If your property allows one or two or as many as you need of these they can solve all your storage and out-building needs like a livestock barn, chicken coop or what ever issues quickly and they’re very cheap when compared to building a similar sized storage shed. Some are even refers (insulated) so you can save the effort of insulating one yourself. The only caution is a semi must deliver them (they weigh empty 9,000 lbs.) to the site so an adequate road or driveway or open land they can drive on is required. The drivers are very good at spotting them within inches of where you want it.
At the company we set two of them next to each other with a 20 foot gap between them, then roofed that 20 foot gap and walled the open ends to create a barn for tractors and maintenance equipment. That space measured 20 x 40 feet without any support poles, just a clear 20 x 40 foot room.
Let your imagination run with this space. I can see a remote cabin that overall measures 36 x 40 feet or 1,440 square feet of living space. If you roof it with metal roofing it will withstand brush fires and the blowing/burning embers will not start it on fire!
About the only requirement for you is to provide solid footing at each corner to support all that weight. A concrete footer at each corner and two in the middle measuring 3 x 3 x 2 feet deep with rebar will work. Set the containers’ corner in the middle of the footer to evenly distribute the weight across the 3 x 3 foot footer should be fine. Because of hurricanes we bolted the container to the footings. It’s a good idea to allow an air gap underneath to keep it ventilated and dry.
Search the web for ideas and how others have used these containers. Here’s a link to where you can buy containers in your area along with the container sizes and specifications:
http://www.awolcontainers.com/?gclid=CMeU-5mTu60CFUKR7QodoWUI_w
3 comments:
Love this idea! Just recently saw an email with two of these put together and made into a pretty nice little house. As far as fire proof that is great too. Our friends had one at their property in the Umatilla National forest and what the fires went through a few years ago the items in it were safe but they only had supports under the 4 corners and the container got so hot it sagged in the middle. It was a site to see. Thanks for the great post!
Hi YM,
We've got one of these next to our house. Not only are they good for storage, but the critters like 'em too. We have a family of burrowing owls that nest underneath it and perch on top during the day. Bunny rabbits also use the cool underneath for shelter and protection from coyotes.
Dave
Tara and Dave,
There's a lot of good to say about these containers, especially on remote property because they are the next best thing to a valt when it comes to everyday security and when you look at the cost of building a simiar sized out building you can't beat the price.
Thanks for visiting,
Mike
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