Container Hunting Cabin
General Topic
Anyone ever build a hunting cabin using a shipping container as your structure? Just banging some ideas around in the noggin for future.
I know of a hunting shack built from a semi van. They pulled it in place and parked it. Left the axles, wheels right on. Put a stairway and entrance door on one side. In back they put a sliding glass door full width and left the van doors in place to close up when gone. Haven't seen how they finished the inside but looks like a nifty setup.
Hydroponics equipped? ; - )
I think you'd be way ahead to just buy an Atco from Ritchie Bros. Tons of them unused in Alberta right now. Get the size and features you want with no work other than installing the wood stove.
We have dozens of those 'Sea/Land' containers here at work.
They tend to sweat a lot without proper ventilation/insulation. But with some innovative skills, they can be transformed into something more useful than just a metal container
I looked into turning one of those into a cabin a while back, they have potential! There is a whole world of 'container homes' out there, some really incredible stuff.
They're pretty popular in S. TX. We've hunted at a ranch that used them for their hunters.
They're comfortable and easy to maintain. Install a PTAC climate control system and you're good to go year round.
Hunted and fished for years with my uncle out of an old school bus. Remove the seats, added bunks and shelves you are ready to go.
We used them to make walkin freezers,workgreat with isulation and a refrigeration/freezer unit. Put one at each restaurant.(Cattlemans)
Ambush by an Atco do you mean those mobile offices? From what I've seen guys want like 20 grand for those. Was thinking if I pick up a container for a couple thousand bucks I could insulate, wire and panel the thing in about a day. Few days of work and it could be ready to hunt.
I know a guy that took 2 of them....separated them by about 12 feet parallel to each other...then put a pitched roof over the whole thing. He had 2 separate living areas and covered storage/hang out area in between.
I know we are a long way from you but there is a container company here that makes numerous styles of cabins from shipping containers. It might give you a few ideas.
If you want windows and a door, then count on several hours with a grinder and a lot of zip-cut blades Then a lot of metal drilling and screwing. Dido for attaching framing inside. Unless you glue styrofoam to the walls then glue panel to that.
We use two at work for storage and they frost up bad in cold weather and that turns to moisture when the temp goes above freezing.
They are cheap to buy and reasonable to deliver, but I think it would turn into quite a bit more work than you think if used in Manitoba’s fall/winter weather.
APauls,
I see the ATCO skid office trailers on kijij in Calgary or Edmonton from time to time in the 7-9k range. No idea what kind of shape they are in for the price. Of course, you still have to get the thing over to MB.
I have seen some really cool hunting / vacation units in online and in person in the warmer parts of the US. No idea what they would be like up here in cold country. I'm new to Canadian winters.
I imagine Ambush has good advice there.
How well would one of those containers work as a secured locker for hunting equipment, i.e., blinds, decoys, tents, atv's, etc.? I'm in CO and temp changes can be significant. Would you need to install ventilation to mitigate moisture, etc.? Thx Kip
Unfortunately, many thieves keep a couple of the cordless grinders and they are in a container in a couple minutes. Unless you weld on some very heavy boxes over the locks.
Locks only keep honest people honest.
Would be great if you don't like windows.
I have a 20' that I'm using as a cabin/storage while I build a real cabin. I built a wall about 2' inside the container and installed a storm door and a window this lets in a lot of light. the window was added after this picture. also the door section opens to allow large items to be placed inside.
here are some more pictures I also built queen size bunk beds at the far end of the container. bigger than what I needed but using queen size beds in the finished cabin.
Smart idea on the front door, Hiker.
We are doing two like Franklin explained for extra room at a friend's cabin. Luckily one of the guys helping is a long-time fabricator with a nice shop.
Adam i own River/ Mountain Cabin Builder's, I've built /framed 100s of structures in 35 years.from my experiences and a few builders I've known forever,its simply easier and less headaches to stickbuild on site,, yeah you have a steel rectangle as a nice start,however cutting in windows,doors,framing the interior,insulating the walls then,,and as said they sweat too much ,I think you'd have mold behind the framed interior in a year,I love a 20 x 20 cabin,wide open,I have no problem with a smaller cabin but I personally wouldn't like the long narrow corridor.here's a pic of a 12 x 20 I built in central va,for a winery,,it would be a perfect smaller cabin.13k. and one with blue roof,1/2 loft 16x20. I could live in that ! 17k. Just some thoughts,,by the way my son,a carpenter,wants to build a container house...lol. Damn fool
Working for Shell Oil I turn those sea cans as we call them into storage units, break rooms, offices etc. As mentioned above you’ll get lots of condensation if you don’t insulate. We use 2” foam board. Then I install a false wall in the front so you can leave the steel doors open when you are using it. That wall has a man door and a cutout for the heat/ac unit. Since they are all metal make sure you ground it!!! The price sure is right on those and they are available pretty much everywhere. As long as you can get it transported to your site it’s a nice option.
Check out this one on instagram for idea's. Some unbelievable ones in there !!! Cheers, Pete
They have apartment complex’s made out of them in Phoenix.
Would using spray foam insulation alleviate the condensation issues?
these aren't "container" homes, but modular with a concept of building mostly offsite and then moving for assembly. I think with a diminishing craft/trades population, these will become more prevalent in the future and they're getting better at them.
I like the idea of container homes too. I have a 0.25 ac property in Salt Lake City I rent out because I no longer live there permanently, but I can put in an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and use it for my own storage or for a 2nd home for myself. I can't rent it to non-relatives though so it wouldn't be like getting another rental unit on the property. Many urban areas are loosening the zoning restrictions on ADU's because you can increase density without adding significant infrastructure.
I do think with the container build, you will need to either do it yourself or get sort of a specialty contractor as a lot of home builders have more of a light carpentry background. I think for cabin sites access will be the deal breaker for these types of builds. If you can't drive a crane in there and it's even a few hundred yards off highway you'll be making significant improvements ($) to bring equipment in. Even a small 8,000 lb construction forklift still weighs 30,000 lbs, cranes can get to 100,000 lbs pretty easy too.
If you do one and you aren't in a super dry environment you need to spray foam these to avoid moisture issues down the road. I priced one out to turn into a bear camp setup, and all said and done I was right at what an actual small cabin would cost to build and the cabin has far better resale value. I pulled the plug on my plans.
These are Really nice.
I have stayed in them while hunting on the NER in Jackson Hole.
The build turn-a-round is really fast. Delivery and set-up isn't to Pricey.
Good luck, Robb
T Roy... yes. But I’d make sure it is 2” minimum thickness. That steel gets really cold in the winter and sizzling hot in direct sunlight.
We use a 20 footer for ours. A bit tight but it works. We have a glass sliding door similar to hikers in ours. Not glamorous but functional
Savage those cabins are very cool!
This is my hunting shack named "Who Cares". The only 'containers' used are on a shelf inside. And they need replacement every so often.
What does a container run cost wise? Most I've seen you'd have to patch/re-roof as they are rusty from the salt water and leak. There are folks around here use them for storage, with a welder and a bit of ingenuity you can hold off criminals for quite a while. I really like the shops made from two and a truss roof connecting them.
I recall reading about a company that makes an attachment for containers to lift and drive out from under and set it down in place. No need for a crane and done in minutes.
we use them all the time for construction storage and never have them delivered with a crane just a flatbed wrecker with a tilt body and a winch
They run about $2500 around here.
I can do all the work myself and one of my brothers used to truck and still does a little on the side, the company really likes him. I'm thinking I'd do all the work myself, not concerned about that at all, and thinking my bro could drop it off on the property for me. Land where I'd drop is high and dry and fairly close to the road. For my own personal use I don't see it getting a ton of use per year, so I'm not looking at building a full cabin. The spot is a little over an hour from home. Just the kind of thing where it would be nice to wake up there in the morning, or stay a couple days potentially. Be pretty simple to insulate, wire up to a generator, and throw a woodstove inside where I can also park a quad or section off a shed on the one side for items to stay there. Talking all in budget like $5/6 grand for crude living quarters. No shower, no plumbing.
The idea that containers are somehow more secure is flawed in the fact they are only as secure as the padlock you use to lock 'em...the very padlock I'd be afraid somebody would lock on me while I sleep...and with no windows and no way out I say NO WAY.
Shop around. Some are in much better shape than others. Winnipeg should have a good assortment.
South Farm I don't think anyone is proposing now windows or now way out. What's convenient is you have a cheap, sturdy, weatherproof structure that is movable. Now way I'm going to sleep anywhere without a window.
Like I say, food for thought. I'm finishing my basement right now, no time for cabin building lol.
Are you interested in a used camper? Could probably find a nice one that would be easily transportable and has everything you’d want for less than something you’d have to put a lot of work into.
Stove, hvac, water, electric, etc. Build a little deck/porch and cover the whole deal with a frame and some tin.
Pull it for other places.
Just something to think about.
Probably one of those whirly roof vents on a five foot pipe would help a lot with moisture. As long as air could get in.
Remember going to stay in a friend's 8' white mobile home as a kid. By the time I got to be a teen I swore I'd never live in one and I don't see much difference between that and a Conex box.
While you might save some, when you're done you won't have something that's easy to sell. Kind of like an additional garage on a homesite, really doesn't add much value.
Saw an episode on Building Alaska where a couple was using two 40 foot shipping containers for the foundation of their cabin/home.
I've often thought about a similar idea.. But what I think would work well is, getting a couple 12'x12' Tuff Sheds, pouring a cement slab, putting the tuff sheds on top and connecting the two with a breezeway or hallway and adding some insulation and a wood burning stove.. One 12x12 would be sleeping quarters and other would be living/eating/cooking area.. Not sure how much an empty shipping container costs but I think two tuff sheds that size might be pretty reasonable.
Theres a really cool restaurant in Wichita Ks made out of containers,has a barber shop and several shops attached and is expanding.part of it is 2 story
Mine is made out of locks, what kind of exterior door would you suggest btw?
as mentioned earlier, the cost of building out a container vs building a wood structure, I'd go with the wood. Much more livable and comfortable. If you do go with container, realize they are designed for strength and once you cut into them you loose the strength part. So make sure you shore up before you cut. I would get a little claustrophobic in a container.
as mentioned earlier, the cost of building out a container vs building a wood structure, I'd go with the wood. Much more livable and comfortable. If you do go with container, realize they are designed for strength and once you cut into them you loose the strength part. So make sure you shore up before you cut. I would get a little claustrophobic in a container.
Mine is made out of logs. What kind of exterior door would you suggest, btw? I would never accept living in a container in the wilderness. Wooden structures might be more expensive to build. Still, nothing compares with the coziness you get in a wooden cabin in the middle of the woods. Returning to my topic. I need a
36'' x 84'' exterior door. Do you guys know where I could buy one at a good price? It's kind of urgent as hunting season starts soon. Wouldn't want unexpected guests during the night.
Was part of a camp that had been made from an old bus. Seats out, wheels removed and it was on blocks. Gas stove and heater, bunks for 6. A bit tight with a full house but we had fun.
You might look at Square One Container website for ideas.
Containers make sense if you think you will need to move / relocate the "cabin". If it truly is a permanent structure, then stick built frame house is the only way to go. Bill
WiniPEnut I'm not sure whether you have a Habitat for Humanity store in your area but they sometimes have deals on building components. On cabins I've always just built my own doors from sawmill boards. Use a double layer of 3/4" with sealed canvas fabric sandwiched between to block air.
They are also building self contained swimming pools out of them now I guess because of the glut of them on the market. I have thought of getting one for storage for my extra Pontiac parts but the wife thinks they are ugly.
