Comments on: Shipping Container Homes in Costa Rica

By: ContainerLiving

ContainerLiving — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:34:58 +0000

Some interesting comments, its surprising how much interest there is in shipping container homes these days. I run a small blog with literally hundreds of different designs and ideas from across the web at http://www.containerliving.net for those that are interested.

A lot of the issues that relate to other locations may not be relevant in Costa Rica mind as like here in the Philippines heat could be a problem but park under a large enough tree or add a trellis suddenly its not.

Also Earthequake proof may be overreaching but here in the Philippines homes are made of hollow block. A shipping container would actually save lives over falling chunks of concrete. Also if it fell into an earthquake crack I am sure it could be lifted back out. Unlike a concrete home that would need to be ripped down and rebuilt.

Like most things in life its all relevant to peoples needs and what is available.

By: Cargoshell

Cargoshell — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:54:25 +0000

it’s really nice to see this blog post. i’ve heard alot about living in shipping containers also at country’s where the cash rate is low.
Like in afghanistan and irak several shipping containers could be used in a warzone for a bunker and a quick home a camp to read some military papers for operations or something. I would really like it when u people will take a look at my cargoshell website u can click my name . Cargoshell is also about containers that are collapsible so it wil be really handy for living in a shipping container when u can collapse it. thanx any ways for your nice post !

By: George Runkle

George Runkle — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:28:59 +0000

Nice house. The square footage price is very good, but how does it compare with stick built houses in Costa Rica? We’ve done a number of shipping container houses in the US (see our website), but getting the cost down to a reasonable amount has eluded our clients so far.

The shipping container structures we’ve worked on for other uses (military, housing for oil fields) have come up with much lower prices per square foot. I suspect it is due the ability of our clients to mass produce them.

George

By: Cavalier

Cavalier — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:24:29 +0000

How about air conditioning? Does it get really warm in summer in Costa Rica?

By: Shipping Containers Sale

Shipping Containers Sale — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 17:46:45 +0000

$60,000 for a shipping container home and a plot of land in Costa Rica sounds like a really good deal to me. Might be a great plan for retirement…

By: tristan ravitz

tristan ravitz — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:18:29 +0000

I find these fascinating. I first saw housing made from shipping containers in vancouver last year and it just struck me as so logical and economical. glad tosee the idea is going global.

By: Keith Black

Keith Black — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:45:47 +0000

I am a distributor of insulating coatings. I also have a coating that you would apply first for rust, then the insluating reflective coating on the outside of the shipping container. I have a different coating for the interior. We will ship anywhere in the world. Please reply kblack@innovasol.com

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 02:19:55 +0000

I agree with some people in that this type of home is unique but is not as realistic for many people because it is alumimum. I’d prefer a steel ISO grade from a place like http://www.storagecontainer.com that will provide better security.

By: RETHA ELLIOTT

RETHA ELLIOTT — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:45:50 +0000

HELLO, I HAVE A WAY TO THE PROBLEM OF A HOT CONTAINER HOME. IF YOU CANNOT HOOK UP TO ELECTRIC PUT THE NEW THIN SOLAR PANELS ON YOUR ROOF. THEY WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE POWER YOU WILL NEED FOR HEATING WATER, COOLING YOUR HOME, ETC. I WOULD PUT EITHER PANELING OR DRY WALL AND LEAVE ROOM BEHIND TO PUT IN INSULATION. I WOULD NOT BLOW IN INSULATION, IT HAS THE TENDENCY TO COMPACT, MAKING IT LESS EFFECTIVE AS TIME GOES ON.
YOU SHOULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY WITH THIS KIND OF HOME.
I SAW THE ARTICLE ON THE NEW THIN/FLEXIBLE SOLAR PANELS IN MOTHER EARTH NEWS. YOU CAN MAKE A EXCELLENT SWIMMING POOL FROM CONTAINERS AND PUT IN THE KIND OF DECKING YOU WANT AND IF YOU WANT A COVERED PATIO AND A UPSTAIRS APARTMENT PUT ONE CONTAINER ON TOP OF ONE AND LET IT HANG OVER ONE END AND ON THE OTHER END PUT A PATIO DOOR THAT CAN LEAD OUT TO A NICE TERRACE /DECK WITH A NICE HOT TUB. ALSO IF YOU NEED TO CONSERVE SPACE INSTEAD OF PUTTING STAIRS PUT IN A BEAUTIFUL SPIRAL STAIRCASE. THEY CAN BE WOOD OR IRON AND COME IN A HUGE ARRAY OF DESIGNS. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD THE IDEAS ARE ENDLESS. PUT A SKYLIGHT OVER YOUR BED WITH A MOTORIZED PANEL THAT CAN SHUT OUT THE SUN IF YOU SO DESIRE. ELECTRIC FANS IN EACH ROOM SHOULD MOVE THE AIR FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM IN NO TIME AND HELP HEAT OR COOL THE HOUSE, DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY THE FAN BLADES ARE TURNED; UP OR DOWN. UPSTAIRS YOU COULD PUT A BALCONY OVERLOOKING THE COVERED PATIO. YOU CAN MAKE A CARPORT THAT HOLDS TWO CARS OUT OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS.
YOU CAN ALSO MAKE THEM INTO EXCELLENT STORM SHELTERS. GET SOMEONE TO DIG A HOLE FOR YOUR CONTAINER AND HAVE IT LOWERED DOWN IN THE HOLE FOR YOU. THEN YOU PUT IN VENTILATION AND POWER AND STAIRS DOWN TO IT AND “SHAZAM” YOU HAVE A EXCELLENT STORM SHELTER. AND IF YOU WANT ONE ABOVE GROUND, SIMPLY PUT IT INTO THE GROUND ABOUT 2 FEET AND YOU HAVE A NICE STORM SHELTER YOU CAN STEP INTO, VERY NICE IF YOU HAVE ELDERLY WHO HAVE TROUBLE WITH STAIRS. SOME PEOPLE, I HAVE NOTICED LEAVE THE DOORS ON THE END OF THE SHIPPING CONTAINER. YOU COULD THEN SHUT THEM UP TIGHT DURING STORMS. NOTHING COULD GET TO YOU.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME WRITE A BOOK!!!

By: Shipping Container Homes

Shipping Container Homes — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:14:28 +0000

Reading through the comments there where a number of unanswered questions from readers so even though the original post goes back a while I thought I would add this here.

@ EJ you asked about tile – the short answer like most things to do with shipping containers is its “conditional”

Like any mobile or modular home solution the greatest stresses and strains are incurred when moving and positioning the container, so the flexing that you would see in an unmodified container handled in “regular fashion” would cause the tile to fail as you suggest.

The internal walls built into the container would potentially “stiffen” the container and assist in this regard but each container design would be viewed on it own.

@ Daniel – the accepted wisdom is that refrigerated containers don’t lend them themselves well to modification and that its better to insulate a general purpose steel containers – more below.

@Ronin – Buddy take a pill – its an interesting housing solution that meets the needs of some people.

There is a series of 15 x videos on How to build your own Container Home over at http://www.containerhome.info – The first hour of videos are free for anyone interested.