James:
We used some CONEXes to build a workshop. We built a wall halfway down the box with a door in it, insulated the front half, and put in power and air conditioning. It works fine, [but] the back half gets really, really hot. I’d recommend painting the container a heat reflecting color, try to put it under some trees out of direct sunlight, build some kind of roof over it or something to cut the heat like trellis planted with vines. We use the Rough Neck RV roof mounted air conditioners. I would recommend cutting a hole in the side and mounting a regular window mount air conditioning unit. – Mosby
Jim:
The main site for the use of buried ConEX containers for survival purposes is Undergroundcontainer.com/. It is also fun to see other this that have done with these such as housing like at this British site or this one in New Zealand or this “fabprefab.co” site in the U.S. They are also used warehousing. See “a warehouse on wheels” and this site in New Zealand. Also remember, this idea isn’t completely new, people have been using other means such as culvert (as suggested at Walton Feed) and old school busses. All in all, ConEx containers seem to be a good choice.
Following the teachings of Mike Oehler (also a survivalist at heart) – I think it is important to keep in mind that flat roofs leak, especially if buried. Therefore, keeping in mind the weight limitations (dirt and by 30 to 114 pounds per cubic foot depending upon makeup and moisture), you should put down hard insulation foam board, plastic or rubber roof over it and drape all the way over the edge and down and out, the put down some clean (nothing sharp to puncture) dirt on top, maybe 18 inches in the center and 6 inches on the side creating a pitch – and then plastic over that. Now put the final dirt over that again, leaving at least a slight pitch as ground level for drainage away from the center of the underground structure. Your uppermost plastic sheet (or rubber roof material) should fan out at least 3 feet past the sides of buried structure to get water further away from it. Remember, with a 40’ footer (and get the hi-cube variety if you can) – you may need to brace with the weight at the center as these were not made to be buried, they were made to be stacked – so the strength is in the corners. This is all done presuming the area you put it drains well – and is not in a floodplain or in any danger of flooding. The one thing an underground bunker can not protect you from is a flood.
As for cutting them open and making modifications, joining them, just like with a steel building or pole barns, cut straight, and cover edges with “C” channel, and then secure (probably weld in this case) and seal water and weather tight with silicone or whatever works for you. I have thought about making mobile homes on steroids this way as well. However, there is a lot of steel work involved and I personally lack the skills, equipment, etc. Still – there may be economic opportunity here for someone who has an “in” to make this work. Here’s the idea – since ConEx containers stack – put one down to be your basement or cellar, and put the next one, the ground level mobile home right on top of it. You still move the upper one and put another one in its place (but it might take a crane). Secure the upper one to the lower one with cables, etc., so that extreme forces will not separate the two, no matter what. Maybe even weld them together at the corners. The amount of work to cut in windows, and insulate is substantial though – but look what you would get – a mobile home that would be the last or only one standing after that tornado, or whatever else comes through, with a storage basement. Note that a standard stairwell is a space killer in tight areas – you may want external main entry and a simple latter an hatch in a closet for emergencies. Note, you could even earth berm up to the bottom of the windows of the upper unit, and then put a little insulation and siding over the exposed parts, and still have an earth roof on it. This could make for a great cheap retreat. – Rourke
Sir:
There are some really architectural and elegant solutions using these containers for homes on this site. There are also many other pre-fab ideas that are fertile ground and food for thought in retreat building throughout this very creative site. Many ideals are very thrifty and unusual architectural uses of common materials. Jim, please keep up the impeccable work and folks, if you are reading this, please sign up for the Ten Cent Challenge! Really… I’m serious! – ANETPROPHET
Jim:
Here are two good sites with info/photos and ideas for modifications of shipping containers to be used as housing or storage.
Containerbay: Database of various conceptual projects or real world examples.
Global Portable Buildings Inc.: Supplier of pre-modified units, good pics and info on various options…
Regards, – S.H.