When most people think of housing, their primary concern may be as limited as protection from the nature to as embracing as having a secret getaway from life. Whatever the reason, having a place to live is very important.

Before getting a house, most people start out with a budget and a few questions. "How much exactly should a living space cost?". "And can I even afford one?" While paying rent seems like a viable option, the long-term benefits of pay-as-you-go housing seem are far less, compared to owning your own home.

But buying home costs a lot more money, and most real estate sellers require either a massive down payment or a one-off. And for most people who earn salaries, this might be a hard deal. That is where the small house comes in.

All across the world, ingenious businesses are providing alternative solutions to solving the housing problem. The most popular of these solutions involves using shipping containers to fabricate living spaces.

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Why build a home from a container

Most traditional houses are built of brick or wood. Shipping containers are made from steel. The following qualities make it a good material for building a home.

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Availability

Material for the building is not hard to find. There is an excess of shipping containers lying idle in ports across the world.

Affordable pricing

Compared to houses made of other materials, container houses are much cheaper to build. They cost as low as $35,000, including the cost of the container and furnishing. With that little money, a person can afford up to 600 square foot of living space.

Eco-friendly

A 40 ft container weighs in at over 3,500 kg. that is a lot of metal. Converting these containers after they have outlived their natural use save a lot on steel recycling. In addition, it reduces the amount of wood in building construction, inadvertently saving millions of trees.

Transport

Container houses can be built at other locations from scratch and easily transported to their final destination. As most homes built from this material are modular, they can easily fit on trucks.

Fast to build

Shipping container houses are a lot faster to build. Since there is no wait time for the mortar to dry, the average container house can be habitable in far less time than a regular brick and mortar or wood house.

Downsides

Despite the many advantages, there are some challenges to contend with when dealing with container houses.

Building regulations

Depending on what country or city you live in, there are varying regulations on building. Some countries and states do not support building with containers, while others are largely unaware of the possibilities and thus, they have no regulations guiding the use of containers for housing.

Finding qualified builders

The skill required for building a container house varies much from that needed to construct traditional houses. Find a contractor who has experience in building container houses may pose a problem, especially in areas where these houses are not popular.

Humidity

Steel conducts a lot of heat. To enjoy a container house, insulation must be properly attended to. This will eliminate rust and keep the overall temperature of housing units moderate, despite changing weather conditions.

Roof weakness

Container bodies may be strong, but their roofs are not particularly so. A maximum load of 300 kg is recommended, except additional reinforcement is added.

Lack of flexibility

Though containers can be combined to form larger living spaces, dimensions are limited to either 20 or 40 foot. For varying dimensions, additional work is needed, and this costs even more.

Whether you earn millions and can afford to pay for some swanky off-track living or you clock in at a couple of thousands a year, container homes are great to have. For middle and low-income earners, they could be the opportunity to live out your dream of becoming a homeowner.

They will cost you a lot less to own. And if your income is far from desirable, these houses may be your ticket out of extended mortgages and debt. And if you ever get tired of the scenery, you can always load your house on a truck and move it all away.