Cheap Shelters

[buddamomma47]

:) I ran across a site talking about using cargo containers as shelters,I wanted a lot of in put from this site on what you all thought about using cargo containers for shelters?:confused:

[brightstar]

re Cargo containers

I saw that add also so went to it and through all of the pages on it and I will have to say that many that used them sure used their imaginations to good ends and made some really neat looking dwellings using the cargo containers, even apartment buildings.

Now that is recycling indeed and I don't see a thing wrong with it myself. However my concerns would be the metal and whether it is ok through electrical storms, but guess it wouldn't be any different cause if lightening strikes, it strikes no matter what something is made of. I also thought a few that listed prices was a bit steep in that area for recycled containers, otherwise they might have sit there and rusted, but whatever one likes, let them use them is how I see it. Better to be put to good use then to let sit and go to waste for sure, especially when there are so many homeless now and more loosing their homes from all of this economic fiasco occurring.

I did copy and paste all of the container dwellings made from these things and a couple I thought were really nice indeed.

[Omegaman]

I watched some show on HGTV that showed houses made from these cargo containers. The house that they showed were different sizes and they all cost a 1/4 of what the same size house to build. The houses were also in different parts of the country, from Maine to Texas. You treat the containers like modules, they are rated to be stacked on top of each other. A couple of them had huge great or common rooms created by placing the containers 26ft or more a part from each other and then capping the open space with enginered roof trusses. I have seen a work shop / welding shop made from 4 of the 20 footers being stacked. The containers in most places are avilable in 10x8x8, 20x8x8 and 40x8x8. I have been looking at buying some remote land for a hunting camp and putting a cargo container home on it. The great thing is that they are fire proof and pest proof. The big cost would be stacking them because you need a crane or excavator.

[Diesel]

Great little site about container projects

http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/containerbayhome.htm

[Rednekdaddy]

Quick question, where is the best and cheapest place to get these used containers?

[bdcochran]

containers

1. make sure that zoning allows you to keep a container on your property.

[buddamomma47]

Cheap shelters.Who?What?where?How?

Thanks for all the comments.
But now my question is , Can you bury the cargo containers,and what prep: would you have to do to keep ground water and nature from destroying the metal before an after its buried.
My plan was to bury all of it except the doors,but you still have to worry about rust an such .I would like to make it look like a hill ,plant things on top of it, and disguise the doors, a real hidy hole. of course I'd have to put in some sort of air vents, possibly a smoke stack for the stove,that can be hidden with fake trees even fake rocks.
I have no experience with any type of construction, but I think common sense would tell ya to dig into a side of a hill ,then lay down some pvc pipe and coarse gravel for drainage, maybe and I could be wrong but coat the container will some sort of tar/Snow roof or something along those lines before you put dirt all over it.
So can anybody tell me if my idea is sound or Lame.
:)

[brightstar]

paint for cargo container to stop rust

Yes you can bury a cargo container, but as you mentioned by it being metal you will have to prep the outside walls for sure so they do not rust. I am pretty sure that Epoxy makes a paint just for this and it is probably the best one to get that you paint the outside walls with to prevent it from rusting. It is a bit expensive if memory serves me because this is what my husband used on a water tank he buried and painted it with this type of paint. If affordable it would pay to just paint it inside and out with it even if you put something else over the enterior walls so that it will not rust outside or inside either ok. Once this type of paint is on there it is supposed to be there from now on is my understanding of it. Key in rust proof paint for metal and try a few combinations and also include the word Epoxy rust proof paint or something similar and it should bring up sites with infos and places that carry it ok.


brightstar

[buddamomma47]

Rust proof paint.

I could of had a V8!:o
I don't know why I did not think of that,Boy do I feel like a fool.
I had someone suggested a rubberized stuff,I cant recall the name, you can coat your tool handles in it to help you grip better,I told them how am I going to dip a whole cargo container in it.
LOL
Thanks Brightstar

[rancher]

Got a container...

Now what? Put stuff in it...great. Live in it...now wait a minute. I just wonder what you expect in life and out of it? A metal box with no nothing? Do you realize the costs to make it livable? Even converted old school busses end up abandoned out in the weeds somewhere. Never pan out like a real RV can and does.

Then if you could or did...what is it’s resale value if you change your mind? What if you had to relocate?

Rather we believe inexpensive ready to go shelter is a tow behind RV. Not needing to be new or fancy either. It comes with... a bathroom/toilet/shower. Kitchen/bedroom and some storage. Has built in heat and water storage. In insulated better than a storage container. Is portable. Has great resale value if needed.

The thousands of dollars and man hours needed to convert a storage container to live in...come on folks we always ask ourselves this. “Why re-invent the wheel”

A decent RV can be had for 2,000 on up. If you can not afford 2k in this area of survival planning for shelter then perhaps you are in the wrong field of practice?

All of our group are required to bring the RV of their choice to our ranch during a crisis. We have two homes here, but privacy and mobility is very important. Our homes will be used by them during the very worst of weather and tightest security times. Other wise the group will be located within buildings with their RVs...nice and snug like.

After the crisis is over they are going home. If there is no home left their back up home is hooked right behind them. We sure don’t want any of them staying here any longer than need be...nor look at their storage containers abandoned all over the ranch.

Just a different point of view.

[Awesome]

Thanks for all the comments.
My plan was to bury all of it except the doors,but you still have to worry about rust an such .I would like to make it look like a hill ,plant things on top of it, and disguise the doors, a real hidy hole. of course I'd have to put in some sort of air vents, possibly a smoke stack for the stove,that can be hidden with fake trees even fake rocks.:)

buddamomma47

This is a very interesting idea..... I don;t know much about construction and like you said you would need to worry about drainage, rust, I would think you would need to make some air holes (also done with PPC pipe?) for when the doors are closed and you’re inside but this whole buried shelter is a great idea.

I’ve read that if you go down far enough you won’t have to worry about heat/cooling to much either… That the temp underground is something like 72degrees (don’t quote me on that) and that temp is constant year around.

The container idea makes it scale easily too if you wanted to expand it… All you would have to do is dig another hole and connect another container. If someone was really rolling in $$ they could have 1 container supplies, 1 living area, etc… or split the project with a buddy and you each take a container and use a shared container for supply storage.
I’m sure a creative person could even make shift a bathroom… Maybe some how hook up a hand pump toilet or something….

Putting it underground if at all economical sounds like a really good idea too…. Hidden I think is the best practice for a Zombie outbreak type of shelter.

Hopefully some more folks with construction experience will chime in and tell us if they is at all feasible.

[buddamomma47]

Cargo container Vs RV

I don't plan on living in it all the time, just use in as a hidy hole in the ground,
and the converting of it , well I would have to bake some real good cookies or cook a pot roast, for someone who could weld it for me.
Really, I just want to have a hidy hole that did not have dirt wall's, a home away from home, my little escape pod, a safe place to store goods for D day.
I agree about the RV, but if there is no gas, you cant very well drive them, at least if you have a hidy hole some where, you can walk to it, and have supplies waiting for you when and if you get there.:p :) ;) :rolleyes:

[rancher]

No Gas???

Just a thought or two on that comment...

First if there is no gas...just how did you expect to get from where you are to that "hidy hole"?

Next if you did have all the creature comforts of an RV you would (assumption on my part) be prepared enough to have enough gas stored to make the trip with the RV. You were going that way anyway right?

Next what if the roads were blocked? At least with an RV you have an alternate option. A place to stay while going somewhere else and a place to stay when you get there.

Just some thoughts as all plans should be tested and looked at if...you really think of doing them.

[Awesome]

Just a thought or two on that comment...

First if there is no gas...just how did you expect to get from where you are to that "hidy hole"?

If you have a big enough piece of land you could put the container (this is assuming you doing your best to hide it) under ground and hidden somewhere a good distance from your main house/main shelter. Use it as a secondary storage location (I think we all agree splitting up your supplies is a good idea).. If for any reason you need to ditch you main shelter because of a temp threat you could bug out to this well stocked backup shelter. Assuming you've done your best to make it hidden you should be ok even if the threat was a roaming horde of zombies...
This type of shelter can probably also double as storm shelter.

If there are any folks out there that have contruction experiance I would love to hear your take on this idea.

[rancher]

Underground....

A very good point for all. If you have the property and can do it without hiring it out. Once you hire that project out the knowledge of it is now known to others. Best to rent the back hoe and do it yourself.

We did our own under ground concrete lined room. It also houses the main generator and stoers a lot of food as it has the perfect temperature for that.