Kenyans are increasingly embracing shipping container houses as an alternative to brick and mortar houses. Within increased urbanization, there has been increased demand for affordable housing. As a result, shipping container homes have become one of the solutions that potential home owners are going for. In this article, we will explore the increased popularity of container homes in Kenya with focus on the main advantages of container houses, challenges of container houses as well as factors to consider when building a container house.

Benefits of Shipping Container Homes in Kenya

Shipping container homes have gained popularity in recent years due to their numerous benefits. Here are some of the key advantages of shipping container homes:

1. Affordable Housing

There has been an increased demand for shipping container homes as a result of the increased cost of building traditional brick and motor houses. For instance, the cost of constructing a 2-bedroom shipping container unit is 1.4M compared to a traditional brick and motor house which can go up to 3.5M. This makes container houses an affordable option to housing.

2. Durability

There is a major advantage in shipping container houses given their durability. Containers are made of heavy steel which ensures that they are not only durable but can also withstand all weather conditions. This makes shipping container homes attractive as a safe housing option given that it is not easy to break into these units.

3. Quick Building Time

One of the major benefits of shipping container houses is the time taken to build a new home to completion and ready for occupation. A shipping container house can be completed in 2 weeks to 2 months depending with complexity of the project. Using the steel containers means that the main structure is already in place and less time as well as materials is used to construct walls. This makes the process easy and fast and you can move into your new unit within a short period of time.

4. Portability

Another unique advantage of shipping container house is the fact that they can be moved from one location to another as one desires. Containers are designed in a way that they can be transported by trucks which also applies to container houses. When a single unit is used to construct a house, it can be moved around as one desires. This is a major advantage to the owner compared to traditional houses where the location can’t be changed and the house has to be dismantled if there is new development that needs to be done on the land.

5. Beautiful Designs

At Container Sales Kenya, our passion has been coming up with unique designs of container homes. We understand that customers have different taste and preferences. As a result, we always develop unique products with the help of our architects and engineers. Containers can be arranged as one desired and also stacked on one another to give the desired design. In addition, we use gypsum boards to come up with attractive interior finishing as well as insulation of containers to control temperatures.

Challenges of Shipping Container Homes in Kenya

Despite the numerous benefits that shipping container homes offer, there are shortcomings that need to be addressed to make container houses a favorable option for most Kenyans. Some of the main challenges of container housing are as outlined below;

1. Shipping Container Home Insulation

A major challenge to container housing is the fact that shipping containers are made of steel and as such absorb and trap heat. This makes the interior excessively hot during the day and very cold at night. To overcome this challenge, Platinum Container Fabricators insulate the container using polyethylene forms as well as gypsum boards. This does not only help to control temperatures inside the container house but also gives it a good look. Insulating shipping container homes makes them comfortable to live in.

2. Cost of Shipping Container House

Another challenge of shipping container home is the high cost of containers as well as the cost of fabrication. Over the years, the price of shipping containers in Kenya has increased significantly. In addition, container house fabrication material includes steel, gypsum boards, Styrofoam, electrical wiring, plumbing and ceramic tiling as well as paintwork whose price has increased significantly. At platinum container fabricators, we work with clients to come up with designs of shipping container homes that suit our client’s budget.

3. Shipping Container Homes Space Limitation

Shipping container houses have a challenge of space limitation. The containers come in standard sizes mainly 20FT and 40FT length with width of 8FT. This limits the available living space in the container house especially for families that require more spacious houses. At platinum containers, we overcome this challenge by using creative designs that help to maximize the living space within the container. Additionally, we combine two or more containers to create more space for one, two- or three-bedroom houses.

4. Aesthetics and perception of container homes

Shipping container houses are considered temporary and unconventional. They are mainly associated with low-income earners which limits adoption by most of the potential clients. However, with increased innovation in construction of shipping containers, Platinum Container Fabricators are able to develop shipping container housing units that are visually appealing. For instance, the use of gypsum board for interior wall and ceiling padding as well as exterior cladding with wood and cement boards with stylish finishing and proper landscaping helps to make shipping container houses visually appealing.

5. Financing of Shipping Container Homes

There is a challenge in obtaining finance for container houses given the fact that they are a new concept in Kenya. Most of the banks and other financing institutions are reluctant to give potential clients mortgage for construction of container houses compared to traditional brick and mortar houses. To overcome the challenge of financing container houses, Platinum Container Fabricators offers client’s favourable payment plan that helps to start work with available funds

Conclusion

The above analysis shows the pros and cons of building a shipping container house in Kenya. To realize the full benefits of shipping container houses, it is important to work with a company that understands the process and is experienced in the field. In addition, it is important to have clear goals on what needs to be achieved and the deliverables for such a project. Platinum Container Sales Kenya LTD is a leading company in shipping container fabrication. Having worked on different shipping container houses projects in different parts of Kenya, we are able to guide our customers to realize the desired benefits of shipping container homes. Adaption of shipping container homes in Kenya is a big step towards addressing the challenge of housing challenge that Kenya is currently faced with.