Popular Shipping Container Home Designs and Plans
There are many options of modern container homes that offer varying levels of spatial efficiency, cost, and lifestyle needs. The five types of container homes offered by HighJoule are:
1. Single Container Home (20ft & 40ft)
The most basic design of container homes utilizes one shipping container.
20ft Container Home
A 20ft container home suits:
- Backyard office
- Guest room
- Weekend cabin
- Security home
Popular floor plans include:
- Living room with studio bedroom
- Bathroom
- Mini-kitchenette
- Storage room
40ft Container Home
The 40ft shipping container offers double the interior space compared to a 20ft shipping container.
Designs include:
- One-bedroom apartment
- Tiny house for a couple
- Work from home
- Guest home
Although single-container homes offer affordability, the lack of width limits design flexibility.
2. Expandable Container Homes
Expandable container homes are one of the newest categories in the world of modular houses.
These modular homes contain foldout parts that greatly expand the interior after installation. When unfolded, the interior width increases, creating more roominess and convenience.
Advantages:
- More interior width
- Faster installation process
- Reduced transport costs
- Space enough for a family to live comfortably
Applications can be:
- Residential building
- Emergency shelters
- Worker accommodation facilities
- Housing for temporary projects
Many people opt for expandable container homes because they have more typical interior room configuration.
3. Apple Cabin and Space Capsule Housing
Apple cabins and space capsule houses exemplify the top range of small and modular houses.
The sleek exterior design of these structures makes them look modern and futuristic, unlike regular container buildings.
Some common attributes include:
- Wide windows
- Contemporary designs inside the house
- Smart home integration technology
- Premium quality finishing
- High-quality bathroom installations
These types of houses are often applied to:
- Tourist resorts
- Ecotourism sites
- Luxurious glamping locations
- Boutique hotels
In contrast to conventional container homes, space capsules provide better aesthetic appeal and higher luxury for customers.
4. Portable Container Homes with Wheels
In cases where mobility is needed, portable container homes with wheels prove to be very useful.
This is because such structures are easier to move compared to other traditional mobile units and are mainly used for:
- Mobile offices
- Temporary housing
- Event spaces
- Tourist sites
The main advantages of using portable container homes with wheels are:
- Easier mobility
- Quick installation
- Reduced site preparation
- Various placement options
They are particularly ideal for use in isolated areas.
5. Luxury Multi-Container Homes
Luxury container homes generally result from putting together three or more containers to design a custom-built house.
Such a process might involve professional assistance for structural and architectural planning of the building.
Among other things, the features of luxury container homes might be:
- Various bedrooms
- Living room spaces
- Kitchens
- Home offices
- Roof decks
- Integrating a swimming pool
A luxury container house could vary in size from 1,500 sq ft to well over 4,000 sq ft depending on the number of containers.
Since such structures do not use standardized plans, luxury container houses are built according to client specifications.
Container Home Comparison
| Home Type | Living Space | Mobility | Design Flexibility | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Container Home | Small | Low | Basic | Office, Cabin |
| 40ft Container Home | Medium | Low | Moderate | Tiny Home |
| Expandable Container Home | Medium-Large | Moderate | High | Family Housing |
| Apple Cabin / Space Capsule | Medium | Low | High | Resorts, Glamping |
| Mobile Container Home | Small-Medium | High | Moderate | Temporary Housing |
| Luxury Multi-Container Home | Large | Low | Very High | Permanent Residence |
Integration of Solar Power Systems for Increased Energy Independence
One of the main benefits of container housing in contemporary times is that they have the capacity for integrating solar energy systems into them.
All HighJoule container house variants are compatible with optional solar power systems, which include:
- Roof mounted solar panel systems
- Lithium based battery storage systems
- Hybrid Inverters
- Off Grid Power Supply
- Backup Power supply options
Container homes with solar energy options become very useful for isolated areas because they increase energy independence and reduce energy expenses.
As energy prices soar, integration of renewable energy sources with container homes becomes more attractive.
