Shipping Container or Renovate Shed?

[MattRMagnum]

I think this is garage-enough I can get away with posting it.

Next to my garage (I'll try to add photos later today/tomorrow), I've a garden "shed" that's about 12'x12'. It's a wooden frame, plastic corrugated sheet roof, and vertical side boards every 4" or so, and a 8' wide open section that grants access, with no door. The roof and sides are in fair shape, but the floor is composed of layers upon layers of scrap lumber nailed to each other, and they've become water logged and rotten, and various parts of the floor are collapsing. The floor supports look like they're made out of exterior-rated stuff, but I haven't pulled the floor up to confirm.

My father is encouraging me to simply gut the shed, put new flooring (CDX) in, and resume using it. I'm leaning more towards demolishing the shed, and replacing it with a short (20 or 24') shipping container. I know that'd mean pouring a concrete pad and slapping a roof over it, but since it would give me a secure place to keep my mowers and yard tools, I'd get a lot of space freed up in my garage, since those are all currently consuming a corner of my shop.

Has anyone used a small shipping container in this matter? Since I live in a city with a port, I can get a used container delivered to my house for about $2100, which makes it a fairly tempting offer, price-wise.

and I did try searching for threads relating to this topic, but no matter how I worded it, I couldn't find anything super relevant. If there's a good thread on this already, please link me.

 

[jd_1138]

I think I'd skip the shipping container as they're ugly as sin. I'd either try to renovate the existing shed or raze it and build a new shed (this time with a proper concrete pad, and build it like a house, get a permit if needed). I guess you could also just build onto the garage, too.

What part of the world are you in? That would make a difference as to what you should do.

 

[619DioFan]

Lots of people use containers . you don't have to put them on a slab.. if you don't mind the look of them they do make great storage sheds. your neighbors may not approve and might make your life hell over one. best to check your local codes. for 2100.00 I know I could DIY stick build a nice size shed in place of the old one that would be more pleasing to the eye.

 

[MattRMagnum]

Here's a photo of the current shed, for reference.

(and a link to photos of the whole setup: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428371)

 

[619DioFan]

Looked at the pics. I would demo that garden shed and either stick build a new one or if you don't mind the look of a shipping can and your neighbors are cool with it go that route. if it is me I would stick build. make sure you check codes for where you live.

 

[Pluribus]

Shipping containers are great if they suit your needs. Mine is on 8"x8" x 2' long blocks resting on gravel/soil on one end and thinner ones on the other end. Definitely don't need a concrete pad. I may build a 12'x12' shed in addition to the shipping container, but I've never once regretted the container.

 

[lakeroadster]

Refurbish the shed... shipping containers look like hell and decrease your property value.

 

[MattRMagnum]

Shipping containers are great if they suit your needs. Mine is on 8"x8" x 2' long blocks resting on gravel/soil on one end and thinner ones on the other end. Definitely don't need a concrete pad. I may build a 12'x12' shed in addition to the shipping container, but I've never once regretted the container.

That's good to know. Someone told me that the best way to do them was put them on a poured pad. That'd massively cut the cost of having one installed. I'll look into that.

Refurbish the shed... shipping containers look like hell and decrease your property value.

I don't think it will? I live in an area with a mix of drug/crime/homeless problems (as the latter two of those tend to come to come with the former), and having secure storage for anything adjacent to a landscaping tool is pretty valuable, since chainsaws/weedeaters/mowers regularly get swiped from people's yards.

(If you're going to ask why I moved here: take a look at the garage in that photo, and realize that buying that in any city other than my current one would've been 2-3x the cost I paid for this house... and it's a pretty short commute to work)

 

[Pluribus]

That's good to know. Someone told me that the best way to do them was put them on a poured pad. That'd massively cut the cost of having one installed. I'll look into that.

Shipping containers only require support at the four corners, so a concrete pad is wasteful. If you look at the corners of one, that's where they rest as well as where other containers are stacked on top of them for ocean transport. When being loaded onto a ship, they're picked up by the four UPPER corners with a full load. There might be 60k# in each one, with several stacked on top of each other. My 40', standard height has a payload of just under 60k.

If you can find a container with doors on both ends, it's worth a bunch of extra money for the convenience.

As for security in comparison to your semi-open shed? Nothing's impenetrable, but...

 

[denis4x4]

See my avatar. Since a container is considered a portable structure, how can it decrease property values as it is probably not included in the assessed value?

 

[gorilla]

I bought a 20' shipping container for exactly the same use you have in mind and it's been perfect. I doubt that you can build anything as good for the price.

 

[Jason280]

Seems like just about every container thread I've read, most people spend a decent amount of time making them right. I'd rather take the $2-3k it takes on a container and build mine myself, that way everything is "right" from the start. Now, I can understand if time is a factor or if you are unable to do the work yourself, but I could put together a whole lot of building for $3k.

 

[b-boy]

See my avatar. Since a container is considered a portable structure, how can it decrease property values as it is probably not included in the assessed value?

It can be an eyesore in the wrong neighborhood. It can make the house difficult to sell, which usually a lower price. It's no different than living next to a dilapidated house. It has nothing to do with my house, but that doesn't mean it won't impact my home's value.

 

[77Birdman]

I like the idea of using a container. Biggest problem is with price, and you already have that figured out. I think in todays 'designer' world, one could paint and landscape it so it looks 'right'. Not sure if you can build the same size for the price, plus you need to figure a month of weekends to get a building finished. Would be fire resistant for the most part. Beware, they are pretty easy to break into though. We used to use them for temp. storage on our construction job sites. Bought the best lock you could get, a flame thrower and c3 wouldn't open it. The thieves simply cut the little flippers that close on the latch and it opened right up, leaving the lock in place.

 

[mike93lx]

See my avatar. Since a container is considered a portable structure, how can it decrease property values as it is probably not included in the assessed value?

Assessments have nothing to do with property values.

Property values are derived from sales that drive appraisals. Assessments are how the town/County taxes you.

 

[mike93lx]

Looking at the OP's property, I don't think a container would negatively impact the value and as mentioned, an increase in security would probably be nice.

 

[MattRMagnum]

Looking at the OP's property, I don't think a container would negatively impact the value and as mentioned, an increase in security would probably be nice.

Did you just say my property is ugly? I'm deeply offended.

I like the idea of using a container. Biggest problem is with price, and you already have that figured out. I think in todays 'designer' world, one could paint and landscape it so it looks 'right'. Not sure if you can build the same size for the price, plus you need to figure a month of weekends to get a building finished. Would be fire resistant for the most part. Beware, they are pretty easy to break into though. We used to use them for temp. storage on our construction job sites. Bought the best lock you could get, a flame thrower and c3 wouldn't open it. The thieves simply cut the little flippers that close on the latch and it opened right up, leaving the lock in place.

I'd never heard of that, and if that's a tactic which works, I'd wager every local criminal knows of it.

Seems like just about every container thread I've read, most people spend a decent amount of time making them right. I'd rather take the $2-3k it takes on a container and build mine myself, that way everything is "right" from the start. Now, I can understand if time is a factor or if you are unable to do the work yourself, but I could put together a whole lot of building for $3k.

I lack the time to build something myself. I have too many other projects on-going to handle the matter myself. That said, this makes me realize I should call around and get construction/handyman companies to give me a bid to do $2-3k worth of improvements to the existing, and see where it would put me.