Shipping Container World

10/09/2026

10/08/2026

Arrives on a truck, leaves as a home.

Would you live in something that rolls up on legs?

The truck drives in, the box lowers onto its own legs, and the truck drives out. Then the sides slide open.

On the road it has to stay inside Europe’s 8'4" width limit. Parked, it opens into a bright room with tall glass and French doors.

It looks great, and it really does feel roomy once it’s open. The catch is the price. Expandable’s bigger models start around $325,000, so this isn’t a cheap tiny home.

Built by Expandable B.V.

10/08/2026

What should I build?

10/07/2026

I Bought a 40ft Container for $2,430

Container $1,590. Delivery $675. Crane $165.

What should I build with it ?

10/02/2026

Solar on the Roof, Solar on the Walls, Wheels Under the Floor

Top and bottom are the same container home. Two sides of the same unit.

Solar: 4 panels on the roof on a tilt frame, plus 3 panels mounted vertically on the side wall. Roof panels tilt up for sun. Side panels work even when parked tight.

Wheels: built into the bottom of the container. Not a separate trailer. The wheels are mounted under the floor, tucked into the frame. It can be towed by a tractor and parked on any flat ground.

This is a real shipping container home with a door, window, and container doors still on the back. No expandable tricks here. Just solar for off-grid power and wheels for mobility.

For container builders, this is the simple setup. No crane. No foundation. Solar on top and on the side gives you power from two angles.

Note: No collaboration. Shared because we like the off-grid wheel solution and it applies to container builds.

10/02/2026

The Wheels Fold Up and Hide Behind the House

Look at the wheels.

Top photo: It is a trailer. Axles down. Ready to tow.

Bottom photo: Same unit. Wheels are up. Folded vertically and tucked behind the back wall. The house now sits flat on the ground.

This is Expandable B.V. Touchdown 53ft. No crane needed. Hydraulic jacks lower the floor to the ground, then the whole axle assembly lifts and folds up at the rear.

Why this matters for containers:

A normal container home needs a truck and a crane. You park it high on blocks or piers.

With this system, a container can drive in on its own wheels, drop to ground level, and hide the wheels. No steps. No big gap under the floor. It looks like a real house, not a trailer.

Inside this unit is a full one-bedroom layout. Foldable queen bed, full bath with shower, kitchen with oven, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Solar on the roof and triple HVAC.

It is not a container, but the axle idea is the same. If you build a container home on a trailer chassis, you can use this folding axle to make it sit flush to the ground after delivery.

10/02/2026

They Left the Hill Alone and Built Over It

They did not flatten the hill.

This house in Ludlow, Vermont sits on a slope near Okemo Mountain. The builders left the trees and the grade as it was.

It is made of black containers. Two stories. The top floor sticks out past the bottom and covers the wood deck. No extra roof needed.

The deck is where you live in summer. Chairs, table, view of the trees.

On the edge of the deck there is a small heated pool on steel legs. Below it is open air and a drop.

Inside is simple. Three bedrooms. Two queens and a bunk room. One full bath upstairs with a soaking tub. One half bath downstairs.

Built in 2023. Three private acres. Quiet.

The whole house sits on piers. You can see the bracing underneath. No basement, no big concrete work.

The point is not the pool. It is how to build on a steep lot without moving a single rock.

10/01/2026

They Put a Full Gym Inside a Blue Container on a Soccer Field

Blue 20ft container. Sits on the grass.

Open the doors and it is a complete gym. Racks, weights, balls, bikes. The doors become walls and the container floor becomes the lifting platform.

This one is in Spain for Soccer's Masia La Grava. The crew opens it in the morning, players train next to the field, then it closes and locks at night.

No building permit process. No concrete slab. It is placed directly on the ground because it is mobile. When the season ends, it moves.

This is where the earth anchor system from the previous post makes sense. For a setup like this you do not need piers. A few screw anchors to stop wind shift is enough.

10/01/2026

Why Some Containers Are Screwed to the Ground Instead of Set on Piers

Putting a container directly on soil is not a long-term foundation strategy. It traps moisture, accelerates rust on the bottom rails, and settles unevenly.

This anchor system is not meant to replace a proper foundation. It is used for temporary placements where pouring concrete does not make sense.

Top photo shows the bracket bolted to the corner casting. No lifting needed. Bottom photo shows the 26 inch earth screw that goes into the ground.

Builders use it for jobsite offices, storage boxes, and equipment shelters that will sit for months, not decades. It keeps the box from shifting in wind or floating in a flood, without the cost and time of piers.

For a permanent container home you still want a gravel pad and piers. For a temporary set, this is a fast way to pin it down.

Capacity depends on soil. Vertical up to 4,500 lbs, lateral around 950 lbs in ideal conditions. Always call 811 and check local code.

10/01/2026

Two Containers Side-by-Side Plus a Bedroom Bump-Out in Jefferson, Colorado

This is The Nook. Jefferson, Colorado.

The build uses 3 containers. Two are joined side-by-side to get a 16-foot-wide living space. That is why you see the single beam running the length of the ceiling. The third container is offset at the back to create the private bedroom wing.

The envelope is black vertical metal with wood soffit. The front wall is almost all glass - two large sliders. In a high-wind mountain site that is a risk, so they added low stacked stone walls outside. It breaks the wind and defines the fire pit area without blocking the view.

Inside the corrugated wall is kept on one side for structure read, the rest is wrapped in plywood to add warmth and hide insulation. Wood stove at the corner, not the center, so the glass wall stays clear.

2 bedrooms. 1 bath. 3 acres. Barrel sauna and hot tub placed directly in front of the glass so the view is used while soaking.