Have you ever wondered how much a shipping container home will cost? If you’re new to converting a shipping container into a 5-bedroom home, this can be a daunting and exciting challenge. While the idea of building a house out of something usually used to transport goods seems too good to be true, the fact is that more people and industries have moved in this direction because it is more economical, safe, and sustainable.
Container homes cut down on shipping and building costs while offering a stylish, efficient, and environmentally friendly home. Container homes are affordable, easy to construct, and typically only take a few weeks to complete. This article explores factors influencing the cost of building a 5-bedroom shipping container home.
Table of Contents
Factors That Influence The Price Of a 5-Bedroom Shipping Container Home
A 5-bedroom shipping container home can be built in different styles and sizes. It all depends on your preference, budget, and available space. There is no doubt that a larger container house will cost you more money, but your family will find it more comfortable. The following factors affect the cost of building a 5-bedroom shipping container home:
1. Floor Plan
When planning for a 5-bedroom shipping container home, the first thing you should consider is the floor plan of your container home. It is essential to choose a good floor plan that suits your needs and uses it as a living space.
The floor plan is an important factor that can determine how much a container home will cost. A simple design with fewer rooms will cost less than an elaborate design with many rooms. The following are floor plans you can choose to build your container home.
Read More: Shocking Weight A Container Roof Can Hold
2. Closed Floor Plan
A closed floor plan is the most expensive because it has more walls than an open one. The walls are built for durability, safety, and privacy. Closed floor plans require additional windows or doors that allow light and air in.
To keep costs down, you can use glass block for privacy or frosted glass for privacy with light and air coming in. This is an excellent option if you’re looking to build an investment property that you can rent out on Airbnb or other sites like it.
3. Open Floor Plan for Your 5-bedroom Shipping Container Home
Open floor plans for a 5-bedroom shipping container home are more affordable than closed floor plans. They have fewer walls than closed floor plans. The walls between rooms are removed. They make it easy to move around the house and get things done.
This type of home is ideal for small families or singles looking to live in a small environment while still having room to entertain guests when needed. An open floor plan is probably a better choice if you have kids or pets.
4. Location of Your Land
If you wish to build a 5-bedroom shipping container home on a piece of land near a beach or river, it will cost more than if you were to make it in the middle of nowhere. This is because it will cost more to transport materials and equipment to your site.
For example, if you are building on an island or remote area, transporting materials by sea or air will be difficult and expensive. If you’re building in an urban area, you can expect to pay more for land than in rural areas since land tends to be scarce in urban areas, while plenty of lands is available in rural areas.
5. Size of Your Land
If you want to build a big house with many rooms and more than one floor, it will cost more than if you only want to build a small house with just one floor. The size of your land may also affect how much space you have for building a large house, so this should also be considered when deciding how much money to spend building your container home.
Read More: How To Join Two Shipping Containers Together
6. Topography of Your Land
The topography of your land affects the price of building your shipping container home. Generally, if your land has a flat surface and is easy to access, there will be fewer costs involved in building a house. If you have to make an access road to reach your plot of land, this will affect the cost of transporting materials and labor required for construction.
Container homes are built on flat surfaces with no significant bumps or dips, and if your land has slopes or hills, you may need extra work done before construction begins so that the foundation can support the weight properly. This affects the overall cost of building a container home.
6. Shipping Container Home Foundation
Foundation is the most expensive part of building a container home, especially if it is as big as a 5-bedroom shipping container home. The type of foundation you use will affect the final cost as well as the quality of the living space. To create a sturdy structure and provide additional living space, building your container home with a strong foundation is essential.
Doing this will add functionality to your home while keeping it safe from water damage and other elements. Here are some options for container home foundations you can choose from.
Different Types of Shipping Container Home Foundations
Concrete Slab Foundation
This foundation requires pouring concrete to create a solid base for your house. This process can be costly compared to other methods. But, it requires additional materials, such as gravel or stones, for leveling purposes.
It also provides better durability than other methods since it provides better insulation from water penetration and termite infestation. If you choose this method, you must consider hiring an excavator who will do all the digging work required to prepare space for your house on top of ground level.
Shallow Foundation
This foundation does not exceed the safe bearing capacity of the soil. The foundations are mainly applicable to lightweight buildings with perfect soil conditions. These foundations are less expensive than other options because they don’t have to be dug deep into the ground. They are very simple to set up and maintain. These types of foundations are best for lightweight buildings with perfect soil conditions.
Deep Foundations for 5-bedroom Shipping Container Home
This type of foundation is used in areas with high water tables, poor soil conditions, or sites with a risk of flooding. Deep foundations require digging down into the ground to place a concrete slab that supports the weight of your house.
This foundation is more expensive than shallow ones but can work well in poor soil drainage or high water tables. If you’re building on land where flooding is a concern, this might be the right choice.
Wooden Piles
One option for a shipping container home foundation is to use wooden piles. These are driven into the ground, and they allow the house to rest on them. Wooden piles can be used for up to two stories tall foundations. The disadvantage of wooden piles is that they must be replaced every 20 years since they rot over time.
Concrete Piles
Concrete piles are more expensive than wooden ones but provide a better base for larger structures such as homes and commercial buildings. They have many advantages over wood piles: they last longer and offer better support for your house. The downside is that installing them is more expensive, but they should last forever with proper maintenance and care.
Read More: The Best Container Home Builders In Jacksonville Florida
7. The Size Of Your Containers
The length and width of the container will determine how many rooms you can fit into your home. The average container is 20 feet long with a standard width of 8 feet. This allows for two bedrooms with an open living area and kitchen. You can purchase bigger containers if you want to use one container for multiple rooms or an extra room.
Read More: Amazing Cost To Build A Shipping Container Home
8. Material Used for Building Your 5-bedroom Shipping Container Home
The materials used also affect the price of your new home. For instance, wood is much cheaper than steel and concrete floors, so if you wish to cut costs when building your container home, consider using wood instead of other materials, such as steel or concrete floors.
If you want high-quality materials such as insulated windows and doors, these will cost more than standard materials such as plywood and MDF boards. Also, choosing timber floors instead of concrete floors will affect the overall cost because concrete floors are more expensive than wood floors.
The quality of materials used affects how much you end up paying for a container home. If you want top-quality materials for your new house, expect to pay more than if you settle for lower-quality materials.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Building Container Homes in Florida
Building Permit and Building Requirements for 5-Bedroom Shipping Container Home
You need to have a building permit before starting construction on your container home, but not all cities issue them for residential projects like this one. If you live in an area where permits are required, expect additional costs for obtaining one.
Building codes vary from area to area, so you’ll need to check with your local building department before you build your 5-bedroom shipping container home. This is especially true if you don’t have any problems with zoning or code violations later on down the road when you’re ready to move into your new container home!
Read More: How To Best Build A Shipping Container Home From Scratch
Conclusion
So there you have it, how to build a 5-bedroom shipping container home. If you’re looking for a place to call home, shipping containers can be a good choice. You’ll have good storage space and a durable house that you can take almost anywhere.
Unlike many homes, they will never be destroyed by even the worst tornadoes. And as far as cost goes, shipping container homes are cheaper than more traditional homes.
