The PROBLEM with Connecting Two Shipping Containers | Building a SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME
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- čas přidán 21. 01. 2021
- We get a lot of requests about using two shipping containers connected. While it can add more space to your build it also can explode the costs. Here are some things to think about before connecting two containers.
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Don’t Connect them have a breeze way in between then build a rooftop over all three.
That is a good way for sure
@@ContainingLuxury Yes - after living in a tiny house for 9 years, only having that 8 foot width gets very challenging. Putting a breezeway between the two is a video I'd like to see. We are rebuilding after losing two tiny houses on wheels to wildfire, so we are looking at using a "bridge" to connect the two to have more width.
This what I was hoping to do! Kids in one "wing" parents in another living and kitchen in the next.
@@dr.jukoholiday2399 I want to do this as well. I want an open minimalist floor plan. I kinda like a separate sections for kitchen and dining room. a breezeway (crosswalk or bridge????)🤔
I really like this idea because it I feel like it allows you to more easily expand your home in stages and without cutting into the existing container to add another on. You could pour one large foundation, build the main house, then later on a second container and put a roof over the two and use it as a car port or a covered deck or even enclose it all. You could also turn the whole roof into a deck or cover it with solar panels. It would be especially cool with side opening containers
Glad to see you returning to the practical and economical use of containers.
I connected 3 highcube 40ft together. Welded two HEB120mm beams between the containers. Worked like a charm. Although you need a support in the middle (6m) but it is awesome!! And yes i had some problems getting it waterproof, but it worked with Fillcoat from Rustoleum.
Love it! Could you send some pictures to ryan@containingluxury.com?
@@ContainingLuxury I'll do that!!
can i see too Vishknewnot@gmail.com
Thanks for posting your comment vca
This will help when my family does ours
If you would be willing I would pay for sample photos!
I'm so happy I've found your video, my wife and I about to do a double container home and you just opened up my eyes...give thanks for this information!
how about 2 containers positioned parallel to each other....with a big space in between that will be the living room....just add a roof and front and rear walls
We'll do a video addressing this style!
I was just about to ask that! My idea was two containers with a covered deck in between serving as a outdoor dining area
Got me rethinking my design too.. like a center courtyard keeping the living spaces feeling fairly open still while maintaining the individual unified structures.
@@ContainingLuxurywhere's this video, please?
Excited to see the final product. I plan on doing a double as well!
Good points. We built two 40's side by side with 5 ft offset. One side bed and bath, the other living and kitchen. The dividing point we supported with steel post. Roof seam we welded a strip of metal, then primed and waterproofed with white silicone paint. More work, but gave us more living space. Also built a covered deck on one side. We'd like to build another deck and get it all under one roof though for asthetics. Pay close attention to penetrations like doors and windows and be sure to research designs to keep water out.
Thanks for all the info my guy.
I’ve been thinking the same exact way!!!❤
As a Carpenter, I understand the desire for simplicity in construction and maintenance. However, the biggest plus to a multiple container build would be the speed by which you construct the exterior envelope of the house. Yes, you could build a house by normal methods, but your exterior framing will take weeks to months to get done compared to a week or so in comparison.
It’s also depends on how you want your home to look. Otherwise, I agree that single container homes are easiest.
@OJD PUBLISHING I know absolutely NOTHING about the housing industry but if I wanted a home, I would go the traditional route and buy a used starter home, hopefully one that is at least 800-1000 sq ft. There are so MANY added costs with this type of converted housing that I seriously think that as bad as the housing market is at the moment and has been for the last decade, the wiser alternative is a used starter home.
I will say that since I'm fascinated by the building process watching these types of videos are interesting.
@OJD PUBLISHING what about buying a house + putting container home in the backyard and have container home pay your for your mortgage or live in the it while renting out your main house? if you can manage to build container home under 80k (in cash) and use fha loan to buy a house with 3.5% downpayment that is successful house hacking while having completely two separate unit
😄🤩your container house is beautiful
THANKS!!!
Thank you for this. I had no idea how much extra this would cost to connect two containers together. I was planning to do 3 but maybe I’ll re think that one 😂
Honestly I had a much bigger home in mind. Now I'm kinda scared to even think about it.🤦🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️
Convex not concave! Hence a million people correcting me hahaha :)
very good thanks
What about placing 4 containers with the corners touching, using them to enclose a large central space you can then just put a roof over, with the containers functioning as walls? You wouldn’t even have to cut many holes into the containers - if you place pairs of the containers with their ends adjacent, you could just enclose them with two short walls and a small section of roof.
Each enclosed corner can be used as a mechanical room (electric & plumbing) or outside shed for lawnmower, garden tools etc...............good idea.
@@scottbaxter2682 Yeah I’d enclose all the corners, using the facing corners as the connection point between two containers (so you don’t have to cut holes in them). The other corners could be mechanical rooms, storage or whatever.
i love this idea, wonder if anyone has the detailed floorplan for this idea yet :)
This is a great video and your concern about extra work, complexity and cost are valid. However, I think the extra size is worth it. One container just seems a bit claustrophobic to me. A roof with large overhangs would go a long way to protecting against leakage.
Love all your content! When is your next workshop?! :)
Should have dates for next few months soon!!!
Thank you
He speaks the truth. We had 4 containers then after the completion added two more on for 6 total and each connection point needs welded inside and outside all the way. Since this is the case it doesn’t have to be absolutely flawless. You need to build a good roof or in our case we built a deck. A very large deck. This meant railing and stairs. We added stairs on the outside back and rather large steel planters that match the aesthetics of the sides of the house. Wayfair hooked us up and couldn’t be happier.
Once you have the Welder there then you shackle him to a tree and get him to fill all the joints as the crane is dropping them into place. Negotiate the cost as a bundle and the materials charge with labor is quite inexpensive.
The joints, the windows and doorways are his job. Fortunately our guy was skilled and precise to which he cut the walls out ran the bead and worked with our engineer on load points while removing the interior walls and windows as any steel removed compromises the structure. We used adjustable pole jacks as temporary supports until the trees we felled were completed on site which were used as live edged support beams. This saved three thousand dollars which came in handy with other issues that arise throughout the build.
Exterior: once everything’s welded we used Rhino liner (truck bed liner, Teflon coating), applied liberally. Then the roof deck. The interior space gets eaten up by 2x4 then drywall.
The Kitchen and bathrooms are your most expensive sections but I have to warn that your budget will be shattered once you get to windows. There’s containers can be dark and smaller windows don’t cut it. Our living room has two floor to ceiling panes of glass. This glass is Hurricane proof and double pane . This allows a ton of light that also makes the space look much larger.
So , windows cut into the budget extremely, at least for us. Our cost was $12,000 budget but $18000 actual out of pocket installed. This reason we skipped skylights and the deck idea came to be.
Exterior walls we used teak 2x4x10’s and spaced them 2 1/2” apart which created a shadow barrier between them and the container walls. This pocket creates added insulation. The inside is closed cell spray foam and the combination is perfect. The sun doesn’t heat the home up with the added features and it holds heat in during the winter months no problems. Solar is the way to go imo. Allocate section of the roof deck for them with enough room to maintain the panels. We use roughly 7.6 kWh when everything is on and running. So we got a deal on a Tesla power wall and it’s exceptionally good.
If anyones thinking of doing this I’d suggest going with 1 container. Great for mother in laws suite/home on your land without having to move them into your house. Or go big. Initially I thought 4-(40’) foot x 8.5 would be enough until the build and walkthrough I knew to order two more.
These containers come in classes. Class A’s are one ship new containers with guaranteed no chemicals or toxic hazards were shipped in it. Those ran $2500 but Class B’s are $1500 in Florida and NC USA. I picked which ones out of several hundreds in the yard and they looked new. I smelled the inside and they smelled clean. I didn’t eyeball the last two but the guy I dealt with knew what I expected and sure enough the trucks came with bright white no rust no dents no dings containers.
Still we sealed the floors and then epoxied them. This guarantees never being exposed to hazardous dust or liquids that may have been shipped.
One last thing. Shipping container home builds cost one third or 1/3rd the cost of a stick built but generally up to half or 1/2 in the end.
Our home equity today is double what we paid to build it.
This is the reality of this. Frustrating, stressful and having to direct everyone and fire some. The end result is accomplishment and pride.
Only regret it not burying a few and stacking them. That bunkeresque design would’ve been great for storage and retreat.
Next plans are connecting two 40’s together and making a shooting range.
Then a 32’ and burying it then making a swimming pool.
Hope this helps anyone contemplating a build like this.
Good point.. what do you think about putting two containers together in a L-Shape. Which basically means you putting the Front of one container to the end side of the other one. The connection would be much smaller and you can even just put a door in between.
The front of my container home is two 40ft containers 5ft apart with the inner wall and roofs removed. The house roof is an large A frame from end to end, not side to side. It was a little extra work for such a high ceiling but worth it.
What are you thoughts on 2 individual containers stacked on each other...making a 2 story container house?
We'll do a video on this! - Ryan
Please do one on stacking a 20’ on a 40’ or would it be less problematic to join two 20’ and add a 20’ on top? Would joining the ends be better than joining the sides? Then you would already have the support for the top container.
What about Tetris the containers? Such as L and T type connections which breaks up the box look but ties a potential home together.
Not bad. We'll do a follow up video on this topic!
Yeah, breaking up the box look is an advantage as far as I'm concerned - and you can build a deck between.
That works, my issue is unless you stick build an addition as well, it still doesn't address a container's biggest drawback even though you are doubling the square footage. Namely how narrow they are.
@@BStrambo the narrow is no getting around unless by joining which drives cost. The Tetris idea also can be used to arrange containers so build outward from area for 2 or 3 container sides. Other than doors, container stay intact keeping integrity and maybe money if the layout is well planned
@@PaulDominguez I had a design idea of 2 in a "L." Between the L, a long tall wall with lots of windows making a triangle. It would be a unigue shape with a vaulted ceiling, lots of light and space...but all the framed wall, subfloor and roof materials going over the whole thing. Probably as, or more expensive than just stick building the same design.
I learned this lesson the hard way. I'm building with 4 containers, and have had tons of problems with the connections.
Hi Joseph.. Can you share what problems you have encountered with your connections?
@@yolandia26 the biggest issue is the containers aren't completely straight and level, so we're actually having to bend them a bit to line up flush and true. Also, our plans called for some of them being offset, which made it more difficult.
@@josephcacciapaglia4753 okay thank you for that information. I am interested but very clueless about where to start. I am currently living in a traditional build but I am not ready to go under my current square footage of 1600. Any recommendations for a first builder in the Southern Eastern area? Thanks!
@@yolandia26 Hopefully, you were not discouraged by this. Unless the containers are new they're going to have dents and other imperfections. As long as they are lined up properly on the foundation, if you have a good metalworker who knows what they're doing they can away the sides and weld the containers together with no problem. It takes time, but it can be done.
I kind of think 4 smaller length taller containers arranged to touch at one corner essentially creating a small courtyard in the middle. Cover it or don't, use each container as a specific space (living/entertainment area, kitchen/dining space, and bedrooms) big enough to equip with their own plumbing and toilets/bathing areas where needed. Without reducing much of the actual livable space since each container houses it's own function. Put a door at either end and privacy windows on outer walls and your choice of window to accent and show off your center courtyard or garden area. Bbq area if your Texan 🤗💯 I'd live there lol.
Cool video and good advice. If you have a 40 foot container on the bottom and then put a 20 foot container perpendicular to the 40 foot container's long axis as a second floor, wouldn't that be easier to seal and water proof? There would only be an 8' x 8' cutout where they intersect which could be flashed so water run off wouldn't be such a big problem.
For my house I want 6 containers. 3 40ft as the ground floor and 3 20ft as the second floor with a second floor balcony. All containers will be side by side, nothing fancy. I would also like an attic.
What about stacking them on top of each other? Would that require another level of water proofing? Might be a stupid question but I gotta know.
Not mad at cha but mama wants 2 and what mama wants....she gets, and in the long run we both be happy.
I have a few questions about shipping containers built on different "soil types". I would love to build a small ( traditional Shotgun style ) shipping container home someday. I live in Louisiana
so of course, it's all basically glorified swampland. I know that bulding codes vary slightly from state to state, but what is your opinion on foundations for soft, often clay-filled soil? I have seen mostly pile-driven pillars but I'm partial to concrete. In particular, designs where the shipping container is basically seated on a wall the width of a parking block leaving the crawlspace empty to provide access. Since I have been through several hurricanes, I
like the concrete foundation walls with rectangular venting for air and "water" flow in the event of floods.
I also have worked, moved and inspected shipping containers from when I was in the Army and I was wondering if you weld the dog-ears before making cut-outs when combining two or more shipping containers together?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Have a safe and Blessed day.
Jeanine
Great Channel. Question a 40 foot container 10 feet high 8 wide.can u flip it kn the side to make the width 10?
I'll answer your question. Anything can be done. The question is would it be worth the time, effort and money? A high cube container is actually only 9'6" in height... ON THE OUTSIDE. The container floor and it's supports take away roughly 7 inches from the interior dimensions. The roof subtracts another 2-ish inches. So you are actually left with an internal height of about 8 foot, ten-ish inches on your high cube container. The main structural supports for a container are it's vertical corner posts... So, turning a container on it's side would require significant reinforcements for almost no significant square footage gain.
I always thought of it as stacking legos lol lmao
Weld the two together then add a solar panel roof over the weld point. Water trough for rain water collection!
Yeah good idea but you would need to be very thorough when sealing the solar panels together and then your panels would be difficult to replace should one go bad. It's a neat idea in theory but possibly not so feasible in functionality. I do like the idea of a solar roof though.
@@timwegman5776 i think he just means a metal roof with solar panels on it and rain collection gutters
Tin roof?
Did I see that your containers share 1 sonotube? Is this ok? Also, what if you put an 45 degree angled top of the two containers, would that help with issues?
Is there enough movement from expansion and contraction to warrant an expansion joint between the two containers rather than welding the two together and having a crack develope in the weld.
When did you video this? Is this in Texas?
Problem for a DIY "office rat" maybe, for a handy man... no problems at all ;)
Do you think it would be less cost prohibitive connect two or three containers versus having two or three separate containers with some sort of breezeway to go back and forth for separate bedrooms? I had the idea of having a central container for a living room/kitchen and then having a few smaller containers around that one for our bedrooms.
This was the thought I had the entire video. To me, it makes perfect sense, especially if you don't mind if the breezeways are open-air. Then there's no more penetration or water proofing required than would be necessary with just doing two separate, unrelated builds.
Question on grain bins attached to shipping containers... first thank you so much for everything you are doing :) Have you ever tried working with grain bins.. any advice, how to pick one to build with? Thanks in advance. I’m thinking about trying to build a 4 container square with a grain bin in the middle for my fiancée
Maybe she should go on a diet?
We are looking at buying one additional 40 foot container (we already have 1) and then using those 2 containers to build a home. We won't be connecting them but add a section in between that we will build ourselves. We are just now planning and researching the project. What my question is, How do we find out what was shipped in our containers? Appreciate the time you took to make this very informative video.
Hi Nancy, we’re happy to help! Send an email with your # to : containingluxury@gmail.com .
Or submit your contact info at website: www.ContainingLuxury.com
Cheers for making a video explaining it more
Happy to help
Do you have to reinforce the roof for snow if you were living in a northern state such as Michigan?
With two connected and the interior walls cut out yes for sure you do!
Can you give your view on how difficult it might be to stack a container for a 2nd floor? - And I don't mean parallel like they're designed for, but perpendicular, like a big "L"? With posts on one end, could the bottom container support the (1/2) weight of the opposite end on top? My idea is to use a circular stair to connect both levels. -Thanks
You need to put some 2 by 2 square tubes under the corners of top container and bolt or weld to bottom container.
BUILT A quality 5 container house, biggest mistake I ever made. Should have stick built. I agree with this guy. One container no big deal.... multi container ... big deal. OH well in for a dime in for a dollar.
Hard lesson learned! And they say college is expensive :)
I assume u didnt do the work yourself?
I did the work myself
@@billlovelace1522 were you working from and engineered set of plans from architect and structural engineer?
I got a friend of mine involved who was a structural engineer. I designed the building. I have been in the construction business for 43 years and have/had access to industry professionals for any questions that I had.
Can you do an updated cost for your current build? With materials and labor increased, a three container build could be cost effective to conventional. Thanks
100% We will actually have a cost video coming out soon. Once the whole thing is done we'll cover everything!!!
I agree. The best you can do if you want more "rooms" is to put several single containers side by side. Then removing the double doors on one side. Now you have several single containers facing you with one side open. Now you construct some structure in front of these open faces that covers them all like a long hallway. Wood or metal frame. Then put a "false roof" on the whole total structure. You enter from the right angled "hallway" and then go into each individual "rooms," kind of like a hotel setup. Yes, you will be limited by in terms of width but you can still have square footage space. I am no expert on the topic but this is the only cost effective way I can see of doing it. Also a simple way. Anything to widen these things takes up a lot of structural planning and money and may not be worth it. You might as well into getting a metal building.
Questions: is it possible to increase ceiling height to 10ft in multi level container home, so that all the floors have a 10ft ceiling?
If you haven't already, can you do a video on it, please?
i wanna do the same and can’t find anything for it either
Yes and not hard to do.
You make it sound like the only option is putting 2 identical containers side by side. What about a T-shape or L-shape? The problems you mention in those kinds of joins can't be the same as 2 identical side by side.
There are Things to consider when building Shipping Container Home
is that every thing is planed for then those things can be avoided.
proper sealing of connections and proper support when peaces are removed
are all very important.
conventional house building has the same basic problems
Miss one thing than the place will have minor or
major problems either after finished being built or at a later date
with need to fix or starting from scratch.
things can be missed but minor problems is always preferred
and no problems is what is wanted to the max.
Why would a shipping container build run between $174 and 270 per square foot? What's the point if it's that expensive? I'm looking at a piece of land right now and would really love to put a container home on it, or even two, but it looks to me as if it would be far easier/economical to build with laminated logs or even traditional 2x4 stick construction.
It may also be relative to your location. I'm in Tennessee, and not sure where you are.
It's way cheaper than a stick home. There's people in this thread. Stated their cost was one-third that of a.
what about using a shipping container to make additions to a traditional wood built home
Damn I want three in a U shape!!
What about stacking 2 containers on top one another?
Weld the roof joint together , prep it properly and spray it with truck bedliner such as Raptorliner ? no need for a stick frame roof
Theoretically, could you do two larger ones that are parallel and a smaller one that fits into both? Would it require the same amount of work as putting them directly next to each other? Would it be more cost effective to put them on top of each other or would that have a different variety of structural issues?
They are designed to be stacked. Look at the shipping freighters stacked at least six high or more with many thousands of cargo in every one. You are good to go. I'm doing one with 10 boxes 3 high. First two levels will be a box with a center court yard box 9 and 10 will be over the court yard
Hi, we are interested in your service for building a shipping container house. How can I contact you better pls?? Thank you in advance
Containingluxury@gmail.com
I was thinking of connecting two 53' side loaders together,after the doors are removed.
probably cheaper to get standard ones and weld in supports, unless you have a good source then go for it! it would be plenty strong
@@Xenooni The side loaders have already had factory engineered reinforcement added throughout because of the large openings.
You can set them together after the side doors are removed,weld the seams together,and then have the full open floor plan to work with.
No extra support needed.
Being in N.Cent.Florida near I-75/I-10 puts me fairly close to multiple major shipping ports.
Finding them at a reasonable cost shouldn't be to hard,even with them being less common than standard containers.
I've also been considering setting them in the air, on top of two 40' open frame containers like stilts.
Right now everything is in the design stage,and up in the air.
Yeah I m going to try this.
A 50 footer on a trailer with a deck would be ideal for Florida
What about two containers that are connected to an existing structure?
Interesting idea. We might do a video on this topic.
Stack two, and L shape the first floor?
Are those price points for using contractors to finish the home? There is no way using your own labor it costs that much.
Exactly
Florida building code requires all the container homes to have a roof. Am I Right?
How about stacking one on top the other.
A lot more expensive
You know what
I thought the shipping containers were the easy way out
But looks like everything we even think about is a way out
Ppl like you and others turned into a 100k and over
I just buyed a piece of land and was saving up to buy 3 containers and make it into an L shape for me and my family didn't think it was going to freaking coast 100k...for our generation to own anything is impossible ...
We are hardworking ppl and this was our only way out to own anything.
You just have to watch out with what types of materials you use and also if you do the work yourself or not
If you use more high end materials an higher someone to do the work then it definitely makes price go up
Do it don't let him stop you. His prices on many things are inflated. And he is it sound way harder then it really is. Don't forget he owns a company doing this. he don't want people doing this on their own.
One guy could do it in a weekend. Probably only be about an extra three to five hundred dollars cost. That's presuming you have the tools to do it. More accurately probably another 150 200. Welding rods and grinding disc forgot to add that in. One guy with a welder a grinder and two 1 and an 8th inch wrench's and shouldn't take no more then a weekend
Piggybacking of someone else, what about stacking them?
We'll do a video on this. Too many people are asking!!
@@ContainingLuxury woot, woot!
@@ContainingLuxury I wanted to stack two...and put a rooftop deck and garden on the top one...if that’s possible!
@@nattywho They are made to be stacked. As long as you do not exceed your towns building code height limit, it's not a problem. otherwise, ask for a variance.
What about a 2 story home?
Living in one narrow container is ridiculous better to have two welded together for more livable space.
Make an L with a flexible joint
Do an L shape?
WTF is a single shipping container build going to cost $75,000? Are you in L.A? or Seattle?
lol
Duct tape
Yes
And super glue
😂😂😂😂😂
Convex
Problem? But they’re definitely not a scam right?
8 ft isn't wide enough.
It all depends on individual needs and preference! We have many happy customers with our 8ft wide units but we totally understand if it isn't for everyone!
While what you say is true, but who wants to live in a 300 sq.ft house? That's just not possible if you are not alone. So two or three would be better for a small family.
The problem is not having a good welder
Are you doing ok? youre looking skinny, are you eating enough?
Hahaha good looking out! I have just been training a lot!
*convex
Convex... not concave
Yup that’s what I meant!
My only question is if your haircut was free?
I was about to subscribe but i changed my mind because of your trump supporter im sorrow full.
You are so very wrong. It's a simple process. 20+ years doing this...