With affordable used shipping containers now widely available, more people have a shot at living in a container home of their own than ever before. And who doesn’t love a good upcycling challenge?
While container houses may seem like an unorthodox way to get into home ownership, they are actually a viable alternative for people without the means or desire to take on huge mortgages.
Check out these affordable shipping container homes if you’re looking for a tiny eco-friendly home that won’t break the bank. Below, we look at 15 container conversions that cost less than $100K.
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Backcountry Containers: $40,000
The Texas-based company specializes in building custom structures out of shipping containers. For a Backcountry container home, prices start at $40,000 for the 20′ option, with 40′ containers costing about $60K and larger homes made from multiple units starting at over $100 grand.
The homes designed by this family team of engineers and interior designers will not only be structurally sound but also have a unique interior with no detail missed.
The addition of a roof deck or porch area is one of the best features of Backcountry Containers. It creates an outdoor space and breaks up the corrugated metal exterior, adding softness to your final look! Creating the backcountry container would make a beautiful and comfortable container home.
ModHouse Australia: $98,000
Richard and Amy built a unique home using three 20-foot shipping containers, staggering them to create an eye-catching result. Each CONEX box is connected to the next with a link room (like a corridor) which also allows extra space.
The striking floating roof provides extra shade and is home to plenty of solar panels. Rainwater that collects on the roof flows into storage tanks below.
This design creates a flow that allows each space to be separate while complementing one another. Each room serves a separate function: the first is the kitchen, the second living room, and the office, and the third is the bedroom and bathroom.
For just $98,000 (USD), you can work with Mod House Australia to create your own affordable storage container homes.
IQ Container Homes: $35,000
The New Zealand company works with shipping containers of all sizes and other materials. The grade A quality of these containers guarantees there has only been one trip in their lifetime before being retrofitted by the company into homes and offices.
Grade-A containers will ensure that your home has the longest life span possible and remain rust-free for years. The smallest container that IQ Container Homes works with is 10′ long and costs $23,000.
CONEX homes are available in one, two, and three-bedroom models. Their price can range from $70,000 to $350,000 for luxury units; on average, a one-bedroom home starts at around $35k.
IQ Container’s extremely stylish homes are more than just beautiful—they’re also highly functional. Plus, IQ containers offer additional solar electrics and a rainwater collection package that makes your home even more economical to run off the grid!
Read More: How to Spray Paint a Shipping Container
Container Conversion Design and Build: $12,000
Container Conversion Design and Build is a UK-based company that offers affordable container cabin options. The starter package. Their start package starts at £8,995.
This price includes a basic shell fit out with one window and door, full insulation of wall cavities, and roof space. The electrical system will include wiring for lights and mains power sockets.
If you don’t have the time to learn about architecture and design, a prefabricated home could be just what you’re looking for.
You will be ready to move in once you fit your container housing with furniture and a water connection. There are also other options available that would give you finished living space up front.
In addition, is a firm with extensive experience converting shipping containers into private storage container homes, studios, and commercial spaces. You will be able to see through the entire process, including 3D modeling/visualization of your space and floor plan drawing.
Read More: Exclusive Pros, Cons, And Costs Of Shipping Container Homes
Lance’s Self-Build Container Home: $10,000
This container home is a beautiful and affordable way to build your own house. Lance’s Self Build Container Home shows that you can create a warm, cozy, and happy space on any budget if you are willing to do the work.
A container home is an affordable way to get into the tiny house lifestyle. The structure has already been built, so you don’t have to worry about constructing one from scratch.
Lance has made his storage container housing more comfortable by setting the end doors of the box open, building a roof over them, and adding walls around them to create an insulated addition. This gives him extra space inside, a luxury in small-space living, where every inch counts.
Lance structured this extension so that it could be easy to take apart and reassemble if he decides to move his container elsewhere.
The interior of Lance’s home is bright and airy, with white wooden cabin-style walls to allow sunlight to bounce around the space. Large windows frame scenic views outside, while nature has found a place inside, bringing a rustic vibe that contrasts well with modern elements like concrete floors and stainless steel accents. Wooden accents along the windowsills, on shelves, and in other places make this kitchen feel warm and inviting.
Read More: 5 Amazing Ways To Insulate A Shipping Container Home
The Helm by Cargo Home: $81,500
This storage container home is available to rent on AirBnB and can accommodate as many as six people. Constructed by Cargo Homes in Texas, The Helm has two double bedrooms plus a sofa bed. It also boasts two bathrooms, a luxury compared to other built-from-scratch containers!
This home comprises two separate shipping containers, one large 40ft box and a second 20ft CONEX unit on top. Both are blended seamlessly together through the use of 100-year-old barn cladding.
The wood makes the metal containers look chic, disguising their origin and transforming them into trendy home furnishings.
The interior of this container house has a spacious feel, with a large and fully functioning galley kitchen. The living space is slightly separated from it with a half wall, so you can hide your washing up here until later!
This is a shipping container home that you should never think about purchasing at $81,500 because it ticks all the boxes of what a comfy home can be.
Container Homes: $27,000
The exterior walls of the Container Homes have insulation to give the best possible finish for Australia’s harsh climate. They also have external insulation to prevent a sauna effect in the summer months, Unlike other shipping container homes. The homes are constructed so that they can withstand cyclones.
Standard models of container homes cost between $39,700 and $75,700 (AUSD), while custom builds can be more expensive. Alternatively, you may purchase a blank canvas CONEX box house at just 12k!
Container Homes have made it possible to expand living quarters without laying new foundations. The method involves stacking shipping containers on top of one another when at sea and then lowering them down again once they reach the shore.
On top of that, Container Homes has also created a shipping container pool, funky addition to any home!
Alternative Living Spaces: $38,000
This is a Las Vegas company specializing in building homes by stacking shipping containers and incorporating them into larger structures.
They can build you a custom shipping container home, whatever you want it to be, a modern, stylish space with clean white lines and sharp angles, or soft, comfortable and cozy like a country cottage.
The owner of Alternative Living Spaces got motivation from the need for affordable, alternative housing solutions. He recognized that it is possible to cut the cost of construction by tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars if a cargo container serves as the basis for such structures.
A shipping container home at Alternative Living Spaces starts at a modest $38,000 (USD), making eco-friendly housing more affordable.
Read More: Shipping Container Homes In Texas: How To Build One
Backyard Bedroom by Custom Container Living: $39,950
This shipping container home is designed for both temporary and permanent housing. The Backyard Bedroom, built from a single 20′ container, uses minimal space and energy to keep the occupants comfortable while they live in it. You can use this shipping container as a guest suite, Airbnb rental, or office.
The two rooms inside are a bedroom and a bathroom with a shower. The remaining space is an open studio, where you can install a small kitchenette if needed. The bathroom features a walk-in shower, toilet, vanity, and additional storage.
Furnishing and decorating a small space like this can be done cheaply by choosing basic pieces of furniture that serve multiple functions. Carpeting the walls, floors, or both will also make it look more expensive than it really is!
Home Cube by Rhino Cubed: $78,500
Suppose you’re worried about your privacy when searching for the best shipping container homes. In that case, Rhino Cubed has a fantastic solution: With the Home Cube, you get both the privacy of a separate bedroom and ample living space. And it offers plenty of space for storage, which is a welcome feature in any home.
The Home Cube comes with a fully stocked galley kitchen, including ample counter space and all the appliances you could ever need. With an optional dishwasher and washer/dryer unit available, this innovative design is genuinely everything-in-one!
Home Cube’s stylish design and durability make it the perfect container for storing your winter gear. It can hold close to 100 lbs of snow, is water-, bug- and fireproof, and will withstand strong winds!
The Home Cube by Rhino Cubed has a suggested retail price of $78,500. So if your budget is $100k, you’ll have plenty of extra cash for upgrades or buying land where you can place the shipping container home.
Nomad by Cargotecture and Hybrid Architecture: $65,000
c192 Nomads are a group of homebuilders seeking affordable, sustainable housing. By collaborating on unique upcycled storage container homes like the c192 Nomad, everything you want is in an eco-friendly package!
This 192-square-foot vessel has a large glass front door and the side door that swings open with shipping container-style doors. It also comes with a kitchenette, bathroom, and enough space for up to four people.
The c192 Nomad is the most affordable container home on the market, at just $65,000. And because it’s such a great deal, you can always decide to upgrade your living space later if you want.
Read More: 10 Shipping Container Homes You Can Order Right Now
The Taj Malodge by Larry Wade: $35,000
Larry Wade built a tiny 2-bedroom container house out of two 40-foot shipping containers. It cost him only $35,000, including the land itself!
The interior of this shipping container home features two bedrooms, a large living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The rustic mountain style makes the house feel even cozier but also helps it to be more energy-efficient with solar panels on the roof that power water heaters!
Instead of pouring concrete, you can use wooden piers as a base for your containers. Then, just level out the footing and weld 2×1/8″ flat steel bars to create a stitch pattern along the edge of each container’s floor. Welding floors and doors can add reinforcement to a basement.
Kim and James Self Build: $67,000
This container house belongs to an Australian couple, Kim and James. When it was built, the 40ft shipping container was trimmed down to 30ft for building regulations, but that’s not all: it sits atop two additional 20ft containers; one used as a workshop and another for storage.
Kim and James’ plywood shipping container home is stylish, minimalistic, and functional. At the far end of this unit, which acts as a dining room/bedroom/living space, are storage spaces for their belongings.
The design of the apartment is centered around a raised living room platform. It houses storage areas and slide-out double beds, which are hidden by it when not in use.
The kitchen includes a fold-down and adjustable table that can be placed in the seating area to comfortably host eight people.
The lounge area, which is on top of the storage platform, includes a sofa with more storage space beneath it. There’s also a crib for the baby and lots of bookshelves overhead.
Kim and James’ home construction budget is less than $100,000 (AUSD), including the price for decking materials and planning consent.
Tin Can Cabin: $36,000
The Tin Can Cabin is a shipping-container cabin—made from three repurposed 20′ metal containers in Northern Wisconsin. Its builder, Steve, was motivated by the desire to create a simple yet homey space and keep costs low.
In this home, the separation between containers has been removed to create an open feeling. This is great for smaller spaces—like a kitchen living room combo or dining area/bedroom with bunk beds. Meanwhile, sliding doors save up even more space by fitting into alcoves instead of swinging outwards as traditional ones do. Using a wood-burning stove can be an economical way to heat your home.
Read More: 8 Of The Best Shipping Container Pools In Texas Builders
MAC Container Housing: $17,000
MAC Container Housing, based in the U.K., provides custom-built homes made from shipping containers. CONEX box houses are customizable, but the company’s staff has ample experience and can help you weigh your options effectively.
The two options for MAC Container Houses are a 20’x8 ′ model that would be suitable for temporary accommodation or a 40’x12′, which can sleep up to four people in three different bedrooms.
These tiny homes are affordable, each costing £12,995 (prices +VAT) for the smaller option or £34,995—so you can feasibly buy without having to take out a mortgage.
Additionally, MAC Container Housing has a dedicated team available to help you find the lovely piece of land for your new home—ready-made or not! With ten years of experience in container construction and twelve weeks of build time, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have one on your doorstep ASAP.
Read More: Are Shipping Container Homes Legal In Georgia? Find Out Why
Conclusion
In conclusion, Building and decorating an affordable tiny home doesn’t have to be a challenge. Cheap shipping container homes are more than just metal boxes. They can be pleasant places to live!
Creativity is key when planning out your interior design, no matter what the size of a container used to build a home, studio, 1-bedroom, or 2-bedroom.
A steel container offers many benefits for those looking to build a home on a budget.
Not only is it more sustainable, economical, and flexible than traditional building materials, but if you store container homes, the whole process can be much quicker too!
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