A shipping container home is a dwelling made from steel shipping containers—large reusable intermodal containers that transport goods. You can use these containers as a standalone home or personal office, or you can combine multiple containers to create a multilevel residence. Shipping container homes, like tiny houses, RVs, or silo homes, are rising in popularity as potential homeowners seek out alternative building solutions to the traditional multi-bedroom house.

Shipping container homes are durable, cost-effective, and customizable:

1. They can be more cost-effective than traditional housing. They are typically more cost-effective than conventional housing because they require fewer building materials and labor to construct. You can lower the cost of customizing your container housing by renovating the dwelling using your DIY skills.

2. They’re quick to construct. A shipping container home can be build under a month. However, hiring a professional to build your container dream home can be pricey. To avoid hefty construction costs altogether, you can purchase a prefabricated container home from a growing list of companies specializing in building prefab homes off-site.

3. They’re modular homes. Shipping container homes are easy to modify. You can build a home with a mix of 20- and 40-foot containers. You can also combine multiple containers to create a larger home with a living room, dining room, extra bedrooms, a second floor, or even a container guesthouse.

4. They’re durable. Manufacturers typically use corten steel to build shipping containers. This self-healing steel protects cargo during transport across bodies of water. Shipping container homes made from weathering steel can likely withstand inclement weather conditions better than traditional housing.

5. They can be mobile. You can use a dedicated shipping transportation service to pick up and relocate an off-the-grid single-container house anywhere in the world.