It is estimated that there may be about 24 million shipping containers available that are no longer in use. In general, these containers may be retired after just 10 to 15 years. Fortunately, shipping containers can be repurposed for modular housing, offices, and other needs.
Shipping Containers Are Durable and Have a Long Life Span
When they’re taken care of, shipping containers will usually last about 25 years. Even though they require minimal maintenance, they should be painted on a regular basis to keep them in good shape.
In general, when homes are built from these containers, they don’t require a foundation. However, when they are used for this purpose in areas that experience inclement weather, it’s important to place them on a foundation or otherwise anchor them.
When container houses are rooted on a foundation, they are able to handle winds of up to 100 miles per hour. If they’re anchored with pylons, however, they are able to withstand winds of up to 175 miles per hour. Whether these containers are used to create single housing units or multiple connected units, they will be able to withstand tornadoes and hurricanes.
An Eco and Cost-Friendly Building Choice
Steel shipping containers are made up of 85% recycled steel, and are totally recyclable after being demolished. If these containers are used to build new structures, it also greatly reduces the cost of building materials, which makes them a cost-effective choice.
Using steel containers can substantially reduce the costs of building when compared with traditional construction materials. Estimates indicate that this can save up to 40% in material costs. In addition, less waste is generated when these units are assembled in a controlled factory setting as opposed to being constructed on-site.
Constructing Modular Housing with Conex Containers
Since Conex containers are mobile, stackable, durable, and weather-resistant, they make an excellent choice for constructing modular housing. Furthermore, it also takes less time to construct a modular home from a shipping container.
Traditional homes, for example, can take 4 to 6 months or longer to construct. When shipping containers are used, however, a home can be constructed in just a few weeks. As previously mentioned, fewer materials are also needed when these homes are assembled in a controlled, factory environment rather than on-site.
In order to construct a shipping container home, 40-foot units are used. These standard containers are 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall. Each container provides roughly 300 feet of space. Conex containers can also be placed side-by-side in order to create a 1,200 square foot house with 3 bedrooms.
Modular Housing Solutions
In the United States, there are currently over 17 million people living in manufactured homes. Many more Americans could benefit from having access to modular housing. This is particularly the case in areas that have housing shortages or experience natural disasters such as storms, floods, and fires.