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720 Sq. Ft. Shipping Container House Plans


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Shawn Dehner of The Small House Catalog just released shipping container house plans for a 720 sq. ft. small home for one of his clients.

Later on, in 2015, there will be photos of the actual build that we can all see. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

But for now, we have a 3D sketch of what it will look like. Even better, Shawn and his client have made the plans available for us to download too if you want them.

Please enjoy and re-share below. Thanks. 🙂

720 Sq. Ft. Shipping Container House Plans

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Images © The Small House Catalog

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Images © The Small House Catalog

More Details

  • 2 Bedrooms
  • 1 Bathroom
  • 1 Level Floor Plan
  • 720 sq. ft. of A/C space
  • Dimensions including porch: 16′ x 60′
  • 2 Shipping Containers Used
  • Foundation: Post & Pier

Shipping Container House Plans

You can also download the plans for free here.

More info: http://www.thesmallhousecatalog.com/tethys

Our big thanks to Shawn Dehner of The Small House Catalog for sharing and making the plans available to the community!

You can help us spread the word by “Liking” on Facebook using the button below and re-sharing this story using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Every share helps, including yours. Thank you so much.

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 25 comments… add one }
  • Karen
    December 6, 2014, 8:26 pm

    Very nice, but I want another half bath . . .

  • mountaingypsy
    December 7, 2014, 12:14 am

    I really like the 2 containers, offset, making 2 decks and a nicer entrance! Great idea, not so boxy. Opening the centers, giving more space is great.

  • Vikkie
    February 19, 2015, 3:53 pm

    Where can you buy shipping containers?

    • Tommy Eaton
      February 27, 2015, 3:03 pm

      I purchased 2 45′ containers and 2 40′ containers from the yards in Houston for about half the current rate. I need the 2 40′ containers but the project for the 45′ containers has fallen through. I will be interested in selling them for what I have invested if you would like them. The agent in Houston can send photos and arrange for shipping. They are bonded and you can see them in the shipping yards before they are shipped.
      Please let me know if you are interested.

      • HENRY
        May 15, 2015, 1:18 pm

        how much? are these high cube (9.5′ tall)?
        I’m in Gretna Louisiana area (New Orleans) I have access to tractor trailers

      • Greg
        November 9, 2015, 10:30 am

        Hey, Tommy, I hope you got the two 45’s sold. Would you mind providing me with your agent’s contact information in Houston? I may be in the market for some shipping containers and will be building in Houston, so your agent would be invaluable to me. Thanks in advance Greg

      • January 9, 2017, 5:22 pm

        Are the 45′ containers hogh cube and how much

  • Martha
    February 19, 2015, 4:32 pm

    I love the looks from the outside – just beautiful – but would have liked a peek into the interior and how it is designed. The tiny design plan is way to small for my eyes, and a couple of photographs would have been a welcome addition to this page.

  • Lynnette
    February 19, 2015, 5:59 pm

    This is an excellent floor plan. Very spacious and makes great use of space not so boxed up. Would love to know the cost to turn key

  • Two Crows
    February 19, 2015, 6:46 pm

    Wondering about insulation. Would it be installed inside [lessening floorspace] or on the exterior [needing a more intensive envelope to enclose it]? Whatever the solution, insulation would be key for a metal box home.

    Interesting design though larger than I would want, personally. Aamof, it’s larger than my stick-built 1946 home.

  • CathyAnn
    February 19, 2015, 8:53 pm

    I really like this, using two containers offset, and I like the layout, although it would be easy to rearrange it to suit one’s needs.

  • AllisonWJ
    February 20, 2015, 11:00 pm

    This to me is far more practical than a loft- even more so since I have special needs animals that can’t climb stairs…and let’s face it, if it’s going to be a complete life time commitment I can’t have a loft space when I’m 60+ for the risk of falling down a steep ladder. This alternative is right up my alley!

  • Paula
    February 20, 2015, 11:51 pm

    This is one of the best designs for using shipping containers that I have seen. Would it be economical to use them for the homeless? And would it be legal?

    • Cynthia Rumph
      May 12, 2015, 12:39 pm

      Here in Las Vegas you are not allowed to build a container house. It’s widely believed that you can as we have a commercial “Container Park” that houses small shops and looks like containers were used. However, I have been to the City talking about a plan I have and they tell me that the container park isn’t really made od containers at all, It’s not allowed. So check first before making any plans. ALso, I have seen containers for sale on Craigslist that were local at around $2000. That’s for this area, might be way differently priced elsewhere.

  • Casey
    April 13, 2015, 1:03 am

    How much does it cost to build? I am interested in buying one

    • April 16, 2015, 2:06 pm

      Hey Casey. There’s one being built by NCBOX in North Carolina. If you visit THE small HOUSE CATALOG website and find the Tethys free plan page you’ll find a link to their page. They’re posting ongoing construction photos and cost information. Good luck!

  • SteveDenver
    May 12, 2015, 1:30 pm

    I’m obsessed with great Container Home plans.
    Perhaps an article discussing some of the ups and downs would be useful from an expert, as well as someone who has completed a build. I am looking at an “Over-the-road High-Box” because they are a few inches wider and taller than standard High-Box seafaring containers.
    I’ve learned through kind responses that quite often the hardwood floors are treated with toxic coatings in both types of containers. People have found that seafaring containers may have toxic coatings to withstand the rigors of seawater. I thought that was the end of my idea to clad the container on the outside and preserve as much space inside, until I found out about over-the-road containers built for trucking. The ones I’ve found on eBay have been 40+ feet long. Although they still have floors made of hardwood and probably treated with something impervious to pests (read that: not healthy for humans, either), that can be encapsulated and the metal walls painted.
    There are so many manufacturing nuances and ideas.

    • sabra
      May 13, 2015, 3:35 am

      Steve, what keywords were you using on ebay? all i am getting is “o” scale. thx

      • SteveDenver
        May 13, 2015, 7:05 am

        I haven’t looked for a few months and now there are hardly any listings. I did look for “hi box” and “high box,” and Google turned up this Wikihow result on how to buy shipping containers that I thought was really informative: http://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Used-Shipping-Container

  • Shane crawford
    May 12, 2015, 8:03 pm

    I agree with stevedenver, I also have been interested in shipping container builds. Having a nautical background, these containers can be dangerous if not treated properly. Living here in Canada I would like to know more about the building, insulating and costs of these builds. I’m sorry to say that if using containers to make your home costs more than more traditional methods then why. Please don’t say it’s recycling etc, not looking for a fight just saying.

  • Cosy
    May 14, 2015, 3:43 pm

    I really like the shipping container homes. It reminds me of
    Playing with blocks as a kid. If you needed more space later, add a container.
    I have 2 questions I hope someone can answer & they may sound silly but I’m asking anyway…..
    I know the containers are resilient enough to survive major storms at sea, but I live in tornado alley & that’s a totally different wind than straight line wind. Could a container remain intact in a tornado? I really hope I never have to experience that but it’s a practical concern in my area.
    My second question is,would a container become a lightening rod if struck by lightning?

  • Sandi B
    May 14, 2015, 8:13 pm

    There have been a number of used container homes/cabins featured here on this site that were quite well done with innovative ideas and did not cost all that much to do — one in particular, used as a hunting lodge if I remember correctly, where the insulation was spray painted on the outside — this one used two containers — I am sure Alex could point you in the right direction.

  • Shane Crawford
    May 14, 2015, 10:20 pm

    Steve Denver, I appreciate your reply. But I think you may have misunderstood my comment re cost. I was referring to the cost of building a home using the container ie: framing, insulation plumbing etc.

  • ron zimmer
    September 2, 2018, 1:48 pm

    I am looking for plans, to take a container and turn it into an authentic looking caboose………….

    anyone know of such?

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