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Intellectual Shipping Container Home by Roostspace


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This is the Intellectual Shipping Container Home by Roostspace.

This fabulous tiny house is crisp, clean and modern. It has a ground-floor bedroom, a spacious closet, plenty of living space and a luxurious bathroom. And the good news? If you like it, it’s for sale!

Related: Two-Story Shipping Container Tiny House For Sale

Intellectual Shipping Container Home by Roostspace

Images via Roostspace

Related: Rustic Retreat Shipping Container Tiny House: $29.9K

Images via Roostspace

Video: Intellectual Tiny Home

From Roostspace:

‘The Intellectual’ is a 40-foot container loaded with personality. Inspired by an experienced tiny homeowner who adds function and utility and a California designer who brings style and quality. Together they bring you an intellectual 320 sq. ft. oasis that functions flawlessly as a tiny home or an accessory dwelling unit.

This 1 bedroom, 1 full sized bath home is outfitted with a fireplace and two double French doors opening up to the beautiful mountain air. The kitchen has sleek cabinets, stainless steel over the range convection microwave with sensory cooking, stainless steel dishwasher drawer, full size refrigerator,and gorgeous counter tops. The bathroom features a full sized shower, plenty of storage space, and a washer/dryer combo. Enjoy sweet dreams in a queen size bed and store smart with an extensive closet and additional strategic storage compartments within the bedroom.

$62,000 as shown.

Resources: 

Related: Modern Shipping Container Tiny Home in Quebec

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Natalie C. McKee

Natalie C. McKee is a contributor for Tiny House Talk and the Tiny House Newsletter. She's a wife, and mama of three little kids. She and her family are homesteaders with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and quail on their happy little acre.

Latest posts by Natalie C. McKee (see all)

{ 21 comments… add one }
  • Claude
    January 13, 2017, 2:51 pm

    Interesting, what you can do with containers!

  • Barnie
    January 13, 2017, 6:31 pm

    Love it! Design-wise, it looks like a master class in building a container TH… tastefully minimal yet the finishes flirt with luxury. I’d like to know more about the utility specs/potential though. ie Insulation method/R-value, Water (since they never show the toilet), Power set-up, etc? I’m also curious why the container doors are ajar on the “bathroom end” in every shot that it can be seen… maybe that’s an exterior access to utility space?
    Despite the price, have to admit I’m a bit smitten with this one!

  • Michael
    January 13, 2017, 6:43 pm

    Very nice but price tag appears to me a bit high.

  • Bigfoot
    January 13, 2017, 6:57 pm

    I’m very,very unimpressed by this shipping container. While the interior is not too bad looking, the unit as a whole leaves a lot to be desired. It looks like it has the original shipping container paint on the exterior (judging by the lettering) & there are no shortage of dents. It is metal & dark in color = hot. I noticed they did not use a gfci outlet on the electrical outlet directly behind the (ugly to me) bathroom sink. This is a safety issue & would not meet/pass code anywhere that I know of. The outlet nearest the kitchen sink should also be a gfci. When I see these mistakes, it makes me question everything else. Exterior outlets? Exterior hose bibs?
    The original doors are left in place & a wall built in front/behind it so they are for what purpose now? This is the cheapest way to handle those doors. There is zero technical info on their website. If the interior framing is touching the outside metal skin, you’ve created some hellacious thermal bridging. Appears to be no real roof other than the original metal skin which is fairly thin & gets really hot as well. These roofs are ribbed & pond water & this must be addressed. The architectural wood on the exterior reminds me of the old lipstick on a pig cliché. The metal walls have paint on the interior & exterior so you essentially have 2 vapor barriers which can lead to serious mold/mildew issues if not addressed in a proper fashion. Where is the electrical panel? This brings me to HVAC systems. I don’t see any??? There seems to be an overall lack of ventilation (kitchen, bath, heat/air) which when combined with an interior vapor barrier leads me to believe whoever lives in this will eventually have a very unhealthy environment. As I have mentioned here before, I’ve owned (still do) a couple of these containers for many years. They get really hot with all the exposed metal. Moisture inside WILL condense on the walls & ceilings. IMO, these container homes need a roof system, exterior skin
    system, & proper ventilation. This has none so it is an epic fail to my way of thinking.
    If this was just a unit that somebody built for themselves, I’d have kept my opinions to myself. But this is a company offering a product for public consumption so these issues need to be addressed & rectified to even be in the ballpark as something that should be offered to the masses. I suppose some will just look at it & think, this is kinda nice inside, without considering the issues I’m raising. To top it off, they are asking $ 62k. Two thumbs & a big toe down !

    • June 11, 2017, 12:02 pm

      Hi Big toe,

      I don’t have time to reply to each of your points but here are some quick answers:

      The outside has been completely sanded and repainted. Select decals were left in place to keep an industrial look. The paint itself was quite expensive, about $50/gal. I don’t have much more information about it as we hired a professional to complete it.

      The insulastions is spray foam at R7 per inch, 2″ in walls, 4″ in floor, and 6″ in ceiling. All professionally installed.

      The kitchen and bathroom both have gfci breakers, the preferred method of our licensed electrian.

      All plumbing was also completed by licensed professional. The fresh water in and drain outlet to a storage space that is accessible via the exterior cargo doors, hence our leaving them. This space also provides the owner room for storing bikes and the like.

      The cedar panels on the outside are removable with a few bolts and can be customized to meet the buyers preference.

      Any other questions just ask!

  • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
    January 13, 2017, 9:51 pm

    Unlike Big Toe, I think this one is just fine… I mean paint is cheap and if you are a person of practical skills of carpentry you can even clad it with some really nice looking cedar or Hardie board to finish the job and keep it on the cheap… Whats the problem, other than a few who lack imagination or the skills, and even if you are not the skilled do-it- your-self’er you can still hire a carpenter or painter for a few dollars more to finish the project…! Bottom line is container tiny houses are a great way to build….!

    • Bigfoot
      January 14, 2017, 9:19 am

      What’s the problem? — Price, quality of the build, & people who don’t understand proper construction procedures & real world costs. $62K plus transport to site, plus set up, & then your gonna spend more money/labor to clad it. You’ll end up with a price north of $70k. Then, you still need to spend even more money to heat, cool, & properly ventilate it. Good paint is not cheap. Prepping an 8’x40′ metal box for paint is labor intensive. Cladding with cedar & cedar lumber itself is not cheap. If you are going to clad the sides, how are you going to handle the roof line?? Yeah, now you need to build a roof if you are going to do it right. Probably getting close to $80k now. I’m happy for those that think this is fine & affordable.
      I do agree & have always thought that shipping containers are a viable option for conversion IF they are done properly.

      • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
        January 14, 2017, 3:02 pm

        Wait a minute…! I did not mean this practical tiny house, but it could be done if you where the builder.. I guess I missed the mark on that one, I should have said that building with containers to be a great way to build, and a house such as this one could be built for much , much less then what this builder is charging… But bottom line you are very much wrong on this concept of building.. I have said this time and time again on this site that container built tiny houses by builders are over charging far to much for what they claim they have invested… As I know for fact you in some cases can obtain a shipping container for almost nothing if you were only willing to look for them… And they are not hard to find as every shipping container service with in the country has more than stock piled these containers for years now, and I know of one location which stretches for miles and as far as you can see is stocked piled with containers so badly that they are willing to give them away for the cost of fuel to have them delivered to your location…! So please don’t say this to not be a viable way of building, as this structure alone saves you thousands…!

        • Bigfoot
          January 14, 2017, 7:15 pm

          Zachary, slow down for a minute bro & please take time to read & digest my posts. — For clarity sake, I’ll write the very last sentence of my second post one last time, quote, ” I DO AGREE & HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE A VIABLE OPTION FOR CONVERSION IF THEY ARE DONE PROPERLY. Sorry, I had to turn up the volume for ya 🙂
          My opinions on the problems I see regarding this unit are just that, opinions. Unfortunately, many problems caused by poor construction practices do not show up for a long time after the initial purchase. I know this because I have been getting paid to fix these kind of problems for many years & have been in the residential construction business for 3+ decades. (don’t claim to be an expert on anything though) You won’t know you have mold/mildew issues behind your walls for a long time. You may even become sick & not know why. A proper building envelope & ventilation is essential & I will restate that I think the builder missed the mark with this one. Please also again note, if this was a private party build I wouldn’t have bothered posting anything as people just have to learn from their own mistakes. Enjoy the day !

  • Karen M
    January 14, 2017, 1:27 am

    I COMPLETELY agree with Bigfoot. If I were to purchase this shipping container for THIS price, it better be in damn good condition and the electrical NOT up to code finds me puzzled as to what else might be WRONG. For this price, I don’t intend to repaint the exterior and it should be in excellent shape. The design just LACKS…very disconcerting cuz I know how beautiful it could be.

  • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
    January 14, 2017, 3:09 pm

    OH…! But I w;ll concede to say that you were right as to this builders costs to be grossly unaffordable, and impractical to sell it in it’s present state…

  • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
    January 14, 2017, 9:16 pm

    No …! My apologizes as you are correct that I need to read everything first … I have a bad habit of doing that, I skim over a few lines to get the jest of the subject, and answer before I know the whole story… So I do apologize..! I just get so much email every day and try to cut down on time, that I do the speed read…! LoL…! But one of my biggest pet projects is to get more people familiar with shipping containers and try to get them to build with them for 2 reasons, 1 being the ecological impact, and the other to try to lower the cost of tiny house building thru alternative building with shipping containers…! I was always told it all starts with one person igniting the fuse, and the chain reaction is in how big a charge you deliver… So I hope to get the word out to more people by any means… But I apologize again, and please don’t be offended…!

    • Bigfoot
      January 15, 2017, 8:15 am

      It’s an easy mistake to make & I’ve done the same probably more than once. No problem & no offense taken. I just wanted to make sure you understood my position.
      Like I mentioned previously, I’ve owned a couple 20′ shipping containers for years. I bought them in Tampa in the 90’s, hauled them & set them in place myself. One of them I let the roof go too long & a rust hole developed. You have to at the very least keep a good roof coating on them, the metal is not that thick & water will sit due to the ribbing. The 20 footers weigh 5k lbs. The main strength is in the corners. The floors in mine are oak planks & strong as well. I’ve used the containers for multiple purposes.
      Your right in that there is a glut of containers currently & if you live near a port you might find them for a good price. The biggest thing they have going for them is you get an instant shell that is strong & stable. You couldn’t build something this strong for the same money. They are not that hard to build out but the things I’ve already mentioned regarding ventilation, thermal bridging, & not trapping moisture inside are items that should be addressed (in any structure) so one ends up with a safe & comfortable living accommodations. I’ve made some of these mistakes myself when I was young & first building things & before there was this thing called the internet. I think they can be great for someone who owns property or has long term access. If I was building one out, I would go to the city/county, tell them I wanted to use a shipping container for ‘storage’ & find out what I needed to do to build a roof on top & ‘carport’ on the sides. Once you get that far without hassles, you are home free for the most part.

  • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
    January 15, 2017, 7:45 pm

    I don’t want to over do it on this page but in closing, I want to say this.. I was an engineer for the most part of my life, till a serious accident changed my life for ever, and I full understand what it takes to build out a tiny house from a shipping container, and I by no means meant that you can just build inside a container alone with out performing the necessary requirements to it’s exterior, in order for it to be a viable tiny house… I don’t know if you are aware of how many websites there are which properly guide you in building houses from shipping containers that are on the internet today, but I can promise you this, that there are many… I also have past experience in the use of shipping containers of the 20 ft. size.. I had used them as stalls for horses back in the late 70’s, and fully aware of the preparation and care needed for a proper roofing on containers… But bottom line it is just a matter of simple logic when addressing these issues you are worried about… There are over 60 products on the market today in which will not only fill those needs that you had addressed but they are also ecologically used as well… You have correctly named the areas of these containers for their strengths, but neglected to mention the box tubing that runs not only down it’s lengths top, and bottom but vertically in the 4 corners you mentioned… I have given this method of building long thought and have given lots of effort and time to find stress and load factors, for applied use as tiny housing.. But no one would be interested in a comment on a webpage about how to build these when looking at one in which is already available for sale.. This is why it was not mentioned before in my rant… LoL…! But yes you are right most trailers are made with corrugated 14 gauge steel which is not bullet proof but they are sufficient to build for our purposes… Thanks for the rebuttal, and I wish to thank tiny house talk for their patients in our taking up room on this webpage with our cross conversation… Be well and take care…!

  • jm
    January 16, 2017, 7:22 am

    There are plenty of sites devoted to shipping container homes. Many people who built with them were interviewed and gave their views. Find out what they are. There are many issues and costs involved with building with them–and making them comfortable. I would not do it personally and I have been building for many years.

  • Roxann Suits
    January 17, 2017, 9:20 am

    I love this one. There even looks to be enough room to add a sleep sofa instead of the two chairs. The only thing I would change is to have the refrigerator open from right to left.

    • Natalie
      January 17, 2017, 10:57 am

      Sleeper sofa is a grand idea 🙂

  • ROSEE
    January 18, 2017, 6:12 pm

    Nicely done all around!

    • Natalie
      January 19, 2017, 6:19 am

      🙂

  • Sabell
    January 28, 2017, 12:14 am

    Looks nice. The video seems to focus too much on the tv. I’d like to see more of the bathroom and bedroom in the video. Thanks for updating with pics of the bed.

    62K is way overpriced. Our container house was given a complete overhaul; floor completely gutted due to rot and rebuilt, all material with brand new mold resistant flooring, siding, dry wall, rustoleum, and complete interior and exterior paint, a 16×20 deck added on the outside with complete and new roof with awnings and 3′ overhangs, all appliances, fixtures, and nice furniture (nothing from box stores) included, new septic, all new electrical, water, piping, etc., basically from the container shell to finished, the whole shebang under 30K including the price of the shipping container and shipping costs. It really shouldn’t be more than that unless you’re adding priceless works of art into the mix, or your builder is overcharging for time and material.

    • Sabell
      January 28, 2017, 12:26 am

      I forgot to mention our container is a 40’er same as the featured, and the outside deck is completely covered by a roof as well as fully screened in with partial walls on two sides. So, for price reference, all this was included in under 30K for the refurbish.

      a side note on the featured: I’d love to see this container with an observation deck up top.

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