Shipping Container Homes

sounds cool! Would love to know how this goes!!!!

I recently read an article by architects who do not rave about shipping container homes.  To start with, containers are not designed as habitation in the first place; if you cut one wall to open it up, you destroy the structural integrity of the cointainer wall and must put in steel beams.  They also recommended NOT to use second hand containers.

You can get some good tips from this link: http://www.containerhomeplans.org/2015/ … iner-home/
Note the comments on plumbing, making the internal walls smooth, insulation, cost and using a builder who has has experience with container homes (which is something you are unlikely to find in VN).
Now than colorbond steel sheeting is available in VN, you may also consider using that, with a steel frame. Beware of white ants and wooden frames in VN. Good luck.

ralphnhatrang wrote:

I recently read an article by architects who do not rave about shipping container homes.  To start with, containers are not designed as habitation in the first place; if you cut one wall to open it up, you destroy the structural integrity of the cointainer wall and must put in steel beams.  They also recommended NOT to use second hand containers.

You can get some good tips from this link: http://www.containerhomeplans.org/2015/ … iner-home/
Note the comments on plumbing, making the internal walls smooth, insulation, cost and using a builder who has has experience with container homes (which is something you are unlikely to find in VN).
Now than colorbond steel sheeting is available in VN, you may also consider using that, with a steel frame. Beware of white ants and wooden frames in VN. Good luck.

Thank you.

I would expect architects to me against them as there is little to no business there for them unless they change their paradigm. Re integrity, the integrity is NOT in the walls, it is in the corners and the top and bottom beams. When they are stacked, all of the weight is held up by the corners.

I have some experience and will do the basic design and most or all of the building myself. First, we have to find the land...

I can't imagine the government letting you build a home out of shipping containers. I'm sure it would be much cheaper building a regular home, anyway.

Adhome01 wrote:

I can't imagine the government letting you build a home out of shipping containers. I'm sure it would be much cheaper building a regular home, anyway.

There is supposed to be one here in Da Lat that a friend will take me to see this week.

It is NOT cheaper to build a regular home in dozens of countries where they currently exist, so why would it be cheaper here? Please enlighten me.

I guess it depends on what you consider a home. I've seen some container homes that were very nice, but they were build by professional architects who built them more for art than anything else, they're also expensive to build. Most I've seen are nothing more than a metal box with some holes cut out for windows and a door. Something you'd see in the backwoods of West Virginia, not a true home.

If you already own land you can build a decent house here for around $40,000, cheap by most country's standards. If you're not an architect or professional builder with the money to make it nice, then you talking about the metal box with holes. If you go that route, have them send over a 50 gal drum too, so you can make a hot tub.

The photos at this site my interest you:
http://shippingcontainerhomesaustralia. … gns-ideas/

The nice ones are expensive to build, the others arer just painted boxed. And I can only imagine the heat.

Adhome01 wrote:

The nice ones are expensive to build, the others arer just painted boxed. And I can only imagine the heat.

Have you ever heard of insulation? It's an amazing thing! You should do some actual research prior to spouting off about things of which you are ignorant.

ralphnhatrang wrote:

The photos at this site my interest you:
http://shippingcontainerhomesaustralia. … gns-ideas/

Thank you, I'll check it out.

Well said John.

(Anything(?)  is only as good or bad as YOU want it to be.

But (even) the Naysayers give us points to ponder:  wanted or not.

Bazza139 wrote:

Well said John.

(Anything(?)  is only as good or bad as YOU want it to be.

But (even) the Naysayers give us points to ponder:  wanted or not.

Yes, thank you... and I remembered not to feed the troll a little too late 

I have video of the local container business (not home) and will get stills posted later this week.

Adhome01 wrote:

I guess it depends on what you consider a home. I've seen some container homes that were very nice, but they were build by professional architects who built them more for art than anything else, they're also expensive to build. Most I've seen are nothing more than a metal box with some holes cut out for windows and a door. Something you'd see in the backwoods of West Virginia, not a true home.

If you already own land you can build a decent house here for around $40,000, cheap by most country's standards. If you're not an architect or professional builder with the money to make it nice, then you talking about the metal box with holes. If you go that route, have them send over a 50 gal drum too, so you can make a hot tub.

Err, have you ever travelled to some of the smaller villages in Vietnam and seen some of the dwellings that people live in? Likewise, have you seen the standard of some of the brick built "houses" that are being built in e.g. some areas of Saigon, even. 

Building regulations?  ........................... Say, what??

And when you say it fast: youcanbuildadecenthouseforaround$40,000 It sound really easy. We bought two places so far in Saigon, both of them new builds and, believe me, it wasn't as easy as it sounds to get them up to a livable standard. It costs about $40,000 just get a place decorated and equipped to a reasonable standard in Saigon and thats after you've built it..

Both our apartment in Q8 and the house in Q9 took 3 months of intensive supervision - first to sort out bad concrete floors and render as well as provide a detailed snagging list for the builder to fix; then came the internals. It was a bloody nightmare of inferior materials, lies, broken contracts, failures of delivery, thuggery (my wife was threatened with physical harm by the director of the company doing the decoration, when she complained about poor workmanship - I had to sort that one out and gave the creep a choice of me throwing him off the 14th floor balcony, or him meeting the police. He chose the police, no doubt thinking he could smooth it over for a few dong, not knowing that my wifes uncle was then one of the chiefs of police), embuggery and skullduggery, involving:

Shoddy workmanship.
Supplying inferior materials but charging for big name materials.
Taking wrong measurements, time and time again - even the architect had issues understanding a tape measure.
Supplying unseasoned timber instead of seasoned timber.
Routing wiring like a mad mans crap through a high speed fan.
Installing water pipes with kinks in them.
The internet techs too idle to fit a junction box, so we have the cables (power and data) just poking out of the wall.
Sinks not fitted properly to the wall (in case the worker tightens the screws too much).
Toilet pedestal not sealed to the waste pipe, but made to look like it is.'
Kitchen worktop splash back left half finished because the fitter lost his nerve and said that he might break the glass.
Glass staircase and bannisters not fitted because the fitter was afraid he might break the glass and the company would make him pay for it.
Bloke sleeping all day in a room that wasn't being worked on. Reason? he is working nights in a property nearby.
Glue and paint spattered over the new wooden floor: "please don't complain, my boss will be angry with me".

And then of course there is the standard Vietnamese con of charging VAT on supplies, without supplying a red VAT invoice (which means that they don't declare the VAT and pocket the cash)*.

Charging the going rate for skilled artisans but actually employing out of work labourers.

Finally, not our workers, but a neighbours workers, were in the habit of seeng what they could steal from nearby properties whilst they were supposed to be working.

It really was a nightmare that seemed without end. So the thought of fitting out some shipping containers with a bit of good design and some decent materials sounds quite interesting to me.

*This particular scam is perpetrated every day on foreigners, in restaurants, bars, shops - everywhere. You get given a white bill for dinner, goods or whatever which includes  an amount for VAT. Just refuse to pay and ask for a red bill and see the back peddling that will ensue:
- The accountant isn't here
- We can give you a bill tomorrow
- We don't know what you mean
- a thousand other excuses.

Hi everyone,

Can we now concentrate on the initial subject please? We may remove some posts from this thread. I will contact the OP.

Thank you,
Christine

Thank you to (almost) everyone who's weighed in so far 

This will be an interesting adventure...

ralphnhatrang wrote:

The photos at this site my interest you:
http://shippingcontainerhomesaustralia. … gns-ideas/

Thank you, Ralph. It's an interesting site. I want to employ local (or at least Vietnamese) workers to do the things that I cannot do myself. Although it will be a bit more challenging, I strongly believe in pumping money into the local economy whenever I can.

One thing I noticed about shipping containers used for static purposes is their liability for corrosion. This might be because I have recently seen them mainly in places like Funafuti and the Solomon Islands, where the sea is close, which will not be a problem for you, but anyway...

Some general  info: http://www.isbu-info.org/faq.htmhttp://www.residentialshippingcontainer … com/CorTen

And about corrosion: http://corrosion-doctors.org/CP/Introduction.htm

Here is the site I mentioned at #3 above, but couldn't find it then:

http://www.domain.com.au/advice/the-pro … t-ecowatch

This morning we went to the coffee shop built out of shipping containers in Da Lat. Turns out that it's only 5 minutes from my house... and the troll (see above) was wrong; what a surprise!

The containers are not insulated and there are a number of things that I would do differently, though now that I know it is possible (i.e. permitted) to build with shipping containers in Da Lat, it's on with the research, e.g. where to buy insulation and wallboard, etc. Then we'll look for some land, get preliminary permission, and start designing.

Here are some photos from this morning:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? … 8334767597

Outstanding!

If it were me I would be very tempted to clad the containers in heat insulation, externally, before adding external facing. This would include roof insulation as well as a cavity roof.

We have a very nice piece of land in Bao Loc that has views of forested mountains, given to us by my wife's father before he died. To tell the truth I have had private thoughts for the last couple of years about building a container bungalow there, with self contained guest annexes.

Boa Loc has wonderful fresh air and I have also ruminated on using the land to build (out of containers) a kind of recuperation centre for people recovering from illnesses and operations.

My wife, however, who is a hard headed business woman, wants to sell it and buy land near Saigon. Unfortunately people who want to buy in Bao Loc, only want to buy 7 metres wide strips, so I may yet get to achieve my dream.

Anyway, please keep us informed, its a fascinating project.

Matt

eodmatt wrote:

Outstanding!

If it were me I would be very tempted to clad the containers in heat insulation, externally, before adding external facing. This would include roof insulation as well as a cavity roof.

We have a very nice piece of land in Bao Loc that has views of forested mountains, given to us by my wife's father before he died. To tell the truth I have had private thoughts for the last couple of years about building a container bungalow there, with self contained guest annexes.

Boa Loc has wonderful fresh air and I have also ruminated on using the land to build (out of containers) a kind of recuperation centre for people recovering from illnesses and operations.

My wife, however, who is a hard headed business woman, wants to sell it and buy land near Saigon. Unfortunately people who want to buy in Bao Loc, only want to buy 7 metres wide strips, so I may yet get to achieve my dream.

Anyway, please keep us informed, its a fascinating project.

Matt

Ours will definitely be highly insulated on all exposed sides, though I like the idea of seeing the metal outsides so we may have to go inside. Maybe a combination of the two. By cavity roof, do you mean an air gap? I'm looking at either that or having the two sides of the roof miss each other at the peak by about 15 cm and overlap to draw air over the tops and cool by convection.

The parcels here are only 5 meters wide (x 20 deep). I'd love to be able to get 7 meters or more wide without having to buy two parcels--or buy 1-1/2 somehow.

Let me know if you decide to build in Bao Loc. I'll come help. Maybe if you tell your wife that it would greatly add to the value of the land? Would she buy it? ;-)

Speak to this Thai guy, his name is Chavis +0933188188, he will point you in the right direction.

benlws wrote:

Speak to this Thai guy, his name is Chavis +0933188188, he will point you in the right direction.

The right direction re land or re building using shipping containers?

eodmatt wrote:

If it were me I would be very tempted to clad the containers in heat insulation, externally, before adding external facing. This would include roof insulation as well as a cavity roof.

I have a substantial amount of experience with using shipping containers not for housing but for both storage and office space on agricultural installations in Hawaii.  I can attest to the fact that they are reasonably habitable.  The key thing to do is not insulate but roof them as you suggest with a gap between the container roof and the outer roofing.  One thing I did was place two containers about 8 feet  apart (the same as the width of one container) and roof across both of them.  It creates an instant garage.  I am sure that my installations near the ocean were subject to a much more corrosive atmosphere than the Vietnamese highlands yet corrosion was not a problem.  I have also used containers for storage of fertilizer, which is exceptionally corrosive, with minimal maintenance.  If it is a problem just keep painting.  You might want to clad them on the inside but I would not do so on on the outside because if you do have corrosion you will not be able to spot it.  Double cladding could lead to hidden condensation.  Containers for a vacation or weekend home are a great idea and even if they don't provide the return on investment your wife is looking for, they will provide returns measured on another scale.

eodmatt wrote:

Err, have you ever travelled to some of the smaller villages in Vietnam and seen some of the dwellings that people live in?............Building regulations?  ........................... Say, what??

This is surely true but it is worth remembering that the OP is an expat and may be subject to a little additional scrutiny from officials seeking to improve their financial situation.

THIGV wrote:

{snip} The key thing to do is not insulate but roof them as you suggest with a gap between the container roof and the outer roofing.  One thing I did was place two containers about 8 feet  apart (the same as the width of one container) and roof across both of them.  It creates an instant garage.  I am sure that my installations near the ocean were subject to a much more corrosive atmosphere than the Vietnamese highlands yet corrosion was not a problem.  I have also used containers for storage of fertilizer, which is exceptionally corrosive, with minimal maintenance.  If it is a problem just keep painting.  You might want to clad them on the inside but I would not do so on on the outside because if you do have corrosion you will not be able to spot it.  Double cladding could lead to hidden condensation.

This is a great help, thank you! We're also looking at the empty space between containers.

At this point, we're looking at land and I'm shocked at how expensive it is here! No wonder the poor get poorer. Am also learning a lot about schools and the rules for where someone can go are different than in the west--again greatly favoring "the haves". That's fodder for a different thread, though.

If anyone knows of land for sale in Da Lat, please message me off-thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyVR1HC4kBU

I  enjoyed that.

THIGV wrote:

eodmatt wrote:

If it were me I would be very tempted to clad the containers in heat insulation, externally, before adding external facing. This would include roof insulation as well as a cavity roof.

I have a substantial amount of experience with using shipping containers not for housing but for both storage and office space on agricultural installations in Hawaii.  I can attest to the fact that they are reasonably habitable.  The key thing to do is not insulate but roof them as you suggest with a gap between the container roof and the outer roofing.  One thing I did was place two containers about 8 feet  apart (the same as the width of one container) and roof across both of them.  It creates an instant garage.  I am sure that my installations near the ocean were subject to a much more corrosive atmosphere than the Vietnamese highlands yet corrosion was not a problem.  I have also used containers for storage of fertilizer, which is exceptionally corrosive, with minimal maintenance.  If it is a problem just keep painting.  You might want to clad them on the inside but I would not do so on on the outside because if you do have corrosion you will not be able to spot it.  Double cladding could lead to hidden condensation.  Containers for a vacation or weekend home are a great idea and even if they don't provide the return on investment your wife is looking for, they will provide returns measured on another scale.

eodmatt wrote:

Err, have you ever travelled to some of the smaller villages in Vietnam and seen some of the dwellings that people live in?............Building regulations?  ........................... Say, what??

This is surely true but it is worth remembering that the OP is an expat and may be subject to a little additional scrutiny from officials seeking to improve their financial situation.

If I remember correctly my last point was aimed at a troll who was saying in a response to the OP, that local authority and building regs would preclude the use of shipping containers for use as dwellings.

My other points are from the perspective that I am an engineer (of explosive ordnance disposal though, rather than construction) and have used hundreds of ISO containers for explosives storage including AN fertiliser, which is both hygroscopic and  corrosive and have used cladding that precluded the buildup of condensation and which would inhibit rust. As a dry aside (pun intended) the storage of Picric Acid explosive in steel containers is or can be problematic due to the explosive absorbing moisture and then corroding steel and forming hydrous ferric picrates, which, when it dries, forms friction sensitive crystals - sorry, info thats no use to the OP). In another thread somewhere I mentioned the possibility of using cathodic protection too.

I like the idea of cathodic protection.

Check out Singapore, they would not allow this if were not safe and viable: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/this- … ive-designhttp://www.anderco.com.sg

I like this idea to the point where I can see a lot of possibilities past just housing.
I know there's a restaurant made of them in Gading Serpong, Tangerang, and I can see a lot of other ideas.
That and adding a garage or extending to add a granny flat is really easy.

Excellent stuff - I hope it works out for you.

Hi everybody,

Please note that some off topic posts have been removed from this thread.

Thanks,

Priscilla 

Thank you

Hello John D,   Good luck with your plan/dream. Have a look here and you will find some marvellous imaginative modern designs and plans of  container houses that have already been constructed. Well worth a look. BTW, can you give me the address of the coffee shop you mentioned? I live in Dalat also, and would like to have a look at what they've done.  And don't forget  Nil Bastardum Carborundum    https://www.pinterest.com/dwellmedia/sh … ner-homes/

cabraman wrote:

Hello John D,   Good luck with your plan/dream. Have a look here and you will find some marvellous imaginative modern designs and plans of container houses that have already been constructed. Well worth a look. BTW, can you give me the address of the coffee shop you mentioned? I live in Dalat also, and would like to have a look at what they've done.  And don't forget  Nil Bastardum Carborundum    https://www.pinterest.com/dwellmedia/sh … ner-homes/

Thanks for the link!

The coffee shop is on To Hieu. Here's their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q= … lat%20club

and some of the photos I took:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? … 8334767597

Your Latin suggestion is spot-on! Especially when looking for affordable land in Da Lat where there is a "good" school!

check Saigon Outcast. They did same thing, but turn it into office, not home.

But when you do, check it out with a good architecture firm because for sure in Vietnam, there will be some hassles with government over stupid things (oh, container not safe, oh not pretty, ugly, etc.) and you would surely need to lobby the construction license.

good luck! I hope you can share photos when you've got it. would love to visit.

A few posters made some negative comments, but I pretty much reject the lot for one reason; creativity and a willingness to experiment drive the world, so even small ideas for one off different homes or offices are  great in my book.

The Chief G.P.O. Engineer Sir William Preece speaking in 1876 about the invention of the telephone ... "The Americans may have a need for the telephone, but we do not, - we have plenty of messenger boys!

Short sighted views are easy, but lead to nothing.

I applaud the OP and all who support him.

Well said, Fred.         

Hi,
A container home is totally viable and possible. People saying that is not possible,  probably never worked with a container ( as a welder fabricator, I did).
A friend of mine just got a home container (40ft) built here in HCM .... There is few place around town using container as structure for their business/home, and also company that will build it for you... It's easy if you have some knowledge on house building.. I put up some link for you (it's in Vietnamese..)

http://designs.vn/tin-tuc/diem-danh-nhu … 0Zke5N946ghttp://news.zing.vn/ca-phe-container-bu … 52296.htmlhttp://news.zing.vn/nguon-goc-cua-nha-c … 78437.htmlhttp://kenh14.vn/la-cool/loat-nha-sieu- … 027248.chn