| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Shipping Containers — A Retreat on the Cheap, by Frederic W.
I would like to shed light on the convenience, structural soundness, and affordability of ISO shipping containers [commonly calles CONEXes] as potential add-ons, storage, or primary structure for your retreat or year-round compound. As an individual of efficiency, I am writing this article with the intent of casting out some research I have done on these containers; what they are capable of in a capacity form, and their versatility as a livable space. I hope many find this informative in its purist sense.
Availability: Due to the nature of our global economy, especially in reference to the U.S. and its desire to import more than it exports to the Asia Pacific, domestic shipping yards are in excess supply of such containers. Because shipping containers are simply boxes, when empty they exercise little function and merely take up space. Shipping containers, especially when being shipped from China, are more expensive to return empty then if they were to be recycled on domestic soil or reused in other applications. But before scrapping them, many companies attempt to sell them in their intended form to the public. In a sense, these containers are like a pound puppy that needs to be saved…and should be. A quick search via the Internet will show you large numbers of containers in various conditions from here and there but because the shipping industry does not stop at sea ports, any major city even inland will have a healthy supply to choose from. For a ratty container (20’) expect to pay between $800 and $1,200. This would be in less than ideal condition but still a good option for say material storage on your retreat property. Typically this means that the cube may no longer be perfectly cube-like say a slight dent or impression on one or more corner or has more than just surface rust on its exterior. Always check the double doors and see how well they close, whether with ease or with some finesse adjust your offer accordingly. The next level of quality will come in at a price of around $1,400-$1,800, again for a typical 20’ standard container. This is the price range that should exemplify a structural soundness that will be suitable to live in with certain modifications. The seaworthy paint should still cover 95+% of the container and it should be structurally true. Remember what these containers where built for. They hauled 50,000 pounds of goods through open-ocean, many times during storms. They should be watertight. Ask all of these questions to the seller at the very minimum so that they know you know what you are looking for. Hard for one to prove water tightness but you can go based on the sellers reaction and your best judgment from this article and further research. Be a smart shopper now, this may become your last line of defense. Finally, you can buy a brand new shipping container from companies that specialize in building them. Here you’ll find different sizes with different options like the garage style door or pre-insulated units for refrigeration.
Source:
