Jimmy from Costa Rica contacted me about a new home he has developed for his business ContainerHome.net which we covered in a post back in July. There seems to be lots of container homes being developed lately, it’s good to see these used containers being recycled.
A 20ft standard ISO shipping container converted into a small apartment.
A shipping container with a giant unfolding door. The size of the opening of the unit can be done with several options depending on the client’s budget.
We will be installing the motor next month, so for now we are using a long cable and my truck to open the sidewall. A 12V wench should lift the 1000lb sidewall. This is the total weight of the cutout, the reinforced steel and the wooden deck. With this particular project, we are going with a pulley system most commonly used for small bridges and very large doors.
These small tiny homes sell for $15,000, not including international transportation.
The items included in the container home is:
- Insulation and wallboard.
- Electric connections and fixtures (240 volts)
- Finished Kitchen (sink, counter, shelves)
- Finished Bathroom( shower,toilet,sink)
- Glass sliding door.
- Louvered glass window
- Lights.
- Finished floor.
- Wooden deck
- Painted inside/outside
- All Labor and Local Taxes
The estimated time required to build this home is 6 weeks.
The future of our 20ft home is “Off the grid”!
- Solar power, Being used with low energy appliances and a conservative use of electricity. Propane refrigerator.
- Rain water catchment systems/ Water from air converters.
- Incinerator toilets/Composting toilets.
- Wind power.
- River water generators.
- Location of the container home to maximize wind exposure and minimize sun exposure.
- Placement of fast growing trees and Bamboo for sun protection.
- The use of high RV factor paint and proper insulation.
- A-frame roof system and space creation between insulation and wallboard to minimize the heat.
Thanks Jimmy for the update and good luck with your new product. For more information and pictures of this home visit Jimmy’s website Container Homes.
Jimmy gives you a video tour of the new model.