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steveqvs
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 08:50pm - Edited by: steveqvs
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Okay we got side tracked on the security breakins thread so I thought I would start a Container Cabin thread. Right now I have a camper on land and am trying to decide what sort of cabin I want to erect. Everything from an A-frame to log to earth sheltered to stone masonary (slip masonary) to dry stack and Containers. I like the idea of a container house for 2 reasons ..... mice and men! Our land is fairly remote so I worry about break ins. With our camper in the winter we get mice no matter what I do to keep them out. (Non cat lover here). I do have a container I had delivered that I keep my tools, atv's etc in and do like the fact thats its safe each time I get there. Whatever I decide on I would like to do the majority of work myself. Thats a whole other thread as I am a computer guy not a carpenter. The down side of the container idea is the aesthetics. Wife would like that cute little log cabin... of course she hates mice.... but its hard to make the container look rural. Below is my container being delivered.
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:12pm
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I have some insight on container houses.
How big of a house are you planning to build?
Funny, about the mice thing. We have been living in our container house for two years and occasionally we do have a mouse in the house. Brought in by one of our three cats! The cats have their own sort of trap door cat door and like to bring their field mouse booty home to share with the other cats. Fortunately, the design of the house makes it impossible for a rodent to survive.
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Steve961
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:13pm
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Steve:
I don't know if you saw my post in the other thread, but I am right in the middle of a container cabin build right now. I had all the same concerns and limitations as you - people problems, mice problems, and I'm a computer programmer to boot. Although I'm somewhat handy and could have done all the work myself, except the foundation, I have not had the necessary time and have had to hire some of it out.
The aesthetics can be an issue depending on where, and also how, you build. My property is in an area of smaller farms in northern Wisconsin, so there are a fair amount of steel pole buildings around there. While my neighbors do think my cabin is a bit strange, it doesn't look totally out of place there.
Something to consider is siding the outside of the container. In a northern climate at least, it can be more efficient to insulate on the exterior of the container. Although the ones I have seen done that way have removed the very doors that you would want for security. You could still apply just siding to everything except the doors and still insulate and Sheetrock on the inside. You could even do log siding if you wanted.
Here's my website and a SketchUp rendering of what my cabin should look like when it's done.
www.tincancabin.com
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:32pm
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In a metal building you will have to do every little thing for insulation, both ways. Right now it's warm so putting masonite painted white on the north and west side of your building, spaced off about 1.5" will really make a difference. If you don't have some other shade for your roof, you can use any of the good white roof coatings to see a significant drop in internal I/R. My container house is framed and insulated inside exactly like a regular house and stays as cool a my real house in the summer. Even with the sun beating down.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:40pm
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Hebegbz,
Size is undecided yet... was thinking of a cabin size of around 24 by 24 so 3 cabins like tin can cabin look about the right size. I was also toying with the idea of 2 40 foot side by side on a hill where the far ends would be off the ground by about 10 feet. I would turn one door to the deck side and one to the driveway side if that makes sense. I want a deck around the 3 sides. with the 40's there would be room to put a recessed door so there could be a mudroom.... like entrance... I don't know though, my wife really doesn't like the look of containers. But I like the security.
Steve961,
I really like your site. I haven't seen a lot of sites where people are explaining how to do things. Your site and Les's description of using an Acetyline torch for cutting is very interesting. I was thinking you had to use plasma... and I of course have no power yet either except solar/batteries and a generator. So I really have not decided. I sure like the idea of a container. I like what you did with the 3 containers you have.
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Steve961
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:55pm
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Steve:
I did a quick mod to my cabin in SketchUp with some log siding and paint, and it looks surprisingly good.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:56pm - Edited by: steveqvs
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Steve961,
Well that does it... I better learn google SketchUp! It does look good!
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2010 11:12pm
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Well in my day we didn't have all that newfangled stuff.
I had to design my cabin in xcel cause that's all we had.
The little boxes are 1' square. The trailers are 40' each and there are three, set so the the doors go front back front.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2010 08:21am
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hebegbz,
Very cool design. Creative use of software! Looks roomy. So do you have just skylights? I like that.
s
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2010 10:53am
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It is fully wired for electricity, and plumbed for a washer, shower, and kitchen sink. The skylights provide ample illumination in the daytime hours, but they aren't big enough for anyone to get in through. We also make good use of a couple of inverters and several deep cycle batteries, that stay charged because we run our genset for 5 hours a day.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:47am
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Nice, I have a couple of deep cycle batteries on my camper and a small solar panel that charges them up between visits. I too need to run the generator if I spend the weekend there. If I did a more traditional roof like the TinCanCabin I would probably use sola tubes. Highly polished and put out quite a bit of light otherwise I like the small ones you have.
thanks.
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2010 09:32pm
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I used the clear 8" blocks that they use for building shower walls and stuff like that for my skylights. They are pretty cheap and easy to find. Plus they are good insulators. I made the frames for the skylights from sheet metal., but I would advise anyone else to try to make the frames from plexiglas because of condensatiion in the winter months.
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containers
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2010 11:24am
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I am not a regular member here but I am a huge container home fanatic and picked up on some of the comment
Loved Steve site BTW, I have bookmarked that for a look later - there are a number of resources that show you step by step how to plan, design and construct a Container Home that readers might be interested in following up on.
This is a great place to start - Shipping Container Homes
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hattie
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2010 01:16pm
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Going back to your problems with mice. If you are wired, have you tried the plug in ultrasonic rodent repellers? We had big mouse problems in our cold room and then plugged one of these units in. They give off a high frequency sound that mice don't like. We have had the unit in our cold room for almost two years now and haven't seen one mouse since we plugged it in. They have a limited range, so you will have to read the package to determine if you need more than one. I would highly recommend them.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2010 01:58pm
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Really? I am on solar out there but I never really heard that they really work. Maybe I will try one.
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smiletodayok
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2010 01:37pm
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combine earth berm with container construction! sounds interesting
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 14 Dec 2010 12:58pm
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Another good site.
Containerbay
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future_YOOPER
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2010 02:51pm
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In the Army they call them a "Conex" if it's storing things, or a "CHU" (containerized housing unit) when its storing people. I've seen them stacked 3 stories high. They make for a cozy little place to call home...
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2010 09:07pm
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We have lived in 3 40 footers for the last two years. Kinda like a triple wide. This is a couple shots of the front room area.
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cookie
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2011 09:02am
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Here is my container cabin project. Tell your wife they dont have to look ugly ;) My setup is two 40' welded together.
http://seacontainercabin.blogspot.com/
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2011 08:37pm
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Very Nice!
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cookie
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2011 07:52am
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Thank you. Hope to have it completed by this spring.
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2011 10:02pm
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Here's a few pics of construction. My wife and I did everything ourselves.
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2011 10:05pm
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A few more.
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2011 10:10pm
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Couple of finished pics
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hebegbz
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2011 10:16pm
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A couple more construction pics that I found. Also the blueprint, sort of, that I used to plan the layout.
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CabinBuilder
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2011 12:52pm
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hebegbz, thanks for the updated pics and info on you container cabin project.
Looks really nice when finished!
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