Lane Swaniawski
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. From industrial modern to country cottage style, shipping container home builders across North America showcase the diverse design possibilities of reusable steel boxes. What at first appears to be a shabby box can be transformed into a chic home with a keen architectural eye and creative reuse building savvy. As you might imagine, the cost varies significantly by size, as well as the level of customization and finishes, just like other tiny houses for sale.
Whatever route you decide to take, your dream home is waiting to be discovered inside big, rugged steel boxes. Let’s take a look at seven awesome shipping container house builders creating swoon-worthy ‘cargotecture.’
An example budget with pricing breakdowns Plus, you can add on a book of plans for 50 container homes to get started with your dream build. This Texas-based shipping container home builder offers three stylish, space-efficient models to choose from, with DIY kit options–beginner, intermediate, or expert. Choose a floor plan, then from a small assortment of exterior and interior options, like siding and a rooftop deck. By combining these two, CargoHome shipping container home builders creates a space-efficient two-bedroom floor plan with room for a luxurious rooftop deck.
The owner, Jon Meier, built the Rustic Retreat XL (pictured above) for his sister-in-law, Emily Flowers. He knew with his engineering background, he could make a unique, functional, and structurally sound dwelling space.
Their muted metal exteriors pair beautifully with minimalist chic interior design. Unlike most other shipping container home builders, Alternative Living Spaces offers a trailer-mounted option for their two main models. So if you’re looking for location flexibility in a tiny home with a downstairs sleeping area, you definitely want to consider Alternative Living Spaces’ fully-mobile models.
While these are meant to be placed on the ground, the company will deliver to your property—no matter if it’s rural acreage, in a backyard, or a tiny home community. Take a look at the Cliffside resort between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah. Add-on any custom upgrades you fancy, like high-end fixtures, space-efficient furniture, and a wood stove.
Fortunately, most of Custom Container Living’s standard floor plans, like the one shown above, are state certified as manufactured/factory-built homes. As a result, it will be much easier to permit and legally place one of their container houses in a variety of locales across the United States. Delivery is indeed available across the country with flat rates based on distance from Custom Container Living’s shop in Archie, Missouri.
Our units range in size from 320 to 900 square feet and include modern amenities with net-zero energy options.” -Relevant Buildings
What appears unassuming on the outside downplays the interior design drama, an eclectic mix of western and vintage styling. “Our uniquely designed interiors are cladded with sustainably harvested wood from our farm in upstate New York and reclaimed lumber from a distillery in Kentucky.
To capture the vast pastoral views and great natural light, windows were installed that were salvaged from a school in Philadelphia that was slated for demolition. We keep the funky vibe going with kitchen cabinet bases from a laboratory in Brooklyn, and for the counter tops, we used old bowling alley floors from Texas!” -Flophouze
The indoor-outdoor experience is a defining feature of our design, and it means that from your main living space, you will feel connected to the outdoors.
Whether a vibrant urban setting or a peaceful retreat, part of living in a Honomobo is feeling connected to the place in which you choose to live.” -Honomobo As plug-and-play shipping container homes, their team handles all steps of the construction process—local engineering requirements, permit submittals, and on-site installation. Final cost estimates are dependent on a variety of factors; the average is between $380 – $700 per square foot.
To avoid placement issues on the local level, Honomobo impressively meets both factory-built modular status and municipal building codes. An example budget with pricing breakdowns Plus, you can add on a book of plans for 50 container homes to get started with your dream build.
