Modern Style Shipping Container House

I am an 9th grade student at Jenks High school

I tackled the problem of affordable housing. The price on housing as been in rapid increase over the last few years and during the covid-19 pandemic they reached their all time high. This is why I proposed this solution for affordable living. I did research on shipping container home and have laid out the steps on how to build one for $30,000. This being 8% of the average house cost in the US it is really appealing for people looking for an affordable place to live.

• Three 20 ft high cube containers
• Plasma cutter
• Welder
• Doors
• Windows
• Steel bars
• Insulator
• Plaster board
• Concrete
• 2x2 wood
• Assistance form plumbers, architect, and electrician.
• Silicon filler

Before any project it is important to plan what you are going to do. First think of a budget for the build. This build requires a budget of 25,000 to 30,000. This price could vary a lot based on the time, resources used, and if this is a DIY project but this is a pretty good estimate.

Next phase of planning is drawing out the building and the floor plan. I created the floor plan on archiplain.com but you can draw this out on paper if you want. For the building itself I drew it my self. After completing the sketches it is important that you get it reviewed by a local architect. They can help make sure that your design would work and make suggestion on how to improve your design.

Finally you can fill an application for a building permit and send it to your local municipal or county office. This process could take up to weeks so be patient. After you get approved then you can get started on building you new house.

The ground beneath us may seem solid and static, but it can be uneven, unstable, and difficult to predict. Changing temperatures, moisture, the decay of organic matter, and nearby vegetation all can cause the ground to shift, rise or slide. So building a solid foundation that wont move or shift is one of the most crucial steps to building a house.

There are many factors to look at when deciding what foundation to use. For example that land type, the weight of the construction, and price. For this build I decide to use pier foundation because of its low cost and ease of set up. A pier foundation works by boring a cylindrical hole in the ground and filling it with concrete and with reinforcing steel embedded.

Now time to purchase the shipping container. Now there are many things you need to consider. Firstly you must figure out what size shipping container to use. You should already have thought about this in the planing step for my design I used three 20ft high cube containers.

The second thing you have to consider is the condition of the the container. You can buy it first hand from a retailer or if you want it for cheaper you can get it used. I would recommending getting a lightly used shipping container locally as this is a budget build and getting it locally will lower transportation costs.

Now time to cut out the window and door frames. Cutting out parts of the shipping containers will lower their structural integrity. To counteract this you have to border the new openings with steal frames. You can attach the steel frame using a welding torch or other tools that can connect metal. This will help preserve the rigidity of the shipping container and give a good frame for your windows and doors. Use silicon or metal filler to fill up any gaps in the frame to make them water tight.

Now time to add all the doors and windows. For the door you can go with a steal, wood, PVC, or aluminum framed door. Before you install the door you have to use primer on the area around you plan to put the door. After using the primer you can fasten the door to the steel frame in the opening.

Installing the windows is more the same but you need to make sure that you seal it tightly so water and rain don't leak in from outside. No one likes a leaky window.

Now time for the fun part, Painting!!! If you are using a used container there is probably some rust around the container. I would advise using primer to remove the rust. After you remove the rust paint the rest of the exterior in anti corrosive paint. This will weather proof the house while making it look nicer.

Insulation is on of the most important factors in building a house. The first step is the flooring. The shipping container comes with a plywood floor that you can use as a base but you should not use it as a permanent flooring. For this I cased concrete over the plywood floor for my permanent flooring but you can use any type you want.

Since, shipping containers have thin steel walls it is impossible to use dry wall. So we have to install 2 by 2 wood boards around the interior. This is when you should set up the pluming and the electrical wiring of the house. You should leave the plumbing and electricity to professionals as they are dangerous and complicated tasks to do on your own. Then fit Rock Wool insulation into the walls and cancelling to keep the home warm. Finally cover all the insulation and wiring up with plaster board.

In this step you have a lot of freedom. You should follow the floor plan you drew out but you are free to shift things as you like. This is the last step and now you can live in this new house you built for under $30,000.