Purchasing a custom or modified shipping container comes with its own challenges – perhaps even in the used modified shipping container market it’s even more difficult.
In either case, it is best to be well aware of your own requirements for a new or used custom modified shipping container before you start looking at your options. It is important to ensure that your solution is crafted around your business and functional requirements and not the other way around.
Here are a few key factors to take into consideration when defining your container requirements:
Functional Requirements
You will be able to decide on space requirements after you’ve assessed the purpose and much of the context surrounding your shipping container’s purpose.
How many people will be regularly within the space? How long will they be there? What functions and tasks will they be facilitating? Bathrooms and kitchens are common in many modified containers.
What time of year, seasons, temperature, and weather will the container be used in? Heating, air conditioning, or both?
Insulation
A good understanding of seasonal temperatures will help you to select the most effective insulation and building materials. Remember that when it comes to containers, a higher # of insulation is required than for wood. I suggest going 2 or 3 levels higher.
Doors and Windows
Doors and windows are pretty important, as they have the potential to make a small space feel smaller. Consider making doors outwards from the container, and operate them on a sliding bracket.
Ventilation
Ventilation is important for all measure of custom modified shipping containers, whether it’s an office, home, or lavatory – you’ll always need ample ventilation.
Electrical
What sort of equipment will you be using in your new or used custom modified shipping container space? Ensure that your solutions are built to scale to address today and tomorrow’s challenges. There are many shipping containers for sale online all over the world – just make sure that you stick to what serves you best, don’t cut corners on how much load your electrical system can handle.
Security Features
The security measures you employ may help your organisation reduce overhead through receiving a lower insurance premium for having above average security measures in place. Protecting the exterior of your container from the elements is also important for security and corten steel new or used shipping containers may be preferable.
Appliances and Custom Fixtures
Does your new or used shipping container supplier include appliances into their build? Some shipping container suppliers will have some modular prefabricated solutions, from kitchens to bathroom stalls and they may be able to help you find what you’re looking for and deliver it quickly.
Custom Uses
Is your container intended for a specialized purpose? If so, talk to your container supplier about its unique purpose in the early stages of planning. Whether it’s for incubating eggs to filing your TPS reports, every need at the core of a solution is different.
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, you’re probably going to want to meet with your supplier in person. Sure you can buy shipping containers online but you’ll learn a lot more about your supplier immediately if you have the privilege of meeting them in person.
Do they even have a new or used shipping container yard – or are they middle men? Do they have what it takes to help you with your custom container modification project from concept to completion?
Buying a new or used custom modified shipping container is more about the price. This is a newly expanded market so real experience is everything when it comes down to choosing container supplier wisely.
