“We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.”
Winston Churchill
FAQs
Advantages of Container houses
Ease of transportation: these houses are made of containers and can therefore be easily transported from one place to another. This is particularly advantageous for construction companies that frequently change locations.
Cost advantage: A container house normally is significantly cheaper than a common house. So it is an affordable alternative for people with limited financial resources.
Stability: The containers are mainly made of steel. No damage occurs in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes or other forms.
Waterproof: Well-made containers are watertight, so there is no need to worry about water getting in.
Flexibility: Container houses can be manufactured in a wide variety of shapes. Examples are: Office, dormitory, kitchen, toilet, shower, etc. A house with several containers can be put together using the units listed.
Easy assembly and disassembly: Each house (container) consists of a complete frame, ideally made of steel. This frame is then closed with wooden boards or panels. The entire house can be transported relatively easily from one place to another.
Lifetime: Under normal conditions and with appropriate maintenance, a container house will last at least 20 years or longer. This saves a lot of money and energy.
Disadvantages of Container houses
Problem of buying land: To build a container house, you need a plot of land just like when building a normal house, but slightly smaller. The regulations and laws vary from country to country. The building regulations in the respective country must also be observed. A container house cannot be built without a permit, which is not required everywhere.
Choice of container house: Container houses are not only available as shipping containers (steel) but also as flat pack containers. However, these flatpack containers are not as stable as steel containers. Special care should therefore be taken when buying a flat pack container. Quality is particularly important.
Design options: The entire house is made of steel and is therefore more difficult to decorate than a traditional house.
Problem of moisture (water): Under normal conditions, water is not a problem. However, if you are building a large container house from several containers, you should take this problem into account. In this case, the joints must be sealed particularly well so that the house is watertight. The welded seams between the containers in particular must be checked, as cracks can sometimes occur.
Versatility: It should be noted that container houses are not as versatile as normal houses. Conventional houses can be customized much more easily, but this is not so easy with containers due to the predetermined container. Subsequent expansion of a container house is not always possible or requires a great deal of effort.
Service life of Container houses
Service life of container houses
Container houses are widely used in many industries due to their excellent features such as economy, flexibility, appearance and also environmental protection, especially in the construction industry. Many construction companies use containers as offices for workers and even as temporary accommodation.
In many places you see more and more all kinds of container houses, some are used as tobacconists or for bakery sales; others are used as temporary residences on construction sites; some are set up in the field and used as troop and test bases, etc. Containers are playing an increasingly large and important role. The excellent features of container houses, such as reliability, local flexibility, environmental protection and comfort, as well as affordable prices, should be emphasized. As a result, more and more private and commercial customers are using this new form of living and working.
It is now well known that there is not much difference between a container house and a commercial building in terms of durability and mobility. In general, the lifespan of a container house is directly related to the quality of the raw materials used in its manufacture. For example, if sheet steel or a steel structure is used in the manufacturing process and regular maintenance is carried out afterwards, the lifespan of a container house can reach 30 years or more.
If the container houses are no longer needed and have always been carefully maintained, they can also be sold on a second-hand container market. This increases the efficiency of container houses and also makes a positive contribution to the environment.
It should be noted that there are also many relatively simply manufactured container houses on the market whose quality is not particularly high. Here the service life is only 2-5 years.
You should therefore pay particular attention to quality and stability when buying a container house.
