Skip to Content

Building a Shipping Container Home in Minnesota – A Complete Guide

Building a Shipping Container Home in Minnesota – A Complete Guide

Building your own home can be an incredibly exciting prospect. Being able to design your home to your specifications is a great way to make sure your home’s perfect. However, many people can’t get past the price and large barriers to entry. That’s why building a shipping container home in Minnesota is such a great option. 

A shipping container home in Minnesota can get you the home you want without the hassle.

Understanding what these homes are and how they are unique can help you decide if they’re right for you. In this article, we have laid out everything you need to know about container homes. Knowing what to expect will allow you to get the best possible start on your project. 

shipping container home in Minnesota

What is a Shipping Container Home in Minnesota? 

A shipping container home is a home built from old, recycled shipping containers. These containers are used to transport goods on ships, trucks, and trains. When they are decommissioned, they are simply stored or recycled. This is why they are so easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. 

Shipping containers make great materials for home building. Because they are all-steel and rectangular, they are already the right shape and size for rooms. All you need to do is arrange them accordingly and build them into a home. This cuts back on the amount of labor and materials you need to get your home built. 

What Are the Benefits of a Shipping Container Home? 

There are a number of benefits to building a shipping container home in Minnesota. Perhaps the biggest upside is the price. Because you don’t need to do steps like framing, you save money on labor and materials. Much of the structure is already built for you and all you have to do is arrange them. 

The other benefit of building a shipping container home in Minnesota is the ease of maintenance. Because these homes don’t have wood elements, they are impervious to mold, rot, and mildew. This is especially helpful in snowy regions like Minnesota. 

Cost of Building a Shipping Container Home in Minnesota 

The low cost of building a shipping container home in Minnesota is one of the major benefits. A container home will cost between $35,000 and $175,000 depending on your design.

The different elements you choose to include will heavily affect the price. The part of Minnesota you choose to build in will also have a big impact.

The cost of building a traditional home in Minnesota is around $122,500 and $411,500.

Even the most expensive container home will be around half the price of a traditional home. This makes them much more accessible to first-time home builders. It is also a cheaper option than even buying a traditional home that is already built. 

shipping container home in Minnesota

How to Choose a Builder for a Shipping Container Home in Minnesota

One of the most important decisions you will have to make for your container home is the builder. It is very important that you choose someone who has experience with these types of homes. Not every builder will know the ins and outs of this particular type of project. Finding a builder who specializes in them is your best bet. 

You should also look at online reviews of any builder you are considering hiring. Their past clients will let you know whether or not they offer a good customer service experience.

Shipping Container Builders in Minnesota

Building a shipping container home in Minnesota is very personal. You will want someone who will be on your side throughout the whole process. 

  • Paragon Designs MN Inc has built the first of many shipping container homes and other innovative designs in Minnesota. They handle construction from designing, planning, and executing.
  • SI Container Builds, Inc. commits to sustainability, smaller carbon footprints, giving back to communities, and building quality structures always first and foremost, the reason why they build economical solutions for structures through recycled shipping containers.

Shipping Containers for Sale in Minnesota

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!

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 mark-up pricing and make the process of buying easy.

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 are able to find inventory throughout the entire world.

Container One

Container One has been in business for 28 years providing shipping containers to both residential and commercial customers. Container One prides itself on its low prices, a 5-year structural guarantee, and a variety of sizes and shipping container qualities.

Midwest Storage Containers

Voted the best place to work in 2022, Midwest Storage Containers is a great place to find your next storage container to suit your need. Whether you are looking for a new or used one, they will help you find the one that is right for you.

Designing a Floor Plan for a Shipping Container Home 

The floor plan for your shipping container home in Minnesota is very important.

This plan will dictate where all your rooms are located and how the containers are arranged. It is crucial that your floor plan accurately reflects your wants and needs for your home.

This plan will make the flow and feel of your home and help you plan out your construction process.

To get started on your floor plan, write out everything you want for your shipping container home. Then, take this list to a professional draftsman. They will be able to turn this into a workable floor plan. Then, you and your builder can use it to build your shipping container home in Minnesota.

shipping container home in Minnesota

Where to Find Insurance for Your Shipping Container Home in Minnesota

You will need to get insurance for your shipping container home in Minnesota.

Just like with a traditional home, you will want to protect yourself, your family, and your investment. However, it can sometimes be hard to find the right policy for your home. This is because many insurance companies don’t know how to value unique homes like these. 

To help with these, keep a list of expenses during your entire build process. Then, get your home valued by a professional appraiser who can help you place a value on the home.

Using this information, work with an insurance agent who has experience with unique homes. They will be able to help you find the right coverage for your shipping container home in Minnesota. 

Conclusion

By reading this guide, you should have a good idea of what building a shipping container home in Minnesota entails. Taking the time to fully understand the process and what to expect can help you get better results. This way, you will not be surprised when things like insurance and choosing a builder come up. Being prepared is essential when it comes to large building projects like this one. 

If you would like even more helpful guides like this one, be sure to check out the rest of ContainerHomeHub.com. There, you will find tips and tricks from the pros and information on container homes everywhere. You will also find featured homes that can get you inspired for your own project and thinking about it. This will help you see what is possible and understand what you want from your custom dream home. 

 
Like this Post?
Sign up for our email list!
Be the first to see new posts about the best container homes, floor plans, construction guides, and more!
Enter your information and become a Container Home Hub VIP
Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter!

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Container Home Hub is not a shipping container home construction company. While we do our best to make sure our information is accurate, please contact a professional shipping container home builder for information. Container Home Hub is also a blog and does not independently sell shipping container houses and/or shipping container house plans. Container Home Hub currently uses advertisements from a third-party advertising site in addition to occasional affiliate links.