When someone mentions container houses, the first thing anyone thinks of is robust metal construction that can be used for something, but a house is rarely the image that comes to mind. What’s interesting is that containers make great houses with just a little effort.

Aside from the excellent potential, container houses have many benefits that make people choose them over traditional house building. They also have a few drawbacks too, just like every other product you might choose.

In this article, we’re going through a few pros and cons that you need to know before moving forward with your idea and creating the container house project you’ve been thinking of. Keep reading to see what it is all about and the pros and cons of container houses.

Container housing pros

Fast construction

One of the things that make people the happiest when they hear about these types of construction is how long it takes for them to get the house. The container is already finished, and you just need transport to place it wherever you want it.

After this, you only need to make certain investments and hire the right contractors to get the job done. Electricity, plumbing, all those things are finished within days, so you may get a fully functional and operational house in no more than a month.

Extremely affordable

Another thing that is a big plus is the price. Depending on where you are located and how far in nature you want the containers, you may end up with a house worth ten times less than traditional houses.

A container can cost between $1,500 and $4,500, and you’ll need to throw in a few more thousand for transport, renovations, and other things that may cost you as low as $20,000—no match for any big and robust house that may go for hundreds of thousands.

You can place it anywhere you want

The fact that there’s no solid construction makes these containers easily mountable anywhere you want them. All you need to do is arrange the transport, and you’ll get the house anywhere you want.

A simple long-vehicle truck can carry these containers anywhere you need them, and placing them is quick with the help of modern technology. After this, you are ready to use them as you wish. No additional building and development, only your ideas and wishes for design.

Anything is built with just a little creativity

As we mentioned, just a little creativity and you can get anything you want after they are placed at the spot you want them to be. Containers are made of metal that can be cut through, opened, removed, or replaced with something else.

As we mentioned, just a little creativity and you can get anything you want after they are placed at the spot you want them to be. Containers are made of metal that can be cut through, opened, removed, or replaced with something else.

Container housing cons

Tough to maintain an ideal temperature

Since they are simply made of metal, it’s not easy to maintain the perfect temperature inside. Of course, you’ll add insulation before moving in, but you’ll still struggle to keep the place cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The good side is that being small, this kind of house will still be easy to cool off and warm up, but at a much higher price than you would have to pay for a traditional house.

Totally non-eco-friendly

The materials used are corrosive and pollute the environment. The older the container is, the more dangerous the paint and the metal are for the people staying inside. Different weather conditions will release chemicals off them, which people then breathe.

Getting a permit may be a con and a pro depending on where you live

Many parts of the world, including Australia, still haven’t decided how they treat mobile homes. In some parts of the world, getting a permit for placing one in the location you want may be tough. In other countries, this may be a plus as no one limits their placement, and there are no rules.

In Australia, mobile homes and container houses are treated just like any other house if that’s the purpose of their use. If you’re planning to get one, you should get all the permits you’d ask for to build a classic house. Have this in mind before deciding to build.

Conclusion

When you’re thinking about getting a shipping container and turning it into a home, you need to be aware of the many pros and cons they have. Some of the flagship features of these mobile homes are being affordable, easily redecorated, easy to move, and getting a fast delivery.

The cons are the concerning permits and uncertain future, being tough to control the temperature inside, and the fact that they are not eco-friendly. Knowing these things and deciding what you’ll do is your job.