The popularity of the concept of tiny homes has been steadily growing during the past few years.
More and more people are now choosing to have tiny houses instead of traditional homes.
In addition to that, many new ideas regarding this concept have been created and are now out in the open. One such idea is the transformation of an unused shipping container into a living space.
The resulting modern home is now known as a “container house.” This unique idea may have been unthinkable in the past, and it has, however, become quite popular nowadays.
Its popularity has even reached many parts of the country, including Texas. Areas in the state of Texas like San Antonio and Corpus Christi now have many container homes.
FAMOUS SUPPLIERS OF CONTAINER HOMES IN TEXAS
- Backcountry Containers
- Bob’s Containers
- Kountry Containers
- Stackhouse Container Homes
- Cargo Home
- Logical Homes
But, what exactly makes this new type of tiny house popular?
For us to be able to accurately answer it, we will need to first describe it.
In this article, we will explain to you what a container house is. We will also discuss the many reasons why it is popular.
In addition to that, we will also present to you several experts who can help you build your own container home.
WHAT IS A CONTAINER HOME?
It is one of the latest trends and options in affordable housing for people who love small living spaces. A container house is a living space that is built from a standard shipping container.
- It is usually more affordable than your traditional home, but, of course, the price will vary.
- The price variations will depend on the amenities that you would like to include in your own home.
For example, adding a uniquely designed rooftop deck can make it pricier.
- Also, if you were to buy brand new high cube containers as your tiny house shells, that would cost more. If you have a sufficient budget, then we suggest going for it.
- However, the typical container home will already have all the space that you will need, and they have a living room, a dining area, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.
Keep in mind that you can always customize the interior space to suit your preferences and needs.
If you want large windows and broad glass doors, feel free to discuss it with your supplier.
Many container house suppliers do custom builds, which means that many of them will be happy to incorporate unique ideas to help people create their dream container homes.
If you don’t have any ideas on what to include in your new home; many container house suppliers have different models with unique designs.
Simply choosing from the different options will take less time than customizing one.
And, don’t you worry if you want to go through it like this. This is because many container home suppliers offer complete container home solutions.
This means that the models will already have the things that you will need. Regardless of whether you still add a few details or not, the home is already functional and well built.
WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE CONTAINER HOMES?
A. SIZE
For busy people who are not fond of cleaning large areas, It can be a great place for them to settle down. The primary reason for this is the size of the container house.
Container homes are small and compact. In less than 200 square feet, you already have everything that you need to live comfortably.
This means less area to clean and just the right amount of privacy for the people who will live there.
This is why people who have small families like the concept of tiny homes. With container houses being an example of tiny homes, the same can be said as to why people like them.
A typical container home is at least 160 square feet. Imagine that in that small area, you can already have a dining room and a living room there.
You can even have a kitchen and a bedroom there. It is just a matter of how your designer organizes the spaces. Nevertheless, you will still be able to live properly in that area.
If, however, you find that area quite small, then you may want to consider the other size options.
There are different types of shipping containers that you can turn into tiny homes.
Different Types of Shipping Containers
20-foot-by-8-foot regular-size shipping container.
The smallest models are usually created with these shipping containers as shells.
40-foot containers.
If you want to have more space in your container home, then you may choose this one.
High cube containers.
These are containers that are at least a foot higher than the regular-sized ones. If you want your living spaces to have higher ceilings, then choose this one.
B. AFFORDABILITY
The cost per square foot of building a container home is actually quite affordable. It usually costs less than traditional residential construction.
This, however, does not always mean that it will be cheaper than traditional homes.
The overall price of a container home may go up and become expensive depending on a number of factors.
These factors include the following:
- cost of the finishing touches
- the building materials
For example, interior walls with intricate patterns can increase your cost.
It can make your tiny home more expensive than a traditional one.
Here are the different factors that can affect the cost of building a container home:
1. The design of your container home (interior and exterior)
2. The cost of the building materials and finishes.
3. The size of your container home.
4. The location where you will be building and fixing your container home.
C. ECO-FRIENDLY
Living in a container home may be considered by many eco-friendly. After all, small houses often result in lower carbon footprints.
But, if you truly want to make an impact, it would be a good idea to use an old shipping container.
By transforming an old one into your primary residence, you will be able to reduce waste.
You will basically be recycling old shipping containers by giving them a new purpose. You don’t have to worry about its appearance and strength, though.
This is because there are container home suppliers who can help you. They can assist you in transforming it into a unique living space.
Repurposing an old shipping container can also help you save money.
Instead of buying a new one, you may need to just fix a part of it. For example, you will just need to reconstruct the underlying steel shell.
You may need to do this, anyway, to make it more suitable for your construction base. This may cost less than buying a totally new one.
D. SHIPPING CONTAINERS CAN SERVE MANY PURPOSES FOR YOU.
The very nature of container homes allows for flexibility in their usage.
The most common usage of container homes would be as the primary residence of the owner. But, it can certainly serve other purposes if you already have a traditional home.
For instance, it can be your little backyard building experiment. If you have limited space, then try to build one.
Once it is done, you can opt to lease it to other people as a guest house for a nightly rate. It would be a great way to earn an additional income.
Managing them will not be a problem either. Since it is located in your backyard, you have easy access to it.
Or, if you do not want to lease it, you can just add a few details to it. Then, it would be a great idea to turn it into your home office.
On the other hand, if you have a large space, you can build a dozen units. Then, list the finished units for rental on apps like Airbnb.
That is the thing with container places: you can turn them into anything you like with just a few adjustments.
It’s the perfect size to be either a home office or a guest house.
FAMOUS SUPPLIERS OF CONTAINER HOMES IN TEXAS
1. BACKCOUNTRY CONTAINERS
- One of the best producers of custom shipping container homes in Texas.
- They can be involved in the various stages of production. This includes some design work and the creation of a floor plan.
- It started as Jon Meier and his wife’s team-up company.
- Located in Needville, Texas.
- They are one of those who can boast of having the highest quality craftsmanship.
2. BOB’S CONTAINERS
- Their office is located in Del Valle, Texas.
- Bob’s Team can produce affordable shipping container homes.
- They can transform a container home into a commercial one, an office, or a secondary dwelling unit.
3. KOUNTRY CONTAINERS
- Kountry Containers is the best builder of container homes in Bertram, Texas.
- Their container homes are both simple and luxurious in nature.
- They have seven unique models:
1. The Encore
2. Hunter’s Lounge
3. Applause A
4. Applause B
5. Showcase
6. Loft
7. Sequel
4. STACKHOUSE CONTAINER HOMES
- It is owned by Zach Hargraves, a person with decades of experience in residential construction and the building trades.
- They produce premium-quality container homes.
- Their main offices are in Cedar Park, Austin, Texas.
- They can create custom-made container homes.
5. CARGO HOME
- Their construction base is located near Waco, Texas.
- They were featured in Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s program, “Fixer Upper.”
- You can choose from their four different models. These models can be created using 20-foot and 40-foot shipping containers.
- The company was created in 2017.
- They are now one of the most famous container home builders.
6. LOGICAL HOMES
- Their company is quite well known in real estate, and this is primarily because they have various types of projects, including some historic structures.
- They pioneered shipping containers in their projects as early as 2005.
- Their main office is located in Austin, Texas.
- They are capable of doing custom-made container places and homes.
FAQs
IS IT LEGAL TO BUILD A CONTAINER HOME IN TEXAS?
Yes, shipping container homes are legal in the state of Texas. In the entire United States, container homes are legal in only about seven states.
These states include Alaska, California, Louisiana, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME?
It depends on the amenities that you would like to include in your container home. The average cost is $10,000 to $35,000.
The price can get higher depending on the materials that you want to use.
Summary
Shipping container homes offer a unique type of living arrangement.
The living space may be small, but it can accommodate many different parts of the house within it. And that is one of the main reasons why people love this idea.
Apart from that, its affordability and being eco-friendly are the other reasons why it is quite popular. Despite its popularity, however, it is not welcome in many parts of the United States.
Luckily, the state of Texas is one of the seven states that allow its construction. So if you’re interested to have your own container home, check out the suppliers on our list!
