I am in the preliminary stages of developing an off grid retreat.  In order to save cost, at least for the first phase, I am thinking of buying one or more shipping containers and converting them into a cabin for the property.  Can anyone recommend a book, website, forum, or other resource with information on this?  I have the general sense that there is a lot of information out there, but I am not sure where to start for my specific interest.

Thanks.

Check out “Life Uncontained” on YouTube. They are building an off grid container home out in Texas and documenting the entire process…

I’ve read and watched a lot about doing this because I always wanted to. You end up blowing the money saved by buying one by bringing it up to snuff. They aren’t that strong besides the corners so you can’t bury or pile stuff on top. There’s no insulation so you’re adding that. You need to cut and fab almost anything you want to add, like doors and windows and wiring, etc.

For a shop, garage, hunting camp, or part time tiny house? Sure go nuts. For full time living? Hard pass

I always thought that a container would be stronger than the typical stick built construction.   Would you want to weather a tornado in a stick built construction attached to a foundation?   Or in a shipping container that was welded/bolted down to the piers that are supporting it?   That type of logic.   I would also expect containers to withstand wildfires better.   I am not theorizing that you could survive inside but I would expect it to still be there when you came back.   If this was intended to be your SHTF retreat both of those types of scenarios are worth some consideration.  

2Hut8

OP, I used to like the idea a lot myself, and this is a great website with one guy's experiences from start to finish, but this was his last and most important post: why NOT to use shipping containers

Can it be done? Yes absolutely, but it is not likely to save you any money, unless you want little more than an empty box.

The Containing Luxury YT channel guy does a good job, because he is a builder and knows what is hype and what is not. And even he faces issues and extra expense sometimes. There is also no easy to way to get wider than 8ft rooms, unless you do a lot more cutting and welding (or use containers as supports for a truss roofed space).

If locking doors for "theft-resistance" (NOT proof) and a metal exterior for low maintenance or fire-resistance are super important, then it might make sense to use containers. Otherwise, there are cheaper and more flexible options.

The TV show, Building Off The Grid, did an episode where a family put five containers side by side.  

Show is on DIY network.  
Episode name: Container Dreamhouse     Season:8   Episode:4

Next airing is scheduled for 12/27 at 2:00pm Eastern.

They opened up all interior walls to have a huge open floor plan.

Problem with those shows is they never have a followup after they are living in them for a year to see what has worked and what has not worked.

Bill

For a small off grid hunting or weekend cabin....I think they are neat. For a full time home....no thanks. For storage....I think they have potential. I’m actually seriously considering getting one for extra weather resistant storage to place near my existing shop building.

One I saw on a mini house show was cool. They put 2 containers about 40 feet apart and made that a big indoor open space. Was like 40 by whatever the length of the containers were all as one big room with kitchen, living, playroom for kids. then one container was the kid's bedrooms and the other side was parents.

There are people up here living in container homes.
Little cramped but livable.

Porches and extra rooms are added on if the have the money.

We have a old 40ft insulated freezer van in the back for storage.

I appreciate all the replies.  For clarity, I am not intended for this to be my primary residence.  I have that covered, and I am not planning to move full time.  This is intended to be a retreat for SHTF.  I anticipate visiting the place one weekend every couple of months to make improvements and position supplies.  I will probably also build a modest shooting range there, so I can train there too.

I have a piece of land in mind that meets my requirements, and I am looking at it next week.  While I would like to build a more conventional cabin with a big basement for storage and other desirable features, that is not in my immediate budget.

Given the ways things are going, I think I need to move up my timetable.  I am thinking of buying a couple of 40 foot containers and developing them into a workable structure that can be used on weekends and so we'll have a place to bug out to if the primary residence becomes untenable.

I am thinking of an outhouse with a vault or composting toilet, and a well with a solar powered pump that fills a cistern. I want the place to be completely off grid.  Will probably also put in a big propane tank if I can swing it.  That could run a cooktop, a heater, and a generator to charge batteries as a backup to solar.  I'd obviously want a wood stove too, as a backup.

Then it sounds like you’re on a good track. One could get dropped in a hurry and serve as decent storage while you’re getting set up. Add another and build out as time and money allows. I would probably do indoor bathroom even if you go composting, but I’m not looking to walk outside in the dark to piss at night.

When you search, google tiny homes. They are less prepper based and have a lot of good ideas for storage, eco/green living (which is really just using less resources) and some cool building hacks.

I follow a few shopping container home pages on Instagram. Some cool stuff!

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In container discussions, I almost always see someone suggest a refrigerated unit because they're already insulated. Might be something to look into?

This guy has a few older videos on his. Pretty bare bones (he doesn't seem to care) setup.

An office trailer can be had pretty cheap and offers a better starting point

This was going to be my advice. Get one of the containers that are used for construction offices. I had a plan way back when for three for sleeping, shop/ storage and one that would be for food.

I want one for a tower.   I am in the forest and it's pretty mountainous.   If i turned one on end, and built a staircase inside and a platform on the roof, i could get a deck 40' in the air that i could shoot from.  that would get me over some of the trees

I have considered this as well, but the concern comes if it will stand the wind and such without additional bracing.

Seems like suitable footers and foundation would be very important in that application.

This guy has done it:

There is a company who makes eps insulation formed to fit the ribs of the container walls, I think they where a min of 1 inch on the thin spots, and 2 inch on the thicker sections.

Sounds like a good idea.
If it is not available locally, and I needed to insulate a container, I would just cut strips to fill the indented areas then glue a 1" foam board over it.

Or spray foam it with 2X4 studs set into the indented areas.  

Bill

Just buy a used mobile home.  It's basically the same thing.

Aww man!

I have done some design work on a few of these.  We did some drawing and engineering for a few houses built out of them, and a few displays for a big gas station chain that wanted them for trade shows.  

Meh.

If I were to do it, I'd likely just frame something unless I was really concerned about theft.  It takes a lot to make them insulated, comfortable, stable, etc.  Nice for a shed if you want an ugly shed.

I just realized this is the survival forum-

I'll be more helpful now.

They only need to be supported on the corners, so pour a small (3x3 or so, depending on your soil) pad under each corner.  Make sure the pads are at the SAME ELEVATION, this means rent or buy a laser level and get them all exact.  Also, make sure the pads are below the frost line.

You just need to set the containers on the pads, maybe clean out some of the dirt and line it with gravel and stuff, just to keep it clean, but the center of the container should float so as long as your pad elevations are a bit above the rest of the ground, you'll be fine.

they are a great host for a roof system later on,  Place two of them exactly 24' apart and exactly parallel and you should be able to put a 40' roof over the entire thing.

OP you can buy a "tiny home" and have it trailered in and deposited on your home site and some of those are nicer and better setup and about the same size as a shipping container.  not sure the cost of a shipping container, but not much more for a fully built and ready to go tiny home.

example : https://mustardseedtinyhomes.com/

Not only the danger from a high wind storm, ... but a contrary dude with a scoped rifle (or a group of them) could easily spot you   -  'waaay up there'  -  and start sending .30-cal pills at you and your little sniper hide.

OP....Do a search for Life Uncontained on YouTube.

I’d like to hear from people in cold harsh climates that live in a container.... Alaska , Canada , Montana maybe some wide open cold country like the Dakota's and Wyoming.

Even insulated the outside is still metal and cold air cold weather makes those containers Cold!

@winmag338 used to sell these, I hope I got his name right.

Paul Sawyers used to have a 51 page .pdf booklet for free called "Intermodal Shipping Containers for use as Steel Buildings", but now they are available on Amazon and Kindle for $5-$10 or so:
http://paulsawyers.com/

I have a copy of the 3rd edition; it's a pretty good little booklet.

Good luck.

As a guy who runs a log home company and has spent a few decades in building I too have looked in interest at these container homes. My final takeaway is just frame up(NOT LOGS) a small cabin and you will be happier and most likely considerably cheaper. You could even use metal for the outside, or board and batten depending on which is cheaper at the time. To me the cabin is just a square box and a piece of cake. I would be figuring out the water and sanitation issues. Perhaps a cistern? a shallow well if you are lucky? Digging a good outhouse would be very important. A way to cook and heat which could be one stove.

ETA: I should add that there is nothing wrong with logs and in fact lots of good but they just wont be cheap.

How about a glorified garage that you can sleep in?  You don't need to say on the permit that's what you'll use it for.

One of the properties near me has that setup with a small kitchenette for meals.  It also has indoor bathroom, but you can skip that.

You can find a lot of businesses who can build you a garage - just the shell.  You can insulate and finish it on your own.

Great idea OP.

I have had several containers over the years.  I'm actually getting ready to insulate one for a storage shed.

Plan ahead how you are going to insulate.  If you don't, they will sweat a good bit.  A solar powered fan to circulate air, and good insulation will help.  Options are gluing on foam board, or framing in with 2x4s and using regular paperbacked fiberglass insulation (probably the cheapest method), or framing then foam insulation (expensive), or using something like from InSoFast (quite expensive) but super cool and includes studs and electrical raceways in their panels.  They make some to fit shipping containers, rather than adapting them to from housing insulation.  Check it out, there are videos on youtube.  

Containing Luxury (as mentioned above) has some good videos.  He has a barebones video of what you need to finish to live in one.  (he prices around 20,000 without labor costs)  However, remember, he is doing this a contractor and his container is very nice when he gets done.  He puts in almost everything to have a working "tiny house", bath, sink, vanity, plumbing, electrical, cabinets, flooring, exterior stuff, etc... and again, it looks really nice.
linky

My point is that you don't have to do all of that at once.  You can do a "livable" container for much less depending on what you define as "livable".  I'd say the container (around 3K here) and insulation (1K to 3K) plus putting in a steel man door, for easier access will come out to be around 1500 (for steel door and steel tubing for framing) if you already have a welder and angle grinder.  That is a bare minimum.  Basically that would be a steel shell cabin with nothing inside, and you could add from there, customize as you like it.

Everything else after that is added expenses.  Solar setups are nice if you don't want to tie in to the grid or can't.  Propane appliances are nice also, DC appliances are nice also but pricey.

Here's a thought for you. Have a 40x40 basement done and top it with two containers on the outside. Then cover with trusses to dry it in. Then build the inside how you want....   lofts, stairs, open center floor area. Just use the containers as a quick building brick to further construction and speed up the initial build.

Details

Here are some SC corner and fab details, if it helps anyone.

 

Yep. This!