So what are the benefits of shipping containers as housing?
High quality general purpose containers offer the perfect solution to most storage and accommodation problems.

Constructed to meet the intense demands of sea travel, shipping containers are strong, secure and weather and vermin proof, and there's not a termite to be found - key requirements for both temporary and permanent accommodation.

Easy transportation, flexible rental and purchase options and the simplicity with which containers can be modified to meet a huge range of individual needs are key benefits of container use for accommodation.

For homes, businesses, farms, community groups, schools, sporting associations and clubs, General Purpose containers provide an inexpensive, secure and easily accessible storage or accommodation solution.

Lengths available include 6m, 10m and 12m.


But why would you want to use them instead of traditional construction methods and materials?

• they are ready available. There are millions of empty shipping containers littering world's seaports.
• such containers are cheap. The average container shipping life is 2-3 years, then they are discarded to make room for newer models. So you can buy them at cheap prices. More on this in our costs section.
• they are built to survive the not so friendly realm of the world's oceans: tough corrugated and tubular steel, thick marine grade plywood floors, vandal-proof locking steel doors, water-resistant welded seams, and all weather paint.
• their rigid steel structure maintains a square solid structure and makes them easy to stack.
• They can be insulated and provided with windows and sanitary and electrical installations.
• they require support only in the four corners, not the many stumps or concrete slab of conventional construction.
• Because they are designed to carry heavy loads without distorting, they can be prebuilt as housing modules then transported onsite and assembled rapidly.

Because of these benefits shipping containers make great modules for buildings. For the same reasons they can be used for larger projects including; low cost units for communities: affordable student accommodation, low income and homeless peoples accommodation.

And shipping container housing projects like these are already underway - For Instance

• Here is a project initiated by Fox & Fowle Architects PC for converting the sturdy metal boxes into low-cost housing and working space; This concept is curently in it's infancy but shipping container housing represents a real solution to current social and ecological problems.
• And an article about using shipping containers for housing as a possible solution to Britain's housing crisis.

However, to limit Shipping Container Housing only to use for the financially challenged members of our community, is to undersell their value. Structures built from these sturdy modules withstand hurricanes and cyclones better than conventional buildings, maintain their shape better than conventional structures, and are ecologically friendlier than conventional structures.
We believe these building modules are ultimately SUPERIOR to conventional building structures.
The problem is their image as second hand cast offs.

We aim to demonstrate on this website that Shipping Container Housing can also be for the imaginative and astute quality home builder as a superior building module.