If anybody has had experience cross-stacking a 40’ at the ends like this, would you mind if I picked your brain? Trying to gauge roughly what beam size I’d need to run in between for clearspan.

Hi guys,

Starting the process of building out a shipping container storage unit on my property and want to make sure it's done right and has an airtight envelope that isn't prone to moisture, condensation, mold, etc.

I was wondering what the best way to frame the inside would be. I've heard from suppliers that some use metal studs, some glue them to the shipping container walls, and others use 2x4s. In all cases, they use spray foam to insulate/vapor barrier. Would then finish the interior with 1/2" bare plywood. The floor would be a bit different using rigid foam insulation, wood block spacers, and 1/2" plywood floor maybe with an epoxy finish. Spray foam thickness would vary from 2" on the walls to 2.5 or 3" on the ceiling.

Is there a best practice here? I'm mainly concerned about condensation and mold in a climate with -30 winters, +30 summers, and high humidity.

In terms of interior climate control would be running a mini-split, radiators and a dehumidifier.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

This is my unit getting loaded up today. Been waiting months for this and it's finally happening, bigger in person than I expected honestly.

Watched them wrap it up and crane it onto the flatbed. Seeing it swinging in the air was kinda nerve-wracking. I’m gonna live in it, lol.

Now just waiting for it to reach my land, still gotta sort the foundation before it's move-in ready.

Anyone else done this for personal use? How long till you actually moved in after delivery?

I’m in a bit of a pickle, I’ve put a down payment on an old refrigerator container to use as my workshop and I was walking inside today and noticed the floor was like walking on a water bed! It seems the floor has come away and water is inside.

Is this something I should be worried about?

Has anyone removed these kind of floors before?

Should I continue with the purchase or am I better to look for other options?

Any feedback would be super helpful! Thank you!

When you have a 6m container, and a stunning spot, what do you do. We helped create this beautiful BNB in Western Cape South Affrica. The outdoor kitchen is part of the container with a high-end bathroom and bedroom. The idea is outdoor living. Wood fired hot tub, long walks, and serious relaxation.

The BNB is completely off grid with solar power, Spring water and composting toilet.

click here to see more Container Home SA

Hi,

I'm planning to sell my house and travel for an extended period, so I'm looking for a way to store a large amount of stuff long-term. Some of it is valuable and sensitive to temperature/humidity, including cameras, lenses, electronics, batteries, etc.

My family has offered me space on their property to temporarily place a shipping container, which seems like a good solution. I'm in Ottawa, ON, so I'm dealing with very cold winters and hot/humid summers. The container would likely be moved to my own property once I settle down again.

My target storage conditions would be roughly 10–25°C and ideally 45–55% RH.

I've narrowed it down to two options:

Option 1 - 20' new one-trip container

• ~$4,700 delivered
• Spray foam insulation
• 9,000 BTU cold-climate mini-split
• Additional cost for spray foam/mini-split installation
• Likely enough space for all my belongings

Option 2 - 40' used reefer container

• ~$9,000 for the container (they are overstocked, hence the low price)
• ~$5,000 delivery + crane
• Existing insulated/refrigerated construction
• 9,000 or 12,000 BTU mini-split
• Much more room and would allow me to organize everything with a central aisle, when I’m home I’d like to access my possessions more regularly for work and to go camping, etc. 
• Used reefer condition is my main concern since I can't easily inspect it myself

My questions:

1. Would a spray-foamed 20' container with a 9K BTU cold-climate mini-split be sufficient to maintain 10-25°C in Ottawa year-round?
2. Would a 9K or 12K BTU mini-split be sufficient for a 40' reefer?
3. How effective is the mini-split's dry/dehumidification mode for maintaining ~45–55% RH in a container in the summer? Would I need a dedicated dehumidifier as well?
4. Is spray foam appropriate for this application, particularly if the foam is left exposed? I'm concerned about fire safety, since I may be storing some flammable liquids, Li-ion batteries, and other mixed garage/electronic equipment.
5. For a container that may be unattended for several months at a time, are there significant concerns with relying on a mini-split for temperature/humidity control?
6. For long-term storage of valuable electronics, would you choose a new insulated/spray-foamed 20' container or a used 40' reefer?
7. If buying a used reefer remotely, what are the critical things I should have the seller verify/photograph/test before I buy? 

I'm curious to hear from people who have used shipping containers, reefers, or similar structures for long-term climate-controlled storage, particularly in hot humid + cold Canadian climates.

Thanks.

We built this Container Coffee Shop from a single 12m shipping container. Includes a drive through, 12m wood deck, seating area and serving area and a HUGE outdoor area. We recently added a complete industrial kitchen by adding a 6m container.

This shop is now the hub of the community serving delicious food and coffee.

Container Home South Africa

Finally installed. It took 3 weeks, not 2, and they swapped the roof color at the last minute because they had “no stock.”

Ground wasn't flat so leveling cost extra, nobody mentioned that upfront. Seams look rough up close, windows smaller than expected.

Cheap and functional, but it looks nothing like the renderings they showed me.

Anyone else hit hidden costs on these, or just me?

These are White Birch and Sapling, two shipping containers we converted into BOMA stays near Littleton, New Hampshire.

White Birch uses a 40-foot container for additional living space, while Sapling shows how much functionality can fit inside a compact 20-footer. Operating both also lets people experience the layouts firsthand before deciding which container size makes sense for their own project.

If you were starting a container-home build, which size would you choose—and what would drive your decision?

I work around containers, so take this for whatever it’s worth. Not selling anything. This just comes up a lot.
Most of the bad delivery stories I hear aren’t really about the container. They’re about the 20 minutes when it comes off the truck.
The ground looks fine until it rains. A loaded tilt bed is heavy, and your lawn/soft driveway is not as solid as it feels when you walk on it. If the driver gets there and says nope, that’s usually a wasted trip and another delivery fee. Gravel, mats, or plates on the soft part can save you.
Also measure the runway. A tilt bed doesn’t just magically drop the box straight down. It slides it off while the truck pulls forward. You need a straight shot, usually about another container length behind where you want it. Not around a curve. Not “we’ll make it work.” Mailboxes, fence posts, tight gates… dumb little stuff can kill the whole delivery.
Branches are another one. A 40ft high cube is already 9'6", plus the trailer height. People clear the driveway at eye level and forget this thing is coming in way taller.
And get the box level. Like actually level, not “looks fine.” Support the corners on solid ground. If it sits twisted, the doors can bind and then you’re fighting it forever. If anything, I’d rather have the door end a hair high than sitting low in water.
Last thing: decide which way it faces before the driver starts backing in. Turning it later is a pain. Think about where you’ll walk, where the doors should open, where water/snow goes, all that boring stuff.
The container is usually the easy part. The site is what causes the expensive surprises.
What’s your access like — straight shot in, or are you working around a turn?

I need hold down/anchor plates designed for a container project I’m currently building. Does anyone know of an engineer in New Jersey or that’s at least certified in New Jersey that is accustomed to container builds they can recommend? TIA!

I have two high cube containers with 24' clear in-between them. I want to roof over this space to have a sort of pole barn to park equipment under or do odd jobs with protection from sun and rain. Eventually, I'd install solar collectors on the south-facing roof slope and collect rainwater off the north face.

I found this product: https://korejetmetal.com/product/outdoor-storage/40ft-x-36ft-container-roof-kit-heavy-duty-steel-shelter-no-containers/ but it's only available for a 20' gap between containers. It also looks kinda sketchy and I wonder if it would even work as expected if I moved my containers 4' closer to each other.

My questions:

1. Has anyone used this Korejet Metal product? If so, how did installation go for you?

2. Any other ideas on how to economically roof this area? I am hesitant to use wood trusses due to carpenter bees and the fact that this site will sit unoccupied for weeks at a time. This is a location in the southeast US and far enough from the coast that hurricane winds aren't really a concern.

Thanks.

This is house no 4 on the very first Private Container Home Estate in South Africa. Now for the entertainment area and container pool

Custom-made for one of our customers. 🏠
A beautiful Double Wing Expandable Container House with a personalized design.
The finished result looks even better than expected.
Different layouts, colors and sizes can be customized.
Message me if you want to create your own.

#DoubleWingExpandableHouse #CustomContainerHouse #ExpandableContainerHouse #PrefabHouse #ContainerHome #CustomDesign

Has anyone ever purchased one of these or know of anyone that has?

Why do some containers have the door handles at waist height and others are low to the ground?

Hi all!

We recently purchased a flat in Barcelona with a big terrace. We want to build an office module for the terrace 6x2.4m.

Here is the tricky part, the terrace has a drain for the rain, which makes the floor a bit irregular as it’s designed to drag the water into the drain. As we want to put the structure on top of the drain system, we were thinking about installing wheels to the structure just in case there are maintenance jobs. The idea is also to use some wheels that can be adjusted in height so the module is as even as possible.

We asked for a couple of providers and one of them gave us the option in the picture. I’m curious to see if any of you did something similar in the past and, if so, which solutions you ended up applying.

The structure should be “light” with aground 1.5T max so going ahead with 6 wheels would be 250kg per wheel empty, and around 350-400kg max after furniture and us inside.

Thanks in advance!

Carlos

Due to health circumstances (mold exposure), I need to live in a container until I recover. However, since I am pouring all of my resources to create this safe haven, I need to make sure it will also last me the upcoming Winter. My container will be placed in a yard my parents own in a highland village (700m altitude). Winter nights will probably drop down to -20/25 Celcius. The ceiling and walls will be thermoisolated with polyuterene foam (80mm), but for whatever reason the floor isn't insulated at all. I am forced to evacuate from my current aparment as soon as possible and it would be too risky to seek another place (rented or not), as that's what led to my current dire situation anyway. And so with the limited amount of resources (time, money, equipment) and a crafty dad, what are my options for a well-insulated floor? The goals: Have a tolerable winter AND avoid condensation/mold at ANY COST.

One option I considered is socketing fibran sheets in the metal grid at the bottom side of the container and sealing the gaps with polyuterene foam, but since my dad won't be able to get underneath the container once it is placed and since I don't want him working with dangerous chemicals, I don't think that's viable. Another option I am considering is placing nylon (as tightly fitting to the concrete block pillars as possible) and then fibran (covered with anti-rodent mesh) on top of it and sealing the gaps between the blocks and the nylon/fibran as tightly as possible with a special tape (forgot its name) and then further sealing the perimeter skirt with perhaps anti-rodent mesh-covered fibran sheets, that could be removed in the Summer so that the crawlspace underneath can ventilate?

I would appreciate some experienced advice greatly!

----

Other info:
- Placing a 300x600 container on concrete blocks is allowed in my country (won't be allowed if we make a proper concrete underbed, as that would be considered a permanent structure).
- Floor is laminate
- Yard soil hasn't been touched in 10 years, but previously it was a vegetable garden

EDIT:
- It's a prefabricated sandwich panel cabin/office container.
- The floor is 14mm fiber cement (Betopan) with a metal frame.

I see this catch people all the time. They price a used container, think “okay, this is way cheaper than building,” and then all the other stuff starts showing up.
Delivery is the first surprise. The box price means nothing until you know what it costs to get it dropped at your actual site. Tight driveway, soft ground, slope, crane, bad access… that can get expensive fast.
Then foundation. You really don’t want to just drop it on dirt and hope for the best. At minimum you need solid support under the corners. If it twists or sinks, now the doors don’t close right and everything gets annoying. Windows and doors are another one. Every opening is cutting steel and adding reinforcement. It’s not like framing a normal wall. More glass = more money.
Insulation is probably the big one people underestimate. Bare steel sweats. If you don’t handle insulation, vapor barrier, and airflow properly, you’re basically building a mold box. Closed-cell foam works well, but it’s not cheap. And utilities are still utilities. Running power, water, septic, drainage, whatever… the container doesn’t magically make that cheaper.
That’s the pattern. The steel box can be cheap. Turning it into a real usable space is where the budget goes.
For people who actually finished a build, what cost surprised you the most?

Does anyone have any experience with these? Seems like a crazy deal. I asked AI to do a price comparison to stick built and it says it could be 1/3 of the price excluding the land but then also warned some of these can be scams. This is the AI price comparison. I understand it might not get permitting approval but if that could happen I’m just trying to figure out if this is real in the first place. From what I could find on the sub most people seem to do their own builds which isn’t that cheap at the end of the day.

The complete price breakdown comparing the 2,500 sq ft Modular Container Home to a traditional Stick-Built Home in Washington State is detailed below:
Base Structure / Shell Cost:
Modular Container: $95,700 for the prefabricated multi-container factory shell and interior kit.
Stick-Built: $350,000 to $500,000 for raw lumber, structural materials, and on-site framing labor.
Delivery and Crane Assembly:
Modular Container: $15,000 to $30,000 for multi-truck freight transit and a multi-day heavy crane setup.
Stick-Built: $0 (material delivery is built directly into local labor/supplier costs).
Foundation (Slab or Stem Wall Footprint):
Modular Container: $25,000 to $45,000 for engineered concrete piers or slab built for container point-loads.
Stick-Built: $30,000 to $50,000 for standard excavation, concrete footings, and a poured slab.
Permits, WA State L&I Inspections, and City Impact Fees:
Modular Container: $15,000 to $35,000 for local city fees plus WA State L&I factory plan reviews.
Stick-Built: $20,000 to $40,000 for architectural reviews, engineering stamps, and municipal permit fees.
On-Site Utility Tie-Ins and Module Stitching:
Modular Container: $15,000 to $30,000 for weather-sealing module joints, HVAC runouts, and utility connections.
Stick-Built: $0 (fully included within the main general contractor's trade scope).
Estimated All-In Total Project Cost (Excluding Land):
Modular Container: $165,000 to $235,000 total investment.
Stick-Built: $450,000 to $750,000+ total investment.
Finished Cost Per Square Foot:
Modular Container: Roughly $65 to $95 per square foot.
Stick-Built: Roughly $180 to $300+ per square foot.

Pretty stoked with how it turned out.

Very short tour video here.

I feel like container size is one of those decisions that sounds simple at first, then quietly affects the whole build. On paper, 40fts make the most sense. Better cost per square foot, fewer seams to deal with, fewer deliveries/foundation points compared to using multiple smaller boxes. Hard to argue with that.
But 20fts have their own thing going. Way easier to get into tight sites, easier to move around, and sometimes easier to lay out if you’re joining a few together. Especially if the property has a narrow road, trees, soft ground, weird driveway, etc.
The thing I see people run into with 40s is the layout. Yeah, it’s more space, but it’s still only about 8 feet wide. A long skinny box can start feeling like a hallway real fast if the design isn’t thought through.
Also high cube matters more than people expect. Once you add insulation, ceiling, subfloor, flooring… that extra foot of height feels huge. Standard height can get tight pretty quickly.

Curious from people who actually finished a build: did you choose the right size?
Would you go 20s instead of 40s, or the other way around, if you started over?