You may have seen storage containers around town and wondered, “Could I work in one of those?” The short answer is yes. More and more people have been finding creative ways to repurpose storage containers and turn them into working spaces in recent years. With a little bit of creativity, you can turn a container into a cozy and stylish office. So, if you’re curious about whether working in a storage container is right for you, read on to learn more about this unique office option.
How Do You Turn a Storage Container Into an Office?
Today, there are storage container innovation companies that specialize in converting storage containers into small offices. This process typically involves cutting out windows and doors, insulating the interior, and adding electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Some companies also offer various finishes and amenities that can make your storage container office more comfortable, such as hardwood floors and granite countertops.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Storage Container Office?
There are several benefits to using a storage container office. First, storage containers are strong and durable, so they will be able to withstand high winds, heavy snow, and other severe weather conditions. Second, storage containers are eco-friendly because they’re made from recycled materials. And third, using a storage container office can be more affordable than traditional commercial office options.
How Do I Get Started With a Storage Container Office?
If you’re interested in using a storage container office, the first step is to find a reputable storage container innovation company that can help you with the conversion process. Once you’ve found a company you trust, you can work with them to customize your storage container to your specific needs and preferences. And then, once your office is complete, you can start enjoying all the benefits that come with using a storage container office. Remember that while about 97% of shipping containers are manufactured in China, the United States has some of the most innovative storage container office spaces globally.
How You Can Benefit From a Storage Container Made Into a Great Home Office
With more and more of the U.S. working away from the office by need or by choice, dedicated and productive workspaces are becoming an underserved necessity. There is obviously a lot of comfort and convenience in these arrangements, but there’s also a lot about them that isn’t ideal. If you are working from home long term and are struggling to dedicate a space for concentrated, productive work, a steel cargo container repurposed into an office or workspace may be the solution for you. Read on for five reasons why a steel cargo container might make the perfect mobile office for you.
It’s Quiet, Private, and Comfortable
Individual stations in conventional workspaces have shrunk by an average of forty square feet over twenty years or so. Steel cargo containers can be made into spacious, quiet, private, comfortable permanent or portable offices. There are steel cargo containers as large as forty five feet, and a number of other sizes are available as well. They can be soundproofed also, for maximum focus and productivity.
It’s Cost-Effective
While some veteran remote workers have built dedicated structures on or near their property to serve as private workspaces, they’ve done so at significant expense, including acquiring the necessary building, commerce, and occupation permits. Steel cargo containers repurposed as mobile offices are a great deal more budget-friendly, and easier to integrate into your property. They are energy-efficient, compact, portable, and ready to be fit for work with minimal alterations or modifications. And they’re low maintenance and durable: a steel cargo container modified to be a remote workspace can last twenty years or more with minimal care.
It’s Versatile and Customizable
One of the principal reasons that steel cargo containers are so prized as remote workspaces is that the possibilities for cargo container modifications are nearly limitless. Climate controlled containers, containers with electricity and heat, containers with windows and doors, and even containers equipped with renewable energy by local solar installers are all among the many possibilities when modifying and utilizing storage containers.
Eco-Friendly
Both new and used steel cargo containers are available. For those choosing to buy used shipping containers, there are ecological benefits. Each recycled shipping container uses about 3,500 kilograms of steel that might otherwise be wasted or take up space in a landfill. And for each shipping container used, tons of more conventional building materials are spared, saving a broad range of resources.
It’s Highly Convenient
Shipping containers are a great deal easier to procure and configure as effective workspaces than new structures. In many cases, they can be customized and prepared before they even arrive, and will be ready to use almost immediately. As mentioned above, they save a significant amount of time-consuming licensing and coding and are ready to relocate if or when you do. And in the event that remote working ends up being temporary, they can easily be repurposed in nearly limitless creative ways.
Once you’ve decided to move forward with a conversion project as unique as this, it’s time to think about some key modification factors.
5 Factors to Consider When Modifying an Office Container
According to Jacobs, a major design and workspace construction firm, the average individual workstation has shrunk from 80 square feet in 1992, to the current 39 square feet. It’s this trend that has inspired the increasing uptake of office containers that has taken the corporate world by storm. Before you buy new or used shipping containers for sale to modify into an office, you should consider the following five factors.
1. The Size of the Shipping Containers
Largely, you’ll find 20 foot and 40-foot shipping containers for sale, as they’re the most common and available in the market. Your choice will be guided by the amount of office space you need. For instance, if you want to modify the shipping container into a home office, a 20ft container may be appropriate.
Small and medium companies with several employees may combine two or three 40ft shipping containers to create enough office space for their operations. Before purchasing an office container for sale, consider its size to ensure that it is big enough to accommodate your needs.
2. Identify the Modifications You Want in Your Office Container
Not unless you want to use your shipping container to only store office supplies, you have to modify the container to make it habitable. The modifications should allow natural light into the container, to light up your workspace. You achieve this by installing windows, doors, skylights, and container lighting.
The top shipping container dealers will modify your office container to accommodate all the utilities you need to make your office fully functional. These include ventilation, plumbing, climate control, interior décor and furniture, and electrical wiring. It’s important to consider the amount of time, space, and money your desired modifications will take to complete.
3. Do You Buy New or Used Shipping Containers?
When you buy new shipping containers for sale, you’re guaranteed that they’re in perfect condition. Most new shipping containers are manufactured in China, loaded with cargo, and sent on a one-way trip to America. As such, you’ll buy them when they’re still in pristine condition.
For used shipping containers, you must ensure that they’re still in good condition. Most used storage containers have been in the shipping industry for about eight years before they’re repurposed for other uses. For this reason, some shipping containers may be in better conditions than others depending on the type of environment they were exposed to.
It’s normal to expect some minor dings and dents on a used shipping container. However, cracks and holes and excessive corrosion on the edges of the container are not acceptable as they’ll eventually cause water leakages. You want your office container to be watertight and windproof so you can have a serene workspace.
4. Consider Whether You Should Buy a Pre-Built Office Container or Modify One From Scratch
The reputable container dealers will offer pre-built office containers for sale alongside the unmodified shipping containers. It may be easier to buy a pre-built container office if you are satisfied with the modifications done. Pre-modified office containers will save you lots of time when you’re in a hurry to set up an office and get down to business.
Pre-built container offices are the go-to for construction companies that need to set up on a site and commence work immediately. If yours is a small home office, it may suit your better to modify a shipping container from scratch. You’ll have more options to customize your office container when you have it modified from scratch.
5. Consider the Local Building Regulations
Given that mobile office containers are relatively new in the industry, some states may have hazy regulations touching on shipping container structures. Ensure that your modification process is in line with the local building codes.
As the conventional retail space becomes pricier by the day, office containers are the ideal alternative for companies, institutions, and people in need of office space. It’s easier and more affordable to modify a shipping container into a permanent or temporary office.
There are almost infinite ways that a shipping container repurposed as a workspace can benefit you if you work remotely. They are dedicated, private, and quiet workspaces that can be designed for focus and concentration and aid in productivity. They are relatively cost-efficient to acquire, prepare, and maintain, and used shipping containers are eco-friendly. They are convenient to use and to repurpose. And they can be a great opportunity for creativity. If you will be working away from corporate offices or traditional workspaces, it can be the best practice to dedicate an efficient and convenient space that will permit you to be as productive as possible. Consider a shipping container office today.
