Shipping container homes Pictures

Housing affordability constraints; population growth; lack of developable land close to amenities; time-poor lifestyles demanding low-maintenance homes … all of these factors and more can be said to be aiding the boom in alternative housing options.

The web is full of images of luxury caravans and lodges, kitted-out tree houses and kit homes as alternative means of providing housing that is cheaper, more compact and, in many instances, more environmentally friendly than traditional brick-and-mortar housing.

Another option in this mini housing boom is the container home.

What are container homes?

As the name suggests, container homes are made from shipping containers which are refitted for use as modular homes. Owing to this modular effect, container homes can be tailored to fit the size requirements of their owners.

There is a surprisingly large number of designs, sizes and uses for container properties. Houses, granny flats, shops, hotels, offices … the list is virtually endless. has a gallery of photos, some featured below, that provide a great overview of the diversity of container homes and buildings, as well as resources on how to build a container home yourself.

Who ‘builds’ container homes?

Australia has several established container home providers including Sydney-based Container Homes Designer Domain and Lismore-based Container Build Group.

Rubix Modular in Brisbane offers a range of container homes and workspaces, as does Cube Modular Homes in Perth, which sells container units priced from $29, 500.

Other companies, such as Brisbane-based Gateway Containers, sell standard containers or those with only a basic fit-out, enabling DIY homemakers the opportunity to save even more money by effectively building their own home from the shell up.