If you live in a tornado zone (like I do), you may possibly recall a time in the not-too-distant past where it “seemed” like trailer home communities were often hit and sometimes even destroyed by a tornado more often than other communities. To me, it really seemed like trailer homes were tornado magnets/nature’s obvious natural choice for targeting and destruction. I jest, but I do realize that most homes are in real danger when a tornado comes and reaps havoc through a community.
So what kind of home construction type will give you a fighting chance when the dangerous weather shows up at your doorstep? People seem to evolve to the notion that a trailer home is just like a shipping container because they are both generally shaped like a long rectangular box…but this verdict is a major error because the first one is a house of straw in comparison to the second one - a fortress of steel, able to carry around 900,000 lbs. on its top, all the while itself being carried on a moving ship on the high seas.
In defense of the trailer home industry (just a little), they have become somewhat more attractive over the years and offer many nice amenities, considering they are factory-built homes. However, they are still made of very inexpensive materials.
Where you live and what kind of natural disasters occur in your neck of the woods should be an upfront thought when thinking of purchasing a home of any type. Utilizing recycled shipping containers to build a home is a relatively new concept in housing, but the comparison of it to a trailer home is quickly dismissed once you understand the shear strength of the shipping containers. Perhaps the more realistic comparison should be parlayed against the conventional brick and mortar home. Sound silly? Why? I believe difficult financial times have many people searching for new options of where and how to live. Are you ready to lower your house and utility bills and have a safer place to live? If you could justify the change in terms of dollars… would you make the leap?
Consider this conceptual drawing of a shipping container house where the front curb look would fit into any middle class conventional neighborhood:
View from back left corner
This conceptual house sketch is a view of the left hand and backyard side. It employs (6) 40′ long shipping containers, without most of the doors and windows drawn in on purpose to express the curb appeal and other attributes. When an external shell such as brick, stucco, or stone is added, these welded together containers become transformed into a beautiful structure with modern “Green” amenities like solar energy for electricity, a 2nd story balcony for leisure moments, and a structure that is welded to a concrete slab that offers more protection for your family than anyone else on the block.
Most Americans, me included, are so spoiled with convenience in everything, including plentiful food and drink and lush living quarters (in many cases), that healthy lifestyle changes are hard to adapt to. Even most of those who are considered the “poor” in America have a roof over their head, a bathroom, and a hot shower waiting for them. So why would anyone want to change?
