Holiday homes in containers

This text is part of an extended series of articles on the topic of Holiday Homes - why and what to build your holiday home from and looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the building systems commonly used in the construction of such buildings.

The idea of a pre-existing structure that can be assembled anywhere is very attractive in many ways, especially for holiday homes. Even so, container homes may not always be a good choice.

This way of building houses has become more and more used and desired in Romania in the last 10 years. There are more and more possibilities and it seems to be extremely simple. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to using containers even for holiday homes that have a seasonal use.

What kind of containers are used for building houses

These structures involve the re-use of shipping containers - prefabricated metal structures used for maritime transport and made to certain pre-determined dimensions. Because of their industrial manufacturing process, it is assumed that a house made of containers can be very cheap compared to other types of structures.

Containers come in two standard sizes, 15 m² and 30 m², and the construction of a house requires the joining of several containers. Even houses with a storey can be made by joining and stacking modules like a Lego game.

However, container homes have their advantages and disadvantages, some of them quite crucial, which can make them unusable under certain conditions.

Advantages of container houses

1. The low cost of construction is probably the most important advantage. Nowadays there are enough suppliers of such structures in Romania so that prices are competitive. At the same time, residential containers are usually equipped with all the necessary features such as thermal and sound insulation and the possibility of connecting to utilities.

2. The construction time of such a house is small because the structure is already built. However, a foundation is needed on which to lay it, as well as some work for better interior partitioning.

3. Containers are resistant to various environmental factors as well as corrosion due to the metal being treated to resist moisture.

4. This type of structure can be easily expanded by adding other containers. Thus, the house can be built on an initial budget with everything needed for holiday living and then expanded.

Disadvantages of container houses

1. Limited design possibilities due to standard container size. The resulting rooms are compact and the level height is low.

2. The thermal insulation required to achieve optimal comfort is quite high, which means a further reduction in the size of the interior space.

3. Easy road access is necessarily required - containers are still of considerable size, which means that transporting them involves an oversized gauge. Containers cannot therefore be placed in every little corner of the world.

4. Handling containers on the ground is done with large machines, which means additional costs, especially if they have to be stacked.

5. The energy efficiency of container houses is not comparable to that of brick houses. However, it makes up for it with low initial costs.

6. The chances of the value of construction on the housing market increasing over time are quite low, which is why container houses are more for own use.

These are among the most important advantages and disadvantages to consider if you are thinking about container homes. Each of them has a greater or lesser weight in the final project and must be weighed accurately before making a decision.

If you have any other ideas feel free to leave them in the comments.