Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

This Texas Company is Turning Shipping Containers into Double-Decker Tiny Homes

This Texas Company is Turning Shipping Containers into Double-Decker Tiny Homes

We asked CargoHome about how they transform a cold, steel shell into a warm, elegant, and efficient space.

What started out as a backyard building experiment is growing into a booming family business for Kenneth Wheeler. His company, CargoHome, hand-builds tiny houses using shipping containers, and customers seem to love them. Each model features a rooftop deck and broad glass doors that spill out onto the landscape, with leftover industrial fittings and the ubiquitous box shape barely hinting at its underlying steel shell.



CargoHome specializes in building tiny homes using single-trip shipping containers arriving in the United States from China. Glimpses of the steel structure remain visible around the facade-including the original container doors, which are carved out and inset with new glass panels.

Founded in 2017, CargoHome has built nearly three dozen units to-date, with several of its models currently available as short-term rentals on Airbnb. Wheeler and his team utilize their backgrounds in residential construction to transform the shells into comfortable and surprisingly airy dwellings. In fact, the company's two-story container house was recently named as the fifth most 'wish-listed' tiny home on Airbnb.



Inside, the team thinly frames the walls for insulation, plumbing and electrical, and finishes the space off with wood paneling, custom cabinetry, and full-sized fittings.

From its construction base near Waco, Texas-the town popularized by Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV's reality show Fixer Upper-CargoHome currently builds four different models using two standard shipping container sizes. The finished units range in size from 160 to 480 square feet and take approximately two months to complete.

Prices start in the $40-50K range for the smallest models, with the largest two starting at $75,000 and $95,000, respectively. Customers can price different options on the company's website. Keep scrolling to learn more about each model and how Wheeler describes the fabrication process.

The Anchor



At 160 square feet, The Anchor is truly a tiny home. Yet, the glass front doors, which swing 270 degrees and tuck along the side of the home, allow for more spacious indoor-outdoor living.



The interior is made to feel airy by walls of windows and clever storage solutions. The open space offers a queen-size Murphy bed near the entrance, custom tiled walk-in shower at the back, and a large kitchen and dining area between.

"We typically use what are called 'one-trippers' for our CargoHomes," says Wheeler. "It's basically a new container that was shipped from China with a single initial load in it. We used older, decommissioned containers a couple of times, but they can be difficult to work with since they are often quite beat up. Also, it’s a little difficult to find out what was shipped inside of the older ones, so there is some risk of chemical exposure. That's why we’ve opted to stick with one-trippers."

The Crow's Nest




At the same size as the previous model, The Crow's Nest makes more use of the space with a larger bedroom area. A spiral staircase along the back leads to the rooftop deck.



The interior is more suited for guest accommodations, prioritizing more space for the bed and bathroom and opting to remove the living area.

Wheeler goes on to describe the fabrication process: "First, we cut out sections in the steel for windows and doors, and then weld in steel tube frames to strengthen the openings. We frame the interior walls enough that we can fit all of our electric, plumbing, and spray foam insulation. We try to keep our walls as thin as possible to maximize interior space. Finally, we finish the interior using pine paneling or shiplap and clad the exterior with cedar or old barn wood."

The Mainsail




The larger Mainsail model uses a 40-foot shipping container, allowing room for a private bedroom and separate living area. This model also opts for a separate entrance along the side, where portions of the original shipping container are also visible as part of the facade.



The 320-square-foot interior offers space for a larger kitchen, which can be upgraded with quartz or granite countertops.



A separate bedroom at the back fits a queen-sized bed.

"Container home construction is actually quite different than standard home construction," Wheeler adds. "When framing a standard house, more thought goes in to the structural aspects. Yet, these containers are built to carry up to 40 tons of cargo and be stacked up to nine high, so they are incredibly sturdy already. Inside, you are basically just building a shell inside of a shell, concerned mostly with hiding the utility elements and providing a structure over which to apply the wall finishing."

The Helm




The company's largest model, The Helm, is a two levels, constructed by stacking a 20-foot container on top of a 40-foot one. The extra space accommodates one bedroom and bathroom downstairs, with a master suite upstairs.



The interior features an open living area and kitchen, with custom-made wooden casements windows providing natural light. An interior staircase provides access upstairs.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
×