Get a Container Home!
Have you heard of container homes? I've just been informed of this awesomeness. Basically, the idea is to take shipping containers and use them as framing for your home. You can stack as many as you like and they come with some pretty amazing perks. Here are five reasons why I will one day build a shipping container house.
Affordable: I'm talking dirt cheap! Compared to a home, the price of building a container home is nominal. From my research, you could build an epic 4 bedroom house for under $100k (dream status). If you are looking for a simple studio build, you could live very nice for under $40k.
Fast: You could have a home built in a day. One guy built 8 homes in 3 days with the use of a crane (highly recommended.). Besides yurts and teepees, I can't think of another home that would be built that fast, reliably.
Tough: Shipping containers were meant to take a beating. In fact, you pretty much need a blow torch or dynamite to get through the walls. As long as the metal is rust treated, you are safe from the elements mother nature can throw at you.
Green: It doesn't get much more environmentally friendly than a container home. In fact, most people choose an 'off the grid' style of home. Not only does this help the environment, but it lowers your bills, and decreases your dependency on utilities that are might not be there in case of emergency. It is important to remember that the walls are not naturally insulated, so living in a comfortable climate or spending the dough to pad the walls is a necessity.
Movable: You can disassemble these bad boys about as quickly as you built them! Maybe you decide you want to move closer to the beach, or further in the mountains. Go for it! No need to look for a new house, just find the land and boom!
Looking back, container homes have been pretty popular. The house in Tron might be my dream place. The idea of finding the perfect piece of property, as opposed to worrying about the house itself is comforting to me. I could definitely see myself in a home like this, somewhere in the mountains of Medellin.
ME