Many companies around the world have their eye on metal containers. They use them to make quite extraordinary homes. Let’s take a closer look at this very surprising phenomenon.
Sometimes as small as a micro house — less than 1,000 square feet — sometimes as large as a palace, houses designed with containers are turning heads. But these are not real estate products that everyone likes or that are suited to just anybody. Here’s everything you need to know about the container home.
An Original Look
Around the world, homes are being built with these impressive metal bins. It is possible to stack several containers and juxtapose them to create original structures. The style is both contemporary and industrial. Sometimes the outer walls of the containers are completely visible, sometimes more discreet, painted or combined with other materials such as wood. The look of each house, therefore, differs from one building to another.
An Attractive Price
Some companies here and elsewhere offer different models. The price depends on the number of containers used for the design and the options you select. For example, a medium-sized home for a small family could cost about $110,000. This includes finishing, delivery and installation, but you will have to budget in additional funds for the purchase of the land and the laying of the foundation. By comparison, a conventional property would be much more expensive. And if you build it yourself, it’s even more economical!
The Importance of Good Insulation
If you decide to build your own container house, don’t forget to properly insulate it, especially if you live in a Northern country! Metal is a thermal conductor: it does not retain heat and lets the cold in. These characteristics go against what constitutes good insulation. As such, builders must redouble their efforts to ensure thermal comfort inside the structure. For example, some use sprayed urethane foam and then insulate the exterior with wood, such as Eastern hemlock. This unfortunately hides the container’s walls, modifying its appearance.
Not So Green?
Many people turn to this type of house because they think it is more environmentally friendly; after all, they are designed reusing old containers. This is not completely accurate. First, in cold countries, the insulation materials these structures need create more waste than for a conventional house. It is also important to remember that the containers used would not have gone to the landfill: the metal can be recycled indefinitely. For its part, wood, which is used in the construction of conventional houses, is an environmentally friendly material because it is renewable and locally sourced. In short, there is little difference between using wooden structures or containers in terms of ecological impact.
A Green Roof: A Must Have
However, a container house is often designed in an environmentally responsible manner. For example, it incorporates eco-friendly materials and furniture. Often, it is built with one or more green roofs. These require a structure that can support heavy loads, so a container is ideal!
Avoiding Thermal Bridging
Since metal is a thermal conductor, builders must be vigilant and find strategies to avoid impairing energy efficiency. The solution is to never use the bottom of the container as a floor to avoid thermal bridges that would let the cold ground temperature pass into the house. Instead, use the bottom as a roof (invert the container).
How Can You Eliminate Chemical Products?
A container may have held, in its lifetime, countless materials, some of which may have included toxic substances. So how do you use them without potentially causing health problems for the occupants? Remove the plywood floor and discard it, then repaint the walls of the container. Easy!
Where Can You Build This Type of Residence?
We know that some real estate trends are raising eyebrows within municipalities, particularly tiny houses. They often refuse to allow this type of housing on their territory. But a good-sized container house can usually be built on land without violating city bylaws. However, because of urban planning, which ensures uniformity of design within neighbourhoods, it would be surprising to see a container house in the suburbs. Instead, this type of dwelling is usually found in the countryside, on large private plots.
Would you like to live in a container home?