Four Commonly Asked Questions About Portable Container Living

Portable office containers are the new housing and mobile office trend. With millions of unused shipping containers currently in storage, people are recycling them to live or work in. If you are new to this container home trend, you probably have a lot of questions. These are some of the most common questions in regards to the shipping container living and working trend.

Do they provide enough space?
Space is a concern, especially when it comes to residential living. Most people expect sufficient space for living, storage, and entertaining when choosing a home. Storage containers have the ability to provide large amounts of space to home owners. Some of the world?s biggest container ships are about 13,000 feet long, that is nearly 400 meters or the distance around an Olympic running track, with a maximum width of 180 feet (55 meters). You can also connect multiple, smaller 40 foot shipping containers together to create different rooms. Additionally, you have the ability to start small and then add on later, as additional space is needed.

Are they worth the cost?
One of the biggest advantages to shipping container living and working is that they are extremely cost efficient. Because you are recycling materials, you do not have to pay the high costs of traditional housing materials. You will also not require as much labor. Finally, you can usually get used or new storage containers for sale at a discounted price, because there are so many currently on the market. Simply going to a company that uses high volumes of shipping containers and asking for unused ones can get you a great deal.

How durable are they?
If you are going to be living in a used shipping container, you are probably concerned about its durability. How will the container hold up in storms? What if you live in areas with high winds and strong storms? With regular maintenance and proper anchoring practices, your portable home or office will hold up in the strongest of storms. Its durability is very similar to the residential homes that you are used to. The durability and strength is increased even more when you have multiple mobile office containers connected together. However, even single 40 foot shipping containers are durable enough to hold up for many years. If shipping containers are taken care of with regular maintenance, they can last for a total of 20 years, according to Container Auction.

How will they look when finished?
Many home buyers also choose a home based on exterior and interior look. Sometimes, the reduction in cost is not worth the reduced curb appeal. You will find that 40 foot shipping containers are extremely easy to manipulate and design, based on your preferences and needs. You can add siding, windows, and even a decorative exterior. You can also plant gardens and trees around the shipping container. When you are finished with the remodel, you may not even be able to tell that it was once a used shipping container. Additionally, the interior can be designed similar to a traditional home. You can arrange rooms, add walls, and paint as you want.

There are currently around 17 million shipping containers in the world, with only 6 million of these in use. So approximately 11 million shipping containers are currently unused and could be converted into homes for people. Some home buyers worry about the look, durability, and price of these mobile homes and offices. However, you might be surprised to learn that 40 foot shipping containers actually provide a cost efficient, durable, easy to build, and nice looking home or office option.