What do we think of shipping containers for Garden Storage/rooms?
Posted by i-dm@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 53 comments
Following recent storms, its dawned on me that I'm I should replace my old, rusting, wobbly metal shed from 19something. Had quotes in the £15-£30k range a few years ago in search of a proper storage unit with a room / windows / doors / made watertight. The cost put us right off.
Yesterday I looked into shipping containers; knowing a 20ft container costs circa £2k - £5k to ship!, or much higher if going farther. Turns out a container can be bought (used just one time, presumably when being shipped over, otherwise brand new) for around the same money or less.
They're waterproof, universally standardised, usually painted with marine-grade paint and treated to the same high standard, windproof (yay!), and tend to come panelled on the floor. Nice high-end ones have windows, doors and are usable as small offices too or even tiny homes (not interested in these personally).
What's the general thought when it comes to this kind of setup?
kunstlich@reddit
Cost of delivery, cost of craning, cost of constructing a base to put it on, cost of removal and disposal prior to house sale are all additional costs that should be priced in when comparing against a traditional shed that you can probably sell the house with.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Hadn't thought of most of tha3t. For some reason I thought I could stick it on the driveway on some logs, and kind of roll it down when the old metal garage is gone.
There's a concrete base already there, although I was thinking to maybe prop it up on some sleepers and anchor it into the existing concrete.
The hope was it was a low-maintenance and versatile solution
Nolsoth@reddit
They can be cheap and cheerful. But the cheaper containers tend to have weather tightness issues eg Rust. But a bit of elbow grease and some tactical welding and a slap of paint will solve that. The real issue is getting it on site.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
So I might have mistakenly mislead readers to think this would be going deep into my garden - the idea would be for it to go alongside the house, just off the driveway. Whist its technically the garden, it would be the location that most garages traditionally sit in, in the UK (affixed to, or alongside, the house).
Considering that, would it still need craning and does the cost of getting it still be an issue, or does the situation become somewhat easier to deal with?
StorageOnSite@reddit
As long as you don't have overhead cables (telephone lines etc) or overhanging trees that would disrupt the HIAB crane lifting in into place, you should be okay. Agree with above that it should be on hardstanding, but if you're thinking of filling it up and then moving it later down the line, most companies won't lift it whilst full as they won't want to be liable for damage. Any half-decent shipping container company should be selling wind and watertight units as standard, even the ones that look a bit rough on the outside. Would be interested to hear what you decided to do in the end.
Nolsoth@reddit
A little 20' container may be doable with the old container lift truck if it's got easy access to the side of where it's going, hell I've seen them dumped off the back of a flat bed before with the little ones either using a decent sized Hiab to drag drop it or pulled off using a fork lift ( us Kiwis and Aussies can be a bit ad-hoc with things sometimes).
Best bet would be to contact an outfit that does the containers and see what rough and ready options they have.
Putting it on skeepers is a decent idea as well to keep the base off the ground and stopping it getting a wet bum.
Probably a good idea to make sure you won't run afoul of the council before proceeding tho.
beingthehunt@reddit
I don't think I'm overly bothered about what my neighbours think but I wouldn't want to be that guy with an eyesore in the driveway depreciating the value of everyone else's home. You could make it look nice or hide it but after that how much will you have even saved? I suspect there is a reason this is not common and it's probably money.
azkeel-smart@reddit
For £15k you can build a fully kitted out garden office with bi-fold doors. Decent storage shed can be built for a fraction of that.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
The guy who build this https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGMfR4l0QK/?img_index=7 quoted me £30k (inc VAT) for a 3.5m x 7m garden space with a store on the side. Including electrics.
When you say a fraction of £15k, are you talking about self-building, or hiring someone in to do it for you?
azkeel-smart@reddit
https://dunsterhouse.co.uk/log-cabins/evilgenius-workshop-w7m-x-d3m
Fresh_Silver7456@reddit
Glorified shed.
They're shit. Speaking from experience.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
I remember looking at these a few years ago. From memory, by the time you look at the insulated versions that are weather-tight and not just panels of wood with no insulation, the price creeps up quite significantly.
Will take another look. Thanks for sharing
HoraceGoesKilling@reddit
I built a dunster insulated kit a few year ago when I moved to this house. Initially I was going to build my own 5x5m places, but roof beam spans and height restrictions to avoid planning permission ruled that out. Dunster stuff appears designed to exactly match the 2.5m you have to play with. Not sure on shipping container height
On the whole I recommend, but it is designed to be the minimum acceptable product and is not a luxury build. My build came in at bout 15k in total for a 4.5x3.5m office - some of this was waste as I got a 5x5m concrete slab laid before I realised I couldn't build that big. They are specifically designed for noobs to build and have a lot of tolerance built in for not getting everything true. One thing they do have are insulation sandwich roof panels that are great insulation, incredibly strong and also very hard to source by an amateur builder who only want 4 of them.
I did add a lot of extras in terms of insulation, first and second fix electrics and I plasterboarded the whole place. The default internal finish is pretty rough but adequate. I just wanted something that looked like an office not a fancy shed. In all it took my and the Mrs 3 days to get their kit built. And quite a while longer of evenings and weekends to get my additions done and move in.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
You don't happen to have any photos to share do you?
HoraceGoesKilling@reddit
Not to hand. Its basically this one https://dunsterhouse.co.uk/titania-garden-office-w4-3m-x-d3-3m. The internal compromise on the finish is covering the gaps between panels with plastic strips. I just went the whole plasterboard instead and worked out that you be good at plastering and be quick or be bad at plastering and need lots of remedial work to make it nice
BoshBoxes@reddit
Containers are becoming more popular for garden storage and small workspace setups across the UK.
A standard 20ft shipping container is around 6 m long by 2.4 m wide and, if it’s wind and watertight, makes an incredibly secure and durable base compared to a traditional shed. They’re built from Corten steel, which offers far better rust resistance than most thin metal sheds, and the floor is typically marine-grade plywood over steel cross-members.
For garden or workshop use, a few key things to consider:
At £2–5 k, a new one-trip 20 ft unit (essentially as-new) is about right, and it’ll outlast most garden buildings if maintained. You’d just need to factor in material costs if you’re doing the labour yourself — but there are definitely savings to be made.
If it’s purely for storage, keep it simple: vented, raised slightly off the ground, and painted to blend in. For a workspace, add insulation and internal lining for comfort and temperature control.
evievictoriaa@reddit
For durable and reliable shipping containers, check out Tiger Shipping Containers—they offer great quality and service!
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Show us a photo of what yours looks like..
Throwaway_6543867@reddit
Most older ones sweat like a pig, so everything will be ruined by condensation. Corton steel ones are meant to be okay, but they are £££. Plus also consider how you would get rid of it. You cannot just break it up and stick it in a bonfire.
howlingmagpie@reddit
Or you could bury it underground & grow weed in it =) Make your money back in 6 months
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Is this a thing?
howlingmagpie@reddit
I have nothing to provide as proof....however i did attend an all-night gathering at Littleport (near P'boro) in 2001/2 & the house had a fair bit of land so they had about 10 static caravans towards back of garden, various outbuildings, machinery like mini diggers, tractors dotted about, masses of rusty scrap metal. There was even a cartoon-like Tugboat, round window & hook winch thing on the back, sitting in what once was quite a big pond that had dried up. Am i setting the scene? Good.
Between all that & the house was quite a short hilled area in the lawn that raised up probably 2 foot above ground & there were 3 flues sticking out of it. I only found it as i went for a wander about 2am cos there's only so many hippies i can talk to without needing a break. I collared the host & he rolled his eyes & said "fucks sake. If i show you, do you promise not to tell a soul? Fucking hawkeye." I agreed. My word is my word.
Anyway, i'm fairly sure they're dead now or at least moved on....=)
We went over to the far end of the hill & he removed 2 potted trees & then the 8 fake plastic slabs under them to reveal a trapdoor covered in grass with a handle made of rope, that opened onto a drop down with a wooden ladder, the container door had been removed so you could just step off ladder & straight into container. Through 2 sets of black tarp & there was the most sophisticated HYDRO set-ups i've ever seen. I put hydro in caps cos you don't see many of these. I'm heavily into my weed & know of many people that have grown & thats the only hydro i've ever seen. He left it to do its thing, checked a couple of times a week. It was beautiful.
He asked if that was what i expected & i looked at him, eyes wide cos you know, drugs & said "No. What i expected was the fucking Teletubbies. Seriously was looking forward to running round this hill with them & doing some lines with NooNoo. Nobody cares about your shit cannabis factory."
Proper pissed me off till he showed me that if you shouted to his dog (Rod Stewart, the blonde long haired Lurcher) to SMIIILLLLEEEEE, he would stop whatever he was doing, wherever he was, to look at you & give the biggest smile ever before carrying on his day. Poor Rod was all smiled out by time i left.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
I had so much fun reading this. Made my week 😂😂
howlingmagpie@reddit
I'd like to
fluffton@reddit
Uy an ex site office one and they come premade with windows and doors.
If you have the money for it, then it's not a bad idea
BeardedBaldMan@reddit
It's nowhere as cheap as people think it is.
While you can buy a shipping container for not a huge amount of money you tend to look at around £2-3/mile for delivery and then whatever the crane costs to get it into your back garden (assuming you need a crane). Cranes are unbelievably expensive when you need something capable of lifting over a house
The cheaper ones almost always need some significant remediation to the paintwork and some rust prevention and you do need to have a base for them.
if you plan on moving in the future it's going to most likely be an issue as not many people want an eyesore in their garden and it's a pain to remove. Then if you spend time making them nice you've spent the £15-20K you were looking at.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Was thinking to place it alongside the house where the existing one is. We have a driveway and that leads directly to the garage alongside the house. So it would basically sit there.
Could conceal it with a more traditional gated fence so it's out of sight from the road, but I wanted a container that opens at both ends, much like our current garage, as it makes accessing the garden from the front of the house that much easier.
uefafootballexpert@reddit
I know someone who bought a 2nd hand site cabin for less than £2k delivered ( but not craned) in 2021. Has lights/heaters/windows & just requires an electrical connection.
BeardedBaldMan@reddit
You still need to get it off the transport, which is going to be hiring a small crane (most likely)
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Eeek, considering most are up north, that could get quite expensive. Early £1000 in delivery by the sounds of it
Martinonfire@reddit
Have you considered a sectional concrete garage or similar, cost would probably work out similar to a reasonable container and it wouldn’t look nearly as shite for the neighbours.
lampypete@reddit
My next door neighbour tarmacced most of his garden with a view to getting a container office before he had one quoted. Worked out it was £10k to £15k by the time you’d sourced one, renovated it etc
i-dm@reddit (OP)
I'd love to see a photo of his garden with the asphalt.
I semi-joked about doing that with my opposite neighbour (because frankly I'm tired of only giving my garden half the amount of attention it deserves) and she nearly had a panic attack at the idea of me cutting down trees.
Wonder where the extra £5 to £10k goes when you can source one for £5k with glass and doors already fixed.
lampypete@reddit
It was not well done, no soak away or drainage fitted. Delivery won’t be cheap. Fitting electrics also not cheap. Insulation and damp proofing also not cheap.
GreedyYesterday804@reddit
Terrible idea, the entire box is one giant structure so once you cut anything out you ruin the structural integrity
One you include the cost of making structural safe, insulating it, getting it up to code, welding, etc you have the cost of really cheap house
Goregoat69@reddit
I think this is incorrect. IIRC containers are kinda built strong around the edges but the sides, roof and floor are basically one layer of steel. cutting out a panel for a window/side door etc shouldn't be an issue, unless he's planning on stacking more on top, lol.
dbxp@reddit
I think those things are issues if you're trying to make them into modular homes, not so much if it's just a space to store a lawnmower.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
For my own knowledge as I'm still reading and learning about the rules around it - what codes/standards/regulations does it need to meet if its to be used primarily as a store room or garage?
It wouldn't be lived it. If it were to be used as a gym, I was thinking to just jam open the door and stick a bench and some barbells in it. Nothing too fancy (not looking to cancel my gym membership off the back of it).
Agreeable_Fig_3713@reddit
There’s a it of them in our village. But we’re rural and agricultural-ey where the joneses next door aren’t going to complain it’s an eyesore.
The wee lasses here use one in the field across the road as a tack room
A-Light-That-Warms@reddit
They are phenomenally practical if a tad ugly.
The ugly solution is piss easy to solve though, wooden shiplap is cheap as chips and will make it look like any other shed.
i-dm@reddit (OP)
Practical is what I'm going for, but I appreciate theres very divisive views when it comes to whether they are acceptable to place in a residential setting (which is why I explored variations of containers that have been adapted, rather than those that are fully stock).
I like the waterproof aspect, windproof aspect, and the fact that they're probably relatively safe places to put things into.
As others have highlighted, getting rid of it when the time comes has an associated cost. I was hoping it would be easy enough though considering it can just be picked up and moved on, and perhaps repurposed for someone else
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
When I wanted to sell my house I essentially had to beg a company to take it away for free (for them to refurbish and sell on) apparently because the market was flooded with them at the time. Most of the companies I got in touch with didn't even reply.
Having some barely-capable HIAB operator turn up on his own to try to winch it out from the narrow space at the side of my house was one of the most anxiety inducing experiences of my life.
Chilton_Squid@reddit
They're great if you're happy with your garden looking like a traveller site
Non-Combatant@reddit
A bit of shiplap on the outside it just looks like a shed.
Nolsoth@reddit
You can tart them up quite nicely.
I had one years ago, set it up as my workshop.
Built a little deck on the roof of it and bolted/welded on a set of chairs and a table for drinks in the sun.
GrimQuim@reddit
Oh lovely, perhaps the garden could be landscaped with an old fridge, a dissolving sofa, a couple of rusted shopping trolleys and liberal scattering of dog shit.
Chilton_Squid@reddit
Now you're getting the idea
Non-Combatant@reddit
Have a look around for used welfare cabins or whatever they're called. The portacabins they use for construction sites and the like. A lot of them have very little use and are insulated, some even come with plumbing and electrics installed.
Rowanx3@reddit
I think it’s a good idea. I always love the grand design episodes when they use shipping containers to build with.
BeardedBaldMan@reddit
Because they always end in either disaster or a house which could have been made much better out of appropriate materials?
Rowanx3@reddit
No, i was specifically thinking about this one: https://www.granddesignsmagazine.com/grand-designs-houses/grand-design-shipping-container-house-county-derry/
And it turned out well
i-dm@reddit (OP)
This is actually insane. I like it, although would have never thought it be possible to create such a thing from containers. It takes a great vision to get that kind of project off the ground
Rowanx3@reddit
Yeah it’s my favourite grand designs project Ive seen. The guy was an architect so probably helped a lot lol.