Container Homes Vs Traditional Homes: Which One Is Better for Your Project?

In recent years, the continuous rise in housing prices has become a significant pressure for many people. At the same time, container homes have been increasingly entering the public's view. These homes are just as practical as traditional homes but come with advantages in cost and construction time.

Despite their many benefits, most people remain cautious about container homes. So, what makes container homes better compared to traditional homes? This article will explain the differences between container houses and traditional homes.

1. Initial Investment Cost

Traditional Homes: First, you need to purchase land. The construction requires various raw materials such as steel, cement, and concrete. In addition to these decoration materials, substantial labor costs are also needed for construction, resulting in a very high initial investment cost.

Container Houses: You need to obtain a temporary construction permit from the local authorities, but you do not need a large amount of funds to purchase land. All parts of the container house can be prefabricated in the factory and then directly assembled and transported to the site, requiring no extensive labor costs. Compared to traditional homes, its initial investment cost is significantly lower and can save between 15% to 50% in expenses.

However, it's worth noting that larger-scale projects, such as container office buildings or apartment complexes built from multiple shipping containers, may incur additional costs due to the need for extra steel reinforcement.

2. Foundation Treatment

Traditional Homes: Requires a foundation based on soil conditions, which can be labor-intensive and costly.

Container Houses: If not used in combination, the placement of containers generally does not require extensive foundation work. Their placement typically involves straightforward procedures, making foundation treatment less complex and expensive.

3. Convenience

Traditional Homes: These are passive buildings with a lifespan of up to 50 years once constructed. They are difficult to dismantle or relocate and cannot be reused. However, they are difficult to dismantle, relocate, or reuse, presenting challenges if relocation becomes necessary.

Container Houses: Container houses can be moved over short distances using only a forklift, and over long distances using a forklift and flatbed trailer. They have a minimum lifespan of 15 years.

4. Location

Traditional Homes: Can be built in city centers or suburbs, offering more flexibility in location choice. However, once established, changing locations is difficult. However, once established, relocating a traditional home is impractical.

Container Houses: Typically placed in suburban or remote areas due to space requirements. However, they are highly mobile, allowing for location changes without changing the house.

5. Flexibility

Traditional Homes: Removing interior walls involves significant engineering considerations and labor.

Container Houses: Container homes offer high customization potential. Their standardized sizes allow easy modification, including cutting and reconfiguring to create desired spaces. This flexibility makes container homes a versatile choice for various needs.

6. Interior Decoration

Traditional Homes: The interior requires custom decoration, with materials needing to be purchased separately, which increases construction costs.

Container Houses: Standard internal features include 2 ceiling lights and 3 electrical outlets (one for air conditioning). You only need to connect the container house's internal wiring to the external power supply to use it. Air conditioning, electricity, wardrobes, beds, tables, and chairs can also be configured according to needs.

7. Construction Time

Traditional Homes: Require extensive on-site construction, leading to longer build times.

Container Houses: Can be constructed much faster as most work is done off-site and assembled on-site, reducing overall construction time.