Container homes Spain: Can you build with recycled shipping containers in Spain?

2024 UPDATE

The very short answer is “yes you can”. In fact one of our architects is building a home for himself out of shipping containers so we really do know all about it.

Shipping container homes come in all shapes and sizes, from luxury villas made up of several containers, to single units for those looking for a way to get off-grid.

But is it really a good idea to build container homes in Spain?

Essentially what you have with a shipping container is a pre-fabricated steel frame

A shipping container is a relatively cheap and, importantly, recycled material and and as soon as you’ve bought it its good to go. Whether you’re using one or several shipping containers for your home, the strong steel structure can take a lot of the engineering work out of building a house in Spain.

Steel shipping containers need to be well insulated if you’re to make them into a hospitable environment, and you’d also need to deal with humidity and condensation before you can invite people in. Windows, doors, ducting for piping and electricity all have to be cut into it and this may alter its strength so it needs to be done by professionals.

An architect in Spain must be prepared to sign off on the structure and obviously we would handle that for you. Shipping containers are excellent steel structural frames for building a villa.

You can find cheap container homes for sale in Spain so lets go over the additional costs

One of the reasons it’s so affordable to get hold of a disused shipping container to build a house with is because once the goods have been unloaded, the container isn’t much good to the owner.

It’s often actually cheaper for exporters in China to simply buy or build a new container than it would be to ship an empty one all the way back from Europe.

Let’s bear in mind that the material itself (steel) is not a particularly large proportion of the whole cost of building a house in Spain.

The cost of the structural element on any building, in normal circumstances, may be under 30% of the cost of the building. So you need to budget for the finishes, windows, doors, floors, tiling, rendering, bathrooms, kitchen, electrics, plumbing, insulation, waterproofing, heating, cooling, and hot water and the costs of the landscaping, garden, driveway, fencing and front gate, outside terraces, pergolas, outbuildings, swimming pool, taxes, professional fees…

Shipping container houses are eco-friendly and can also be highly energy efficient

There are 11 million shipping containers currently lying dormant worldwide, so getting some use out of them instead of using environmentally unfriendly materials like brick and concrete makes sense.

Eco Vida Homes is very much in favour of recycling and containers can be an excellent replacement for a steel frame.

Containers are easy to transport

Because they are designed to be easy to transport, there’s no shortage of ways to get your shipping container to your land in Spain.

Shipping containers are made to standard measurements and provide modular structures for construction, so they’re just as easy to move around when onsite.

Naturally, the specific dimensions of shipping containers influence your design options.

You need to take into consideration the planning regulations and the topography of your land. In a conventional situation, you can adapt your design to these constraints and also account for how you want to use the building and your budget.

Should you build a home out of shipping containers in Spain?

If your predisposed get in touch and we may be able to help you. You can make an appointment to talk to John Wolfendale here.

Looking to build an energy-efficient home in Spain but don’t know where to start? Get in touch with our team and let us help you understand the process – including what you can get for your budget.