The Amazing Shipping Container Houses

When it comes to tiny house living, shipping container tiny houses are a great option because they’re inexpensive, usually recycled, and extremely durable.

This means that by turning one into your home you’re helping the environment by using something that already exists as a shelter, you’re saving money compared to building from scratch, and your home will be able to withstand almost anything.

All of that sounds pretty great I’m sure, but how the heck do you make a shipping container into a home? How small can it be?

I think you’ll be surprised by this top 10 list of shipping container homes because they range in several sizes and in a bunch of different levels of luxury, too.

The first container home I’ll show you is interesting because it’s expandable, just like RVs that have slide outs. This conversion has lots of sliders, as you’ll see in the photos below.

They’re used to keep the unit mobile so in case you wanted to move it, it’s relatively easy and simple to do since it can go down to a width of approximately 8′ and a length of 40′ when everything’s closed up. It’s called the MDU which stands for Mobile Dwelling Unit, as seen on DorNob.

For more photos and information on this Mobile Dwelling Unit, visit DorNob.

Check out container #2 below:

Next, with container number 2, let me show you what a man named Daniel Sokol is doing in New Hampshire with container conversions and his company called LEED Cabins. According to Jetson Green, he’s taking 20′ containers and converting them into tiny habitable homes starting at just $17,000. Check it out below.

Don’t miss the dog resting and of course the beautiful little kitchen.

Check out container #3 below:

For container number three- unfortunately- the credits are unknown. I looked and looked and could not find out much about it, so if you have any idea where it came from and who built it, please let me know in the comments.

UPDATE: It’s called the Instant Build House and you can read more and even see more pictures of it over at Jetson Green’s post on it.

Notice that it has window awnings set up everywhere along with an RV-style air conditioning system. Very nicely done, don’t you think? Let’s move on to the next one though.

Move on to container house #4 below:

Shipping container shelter number 4 is one of my personal favorites and you’ll probably love it as well because it’s set up perfectly to fully enjoy life. It’s a lakeside container turned cabin in Sri Lanka. The story behind this one is really interesting because it was built by soliders in an army training camp using the container and timber from weapon boxes that the soldiers found around the area, according to Dezeen and Jetson Green.

Today the container turned cabin serves as a rustic retreat as the Holiday Cabana at Maduru Oya.

It was photographed by Logan MacDougall Pope and designed by Damith Premathilake. How would you like to vacation in this- or better yet- live in something similar to it? Count me in. Damith, can you please put the plans up for sale?

Don’t miss number 5 below:

Next up is number five: a modern shipping container house conversion with a natural touch called the Cordell House. This is a great combination in my opinion. This type of natural looking wood finish gives off a modern touch while still giving you that cool cabin feel. It certainly isn’t tiny, but it was created to serve a family so I hope you’ll understand.

According to The Coolist, the Cordell House was designed and built by developers Katie Nichols and John Walker, of Numen Development, with the help of architect Christopher Robertson. They used three 40′ units and one 20′ unit to create the structure you see below and it does include guest quarters. Photos by Jack Thompson.

So that’s what a ‘normal’ sized house would look like if it were professionally designed and built using shipping containers and plenty of funds. Pretty cool considering the use of recycled materials, don’t you think? It’s a little larger than what I usually like to feature here, but some folks truly need more space.

Check out number six below:

Container home number six can definitely be considered ‘tiny’ though at just 192 square feet using a 24′ long container. It will cost you upwards of $59,500 if you want one built for you by Seattle-based Hybrid Architecture. This particular design is called The Nomad and in 2011 was featured in Sunset Magazine, according to Tiny House Listings.

As you can tell the roof is topped with giant solar panels to help power most of the home while the deck gives you just enough outside area to enjoy.

This 24′ container home is designed to sleep up to four people comfortably.

If you want to learn more about Hybrid Architecture’s container homes and designs visit their website where you can also check out the rest of their projects. All photos of The Nomad house are credited to Hybrid Architecture.

Move on to lovely number seven below:

Lucky number 7 was originally seen on Dwell Magazine this 40′ by 8′ container was converted into a lush 320 square foot home. Compact and yet luxurious. It was done with the help of Jim Poteet, a Texas architect. According to Dwell, Stacey Hill wanted it made for the artist community she lives in. Photographs by Chris Cooper.

Funny thing about this one is that it already came in the blue color that you see now. They just added the floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors to brighten it up along with all of the extra fixtures you see below to give it a more artistic flavor.

Notice the roof top garden as well.

For more information and photos visit the original post over at Dwell. Photos are credited to the amazing Chris Cooper.

See affordable number eight below:

Tiny container number 8 is perfect if you want a safe and secure getaway out in the woods, mountains, or even in your backyard. The reason it’s so secure is because it has small windows and the larger ones can be completely enclosed to make it very challenging for a burglar to get into.

It’s an 8′ by 20′ container that’s used to build it so you’ve got approximately 160 square feet of living space but you can deduct a small portion of that for the front porch which can be completely closed in for protection, safety, and security. You can learn more about it and its owner, Tom, over at SoftStainless.com.

To see number 9 in Costa Rica, click below:

ISBU (intermodal steel building units) home number 9 is in wonderful Costa Rica. Using 20′ standard containers, Jimmy is transforming them into perfect compact studios for you to live in starting at just $15,000 through his company, ContainerHomes.net, according toKent’s Tiny House Blog.

Be sure to check out all of Jimmy’s products and services related to container homes over at his website if you’re interested in seeing what else he’s currently offering as this isn’t his only design.

Finish off with tiny container house number ten below:

Tiny container home number 10 is last but certainly not least. It’s an effort to help the needy with housing and it’s called PFNC which in spanish stands for Por Fin Nuestra Casa. In english that translates to, “finally, a home of our own.” I originally found out about this home thanks to Kent Griswold’s Tiny House Blog where he posted about this back in 2008.

Below you can enjoy a video walk through of one of their tiny container homes.

The project is led by a man named Brian McCarthy and it’s an honor to get to show his work here on Tiny House Talk. PFNC’s mission, as it reads on their website is to raise the standard of living for families who currently reside in dangerous or substandard conditions. We advance this cause by creating shelters from low-cost recycled materials.

If you enjoyed this post on tiny shipping container homes, please “Like” and share using the buttons below then talk about what you liked best in the comments below. Thank you so much!

Buy your own private island for Rs 1 crore

It's an elite club

Richard Branson owns one and so do Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. Baba Ramdev became a proud owner of one in 2009. You too can join the club. All you have to do is to purchase an island.

There are many islands out there for you to choose from. But in some places, it's impossible for foreign investors to secure a piece of island real estate.

"The likes of Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and even India forbid foreigners from securing freehold objects, some preferring to offer leases to clients," says Farhad Vladi of Vladi Private Islands, which has 40 years of experience in island buying and selling.

Click NEXT to read more...

Image: Huvafen Fushi Island Resort.
Photographs: Courtesy, Private Islands Inc.

A majority of the island business takes place in a few regions such as Western Europe, the Caribbeans, New Zealand, Australia and North America.

According to Vladi, islands around Connecticut, Long Island, the Brittany Coast in France, the Mediterranean Coast and islands close to Venice are all regions that generate a high demand and high prices.

"Whilst some of these countries still require a permit, this often proves to be something of a formality, with the authorities keen to run a background check about the buyer and to check whether his/her intentions are in line with government policy," he says.

Buying an island can be an investment, but the economic atmosphere can affect such plans. "Nautilus island in Maine, once valued at $12 million dollars, was be sold recently by its owner only for $2 million." says Vladi.

For a home amid the waves

Till 2009, there was only Baba Ramdev, among Indians, who was part of this elite club of island owners.

The Little Cumbrae, an island of 700 acres, was gifted to him by Sam and Sunita Poddar of Glasgow. This now serves as the overseas base of the Patanjali Yog Peeth Trust (PYPT), co-founded by Baba Ramdev.

This conch-shaped island, which also boasts of 13th century castle, now serves as a destination for holistic healing.

Today, many others in India seem to be joining this bandwagon. "We are dealing with three Indian clients at the moment," says Chris Krolow, CEO, Private Islands Inc, which has a list of 700 islands, of which 100 are reserved for select buyers.

However, unlike clients from other countries, Indians don't usually purchase an island for the sheer pleasure of the experience; rather it is for investment purposes or for developing a resort.

"Indian clients usually prefer turnkey projects where everything is ready on the go. But there aren't too many islands like that," says Krolow.

Vijay Mallya was reported to own islands in Lakshadweep and in Europe. But his spokesperson denied that.

Surprisingly, it is the older generation, aged 50 and above, that is interested in purchasing islands, while the younger lot opt for urban properties and apartments.

There also seems to be a shift from island buying to island tourism, with even celebrities preferring the security and anonymity that an island holiday gives. This has resulted in more island rentals than island sales.

For instance, while Vladi Private Islands has been involved in more than 2,400 island sales, it has been responsible for a whopping 26,500 island rentals.

As far as sales are concerned, the current trend, according to Vladi, is that the "majority of island buyers are governments, provinces, nature trusts and nature conservancy groups, interested in securing islands for conservancy reasons. It's possible to say that out of 10 island purchases, nine are accounted for by the aforementioned group."

What will it cost you?

There are islands available for as little as $ 20,000-50,000 or Rs 1-3 crore, but they are not likely to be "quality" islands.

"Despite the apparent saturation of islands, only perhaps as few as 5 per cent can be described as quality islands," says Vladi.

The prices in the "lower quality" category have dropped due to the number of islands on the market.

"That's why it is possible to buy an island for $50,000 in places like Canada, Scandinavia and even some parts of the US," he adds.

However, chances are that these cheaper islands are located in remote locations and are very expensive to build on. Also, it may be more time consuming to get permits there

"However, new technology, such as water filtration and high speed internet, have made even these remote islands liveable. So that has helped the market," says Krolow.

It is all very glamorous to dream about a hideaway at sea, but there are lots of factors to consider before buying that island. First and foremost is access.

"One has to see how far the island is from the mainland. Let's say you have a vacation of two weeks, then you don't want to spend four days just going back and forth," says Krolow.

If you are an avid boater and wish to not just explore the island but also the waters, then you should opt for an island in open water rather than going for inland islands located in lakes. Also, keep in mind the weather pattern, the political climate, the size of the land and the water depth.

And don't forget managers. It is a big issue in the island market. Many owners of islands have problems finding the right manger to take care of their island.

Most Isolated People in the World

northsentinelisland.com

North Sentinel Island

Located West of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, lies the North Sentinel Island—famous for being inhabited by the most isolated people in the world.  The North Sentinel Island is 28 square miles, heavily forested, and surrounded by coral reefs.  Little is known about the Sentinelese tribe who are thought to have lived on the island for 60,000 years.  Several attempts to reach out to this territorial group have been made.

The first recorded contact was in January 1880 during an expedition led by Maurice Vidal Portman.  They captured six Sentinelese people and brought them back to the main port on the South Andaman Island.  The health of all six individuals deteriorated rapidly, and the two elder Sentinelese died.  The four children were quickly returned to the North Sentinel Island, with gifts.

Other expeditions have not been successful in learning much about the tribe. Most outsiders are greeted with violent rejection.

It is believed that somewhere between 50 and 400 Sentinelese people live on the island.  They are hunter-gatherers who speak their own language and have been untouched by modern civilization.  Brief encounters have discovered that they are adept at making tools such as spears and arrows.  They are also attuned to nature and survived the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake by moving to higher ground.

Knowledge about the Sentinelese tribe is unlikely to become more robust, as the Andaman and Nicobar Administration have made it clear that they will leave the isolated tribe alone.  New Delhi has put in place a three-mile exclusion zone around the island.  Fear will also keep curious adventurers away.  In 2006, two fishermen accidentally drifted near the island when their anchor failed.  They were promptly attacked and killed.

It is for the best that this Island and its inhabitants remain isolated.  Past interactions with similar isolated tribes have lead to alcoholism, death, and the general decline of a unique and historic culture.  It’s good to have a little mystery in the world.

Salton Sea – Miracle in the Desert

Salton Sea – A Miracle in the Desert

Deep in the California desert, an hour from the Mexico border, lies the largest lake in California- The Salton Sea. Engineers trying to increase water-flow to farmers in the area accidentally created the Salton Sea in 1905. The engineers made a cut in the Colorado River, which flowed into an ancient dry lakebed in the desert. Two years later, the problem was fixed, and the assumption was that the Salton Sea would dry up. Agricultural run-off kept the Salton Sea around, and it was soon touted as a “Miracle in the Desert”. People flocked to the Salton Sea as a resort town to fish, boat, and party. The California Department of Fish & Game stocked the Salton Sea with fish. It all turned sour when the salinity from farm run-off made the sea toxic and fish began dying. The water became murky and the smell of death unbearable. People left in a hurry leaving behind homes, cars, and everyday essentials. Today the area looks like a post-apocalyptic world.

Fast Facts

• 234 feet below sea level
• It is the largest lake in California—15 miles wide x 35 miles long
• Although constantly fluctuating, the sea is about 44ft deep
• Salinity level greater than the Pacific Ocean ~ 54g/l
• Resting stop for birds on the Pacific Flyway
• Water temperature ranges from 95 degrees in the summer to 50 degrees in the winter

Where To Go

Bombay Beach

Start your trip off with a stop at Bombay Beach. The stench and humidity hang heavy in the air at this previously thriving beach. The beach is littered with dead fish and crushed bone. The town around the beach is crumbling and abandoned. Stop in at the Ski Inn, a small bar covered in dollar bills from visitors. The locals are very friendly and the beer is good and cold. See below for some Q & A’s with the bartender.

Salvation Mountain

Like being plopped into a Dr. Seuss book, Salvation Mountain is a must-see. Created by Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain is a very colorful, 150 feet wide and 50 feet tall,  painted hill with messages of God and Love. Knight used hay bales, clay, and paint and spent decades on his masterpiece.

Slab City

Slab City is about 3 miles away from Niland, CA and often called the “last free place on earth”. It is an abandoned marine training facility that hosts an RV community. Parking is free, and many snowbirds spend their winters in Slab City – living cheaply and enjoying the heat. Slab City is near an active bombing range and you can hear explosions in the distance. Visit on a Saturday and check out a show at the outdoor stage/bar, The Range.

Red Hill Marina

Check out the Red Hill Marina on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. It is a small inlet that used to be a boat launch and now contains a campground. The sunset from Red Hill Marina is amazing. Grab a tall beer and carefully walk out on the docks to finish off your Salton Sea visit. Don’t mind the buzzing, it’s just a swarm of 1,000+ black flies circling above your head.

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Q&A at Ski Inn

Q: How many fish are in the Salton Sea

            A: 400 million

Q: Tell us about the fish die offs

            A: About 7 million fish die at a time and the prevailing winds push them on shore. We had a die off about a week ago.

Q: Do you swim in the Salton Sea

            A: Oh yeah

Q: Do you eat the Tilapia

            A: Yes, they taste better

Future of Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is shrinking, and many fear it will dry up altogether. If the Salton Sea dries up, the sediment on the lakebed could cause toxic dust to spread across Southern California. Many solutions have been proposed to save the Salton Sea. Let’s hope one of them is implemented!! The Salton Sea isn’t a beautiful sight, but it certainly is something to see!

In from the Wild – 7 Celebs with Exotic Pets

www.oddee.com

Reese Witherspoon + Donkeys

Actress Reese Witherspoon is super-southern and proud of it!  She grew up in Nashville, played country music star Johnny Cash’s wife, June Carter in the film, Walk the Line, and named her third child, Tennessee.  So it is not surprising to learn she has two pet donkey’s named Honky and Tonky.  Hee-Haw, Hee-Haw!

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Leonardo Dicaprio + Sulcata Tortoise

Actor Leonardo Dicaprio lives a fast-paced life, so he likes to relax at home with a slower companion, his pet tortoise.  The pet Sulcata tortoise can live to be 80 years old and weigh as much as 200 pounds.  The tortoise is probably not a fan of Dicaprio’s critically acclaimed film, Catch Me If You Can.

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Rupert Grint + Micro Pig

Famous Harry Potter actor, Rupert Grint’s magical power is spending money.  Rupert Grint was thrust into the spotlight as Harry Potter’s best friend, Ron Weasley, in the eight film series.  Rupert started spending his royalties on a variety of interesting items including two micro pigs named Oscar and Stanley!  Micro pigs are 9 ounces at birth and weigh between 40-64 pounds when full-grown.

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Kristie Alley + Lemurs

Kirstie Alley’s pet lemurs have seen her through her whole acting career.  She has had them for 30 years and spends a whopping $40,000 a year on the furry, wide-eyed pets.  They are even in her will.  Now that’s some ludicrous lemur love!

Vanilla Ice + Wallaroo

Vanilla Ice and his exotic pet Wallaroo have a lot in common.  They both like to jump around and are vegetarians.  A Wallaroo is a cross between a wallaby and kangaroo.  His pet is appropriately named Bucky Buckaroo

Tori Spelling + Chicken

Tori Spelling’s relationship with Dean McDermott might be on the rocks, but that doesn’t mean she is sleeping alone these days.  She shares her bed with her pet chicken named Coco Chanel.  Coco is treated like royalty with her own sherpa-lined dog bed, nice sweaters, the run of the house, and she even gets to tag along when the family runs errands.  That’s one fancy chicken!

Kristen Stewart + Wolf-Dog

In the movie Twilight, actress Kristen Stewart frolics with a wolf-human hybrid, but in her everyday life, she cuddles with the much cuter wolf-dog hybrid.  Stewart’s mother raises wolf-dog hybrids and Kristen has taken a liking to them.  With four wolf-dogs running around, full moons must be wild at the Stewart household.