Cottage made from sea containers. Residential building made from sea containers: stages of construction

What does your imagination picture when you hear – container house? Many, obviously, imagine a change house - a simple, inexpensive, small-sized country house.

This is partly true, housing is indeed relatively inexpensive, but the rest is debatable.

From containers you can build a multi-room, multi-story, comfortable residential or office building.

This type of construction has long become popular in many countries of Europe and America, and is now gaining momentum in the CIS.

We invite you to consider the topic in more detail, perhaps in the near future you will become the owner of budget housing, thereby solving the housing problem, or you will arrange a summer cottage by building a cozy modular house on it.

The history of container houses

Perhaps the idea of ​​building a house from an ordinary sea container belongs to an unknown author, but the American architect Kalkin Adam actively popularized this type of construction. The first widely known residential building made from containers appeared thanks to this man. It was created from three shipping containers as a creative experiment.

Purchasing used, decommissioned shipping containers turned out to be easy and cheap. Construction of the house did not require large financial investments, and in areas with frequent tornadoes, container houses have become popular.

Today, many architects and designers continue to create structures from shipping containers, realizing their creative ambitions in residential and public buildings.

There are known buildings made from containers that serve not only as residential buildings, but also hotel complexes, office and commercial buildings, restaurants. Such a structure is not difficult to dismantle and transport to another place, which is also not unimportant.

There are many known buildings in the world made from used sea containers that are environmentally friendly, simple, but not without comfort and attractiveness. The design of the buildings is creative and attracts visitors.

Building a house from containers

Where to start construction? Anyone can build a house from containers with their own hands. The construction time for such a house is reduced significantly compared to traditional construction methods, and the savings are significant.

A standard 40-foot cargo sea container has the following internal dimensions:

  • length 12,032 mm;
  • width 2,352 mm;
  • height 2,393 mm.

Cargo 20ft:

  • length 5,898 mm;
  • width 2,352 mm;
  • height 2,393 mm.

The height of the High Cube container is 2,698 mm.

You can buy a 20-foot cargo container at a price of 47 thousand rubles, a 40-foot container from 70 thousand rubles.

Build inexpensive country house from containers is not difficult. Buy one or two blocks. Place two containers side by side or at an angle to each other, such as an "L" or "T", or stacked on top of each other.

The facade will be more complex and interesting if the two containers are moved relative to each other. Or you can move the containers apart, creating a spacious living room with maximum glazing between them.

In one of the blocks there are two bedrooms, and in the other, opposite, there is a kitchen and a bathroom. The entire structure will be combined with a pitched roof, while the height of the ceilings in the living room area will be higher due to the roof slopes.

If your family consists of several generations and you like to gather together at the dacha, then the dacha house can consist of two or three containers installed in a circle, united in the center by a covered terrace where family dinners and various holidays will take place.

The glazed ceiling in the form of a dome will resemble a tent and will protect from bad weather. Build pergolas between the block containers and plant climbing plants. Vertical gardening will add elegance to the entire structure.

Due to the fact that the weight of the containers is only 2.3 - 4.0 tons, the load on the foundation is not great. Suitable for a container house columnar foundation. By the way, this is the most acceptable option for building a house on heaving soils.

If you plan to live in the house permanently, then the walls must be insulated. Insulation can be done with any thermal insulation material (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, basalt wool, etc.).

If desired, the outer walls are sheathed with siding. Or you can simply paint them with metal paint in a rich, bright or discreet color using a spray gun, or paint the facade.

Interior decoration depends on your taste and preferences. The walls can be covered with plasterboard or clapboard. But avoid dark shades, since the dimensions of the rooms are not large. White color and light pastel shades will visually expand the space.

In order to expand the space, designers often use mirrors in interior decoration. Use already known techniques, create a pleasant, cozy atmosphere of a country home, then your stay at the dacha will be pleasant and desirable.

The design of the container is quite rigid, this allows you to cut windows in the walls where necessary. One of the end walls can be made completely glazed.

What else is convenient for a country house made of containers? One of the walls of the box can be folding. When closed, the entire wall glazing of the house protects from vandals, and when folded back it serves as a terrace. The floor of the terrace is covered with boards. On the terrace you can install portable garden furniture and flower pots, which will give it coziness.

Due to the large glass area, your home will seem to merge with the surrounding nature, and the house will be filled with light and fresh air. The terrace can also be attached, covered with a common roof with the house.

At competent finishing, a house made from containers will be difficult to distinguish from a building made from conventional materials if appearance cargo boxes are not very pleasant for you.

You can build a fairly large, comfortable house from containers. True, there are not very many such daredevils in our country yet. The mentality of our people makes it difficult to move away from the prevailing stereotypes that a residential building is a solid building made of wood, stone or concrete, although at all times there were “Kulibins” who were not afraid of experiments.

And if you decide to move away from the prevailing stereotypes in the field of house construction, save on construction, and surprise your friends, then this option for a residential building is quite suitable for you. Go for it!

If you look at shipping containers solely as containers for transporting goods, then this Homius editorial material is not for you. Others, inquisitive readers, may well gain completely new knowledge from the point of view of house building. Is a house made from a sea container an invention of marketers or a truly real project that can be implemented on Russian soil, literally and figuratively? Let's figure it out.

First, let's figure out what a sea container is in general from the point of view housing code RF: house, technical room, or something else altogether?

According to a number of SNiPs, as well as building codes, here the dimensions and number of rooms, their purpose, as well as their location relative to each other play a role. Special attention focuses on the functionality of each of them.

Important! Remember, if the container building is intended to be used as a permanent one, then a building permit must be obtained. Only temporary housing permits are not required. However, in this case, if it is built on someone else’s territory, or is owned by a group of people, your temporary structure runs the risk of being demolished. It doesn't matter what it's made of.

Thus, according to general rule For the construction of a residential building, even a container one, it is necessary to obtain the appropriate permit.

The so-called “semi-finished construction”, which includes modular buildings made from containers, is very popular in Europe and the USA. Such housing has been successfully used there for decades.


"Keetwonen" is a container hostel in Amsterdam, built in 2005 by Tempohousing

Semi-finished housing is called due to the fact that the design design is first thought up on paper, then containers are selected, and only then, directly on construction site, they are formed and customized for a specific project and are supplied with certain standard elements: window and,.


Dimensions of sea containers and international markings

It just so happens that the dimensions of shipping containers are most often calculated in feet. That's why they are marine. Typically, large-sized varieties with a volume of 20 tons or more are used for housing construction. If measured in our usual units, then its dimensions are 2.33 x 5.86 x 2.19 m. If we carry out rough calculations, then the useful volume of such a structure is 29.5 m³.


Approximate dimensions and carrying capacity of containers suitable for use are indicated in the table. Please note that there are markings that suggest the use of containers enlarged according to certain parameters.

Marking External dimensions (L×W×H),mm Internal dimensions (L×W×H),mm Purpose
20ft DC6058×2438×25915898×2350×2390general purpose, without (dry type)
20 feet NS6058×2438×28965898×2350×2693
40ft DC12192×2438×259112093×2330×2372general purpose, without ventilation (dry type)
40 ft NS12192×2438×289612093×2350×2693general purpose, without ventilation (dry type), increased in height
45ft PW13716×2500×275013513×2444×2549general purpose, without ventilation (dry type), increased in width
45ft HCPW13716×2500×289613513×2444×2670refrigerator container, increased in width

Such “temporary buildings” are used for the construction of objects not only in zones with a temperate climate, but also in areas with extremely cold winters. The answer is simple, sea containers are most often created to be resistant to low temperatures, because the temperature in the holds of cargo ships cannot be called comfortable. However, insulation must still be present, at least to protect the building from dangerous condensation.

Advantages and disadvantages of houses made using shipping containers

The first and most important advantage is the relative cheapness of constructing such an object. On average, the cost of one container varies from 60,000 rubles. Plus the costs of transportation, the use of special equipment, pouring or backfilling the base. Compared to the cost of any capital housing - mere pennies!


Another plus is the speed of construction. To simplify Finishing work, then you can assemble one in literally 2 or 3 weeks. Of course, the complete creation of a turnkey project will take 2 or 3 months, but it is still faster than using standard technologies.

If you use one container, then to arrange it you just need to level the area. The design is quite light and does not require massive construction. The exception is projects multi-storey buildings.


For your information! Containers have long been successfully used for the construction of cafes and small shops. Some retail chains have even made this their “feature.”

In addition, there will definitely be no rodents in such a container, since it is completely sealed.

However, we should not forget about the disadvantages of container houses:

  • vague wording of the law regarding this type of structure;
  • transportation costs; installation requires the use of special equipment;
  • overheating and strong cooling of the walls, which requires a serious approach and financial investments to create high-quality;
  • careful anti-corrosion treatment is required.

For your information! The cost of a container house, taking into account all expenses and finishing work, will be 30% cheaper than standard housing.

Popular buildings made from sea containers: exploring layout options based on photos

Despite the fact that the container itself is not very attractive in appearance, the finished objects created using these structures look very impressive. Such structures are popular for temporary construction or in warmer zones of our country.


Sometimes they are used as guest houses, or ready-made structures for the elderly. It is very convenient to use in this case, so as not to burden the elderly with the need to go down or up.

Very often used as budget housing for student families. Especially where the construction of such towns is the norm, for example, in France.

The idea found such a wide response that entire cities began to emerge from shipping containers all over the world. One of the well-known projects is the house design developed by architect Adam Kalkin. His "city within a city" suggests complex system branched corridors and tunnels, with recreation areas, snack bars, shops and more.


Despite the fact that this type of object is still new to Russians, there are dozens of architectural agencies ready to offer you the ideal solution for your situation. Perhaps in this photo selection you will find an idea that is right for you.

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Building a house from a container

As you have already seen, it is possible to build a house from a container even without special education. It is enough to study the issue and understand the technology. And the possibilities of this technology are truly limitless; some architects predict just such a future, where most houses will consist of interchangeable blocks.

Advice! To create a homely atmosphere, close to ordinary housing, it is better to use natural, wooden coverings when decorating premises, both on the outside and on the inside.

There is a certain procedure for the construction of such buildings. It consists of two stages - preparatory, which, in turn, involves the following steps:

  1. Stage: site preparation and collection of permits (if intended permanent structure, not temporary).
  2. Stage: creating a project with layout and drawings.
  3. Stage: calculation of the number of containers, selection of the required configuration and arrangement of blocks.
  4. Stage: preparing an estimate taking into account the required quantity and other materials necessary for arranging the container: electrical wiring and communications.
  5. Stage: choosing the type of foundation and pouring or backfilling it.

Actually, the second, most important stage is the construction and improvement of a house from a container:

  • Laying the foundation. The need for a solid foundation is directly dictated by the peculiarity, first of all, of the number of floors of the structure. The more floors and communications, the higher the need to create a solid foundation. For the most part, such buildings are not required;
  • Installation of container or containers. One or more, its installation will require the participation of a crane.
  • Roof installation. The organization of the roof can be approached as another additional space. Make us an open space or a platform for. You can cover the roof with roofing felt, it all depends on the financial capabilities and complexity of the entire project.
  • Insulation, interior finishing, laying of communications. Modern market building materials offers an abundance of different solutions that can satisfy any needs. Typically, such buildings are insulated with glass wool and covered with clapboard. Regarding communications, again it all depends on the purposes of the construction and financial opportunities. If desired, you can install next to and. When it comes to electricity, this is one of the mandatory conditions. Think about this question in advance. You will probably have to consider purchasing an autonomous gasoline power plant.

Advice! Even at the construction planning stage, study technical specifications for laying the required communications. Especially if you are planning to build a permanent structure. Contact resource supply organizations in advance for the required clarifications.

insulation for walls

Recommendations for arranging housing in a container house

It is interesting that such buildings practically do not limit its owner in choosing a style for architectural solutions. Containers decorated in classic or classic look look equally interesting. The only thing is that too or, which are so popular in Europe, are rather exotic for Russia.

Review of prices and consumer reviews of shipping container houses

In our country, you can buy a house made from a sea container by contacting a company specializing in the construction of modular buildings and structures. The cost of one container depends on how far you have to deliver it. Typically, logistics are included in the purchase price. There are representative offices in each region large companies who can help you. In addition, the cost also depends on the dimensions of the structure, its wear, and the materials from which it is made.

The cost of turnkey projects is significantly higher than self-production. The price of a ready-made solution depends on the package of services that the company is ready to provide. Approximate prices for standard designs are presented in the table.

Container type used Equipment Foundation type Cost (as of September 2018),rub.
20 feet
  • windows – 1 pc.;
  • doors – 1 pc.;
screw piles560 000
40 feet
  • windows – 2 pcs.;
  • doors – 1 pc.;
  • insulation – mineral wool;
  • interior and exterior decoration;
screw piles1 200 000

If you are in doubt about starting a project or not, we offer you some reviews on how our fellow citizens implemented similar ideas and how justified the use of container buildings is in our climate.

Review of the container house:


More details on ForumHouse.ru: https://www.forumhouse.ru/threads/264419/page-8

Review of the container house:


Video: how to build a house from a shipping container

To see what house designs can be created using shipping containers, watch this video :

29.01.2016

Shipping containers, originally used for transporting goods due to their versatility, have over the years found wider, and sometimes unexpected, uses for their properties. Due to the very significant margin of safety that is included in the design, as well as standardized dimensions and fastenings, today transport containers are successfully converted into various structures.

We have compiled a list of the most useful and functional ideas. So, what can you make from a shipping container?

1. Change house

Temporary living quarters, or, in short, are very often converted from sea containers. Such a structure can be effectively used both in warm climates and in cold northern latitudes - depending on the climatic zone, materials and technologies are selected that provide a comfortable indoor microclimate at an external temperature from plus 40 to minus 50 ̊C. The cabins are compact and can be transported many times, just like regular dry cargo containers. At the same time, it can always be retrofitted or re-equipped.

Such options are ideal for construction crews and agricultural work - in short, in those areas where work and place of residence depend on the season or the current project.

2. Workshop

Workshops based on sea containers are mainly equipped for the repair of scooters, motorcycles, ATVs and similar small equipment. Depending on the scale of the activity, the module can consist of one container, representing a kind of garage-workshop for personal needs (where, by the way, a car can easily fit), or several, being a full-fledged workshop servicing clients’ vehicles.

3. Laboratory

A very practical option is a mobile or stationary laboratory. An undoubted advantage of the mobile module is the ability to conduct research directly on site and, if necessary, quickly move the laboratory to another site. This type of converted sea containers is widely used in the construction industry (for example, for quality control of concrete, cement mortar and other components), oil and gas and petrochemical industries, where objects are geographically remote from each other.

4. Warehouse

Warehouses converted from dry cargo containers are popular with both product manufacturers and retail outlets. They are sealed and it is possible to maintain a certain temperature regime in them, required according to the storage conditions of the product. In addition, such a warehouse is very difficult to break into or cause damage in any other way, and in the event of a decrease in trade turnover or going out of business, it is much easier to sell than a regular warehouse tied to a specific location.

5. Mini-production

This option allows you to significantly reduce capital costs for the construction or purchase of premises, which is especially important for starting a business. At the same time, modern technologies and materials make it possible to make a container that fully meets all the requirements of a specific production. When expanding the activity or changing its specifics, the modules can be retrofitted with the necessary equipment or an additional workplace. This option, paradoxically, is used with equal success by beginning entrepreneurial businessmen and fairly large companies that carefully consider their benefits.

6. Retail outlet

A practical anti-vandal kiosk or a conceptual showroom can also be converted from a sea container. Sometimes the appearance of a simple module can be transformed beyond recognition, and the interior decoration matches the decor of a designer boutique. In this case, fragments of the block walls are often replaced with glazing, and the display cases located in them are effectively illuminated. This dot format retail It is still not very popular among entrepreneurs, but it is impossible to deny that its novelty attracts visitors, making the kiosk stand out among others.

7. Rental point for bicycles and goods for active recreation

Dry cargo containers are ideal for organizing rentals. Moreover, enterprising owners very successfully offer for rent bicycles, scooters, skateboards, children's cars and special seats for bicycles in the summer, and skates, skis, buns and sleds in the winter. Such modules are usually located near a park, square, embankment or on the territory of recreation centers, where they are very popular among citizens and city guests.

8. Gym

Sports enthusiasts and businessmen often use shipping containers to organize a gym. High-quality thermal insulation and a ventilation system allow you to train comfortably at any time of the year and not have to worry about the exercise equipment located in the unit - a high-quality converted module will not leak and will serve as reliable protection against hacking attempts. In addition, the gym can be additionally equipped with security and fire alarm systems, especially for commercial premises.

9. Fish farm

Conversion of a dry cargo container into a fish farm involves the installation of a special technical equipment(so-called fish tanks, pumps, pipe systems and a number of devices for creating and maintaining the necessary water parameters), thermal insulation of the foundation and supply of communications. In such conditions, sturgeon, trout and some other species of fish are successfully grown. They expand production either by installing additional fish tanks, if the design allows, or by purchasing another converted module.

10. Mobile sales office

Based on sea containers, they are in demand in the field of microfinance of the population, provision of tourism and other services. At the same time, they can be designed in such a way as not to require connection to external water supply and sewerage, which sometimes becomes an important deciding factor. High-quality thermal insulation, in turn, allows employees to feel comfortable in the heat and cold, and the variability of the design helps in timely re-equipment or retrofitting depending on changes staffing level. Thus, the mobile sales office grows and changes along with the business.

11. Duty post

Dry cargo containers are also quite often converted. In this case, one or more combined blocks are equipped with a door and the required number of windows, and can be zoned into work and living areas. If this is a crossing duty post, then the necessary equipment to control the crossing is installed inside, the same happens at security posts with automatic gates or barriers. If necessary, emergency lighting and alarm systems are additionally installed.

12. Office

The trend to retrofit is now gaining momentum around the world. Such offices, which initially emerged as a more cost-effective alternative to classic stationary premises, last years became the object of interest of famous architectural bureaus and companies who want to keep up with the times and remain mobile. There are a huge number of options - from small single-component premises to buildings of bizarre shapes, made entirely of block containers. The interior and exterior decoration of such premises can be absolutely anything, which is what attracts creative architectural companies to create new projects in this market.

13. Dining room

A long service life and an unlimited number of installation/dismantling and transportation make dry cargo containers ideal for mobile canteens, which are in demand at construction sites and agricultural work, where it is necessary to provide food for people. Depending on the required throughput, it can consist of one or two or several dozen blocks at once. In accordance with standards and certificates, a food preparation area is organized in the dining room, warehouses, a hygiene room and a hall for visitors. This structure is erected very quickly and is immediately ready for use.

14. Substation, generator

In this case, the converted container plays a protective role in relation to the expensive equipment that is installed in it. The module protects against precipitation, dirt, dust, aggressive UV radiation, as well as against break-ins, impacts and other mechanical influences. At the same time, in addition to protection, the equipment also gains mobility, since the converted unit still retains the ability to be transported by all types of transport.

15. Hygiene room

Sea containers effectively solve such a very delicate issue as organizing a hygiene room. Moreover, depending on the needs in each specific case, it may include not only toilets and sinks, but also showers with changing rooms. Important feature such structures have an internal coating that is resistant to high level humidity - depending on the budget, this could be MDF panels or, for example, ceramic tiles.

16. Bar

The low cost of dry cargo modules allows you to redirect the freed funds to the development and implementation of a unique design, which is essential for bars where people come for a special atmosphere. Such structures are very popular in America and have every chance of finding their fans in Russia, in the coming years they will be embodied in bold creative solutions, which, first of all, will take place in large cities with a population of over a million.

17. Cafe

A massive dry cargo container, at the will of the customer and under the skillful hands of professionals, can turn into a stylish and attractive cafe, in which after such transformations it will be impossible to discern a simple transport module. Depending on the project idea, it can be a classic indoor cafe or a mobile summer cafe with folding walls, which can also be successfully used for large outdoor events and luxurious outdoor weddings.

18. Sauna

An unusual use for a converted container at first glance is a sauna or bathhouse. However, this option can nevertheless be increasingly found in private plot of land or near a guest cottage for rent, since the presence of a sauna for many vacationers is an important criterion for choosing a place to relax. In arranging a bathhouse, thermal insulation is very important, only in this case its task is not to let the heat out of the steam room. External and internal decoration, as a rule, is decorated with wood, imitating a log house, characteristic of log buildings.

19. Creative studio

Creative workshop made from block containers on this moment is an original and unconventional architectural move. This option is usually chosen by young creative agencies and creative associations who want to demonstrate to clients their willingness to experiment and change. The modules are arranged in several rows or floors, create spectacular transitions and divide the internal space into zones of different stylistic design. Such a creative studio serves as a living business card that speaks more than a dozen videos and hundreds of flyers.

20. Hotel

The holding of various concerts, festivals, and sporting competitions has led to the emergence of another interesting type of structure based on sea block containers - a mobile hotel. Instead of building permanent hotels, the rooms of which will be half empty after the end of the event, practical Europeans are actively using the services of such “hotels on wheels”, which help accommodate participants, staff and guests of the event. Owners of mobile hotels promise that their facilities will be ready for use in just 48 hours from the moment the vehicle arrives, which certainly impresses with its speed and reasonable costs.

Practice shows that dry cargo containers still have enormous potential, which will be realized for decades. Today, a wide variety of projects are at various stages of implementation around the world: spas, bridges, hostels, forest houses, beach cafes, etc. And perhaps soon we will talk about new ideas for structures made from shipping containers, which just recently simply transported goods, but have now become an integral part of the vibrant architecture of the world's capitals, a practical choice for small cities and a godsend for enterprising people.

Find out even more about the conversion of sea containers on our services page.

In contact with

If you have a large family, and frequent picnics have long become a tradition, you can order a spacious and inexpensive country house from us. container house. You can get a fairly spacious house if you combine two or three containers at once. You can place two containers in the shape of the letter “L” or “T”, or stack them on top of each other. To install on summer cottage Standard 40-foot containers are ideal - these modules are very reliable, functional, resistant to weather conditions, and their cost is recouped by a long service life. The height of the High Cube container is approximately 2.9 m - this is quite enough to arrange your living space as comfortably as possible. Container house projects, prices and photos you look at our website. Usually choose small one-story option, two-story and often made into a hacienda.

Complex of works with containers for building construction

Construction of a house from containers always consists of a whole complex of works. This includes welding, painting, finishing work, installation of insulation, installation of electrical wiring, heating and plumbing. From an ordinary cargo container you can make a garage for a car or a living space for workers at a construction site. Tell us your vision of the project, they will give you advice and help you realize your plans.

Modular building from block containers and its application

Most people associate building from containers with inexpensive, small-sized housing, but this is not entirely true. Modern technologies allow you to turn an ordinary shipping container into a luxury hotel multi-storey building or convert it into office space. Containers are designed for harsh operating conditions, withstand harsh winters and hot summers; such buildings are suitable even for permanent residence. This use of shipping containers is very popular in America and Europe, and in Lately Container conversion services are increasingly being ordered in Russia. On our website you can find projects of container houses with photos and prices.

Project of 4 twenties

Properties of containers in relation to container houses

The container is convenient because it has a durable metal frame in its design, which can be used as the basis for a summer house or any living space.

The side walls are easy to modernize; windows are usually installed; the walls are sheathed with basalt-based mineral wool, which provides excellent thermal and sound insulation.

The housing issue has always been quite acute in our country. Many young families have to live with their parents for decades, because not everyone can bear the burden of a mortgage. Today we will find out how to buildDIY container house. This method of construction is good because it takes only a few months, and the effort that needs to be put in is minimal.

This technology was developed abroad, where, as you know, they are not used to wasting money, and they resort to all kinds of savings - they buy everything on sales, recycle materials several times, etc.

To build the house, we will use twelve-meter iron containers weighing 4.5 tons and with a cross-section of 2.7x2.4 m (these are standard dimensions). The area of ​​each of these containers will be about 30 m².

  1. This design easily withstands natural disasters - hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.
  2. The containers themselves can later be hidden, for example, with clapboard, and plasterboard can be used for interior decoration. So a house made from a container will not be any different from a regular one.
  3. The resident of a container house does not have to be afraid of the penetration of rodents or insects.
  4. Container houses are suitable for any climatic conditions, the main thing is to have high-quality thermal insulation.

  5. The cost is approximately three times lower than using other technologies.
  6. The container can be combined with other building modules - brick, reinforced concrete, etc.

  7. Construction takes only a few months, and if you limit yourself to minimal finishing, then even two to three weeks.

  8. Houses made from containers do not require a solid foundation - they can even be placed on compacted earth.

  9. Finally, containers can be used to make not only a residential building, but also a commercial building or even an extension to an existing house.

It is also worth noting that containers are widely used in frosty ground. Often, entire housing bases are built from them (mainly those intended for sea transportation) in the Far North and Antarctica.

Video - DIY container house

Building a house from containers: step-by-step instructions

So, we’ve sorted out the advantages of container houses, now let’s proceed directly to the construction process. For work we will need:

  • railway containers, 2 pcs.;
  • timber 10x10 cm;
  • timber 6x6 cm;
  • boards with a section of 10x4 cm and a minimum length of 8 m;
  • boards with a section of 15x2.5 cm and a length of 6 m;
  • self-tapping screws 1.3 cm long;
  • Chipboard 27.5x12x1.6 cm;
  • corrugated sheets of galvanized steel;
  • plumbing bolts 2.2 cm long;
  • a pair of six-meter reinforced concrete piles with a section of 350x350 mm;
  • mineral wool MP-50;
  • corrugated sheet S-10;
  • Geiger counter;
  • welding machine;
  • screwdriver;
  • “grinder” and discs for it (ø20 cm, minimum 30 pcs.);
  • gasoline generator.

Stage one: purchasing containers

We are buying two containers at once; it will cost (including delivery) about 100,000 rubles. After delivery, we check them for radiation. It would seem that this is unnecessary, but in reality it is in such containers that residual radiation “likes” to collect.

Note! The average background radiation rate for our latitudes is 35 microroentgens per hour.

Stage two: foundation

A monolithic foundation is certainly not suitable in our case. It will quickly crack and be squeezed out of the ground (the latter, in turn, will begin to sag). For this reason, the foundation should be minimalistic, just like our future home.

Note! If our house starts to sink, we can always simply lift the container.

We make a regular “pillow” from any inert material, for example, gravel. Next, we install piles on the gravel (with delivery they will cost 9,000 rubles) - in parallel, at a distance of 6 meters from each other. As a result, we should get a perfect square.

Stage three: installation of containers

We cannot install the containers on our own, although they weigh relatively little - about 5-6 tons. To do this, we resort to the services of special equipment. After installation, we securely weld the containers together using a gas generator and a welding machine.

Note! It is better to entrust this work to an experienced welder, who would weld the joint between the containers “in a circle.”

Stage four: interior work

Next, we proceed to the main work. Take a grinder and cut off all unnecessary elements interior walls, we cut through door and window openings. If the house is built in the summer (and in most cases it is), then by lunchtime it becomes too stuffy. In this case, we pick up the grinder only in the evening and early morning, and during the day we are busy installing the roof rafters and constructing the attic frame.

Stage five: roofing

Step 1. To make the attic frame, we use a beam with a cross-section of 10x10 cm. To attach the beams to the container, we take self-tapping screws and connect them together with special plumbing bolts.

Step 2. After assembling the frame, we install the rafters for the roof. Each of the rafters will be 8 m long, so, as mentioned earlier, we select the appropriate boards - otherwise they will have to be spliced ​​together. We connect everything with the same self-tapping screws, and not with nails (the latter are less reliable).

  • lay a vapor barrier film between the steel sheets and the sheathing.
  • if for some reason it didn’t work out with the film, then on two sides of the house under the roof itself we install three 40-centimeter pipes ø10 cm to ensure ventilation of the under-roof space. We make holes for this in advance. These pipes will not be closed for the winter, because the attic is used mainly in the summer.

Of course, the first method of vapor barrier is simpler.

Note! Steel roofing, of course, is inexpensive, but during rain or strong wind it will be very noisy. Therefore, it is preferable to use some soft material, for example, ondulin.

Stage six: insulating the house

To begin with, we install the sheathing from 6x6 cm beams (in increments of approximately 90 cm), attaching it with self-tapping screws to the walls of the containers. Then we take slabs of mineral wool (its dimensions are 6x100x300 cm) and lay them between the beams. We deliberately made the spacing of the beams smaller than the width of the slabs so that the wool would settle more tightly.

Stage six: outer skin

Everything is simple here: we take corrugated sheeting purchased in advance, preferably in light colors, and fix it to the sheathing with self-tapping screws.

Stage seven: interior arrangement

Regarding the interior decoration, it is almost the same as the exterior: the same sheathing beams and mineral wool, but we cover the insulation with chipboard sheets.

Note! We leave small gaps between the chipboard sheets (about 1.5 cm), which we will subsequently fill with foam - this will prevent dust from entering the house.

After this, we install double-glazed windows in the window openings, preferably double-chamber ones.

When insulating the floor, we use our usual scheme: we install the sheathing from the same timber and lay insulation mats. Next, we make the flooring using 15x4 cm boards, on top of which we lay the remaining chipboard.

Stage eight: oven

To install the stove, we make a rectangular cutout in the chipboard in a pre-selected location, after which we lay the brick stove directly on the metal bottom of the container. There is no need to worry that something will happen to the oven, and there are reasons for this.

  1. First of all, the bottom of the container can withstand quite heavy loads.
  2. The container itself is essentially an iron box. No matter how he bends, the oven will do it with him. We just have to make sure that the deviations are small - for this we will correct them in a timely manner.

So, after a year, the container house may settle a little (presumably to the south, since the soil warms up faster there). To fix this, we lift one of the sides with a car jack and place 50x50 cm paving slabs under it. That’s it, the house has been successfully returned to its original position.

Stage nine: communications

It is better to conduct electricity through special channels rather than through external walls. Firstly, it’s safer, and secondly, it’s more accurate. If desired, we can also install a sewer system - to do this, it is enough to make a small hole in the floor through which the sewer pipe will lead to a pre-dug drainage ditch or septic tank.

Regarding water supply, we cannot advise anything - it all depends on the specific living conditions and the chosen location.

Alternative. Buying a container house

If you have free cash, you can purchase a ready-made container house. Today there are many manufacturers of such housing, both Russian and Chinese. Thus, a medium-sized house (2.5x4 m) with insulation and finishing will cost about 90,000 rubles. It's quite enough for comfortable stay two or three people.

More expensive models (2.5 x 8 m) with plumbing and shower will cost approximately 170,000 rubles.

It is worth noting that such houses can be moved from place to place, but this, of course, must be done with extreme caution.

conclusions

So we built a container house - quite bearable a budget option housing for the average citizen. Perhaps there is no need to explain why a home-made house, which cost about 300,000 rubles, costs more than ready-made structures. For those who still do not understand this, we say: our house is twice as large, because it consists of two containers, and at the same time it is equipped with an attic.

Video – House made from shipping containers