Menu

FAQ

Home / FAQ
How much does a container house cost?
+
You can spend from as little as $8,000 for a DIY project to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a custom design home with multiple containers. Typically a small single 20' container house will cost between $40,000 and $50,000 depending on the appliances and options, and a 2 x 40' container house between $110,000 and $130,000.
Are there any other costs associated with buying a container house?
+

Yes, aside from the plot to install the house, you may incur in the following costs:

. Build a foundation for the house.

. Hook-up services like electricity, natural gas (if applicable), water supply and sewer.

. Local permits, if applicable. This will usually depend on your county or township.

Can I build a container house myself?
+

You certainly can, and the total cost will depend on how much work you are willing to put yourself. But do your due diligence, there are a few things you need to be aware of before you start the construction:

1. Find out the kind of local permits you need.

2. Make sure the container you use is approved for construction (not all of them are).

3. Involve a structural engineer if you plan to change the structure of the container (and you will as soon as you cut any opening on the container!)

4. Make sure you comply with all RBC (Residential Building Code) regulations, including the state amendments.

A standard shipping container is 8.5ft high, what's the height of the ceiling inside the container house?
+
Normally the roof insulation and drywall will take about a foot of space, so you end up with a 7.5ft ceiling which is lower than the standard 8ft ceiling. That's the reason we use HC (High Cube) containers for our houses. High Cube containers are 9.5ft high, so you end up with 8 ft ceilings, or we can pack extra insulation in case the house is installed in climate zones 6, 7 or 8.
A standard shipping container is 8' wide, what's the width inside the container house?
+
Insulation may take 1 foot or more, depending on the climate zone, so you may end up with a room of less than 7 feet, which is not compliant with the IRC (International Residential Code). Our addition of a 'bump-out' measuring 16ft x 3ft on one of the sides of the container results on a 10ft wide (measured on the inside) room, even on a single container house.
How is cell phone reception inside a container home?
+
Every construction material, even a shingle roof or a stucco wall, will degrade the cell phone signal inside a house, but steel will degrade it slightly more than other materials. However, cellular signal comes normally through the walls, and there are enough glassed areas so impact on reception should be minimal. Also new phones are less prone to be affected in enclosed spaces because they have higher gain antennae, so it all boils down to how strong the signal already is in that place. I haven’t noticed any difference between inside or outside the container home, but the phone may be a factor as well.