture and possessions, just like a regular house. You’ll also have windows, curtains or blinds, and doorways, just like a regular house.

Will Container Homes Be Ugly?

This is another common misconception, where people think the interior and exterior will look like some rusted out metal box.

If you want some easy proof that container homes don’t look like gross metal hulks, just do a quick search of shipping container homes in Google Images and you’ll soon see an array of fantastic looking container homes, inside and out.

Some of the most stunning homes you’ve ever laid eyes on have been built with shipping containers making up the bulk of the construction. With many of the houses, you can’t even tell that containers were used.

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Shipping containers are a remarkable building material, and that’s why they’ve become such a popular idea in recent years when it comes to repurposing and recycling cargo containers. They are extremely versatile and very cost-effective.

That last point is the biggest selling point: using shipping containers saves massive amounts of money on construction costs, and because much of the build is already in place, construction time is shaved back quite a lot as well.

 

say yes to your new container home

As more and more people become aware of the possibilities of building with shipping containers, the more popular the concept is becoming.

It’s the dream of most people in the world to own their own home, and one of the most cost-effective and versatile ways to build a new house is by using containers.

Shipping container homes are just as comfortable and luxurious as any other home out there. It’s simply a matter of viewing some examples to discover what’s possible.

AFFORDABLE STARTER HOMES

Duarte Geraldino, in an article published on Aljazeera.com, talked about this issue and how it’s becoming more difficult for young adults to move out of their parents homes these days. He attributes this to a combination of high rents and low wages which have left young adults with little option but to stay at home.

It is this growing need for affordable housing, according to Duarte, that has seen architects, developers, and builders tuming to cheaper methods of construction.

By using shipping containers for construction, costs can be kept to a minimum providing lower rent living spaces that are customised for twenty-something-year-olds. Concepts such as building basic living quarters that include a kitchen, bathroom, living and dining area, as well as common areas where tenants can hang out provide a low-cost housing solution.

Building these kinds of accommodations using shipping containers helps reduce the cost of construction by as much as halt. Because these lowered building costs can be recovered over long periods, rents become very low. And since on average there’re about 700,000 empty shipping containers lying idle in the country, this affordable building material is readily available for projects.

But it’s not only in large-scale developments where cargo containers are useful. They are also becoming popular in smaller applications such as creating the family and single-person dwellings. They also provide a simple way of extending your house as you can install a granny flat in your backyard for some extra accommodation space.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSE AND A NORMAL HOUSE

Container houses differ from traditional houses in the following ways:

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Construction cost - As mentioned earlier, constructing a house using cargo containers is significantly cheaper than using traditional materials.

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Construction time - Most of the modifications for transforming shipping containers into houses are usually done in a workshop offsite meaning that it’s only the assembling that takes place on-site. This reduces construction time significantly. While a normal house can take up to 30 months to build, a shipping container one will take a few days to a couple of weeks to complete.

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Building materials - While typical houses use materials such as bricks and timber for outer walls, cargo container homes – as the name indicates – are primarily made with shipping containers.

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Building regulations - Regulations used for building with traditional materials are not the same as those for building with shipping containers. They differ greatly depending on your locality, so make sure to check first.

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Eco-friendliness - Constructing a house using old shipping containers is a way to upcycle an item that would have otherwise gone to waste which helps conserve the environment. Normal houses on the other hand just consume new resources.

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Sustainability - People are starting to understand and appreciate the effect their lifestyles have on the environment. It is for this reason that more people are switching to a more sustainable way of living. Using shipping containers for home construction is helping in the re-use of these otherwise waste products. This is because shipping containers are rarely shipped back to the original exporter which results in a major disposal problem.

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Aesthetics - Cargo container houses also differ from normal houses in the way they look. A container house will have an industrial, edgy, modern look while normal houses look more traditional.

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Expandability - Container houses are easier to extend than normal houses. All you need to do when you need more space is to buy an additional container, have it modified, and join it to the ones you already have.

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Reduced construction times - Shipping container homes are manufactured in a factory which makes production quick and efficient. Once the shell has been completed, all that remains is the installation on your property and addition of other add-ons such as roofs and verandas. Your home should be ready in just a couple of weeks.

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Sustainability - People are starting to understand and appreciate the effect their lifestyles have on the environment. It is for this reason that more people are switching to a more sustainable way of living. Using shipping containers for home construction is helping in the re-use of these otherwise waste products. This is because shipping containers are rarely shipped back to the original exporter which results in a major disposal problem.

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Durability - Even with their lower construction cost, shipping container homes will last as long as traditionally built homes. Shipping containers are renowned for their tough construction which will remain even after the container has been transformed into a home.

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Good “temporary” structures - Shipping containers walk the line between permanent structures and temporary structures. If for any reason you are not allowed to construct permanent buildings on your property, a shipping container home offers a great solution as it can be moved when required without any damage.

SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR HOUSES

Once in place, the container(s) can be configured in the way that best suits the home plan and after completion, the home is ready for moving in. With traditional homes, a foundation must be built and that requires time to be set up. Once that has been completed, stick frame construction can proceed and then all the basic construction must be inspected and passed by local building authorities.

However, when you are using shipping containers for houses, all you need to do is purchase the components and have them delivered. A cement pad may be sufficient to sit the containers on, or you may want to use some type of concrete blocks as a foundation. The containers can be welded together to keep them in place, but some people prefer to keep them moveable.

The interior of a shipping container is a blank canvas and it is a simple matter to add insulation and wiring to the interior, as well as to have the entire unit plumbed. When people use shipping containers for houses, they save a great deal of time and money. The container is already a self-contained structure; all that needs to be done is to install windows and the interior structures such as walls and doors. Once the building has been completed, it is often not easy to see that the building is actually constructed from shipping containers.

Cost To Build A Container Home

It’s many people’s dream to own a home at some point in their life. But with the ever-increasing costs of building a house in Australia, this dream is quickly becoming unattainable.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, house prices have been on a steady incline since the late 80’s averaging an increase of about 6.8% each year. The Bureau estimated the cost of building a new house to be $236,000 in 2008 from a low of $65,000 back in 1987. Now, some of this rise in cost can be attributed to the increasing size of houses being built but most of it is as a result of other market forces, other than consumer preference.

It’s this housing problem that has forced people to think outside of the box regarding building materials for constructing durable homes, that won’t leave them in lifelong debt. Welcome: shipping container homes.
Their original purpose was to securely transport cargo across rough seas and miles of road, but with their increasing popularity a new problem arose; disposal. Shipping containers were designed to reduce loading and off-loading times at ports by consolidating several small items into one big regular-shaped package. This increased efficiency at terminals greatly reducing shipping costs. But over the years shipping containers began piling up at ports and yards which led people to a new question: How do we reuse these idle resources? “Construction was the answer.

SHIPPING CONTAINER Homes Are Environmentally Friendly