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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Underground Shipping Container House
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Milesusa
Member
# Posted: 15 May 2013 03:10
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Hello guys,

I am a marketing student in Los Angeles and my dream job is to get into Internet Marketing and from home.

My life dream is to build a house somewhere in the middle of no where and i chose Edmonton, Canada area

I was looking for the cheapest solution and i would like to:
-buy land (1 acre is just enough)
-Big shipping container(as my house)
-Dig a whole and build a house with my shipping container
-also would like water, electricity and INTERNET

My question here is how much the land would cost? I have no clue.

I was looking the whole shipping container house and materials and all that shouldnt cost more than 20.000$

Well i am very excited to hear all the wild and creative ideas

Thank you
Miles

Milesusa
Member
# Posted: 15 May 2013 03:11
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URL

This is my inspiration

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 15 May 2013 06:12
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Hi Miles -i always want a shipping container on my property for many reasons.i think this is a great idea.
keep us posted on your progress.
now this my just be my computer -but when i clicked on the URL. it said an error has occured.
land costs different prices in different areas...but i love your excitement and i wish u lots of good fortune in your fun venture.

MJW
Member
# Posted: 15 May 2013 10:16
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The couple that bought the property next to ours are building a container house and will have it shipped here when it is complete. From their description of it, it sounds like it will be a nice place.

They already have a container on the property filled with SHTF stuff (food, medical supplies, etc.). They live in a large city a few hours to the north and while they didn't say so when we met, I think they are hard core preppers setting this up as their bug out location if and when.

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 15 May 2013 11:36 - Edited by: Steve961
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Miles:

I hate to burst your bubble, but it will be near impossible to build an underground shipping container house for $20K. I speak from experience as I have built my own 480 sq ft shipping container cabin. My above ground container cabin cost me $80 /sq ft with new containers and hiring some of the work out. The cheapest I could have built it for, with used containers and doing everything myself, would have been $60/sq ft. Building a structurally safe and water resistant underground container home will add considerably to your costs.

If your heart is set on an underground home, there are better ways to build one with concrete that will cost less, last longer, and more importantly, be safe. If on the other hand you like the look of containers, build with them above ground. The only reason I built with containers was to prevent all the break-ins and theft I experienced at my old cabin. If I could have, I would have much rather built with traditional materials for a more comfortable and cost effective cabin.

If you're interested in everything I went through to build mine, you can read about it here:

Tin Can Cabin - How to Build

Steve

exsailor
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 08:18
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From everything I have seen a shipping container underground would not work. You would have a major rust problem and the sides are not strong enough. All of their strength is on the corners. Remember it is a metal bar rectangle inside a metal skin. The sides would cave in form the weight of the dirt.

Kudzu
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 09:28
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Good luck with your project, I am claustrophobic and a team of wild horses could not drag me into a shipping container.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 14:20
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Great storage cellar idea, terrible living space idea. I like windows.

hebegbz
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 14:53
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You can build a 3 container 960sq ft for about 25k, not including the land, if you do everything yourself.
If you want to go underground, use cinder block and concrete, it will be cheaper in the long run.
Burying storage containers begets many issues.

Popeye
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 16:30
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I wouldn't want to live in an oversized coffin.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 16:47
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the fella next to us has a shipping container.oh wait.alot do in our neck of the woods.hm.the next door to us neighbor has a container raised up high on something and built a big porch and steps up to it.then he built on an attachment to the side of the container for more storage.
then mel,our other neighor has several.he is laying three containers side by side.cutting doors to connect them for a big work shop.this is the gist of what i think he was saying.well those are ideas to think about.
i want one for storage for all our stuff.
i could go dig around for things i need but cant store in our little cabin.like a big ole pressure canner.

oldgringo
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 17:32
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Rethinking my position on building codes, permits, and inspectors.;)

ICC
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 18:43
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I have seen a 40 footer than had been buried. the sides were bowed in a considerable amount. not sure how long it had been buried. some of those above ground ones where they have been stacked look interesting though. not sure i would go to the trouble myself. nah. i wouldn't

Milesusa
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 22:02
Reply 


Hello guys,

Thank you so much for all responses keep coming with great ideas.

First, i should have been more specific, i am not an architect by any means but i know few things here and there. I really didnt want to dig a hole and throw a shipping container inside :D DUhhh that would be STUPID, i was just looking for that frame/shape for my house. Remember i dont want to spend a fortune. Also i do live in 320sqfeet and i LOVE IT, so i dont need a lot of space.

But my main fascination is to be underground. I will definitely look into prices without the shipping container and just kinda build it out of bricks and stuff.

Also i do wanna say that i plan to do this in the next few years (5 years) so it wont happen tomorrow

I am thinking carefully and i like it :D

Thank you u all so much <3

oldgringo
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 22:37
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Change your terminology from "underground" to "earth sheltered housing", and do a Google search. Lot's of good info, much of it highly technical...keepingthe water on the outside ain't as easy as it would appear.

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