Building a Container Home in Florida – The Complete Guide

Building your own home is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. Being able to design a space for you and your family that is built to your exact specifications is a great way to enjoy a home for many, many years. The idea of building a home is something that everyone considers at some point, however, it isn’t always so simple.

If you have ever looked into what it actually takes to get your own home built, you probably know how expensive it can be and how complicated it is. If you don’t have the ability to go through all the red tape or pay for all the things you will need to pay for, you have more than likely given up. 

That’s why building a container home in Florida is such a great option for so many people. Container homes are quickly becoming popular in many different parts of the country and this makes them more accessible to a wider range of people. With the alternative housing movement gaining momentum, there has never been a better time to start working on a project like this. Many banks and builders are beginning to understand the demand for different types of homes like barndominiums, shop houses, and more. This makes it much easier to get a project like this going than it ever was before. 

In this article, we have laid out everything you need to know about building a container home in Florida. By understanding what goes into a project like this, you can prepare yourself and be ready for any challenges that might come up along the way. 

Cities in Florida to Build a Shipping Container Home

What Is a Container Home and What Are Some of the Advantages? 

A shipping container home is a residence built using steel shipping containers that you might see carrying goods on trains, ships, or trucks. These containers are fairly easy to acquire and can be arranged in incredibly unique ways that can mimic mid-century modern styles due to their symmetrical, boxy look. If you are interested in creating a unique home that is unlike almost anything else currently on the market, a container home in Florida could be a great option for you. 

One of the biggest benefits of building a container home in Florida is the price. Because they are built with pre-made shipping containers, the cost of materials is quite a bit less than it would be with a traditional house. While you will still need to hire someone with expertise in this kind of home to do the labor, you can save quite a bit of money by building one of these unique, interesting houses. 

One of the other benefits of a container home in Florida is that they are unlike anything else on the market. By building a home like this, you can end up with something that you would not be able to find without building it yourself. Because you are limited by the shape and size of the containers themselves, you will have to come up with interesting ways to arrange them. This almost always results in a fascinating home that is sure to have curb appeal and will turn heads throughout the neighborhood. 

Cost of Building a Container Home in Florida

Once you have decided to build a container home in Florida, you will want to set aside your budget. When you are building your own home, it is best to figure out your budget by the square foot. This will not only allow you to figure out how large your property needs to be, it will also help you decide how many shipping containers you can afford and how many you will want to use to build your home. Once you figure out your budget, you can then decide the configuration of the house and how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want to include. 

To build a traditional home in Florida, you will need to set aside a price of around $155 per square foot. It is important to recognize that this will not cover things like furnishings, countertops, or cabinets. It will only get you your actual structure and if you want to include these things to make your house livable, you will need to have some extra money in your budget. 

The cost of building a container home in Florida, on the other hand, is quite a bit less. These homes can usually be built for around $105 per square foot. However, the availability of the shipping containers themselves will affect these prices, so this is important to keep in mind. Either way, because there is no framing to do, you will end up spending quite a bit less on a container home in Florida. 

Container Home Builders in Florida 

Once you have figured out your budget, you will want to decide on a builder for your container home in Florida. Even though shipping container houses are quite a bit easier to build than a traditional home, you will still need to find a high-quality builder who has the skills to build you a home that will last a long time. The construction business in general can be difficult to navigate, but if you know what to look for, you can make the right decisions. 

One of the most important things to look for in a builder for your container home in Florida is experience. Because shipping container houses need a different type of construction than traditional homes, finding someone who knows what they are doing and knows how to get a home like this built is crucial. A builder who has only built traditional homes will not know how to get a project like this off the ground. If at all possible, it is best to find a builder who specializes in building shipping container houses. 

You should also look for someone who has a good reputation and has maintained good relationships with their previous clients. There are many places online where you can find reviews of builders by the people they have worked with in the past. Look for builders who have been able to not only deliver good final results to their customers, but were also able to give them a quality experience. To help you get started, we have put together a short list of some of the best builders for your container home in Florida. 

Containers in Motion 

Containers in Motion has a wide range of clients all throughout the United States. They are able to build container homes for all kinds of purposes, including residential. If you want to build a container home in Florida that is very unique, they could be a great option. 

Movable Roots

Movable Roots builds all kinds of shipping container houses and will be able to help you no matter what kind of design you have in mind. They are able to do amazing things with the relative simplicity of the form and can work with you to create something beautiful. 

Ecotainer Concept 

Ecotainer Concept has a dedication to the simplicity and eco-friendly nature of container homes. If you want to make your container home in Florida as sustainable as possible, they could be a great choice for you. 

Shipping Container Homes for Sale in Florida

Shipped.com Shipping Container Marketplace

Shipped.com helps buyers learn what shipping container is suitable for them and help them. With over 60 depots and thousands of containers on hand, they offer great prices for shipping containers. They have online direct checkout and a digital cart to help you find what you are looking for!

Florida Container Depot

Florida Container Depot offers new and used shipping containers. Their mission is to provide economical container service and want to promote the recycling and reuse of containers.

Conex Depot

Conex Depot provides friendly service to their customers to help them find the shipping containers they are looking for at the best price. Because of their long-established business relationships, they can find inventory worldwide.

Western Container Sales and Rental

Western Container Sales is a division of Railbox Consulting and is employee-owned and operated. They are one of the largest buyers of used shipping containers throughout the United States. They offer containers to their customers at wholesome markup pricing and make buying easy.

Container Home Financing in Florida

Farm Credit of Florida

Farm Credit of Florida offers all kinds of financing options for people who are trying to build interesting projects. They have interest rates for all kinds of different people and can help you get the financing you need to get your container home in Florida up off the ground. 

Florida Farm Bureau 

Florida Farm Bureau is dedicated to the community in the state of Florida. They understand what it takes to get a project like yours up off the ground and can work with you to get you the financing you need. If you want to work with a bank that has the resources to get you the best possible rates, they could be your best option.  

Container Home Taxes in Florida

You will need to pay taxes on your container home in Florida just like you would with any other home. However, because of the unique nature of the building and its different classifications, the tax rate may be different than it would be with a traditional home depending on your state and where you have built. Work with a local tax assessor to figure out what you should be paying every year. 

Where to Find Container Home Insurance in Florida

It is very important that you get insurance for your container home in Florida. However, it may be difficult to figure out what kind of coverage you should have and what clauses need to be in your policy. For example, if you live in an area that regularly floods, it is very important that you have coverage for this possibility. Work with an insurance agent to figure out a good policy for your container home in Florida. 

Container Home Floor Plans in Florida

The floor plan for your container home in Florida is incredibly important. This is where you will figure out how your individual containers will be configured and what the layout is going to be. To get this process started, sit down and write out a list of all the things you want to make sure are included in your container home in Florida. Then, take these ideas to a professional draftsman. They will turn these ideas into a workable floor plan that you and your builder can use to design and build the final product. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, by reading this guide, you have a good idea of what it takes to build a container home in Florida. Knowing what you need to do and what you need to look for in a builder can help you get on the right track right away and give you the best possible chance at success. 

If you would like even more helpful information, be sure to check out the rest of Container Home Hub. There, you will find more in-depth guides like this one and more information on building container homes. You will also find featured container homes so you can get some inspiration and start thinking about your project.