Shipping containers

[Nathan Edwards]

Hi Guys. I'm gonna start on that fence this year but need to have a secure storage facility for tools and overnight accomodation. I was thinking and web surfing ( wow take a look at lot-ek.com for amazing urban shipping container design!) about shipping container usage for our 10 acres in Castlemaine. What I need is info regarding conversion to permanent dwelling or studio accom. issues are water havesting, foundations, heat issues, plumbing etc.
Any good pictures, sites, books or info out there dudes?

[gardenlen]

g'day ladyboy,

shop around hey they can be expesnive things to get moved from one place to anotehr especially if you need to use a swing truck. make sure there are no inward dents in the top as they can rust out rather quickly.

i would suggest a 40 foot container you will besurprised how fast a 20 footer fills up,they are not super wide inside so you need to keep access down one side to egt to stuffa t the back unless you have doors fitted to the sides, some come with side doors a good option if you can get it. the more doors you have the more locks needed and the easier for those who need to break in. look for those circular stainless steel pad locks not cheap around 40 bucks each but can't be cut with bold cutters so don't lose the keys.

basically they only need to sit of solid cement besser type blocks (4 for 20 footers. 6 for 40 footers) postioned level to each other.

heard of a bloke with good contacts and who worked in the steelindustry who used container set out in an open 'U' shape and cut out the inside facing walls, built a raised floor between them to the heigh of the container floors put a scillion roof over the whole lot with front door (to fill across the opening of the 'U') and hey presto a reasonable cheap home, but he did have acces to heavy cutting equipment and welders.

you would need to line them inside with pink batts sandwiched between wall sheeting and container wall. use those roof spinners for ventilating probably 2 for a 20 footer 3 or 4 for a 40 footer.

if you buy from one of those blokes who sell/rent them make sure they are good straight units no bent doors or big dings in the roof or sides, they ahve ply floors so need good ventilation so that moisture doesn't build.

hope there's some ideas there for you? a good imagination will come up with an ideal living storage work shop thingy.

len

[Alex M]

Containers, eh? Great idea for a house. A few hours work with some basic tools - an angle grinder, pistol drill, pop rivet gun and caulking gun - and you can knock up a pretty decent shack. :brave:

Here's a couple of links:

http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/containerbayhome.htm

http://www.escapeartist.com/OREQ4/Nomad ... g2000.html

[Richard on Maui]

Yeah, what they said.

They aren't cheap but.

We have two on this property that are sitting on concrete blocks, 6 each I think. A roof between the two catches some water. Probably would have made better sense to roof the whole thing though, as Len pointed out, they do rust; water pools in the top of them you see, and the subsequent patch jobs were more work than just putting a roof over the whole thing would've been. Also, it would have made them cooler inside.

[Sly712]

The lastest ReNew Magazine has an article in container conversion. The title "DIY $16,000 container retreat : Paul and Roberta Michna tell us how they built their unique shipping container retreat in Far North Queensland."

[Jardonhu]

Where is The title "DIY $16,000 container ?

[Michaelangelica]

Where is The title "DIY $16,000 container ?

here??
http://forums.permaculture.org.au/ar...p/t-1979.html?
Lots of Utube videos on the subject
EG

and some inspirational images
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=S...M4eimQW-tJn_Bw
EG


Going underground could also be an option in hot dry areas and/or might be a useful bunker in bushfire prone areas
http://www.blubrry.com/containerhome...tainer-bunker/

[Jardonhu]

the house looks a little slope. Does it fall when it was encountered a earthquake or other disaster?