BNIM Container Home

We are very excited today to have a guest author to the Saner Container.  This author not only lives in a container home, he has shown it to the world on MTV’s “Cribs”.  Sam Glassberg presented his home on “Cribs”, showing off the versatility and eco-friendly aspects of their shipping container home.  Now he has shared some of his experiences with the Saner Container.

As a film and television student, being on a real television show was probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. It was also created one of the most awkward experiences of my entire life when a complete stranger came up to me in my college’s dining hall and said “I saw you on Cribs. I really liked your house”. Awkward for me because, well, I think that would be pretty awkward for anybody, but also amazing because I realized that people I don’t even know and didn’t tell to watch (probably the most I’ve tweeted or facebooked in my entire life) appreciate what my mom created.

I live in a house made of shipping containers. Weird. It’s a bit like a circus at times with the amount of people stopping to look at it on the street, and the amount of tours I’ve had to give, but I really love it. At first the idea seemed a bit crazy, but now it’s bizarrely normal. The house is composed of concrete, 5 shipping containers, glass, and metal and is truly a work of modern architecture. With geothermal heating, passive solar heating and lighting, and other recycled materials it’s also a house that gives back to the environment. It’s a structure to be envied by all, and luckily for those who envy it, it will soon be available for everybody to have.

Living room dining room and hall

In collaboration with local Kansas City architecture firm BNIM, my mother has begun creating new living, working, and retail spaces that will be available and affordable for nearly anybody. While my house is perfect in my eyes, new designs and configurations of this prefab design are going to be released in many different forms. It’s bespoke living. Studio apartments, dorm rooms, vegan restaurants, and boutique hotels are all ideas my mom had that are about to become a reality. If you can dream it, Debbie Glassberg and BNIM can build it.

For pictures and more information on Sam’s house, check out some of these links, pictures – and of course the MTV video:

KMBC, Kansas City’s ABC affiliate, ran a series on the Glassberg’s home. Follow their home being built:

KMBC – 1st story
http://www.kmbc.com/news/18414304/detail.html

KMBC – 2nd story
http://www.kmbc.com/news/20004971/detail.html

KMBC – 3rd story
http://www.kmbc.com/news/23860045/detail.html

KMBC slideshow
http://www.kmbc.com/slideshow/news/23858878/detail.html

Exterior

Den

Kitchen

Bedroom

Camoflaged 20'

You have used containers at work or during building a home.  You love to hunt.  You don’t have a cabin on your land.  Enter – the connex box.  Drop a container on your land, add in a door and some windows and you have a perfect hunting retreat.  Whether it is just a basic spot to base camp, or a complete man-cave, conex boxes offer all the flexibility and ruggedness to be a perfect hunting cabin.

You can insulate them, add in heat (or cooling, or both), add in features that make the cabin perfect for you.  It might be the ultimate get-away cabin for the guys or it might be a snug, welcoming place to bring your kids and grandchildren to teach them how to hunt.

Here is a series of my new favorite hunting cabin.  I got these by email from a colleague.  If you know anything more about this cabin, please let me know!

It starts with 2 used containers

Seal up between the containers

Archway in the living room

Use cut outs as overhang

Interior work

More interior work

Living room and bedrooms

Living room and kitchen

Finished Exterior

Refrigerator 40' container

So you want a container.  You know it needs to be insulated, but what exactly will fit your needs?  Containers come in two styles – standard shipping container and refrigerator (reefer) containers.  Here are some general rules of thumb that might be helpful.

1)      Refrigerator containers are ideal when you need to store items at a particular temperature year round and you have a power source to run the container.  They are considerably more expensive than standard containers, which may play a role in your decision-making.

Inside refrigerator container

2)      If you are storing general items, the standard containers are great.  Standard containers are used around the world, year round for transporting the vast majority goods manufactured year round.

3)      If you are modifying the container, standard containers are much preferred to refrigerator containers.  Refrigerator containers have loose insulation between two walls, which makes modifications a huge headache.  Also, if you are using the container for living space, you will be very disappointed with a refrigerator container floor.  They are grooved to drain any liquid away from items being stored.  While that is great if the container isn’t plugged in and you are storing ice cream.  It is not as great if you want to live in the container.

Inside used 40'

One other consideration for those who are modifying containers – if you plan on adding electricity or plumbing, you will want to insulate the container once you have added those and done all your modifications.

If you still have questions about which is the right one for you, please call us and we can discuss your needs further.

Inside a Double-door 40'

Standard ISO shipping containers come with two swing doors on one short end of the container.  But that doesn’t work for everyone.  Today, we are going to cover some different options you have when purchasing containers.

1)      Double-door containers.  These are containers with standard swing doors on both ends of the container.  Because these are not as common and are so useful, they are generally only available as “one-trip” containers, meaning they are manufactured in Asia, make one trip to the US and then sold to you.  Since they are one-trip containers, they are freshly painted, have no markings and are a great option.  But they are also more expensive.

Open-roll-up door on container

2)     Roll-up doors.  If you want a used container and need the access, but not the price tag, consider adding a roll-up door on the opposite end.  Roll-ups can be added either to the end of the sides of containers to add extra access to the container.  The only place we do not recommend putting it is where the original doors are located.  Those doors are connected into the corner posts that support the container, so you do not want to mess with that.  You can have the door added on before it comes out to you, or use a kit to add the door on yourself.  You get the same access at usually half the price.

3)      Personnel –doors.  So you don’t need a full roll-up, or you just don’t want to deal with bigger doors.  Maybe a personnel door is the right option for you.  Like roll-up doors, these can be added on before you get it or by a kit where you add on the door yourself.  This is great option if you are going to be going in and out of the container often and want to have access just like you would to a building.

Man-door on container

4)      Open-side containers.  These great containers are only available in 20′ long, one-trip containers.  They feature doors that open on the 20′ side of the container.  These are a great option for retail containers, industrial applications and so much more.  But they also come with a pretty large price tag.

5)  Open-top containers.  These are a great option if you have to load the container from above.  They come with a tarp to function as the roof.  So these, are for those people who simply need to have this design, but it is not ideal for the person who wants a nice, basic container.

Containers are so flexible.  Even if they don’t come the way you want them, they can easily be changed to fit your needs.  We can help you add doors, windows, etc. so that it works for you, just the way you want, or we can help you to do it yourself.

20' Open side

Open-top 40' container

CargoBar - A container bar

According to Stuff.co.nz, storage containers have been used in the “Restart the Heart” program to reopen retail shops destroyed in the city’s earthquake.  Containers were used for various retail shops, including clothing, a wine store, a café and bar.

CaffeineLaboratory - a container cafe

Rather than plunking down containers, the group has used brought in Christchurch architects from the Australasian Buchan Group to create unique configurations to suit the needs of the shops.  In addition,

containers have been used to prop up buildings, including the cathedral and for various offices, homes, etc.

Also, a group is creating art on and over containers, seeing them at a large canvas new to the city.

TheVillageGrape - a cargo wine shop

For more information, check out the coverage from Stuff and 3 News.

Container artwork in Christchurch, New Zealand

Cargotecture Studio 320 by hybridarc.com

Storage containers can be converted into stand-alone buildings, perfect for an artist studio or workshop.  Depending on how much space you have, containers come in 20’ and 40’ long, 8’ wide.  You can insulate them and modify them to allow natural light, insulation, electricity, easy access and anything else that helps you be more creative.

Containers can be placed on your land near your existing home.  Depending on how much of a do-it-yourself-er you are, you can either have a container modified to meet your needs or order a container and kits to modify it yourself.  Common medications include personnel door, roll-up door, windows, skylights, AC/heat, insulation.  If you do the modifications yourself,  you will need to be able to weld. You can have an electrician bring more light (and the possibility of the internet) to your studio.  Put your creative energies into planning out the perfect space for you.

Finish off the container inside and you have a great studio

Since this is not primary residence, you do not have to include plumbing unless you want to. And you can find creative lighting solutions that do not require an electrician. Many container modifications are DIY. Ask us for advice or installation kits.

Container artist studios get your supplies out of the way of your everyday living and into a space devoted just to your art.  No more packing them up and trying to get them out of the way, but rather leave projects out so you can come back to them again easily.  Start planning yours today!

Containers with a roof between them

1) Container Barn. For this barn, you get two different types of storage – indoor storage inside containers and a covered area between the containers.  You place two containers down with space between them.  Install a roof between the two containers.  You have wind and water tight, insect and rodent-proof storage inside the containers and a covered area for equipment that you want to keep snow and rain from damaging.  You can also use the area under the roof for doing work when the weather is not cooperating with you.

2) Hay/feed/manure storage. Store hay bales, feed or manure in storage containers.  Since they are wind and water tight as well as insect and rodent proof, they are a great way to keep what you want in inside the container and what you want out can’t get in there.

Great extra storage for equipment, feed, etc.

3) Equipment storage. Do you have some equipment that just doesn’t fit in your other buildings?  Put it in a container.  You can even add roll-up doors on the container for access from multiple sides of the container.

4) Lean-to. So your container isn’t so new looking any more.  You teenager ran some equipment into it and now it isn’t as water-tight as when you got it.  But you know there is still some life left in it.  Cut and finish off larger openings in the container and set it next to a pole barn or other building.  You may have to do a little reinforcing to make sure the roof is still sturdy, but the container can still provide some shaded storage area, without actually leaning into your exising building.

A cut up container provides additional storage attached to existing building

Containers can be moved around so you can keep changing how you use them to fit your changing needs.  The 20’s weight 5,000 pounds and the 40’s just under 10,000 pounds, so you can drag them around with your existing equipment if you have some chains to attach to the container.  They can easily be modified with extra doors for easier access as well.

What is the delivery cost? Does that include setting it down?

1) Where is the container located? Sure, the container is nearly free, but if it is over 1,000 miles from you, all those savings will go out the window with a huge trucking bill.  Make sure you know exactly where the container is located and how far that is from where you want it to go.  Did the price include delivery?  If not, get a quote on that before you commit or you might be taking on a headache instead of a solution, or worse, a very expensive cost.

2) How will it arrive at your location? Does the listing include delivery?  If so, be sure to get the particulars on that.  Is delivery up to a certain distance included?  What are the extra costs if you are beyond that point?  What kind of truck will it be delivered on?  Will that truck set the container on the ground at your location or will you need to rent a forklift or other equipment to offload the container.  Many hidden fees can be put in there.  If they are not including delivery, have you found someone to do that for you?  Have you asked them all the questions above?

Typical container number

3) Is that really the container you will get? Containers are numbered when they are used by shipping lines.  The numbers are generally 4 letters followed by 6 numbers and then a number in a box.  If you are looking at pictures of the container, the number should be clearly posted on all 4 sides of the container as well on in 2 places on the roof and in the inside of the door.  If the pictures show a container, but the number is different in each picture, beware.  They could be posting pictures of multiple containers.  Since the container probably isn’t too far from you, it is worth a trip out to take a look at the container to make sure you know what you are getting into.  Everyone describes quality in different ways.  What may be a “great container” to one person may be a “pile of junk” to another.  Pictures and visual confirmation are really the best ways to make sure you are on the same page.

What kind of damage? This one has an end that is pushed into the container and is curving the corner posts.

4) What about common sense safety? So now you have the delivery figured out, you’ve looked at the container and know it is just what you want, use your common sense.  Usually eBay has some safeguards on the site to help protect you.  Be sure that it is a respected vendor with a good record.  If you are on Craigslist, check out the buyer the best you can.  You don’t want to hand over your money and not end up with a container after all that work.  Common sense and intuition are great tools.  You use them in every other part of your life, don’t let this be an exception!

In this age of container scarcity, finding containers on sites like Craigslist and eBay can be great.  Particularly if you and the seller are in the same market and use that as a tool to meet each other.  But remember to do your homework and listen to your gut.  Don’t be afraid to walk away from the deal if it doesn’t feel right.  But if you check everyone out and the container is what you want, great!

Office interior

Here are 4 things to think about when planning your office container:
1.  How do you want to use the space?  Think about how many rooms you will need and what configuration will work best for your needs.

2.  What modifications will you need for your office?  Some typical modifications are: doors (service doors and roll-up doors), windows, partitions, HVAC, insulation/paneling.  Do you have any special modifications, such as specialty flooring, venting, etc?

AC Kit with cage

3.  Who do you want to do the modifications?  If you can weld, you can do a large amount of the modifications yourself.  If you don’t weld, think about having some of the modifications done for you.

4. What about electricity and plumbing?  You will probably need electricity to run office equipment.  Depending on your location, you may also need to provide plumbing.  Think about when will be the best time to add that into your modifications.  Sometimes it is easier to have the basic modifications done for you, then have an electrician and plumber come in before insulating and finishing the container.

Epoxy floor with drains and service door

Container offices can be as simple or as elaborate as you want or need them to be.  Check out our other postings on our blog for ideas on the kinds of modifications others have done either by clicking through the topics on the right side of this page or just scrolling through.  You might find a great solution to your office needs.

40' office and storage

Container Office

Container architecture is taking off by leaps and bounds, but for a basic office, nothing could be easier than a container office!  Here are 5 great things about container offices:

1)       Container offices are portable.  Even if you don’t need to move the office often, you at least have the option with a container office.  Maybe you just need offices during your busy season, but don’t need that office space the rest of the year.

2)      Container offices are ground-level.  Traditional mobile offices are set on wheels.  When the office gets to the new location, you have to deal with stairs, anchoring and skirting the office.  None of that is necessary with a container office.  You set it down and get to work!

Inside a 2-room container office

3)      Container offices are customizable.  Containers start out as a basic box that is 20’ or 40’ long.  You decide how to split up that space, where to add windows and doors, what kind of electric set-up meets your needs, even if you want the whole space to be office or a mix of storage and office space.  You can make the most of the space that works best for you.

4)      Container offices can be changed after you get them.  Do you need more space?  It is easy to add another container.  Need more rooms?  You can add in more partitions very easily.

5)      Container offices can be resold.  Sure you can sell a building to someone else.  But you need to find a buyer who wants your set up in your location.  With container offices, you just need someone who wants what you already built.  You just move it to where they want.

Inside a container office

Consider container offices when you are looking at your office needs.

Coming up next time on our blog:  What to think about when planning your container office.

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