Frankly, $100/sf is incredibly cheap and likely impossible to do even in the most rural of areas like mine, let alone the Emerald Coast.

I do not think they are a viable solution for a home.

shead, Concrete is expensive and I would have to hire crew to do the work where a conex is delivered and put in place pretty easy and I can do the welding. Concrete would have a timber roof as well unless you were to pour concrete which would be very costly.

I am in CA, we deal with The possibility of earthquakes, droughts....why would some want to live in a hurricane area...are the scientists wrong?

Not that this is totally relevant, but there is a British home building architecture show called Grand Designs that did an episode on a container house that was build in Northern Ireland. Clearly this isn’t up to hurricane standards, but shows what can be done with shipping container houses

Mark Bischak, Thanks for your reply. That's why I'm doing research to find out how they keep moisture out of the walls and ceiling and if the metal would rust from the inside out. I know I could spray foam the walls but I don't know if that would prevent rusting. I don't might the outside up keep.

I have seen some awesome container homes but not one done for $80 a sq ft. There are all kinds of work that needs doing to make a container a home the ones I have seen are 2 or more containers together. They were in England so not many hurricanes there . I do agree if this is just a one container home it will not be hurricane proof IMO.

Jim Mat , I don't get what your saying? A hurricane we have notice and can leave for a day and return, to a home hopefully, that's why I'm planning, I'm more worried about tornados. I won't live in CA again but I did look into Oregon and Washington but the prices are to high since i'm looking for 10 acres+.

I think Howard is a dreamer, and I would not take him seriously.

Seems like some of you are taking him seriously....

Patricia Colwell Consulting, All the designs on-line are not build in hurricane ally and are made for eye appeal and fancy but if you stick to just a solid 1 story conex and do most of the work myself it's around $80 but that not permitting and engineer fees yet which is the next faze of my research if I think the conex is the strongest option. I plan on doing the inside very nice but I plan on building my own cabinets, counter tops and doors, I love working with wood.

Jim Mat, Would a dreamer sell off my home in Atlanta and move to Florida and live in a RV and be looking for land 2 hours a day. Don't talk about my character since you have no idea who I am, you troll. Plus you forget my main post, LOOKING FOR ARCHITECT.

Well, I was in Houston, we lost everything. I have a dog named Harvey.

Keep dreaming...

Architects don’t deal with tinkertoys.

Only someone whose never built anything would entertain this fantasy.

Maybe I should have posted this topic earlier before all the troll came out?

I work with dreamers every day, and I take them seriously while applying the attitude that life is too important to be taken seriously. But a house's purpose is to protect the occupants from the elements while preforming life's tasks. Those tasks are too diverse to be constrained by a metal box or even a series of them.

Howard, maybe you do not understand forums....this is a place for expressing opinions...maybe you thought this was the yellow,pages?

You wanted a region specific, cargo container architect.....

OK, but you asked for this info on a world wide opinion site...and maybe gave too much info...and became defensive.

Jim Mat, Look up the definition of "On-Line Troll". Your opinions have nothing to do with this topic, you came at me like I'm wasting people time and tried to discredit me and my intentions. You advised other people from answering my legit question I have. I'm done with you.

Works for me

who is using the handle: catfish?

What is happening lately that people can’t answer each other with common politenes? You can communicate that something is a bad idea without attacking the person and being condescending.

How does one communicate that something is a bad idea?

I have been on forums for decades, often when the forum community is unable to do what it does, e.g, camping, fishing building gardenin, the forum member‘s do not want to suffer fools kindly.

I would suggest a trip to the zoning and planning department and some serious research into homeowners insurance. Under the best of circumstances insurance is difficult in Florida.

Correct me if I’m wrong but any welds can be a possible breach if winds/storms are strong enough, right?

Then there’s the issue of finding multiple containers than have no existing faults and/or leaks to contend with. Our first container was pristine until it blew over and it’s now dented and the welded seams leak in a few spots after uprighting it. Our second container that we had to get after the storm also leaks in a couple of spots.

I understand your desire for an affordable home, but I am afraid you’ll run into issues with this endeavor. First and foremost will be permitting and second will be the cost of hurricane rated doors and windows.

catfishhoward, maybe the internet is not the place for you. You need to learn to gloss over the posts that you do not want to hear, and develop a thicker skin. This is a free site and people are allowed to express their opinion even if it is different and not want you want to hear.,

I just found this video.

As I indicated above, if you are serious, the cheapest DIY *actually impact and wind resistant* build is a filled block build. On a concrete pier system that elevates it above storm surges. That creates some build logistics issues to elevate it. It creates worse issues to not elevate it.

live_wire_oak, Where I'm looking at there is no flooding or storm surge so I only need to worry about wind and debris but I have thought of a block filled building but the main reason I was interest in the conex home is that they might not have to have a roof if your willing to lose ceiling height due to a lot of insulation. But then I'm worried about moisture in the ceiling that is way I posted this topic to try to find an Architect in Florida experienced. I guess I need to start calling firm down south Florida.

Sherry , Hurricane your correct I can just leave for a day and hope the home is still there when I come back but I'm very worried about tornadoes that's why I'm looking into a metal home which I would think would be safer and strong than a stick built home or modular, unless you know they used high quality plywood and not 5/8" OSB for the external walls and since they have overhangs, roofs, porches and more window they seem more vulnerable than a conex home. I just cant find a lot of wind test info but I read somewhere that a conex attached to a proper foundation would be rated up to 180 mph without warping and with a 2x6 wall behind that who knows? I'm going to call local firms until I get some facts, Thanks.

What are your plans for the ceiling/roof of a conex home? How will rainwater drain? How WILL you leakproof it?

I think most all homes would look like a pretzel in F5 tornado with wind over 250 mph, it's a little unrealistic to build a home of that kind if there is any to built one, a storm shelter would be better. Most homes in North Florida are rated to around 130-180+/- mph in Florida and are up to code.

shead Good question, I would leave that up to the Architect if there are ways? I've seen a lot of opinions and conex homes built on-line but I would never build a home in North Florida without an approved set of plans from and Architect and the county approval. I know they are building these homes in South Florida, but with long term success I don't know and most if not all have roofs. If your okay with 8' foot ceiling that would leave you with 10" to work with for spray foam, air gap, studs or what ever.. A 1 trip or new conex can last for over 25+ years without a lot of work so for the roof it would have to be water proof some way? maybe like a RV or house boat with rubber liner, some kind of spray like Rino Liner? maybe even spray foam, I really have no Idea that's why I'm looking for blue prints and an Architect.

And there are 90 year old block homes that have weathered multiple hurricanes. Old masonry concrete block was solid to begin with. That was the standard for building if it wasn’t cypress. When living in an area, emulate the native architecture. It was designed that way for a reason.

You might just find an existing cracker shack. It’ll be loads cheaper. What you want is deceptively cheap up front and has huge you don’t know what you don’t know hidden costs. For instance. You’re talking about welding corten steel. Do you understand that that weakens it? It takes specialty products to even touch the stuff. Do you own a TIG? Have you priced the right stuff for corten? Because 7 years later isn’t the time to find out that your units rusted through.

Only the corners are reinforced to carry weight. The walls are relatively pretty thin, and not that resistive to impact forces. Why containers are all when they are weak? Why Florida at all if you have hurricane issues. There’s tons of other locations that are cheaper to live, with no hurricane damage.

Why not a cement block house?

cpartist, a cement block house has to be filed with rebar and morter to be solid and the cost of that along with the roof and the fact that I couldn't do any of the work puts it out of my price range. Plus the main reason I'm looking at conex home is because it has no roof.

Wind test

live_wire_oak, lot of good points. I love the salt water fishing in Florida, I looked into Oregon and Washington for the salmon fishing but 10 acres of land was to pricey for me, so Florida it is. Every state has it problems, that why I'm doing my due diligent before I spend every penny I have on an old home, new modular, conex or stick home that will not survive a hurricane. Nothing I can do about tornadoes but I did plan on having a storm shelter as well. I like to do a lot of planning and research before deciding on anything I buy especially on a type home and so far I have no solid proof that a conex is weaker or stronger than a stick built home. Not much research out there so I will contact a local Architect firm. Thanks.

You ask 100 Ford guy what to buy a Ford or Chevy they will all tell you Ford? So does that mean Chevy's are no good?

Dome Homes in Italy, TX has training to enable one to build their own dome home. Main outside expense is having the 'shell/exterior done to the 'skin'.

Hrivnak Associates, LLC , Thanks for the reply, I have a 2D autocad of the layout I'm looking for and will only provide it to the architect I will be dealing with. I'm going to call each county and find out the requirements next as well as trying to find a local architect to talk to about the condensation in the wall and ceiling since this is the one concern I have since I don't know how long these homes last for and if they could rust from the inside out?

Valid concern - some easy ways of resolving that. These homes can last considerably longer than stick built.

You will need an HVAC specialist and likely NOT an architect for the condensation issues that the container home can present. I would not use anyone that had not done this before - it can be an expensive and unhealthy learning proposition.

just_janni I would have to use a ductless system for sure. The condensation I'm most worried about is in the walls and ceiling, it looks like spray foam might work. I'm definitely going to be looking for contractors who have done this before.

cpartist, a cement block house has to be filed with rebar and morter to be solid and the cost of that along with the roof and the fact that I couldn't do any of the work puts it out of my price range. Plus the main reason I'm looking at conex home is because it has no roof.

You're looking for trouble. There is a reason that most houses down here (I'm in Fl) are cement block and it's not because of water. I wouldn't build a stick built house here either.

If you can’t DIY a filled block house, then you’re not DIYing ANYTHING on a build. It’s just not that hard. It is physical and repetitive.

Pros/cons to non-ducted systems. Condensation IS both HVAC AND ARCHITECTURE. You need an architect. You've not done this before. Really willing to risk that much? The investment is less than your construction fudge factor and will yield savings. Have an exacto blade? Do surgery. Have tools? Play Architect. Equally dangerous.

live_wire_oak, Let me reword what I said earlier, I don't want to lay block or timber a roof my self and one main reason I'm looking into shipping containers were that I might get way with out having a timber roof, if I have to have a timber roof I would have to hire another contractor. If I had to hire all these contractor to build the side walls and roof I could see some people point about why have a shipping container home. If the county says I need a professional I will have a professional and I will not proceed no matter what until I talk to a couple Architects.

So zero DIY. Got it. No way your dollar figure gets made. Not even in rural MS, which also has a coast, and is even cheaper than FL. Maybe a used mobile home inland would meet the dollar. But nothing new. Even mobile homes are 200K these days.

Not being snarky - have you considered living in a RV on land you own? Install a well, septic, a concrete pad, and a "mast" for the electric. Real estate taxes are on the land only. RV's can be had at a very modest cost in Phoenix, as the old folks can't drive them anymore. A hurricane comes, your auto insurance covers the replacement. Just a thought.

chiflipper I've been in a RV since February looking for a home on 10+ acres but since there is a housing shortage I've started looking into building. RV is good for now but I want a built home. There are double wides for sale here on 10 acres between $130 to $200 but if I can build a safer home for less money on 10 acres for $150,000 land/utility/home that seems a better choice since the lay of the land is more important to me than what the home looks like.

Unfortunately this is a situation where you don't know what you don't know.

I would love to see if you have went forth with your build, I too want to build a container home and I want to possibly be like in mobile area,at this moment I am currently in Clanton Al.im slowly making my way there,lol all jokes aside I read all the comments on this page regarding different types of homes withstanding inclement weather,something I did consider these containers are made to ride huge waves deal with serious hurricane,s with very little reinforcement, maybe a extra strap or two,just a thought but hey I'm not a builder, lol not yet anyway...I have read alot of books and learned alot in preparation of this so I'll keep ya updated.please do same  .

I ended up buying a 2004 mobile home 1993' sq/ft on 15 acres for $165,000. I had enough of living in the RV and houses started selling quick. I did buy a 40' HC connex that was sand blasted and painted for around $3500 back in Nov 2020. I called him Dec 2022 and now the same connex is around $5500. Everything is to expensive now versus 2020 when I was pricing everything out.

If you do buy a mobile home understand that some are better then others. Mine I found out doesn't have any plywood under the vinyl siding, it just has some kind of foam board, I'm pretty upset. It would have been nice to buy one that has 6" external walls as well. It was harder then I thought to find insurance and a mortgage leander. They would only insure the home for $120,000 so eventually it might not be worth having insurance, maybe? At least I have a nice fiberglass 6 person storm shelter underground.

My property has now double in price so I thought about having my mobile home moved to the front 4 acres and selling it off for around $165,000 and then building a small stick home later in 2024 or when prices come down some. I'll have to do all the work since contractors are hard to find in North Florida. I called 3 electrician and had them put me on the schedule over a year ago to set up a generator to my circuit breaker and believe it or not none of the 3 ever came. So they either lie to you or don't come.