Rent the OCTOPOD and try before you buy

September 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment

The OCTOPOD is now available for rent! Located near Bobcaygeon, ON (1.5h from Toronto), this summer we hosted tours for media including Cottage Life, Green Energy Futures and the general public. We even handed over the keys to those who wished to experience off-grid shipping container living.

Here’s your chance!

If you’ve always wondered what it’s like to live in one of these, you can contact us directly or book your week via AirBnB. Now available all year round.

AirBnB OCTOPOD rental shipping container house

Filed Under: Sea Container Cabin KIT

Build-your-own Shipping Container Cabin Checklist

November 28, 2014 By 2 Comments

Our “Build-your-Own Shipping Container Cabin Checklist” provides you with the methodology we use for our projects. We will custom design your requirements, share our R&D, techniques and tricks to building your own Shipping Container Cabin seamlessly. Most importantly, our learnings from this 7-container project have been documented in detail to ensure other builds can avoid some of the surprises we have encountered.

BUILD-YOUR-OWN SHIPPING CONTAINER CABIN CHECKLIST:

      1. Concept and Design
      2. Needs, Wants, and Philosophies
        • Low cost
        • High security
        • Sustainable, independent, and unique
        • Maximize and exploit inherent benefits of container structures
        • Turn the inherent weaknesses of containers into strengths
      3. Design Strategies
        • Insulation and Interior Strategy for container ceilings, walls, floors, inside versus outside, cold climate and condensation considerations, thermal break concept, R value of steel
        • Insulating Coatings, fundamental research and findings
        • Center Great Room, features and functions
        • Roofing System and Cupula Effect
        • Off grid features
        • Stepwise Construction Approach
      4. Concept Drawings
        • Google SketchUp concept PDF images
        • Google SketchUp electronic working files for additional views and customization
        • Final AutoCAD rendered concept drawings in PDF format, basis for Construction Drawings
      5. Containers and Materials Selection
        • High cubes versus standard cubes
        • New “one-trip” containers versus used “wind and water tight” units
        • Treated plywood floors – understanding pesticide treatments, construction techniques to encapsulate, alternative measures
      6. Off Grid, Sustainability and Reliability Features
        • Interior water tower
        • Solar water pumping
        • Plumbing with quick and natural draining
        • Wood fired sauna and shower area
        • Patio mist natural air conditioning
        • Optimizing power supply and demand
          • DC versus AC
          • LED lighting and DC alignment
          • Refrigeration options, highest efficiency designs, DC options
          • DC HVAC options
      7. Construction strategies
        • Concrete piers and container fastening
        • Container interface and connection
        • Post and Beam structure and fastening
      8. Bill of Materials
        • Detailed list of construction materials
        • Local suppliers versus big box stores
        • Exercising buying power for materials
      9. Issue Final Construction Plans
      10. Obtaining Building Permits
        • Building project support with Local Building Officials
        • Building code treatment and structural integrity validation
      11. Taking Delivery of Containers
        • Scheduling and accepting deliveries
        • Tilt and load truck capabilities and constraints
        • Alternative methods to unload and move containers on site
        • Inspections and contingency planning
      12. Project Coaching available from Jason Rioux
Filed Under: Sea Container Cabin KIT Tagged With: ,

DIY Shipping Container Cabin Kits

July 29, 2013 By 15 Comments

Sea Container Cabin is inspiring a growing number of shipping container cabin enthusiasts across Canada and around the world. We offer the following products and services to help others develop their own shipping container cabins, cottages, homes or buildings.

  1. Building with Shipping Containers – 2h Private Session with Jason Rioux. This is what everyone keeps asking us for. A 1-on-1 session outlining design and construction tips and techniques for building with shipping containers. This session provides clients with the “must-have” understanding of design and construction considerations unique to working with steel shipping containers.  This is the foundation of research and development upon which to create your own creative residence from recycled steel shipping containers.  The session covers details of key elements outlined in the Checklist above, and will save clients hundreds of hours in completing their own research and development. And we’ll share all the Q&As others before you have asked who have already started the process of building their own container projects. 2h Private Consultation Session is $300 + HST.  BUY NOW
  2. Octopod Construction Plans. Includes the full set of construction plans for the Octopod. This product is intended for DIY shipping container cabin clients that would like to build their own Octopod. The first Octopod project is fully constructed in Canada and serves as a demonstration facility for proof of concept and viewing by clients and customers. Site specific design review (such as foundations) and custom design changes are available upon request under Consulting Services. Octopod Construction Plans are available for $1000 + HST.  BUY NOW
  3. Octopod Materials Kit. Contains all the major construction materials required to build the Octopod. We source all the containers and construction materials, pack the containers with the construction materials, and ship the containers to your construction site, anywhere in the world.  Once the Kit arrives at your site, you are responsible for your own assembly and finishing of the Octopod. The Kit does not include concrete foundations or spray foam insulation which must be sourced and installed locally. Pricing of the Octopod Materials Kit is available upon request.
  4. Consulting Services. We provide consulting services on design, engineering, permitting, procurement, and construction of shipping container projects.  Whether it be expert advice, site specific Octopod design modifications, or full design and engineering of your own custom sea container home, it is based on your specific needs. Contact us for more information.

 

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