8'x20' Kitchen / Bathroom / Laundry Unit

ESP floor plan

The ESP module is a concept in development that could inexpensively simplify and speed-up the process of turning buildings such as barns, sheds, or garages into livable homes.  It could also be used to improve the lives of people living in substandard housing situations.  The ESP (Essential Systems Pod) is an 8'x20' high cube steel shipping container that would be fully insulated, and its interior would be completely finished with full kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities.  

Exterior

Why do this in a shipping container? Because they are inexpensive, readily available, sturdy, and easily transported.  In certain communities, the ESP module could be freestanding and shared by two or more families.  Even that would be a huge upgrade to living conditions in many parts of the world.  To do that, the plan could be adjusted so that the bathroom and laundry each had separate entrance doors from the outside, and doors would be added to the kitchen entry.  By eliminating the passageway between the kitchen and bathroom, the kitchen could take on a U-shape, allowing increased storage and counter space.  Using this initial plan as a nucleus, all these adjustments would be simple to do.

ESP cross-section through kitchen

The kitchen would have a two bowl stainless steel sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, range, pantry, base cabinets, counter-top, wall cabinets, and range hood.  It would be fully wired and have outlets, switches, and lighting.  All appliances would be standard sized and the layout would be highly functional.  The design also includes lots of awning windows for natural ventilation, daylight, and views.

ESP cross-section through bathroom and kitchen

The bathroom has a standard full-sized tub/shower combination, a water conserving dual flush toilet, a 36" vanity, a linen closet, and a full-sized stacked washer/dryer.  The wall of the linen closet that faces the vanity could be home to a tankless water heater (that's right, recessed into the wall) to provide unlimited on-demand hot water for the bathroom, laundry, and kitchen.  Alternatively, a small water heater could be located in a kitchen base cabinet,  in the bathroom vanity, or in the linen closet.

As I mentioned, the ESP module could be attached to an existing building, like a freestanding garage for example, to transform it into livable space.  The modules could be prefabricated so that they could be inexpensive and easily shipped just about anywhere either individually or in quantity.  In many locations they could be used to improve the quality of the housing stock considerably.  The units could either add functions the housing doesn't already have, or upgrade and replace it so that space in the existing building could function better for living, dining, and sleeping.

When attaching it to another building I think it makes sense to do so with a short corridor.  This would allow air circulation between the existing building and the new module to avoid moisture build-up and rot. It would also allow any doors and windows on the existing building to remain functional.

I made the video below to more fully explain the ESP module concept, and show it in a variety of situations.  If you enjoy the video, please "like" it on YouTube, share it and comment.

  

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MEKA World Container Homes

MEKA World is a Canada based company specializing in metal shipping container homes. They have eight impressive container home designs to choose from.  The number in the model name tells you how many square feet the design has.  For example, the ALP 320 is 320 square feet.  You can find more photos and floor plans on their website, MEKAworld.com.  All photo and image credits in this post go to MEKA World.  

ALP 320 Exterior

The models and current prices (in USD) as of the day of this post are listed below...

  

ALP 320         $66,800      

SOL 480         $86,300   

VOR 640        $121,500     

THOR 960     $170,000   

HELA 1280   $215,000 

JAM   1920       Contact MEKA World

They have also recently added two micro homes called the TALMA 200 and LIBERTY 200, each made of one 8'x20' container (160 square feet).  Those sell for $29,000 USD and $36,000 USD respectively.  The Liberty is an off-grid model that features solar electricity and thermal, battery storage, composting toilet, and a water storage tank.

ALP 320 floor plan.

ALP 320 Interior

The ALP 320 shown above is a studio model (no separate bedroom).  The SOL 480 and VOR 640 are both one bedroom models. The THOR 960 has two bedrooms, one up and one down.  The HELA 1280 is a three bedroom unit with two bedrooms on the second floor and one on the first. The THOR and HELA both have two bathrooms, the ALP, SOL, and VOR have just one bathroom each.  I love the fact that they show many of their completed designs with solar panels and rain barrels.

THOR 960

VOR 640

HELA 1280

The MEKA World prefabricated shipping container homes are completely finished inside and out.  They are wired, plumbed, and well insulated.  Bathroom fixtures are installed, as are kitchen cabinets.  

Floor plans for the HELA 1280

I will provide some interior photos and the company's website below.

HELA 1280 Interior

Bathroom.  Note skylight over shower.

Bedroom in HELA 1280

You can see and learn more at MEKA World's website:    

mekaworld.com

Click here to go to an older post that features a video about a MEKA World container home.  

Click here to see my first design for an 8' x 20' container home.

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Converting Shipping Containers Into Homes

What's the next big thing in terms of affordable and sustainable housing solutions?  Many people are turning their attention toward shipping containers, cargo containers, or ISBUs (Inter-modal Steel Building Units) as they look for ways to create more affordable housing.  Shipping container house plans  are readily available on the internet.  Standard shipping container sizes are roughly 8'-0" wide by either 20' or 40' long.  They come in standard height which provides about 7'-6" of interior height, or "high cube" containers which provide about 8'-6" of interior height.  As I see it, shipping containers have four primary virtues... 

A nice modern house, made from old shipping containers.

• First, they are inexpensive.  I just looked on eBay, and found them going for between $1,000.00 and $4,000.00 each, depending on size and condition.  
• Second, they are strong.  These things get fully loaded with heavy cargo, hoisted by cranes and stacked on top of one another, shipped across the rolling ocean, hoisted, unloaded, loaded again, etc.  They're tough.  
• Third, they are readily available.  Just take a look on eBay, Craig's List, or do a Google search.  You will find them easily and chances are good that there are some close by.   In the United States, there are hundreds of thousands of them laying around, mostly due to the fact that we import so many more goods than we export, and we don't usually send the empty ones back.
• And fourth, using them is a form of recycling, or up-cycling, which is always a good thing.

A simple shipping container home.

There are some drawbacks to using shipping containers too.  Working with metal is more challenging and less forgiving than working with wood.  Even if you already have a good tool collection and some carpentry skills, you might need new tools and skills to work on these.  Those tools might include a plasma cutter, fire extinguisher, angle grinder, galvanizing spray, and specialized protective gear.  I understand it can be done with a drill and sawzall (reciprocating saw), but it's quite a chore. 

I haven't ever tried cutting into a shipping container, but I have watched videos depicting all the methods.  Based on what I've seen, my first choice would be an angle grinder.  It's basically cutting with the edge of a sturdy spinning abrasive disc.  Images of the three cutting tools I mentioned appear below.

Sawzall (reciprocating saw)

Angle grinder

Plasma cutter

 

Also, when the sun shines on these giant metal cans, they get hot, inside and out, so you'll need to find a way to insulate them, even if you plan to use them in a mild environment.  Likewise when it's cold out, it will be very cold inside too, unless properly insulated.  One exception to that rule is the refrigerated containers used to ship food that must be kept cold.  Those are very well insulated, but more expensive and harder to find.

Cool home made of recycled shipping containers.

I should also mention that while some people find shipping containers to be beautiful, others may find them hideous.  You could always apply an attractive exterior siding to them if you so desire.

Another neat shipping container home idea

YouTube is loaded with shipping container home videos, and you can find lots of shipping container house plan ideas by Googling "shipping container house plans." 

Shipping container home with green roof.

I've included some sample plans below.  If you scroll down further, you'll find a good shipping container video.  I found the first plan on containerhome.biz. 

I found the remaining plans below on a site called: residentialshippingcontainerprimer.com.

Below is one short example of a shipping container video I found on YouTube.  This particular one features a prefabricated home made from two 8' x 20' shipping containers that, according to the video, sells for about $32,000.00.  It gives you an idea of how nice a small shipping container home can be inside.

 

Click here to see an entire post about the company that made the home in the video above.  It includes photos, prices, floor plans, and a direct link to the company's web site.  

Below is a video I made about one I designed myself.  To see my post about it  with lots more information, including how much it might cost,  click here.  

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