Building Shipping Containers and Selling

[Maverick Pate]

Hello, everyone I'm new to BiggerPockets. Just give me time and I will become a Pro member. I'm Starting a discussion about shipping container homes. I'm currently looking in to building and selling shipping container homes. I think I could break into a new market. I believe I could offer something better and a lot more environment friendly at a lot cheaper cost then a home. If any one knows anything about shipping containers please let me know.

[Sterling Cox]

Hi Maverick,

I'm definitely a proponent of using shipping containers for housing. It's a strange subject because you'll have so many people tell you that it's a terrific idea and it will be an all-inclusive solution to many housing problems, etc. Then on the other hand, you'll have almost as many people tell you that it's impossible, dangerous, a waste of time, and give plenty of reasons why. To get anywhere you have to take that middle road. Just think, if they were as great as so many people purport, then you'd see them all over (it's not a new idea by any stretch). On the other hand, the benefits are quite apparent. 

Some people think that on the whole, people aren't ready to accept shipping containers as housing. The codes, regulations and zoning are prohibitive. Maybe people aren't ready to live in such small spaces.....but you know that's starting to change.

I've been focusing on shipping container housing (on a small scale) for a few years now. The largest lesson I've learned (and I've learned a lot of lessons), is that it takes a team. One person or two peopl cannot do it alone. There needs to be specialists in each area of development.....navigating the codes and red tape, efficient design, engineering, low-costs construction, marketing, etc.

Anyway, getting shipping container housing accepted into the mainstream is going to be a long road to travel, and I think the first person that makes it will be well compensated for their efforts.

Feel free to get in touch with me anytime.

-Sterling