The cons of shipping container homes can be easily handled if you know the right thing to do to solve the problem. When you decide to do something different and unique, you will always find hurdles, but all these hurdles need to be passed to get to your final goal. Similarly, shipping container homes offer many benefits, but require a little bit of preparation to be used ideally. We will discuss the possible problems and their solutions to help you create your dream house.
What are shipping container homes?
They are steel containers that are used to transport goods from one place to another via ships. Once served their purpose, these containers can be recycled for home construction. They come in various sizes, such as 20 feet by 8 feet and 40 feet by 8 feet with 160 and 320 square feet of living space. You can combine multiple containers to increase the space inside your house.
Cons of shipping container homes
Decorating these containers can be tricky, but before that, there are several other issues that need fixing. We have listed 5 of the most common problems you might face during shipping container home construction.
Non-effective recycling
Some containers are used for home construction after completing their first trip of transporting goods. These containers can still be used for goods transportation for a very long time. Instead, they are made redundant as most of their steel goes to waste when used for home construction, for which it was not initially created. This is called the non-effective recycling of shipping containers.
Structural issues
The structure of the container is quite strong to resist harsh weather conditions, but its roof still needs a lot of work before you start using them as a living space. You need to put another roof over the top of the container to make it stronger. Moreover, if you decide to cut an opening for a window or door, new reinforcements will be required to give your house a good finishing and more appealing to the eye.
Permission issues
Not every state allows the use of shipping containers for home construction, but most of them do. Most countries such as the USA, China, New Zealand, and Costa Rica host shipping container homes, but they have some rules and regulations that must be followed. We advise you to get good knowledge about building codes, permitting requirements, and zoning instructions of your local city for shipping container homes.
Installing modern appliances
Installing modern appliances in shipping containers is relatively difficult, so you need to hire experts for that purpose. You will need a licensed electrician and an expert plumber with good experience in working with steel shipping containers to set up your home appliances.
Chemical use
These containers ship various goods that include toxic compounds. They are also treated with various insecticides during maintenance, which brings a lot of health issues with them if you use them for daily living. We recommend you sandblast them to remove these toxic elements and repaint the walls with non-toxic products.
