With most of us continuing to spend more time at home, we could all use a bit of an escape. Enter the tiny house trend – an affordable, creative way for homeowners to enjoy a “vacation property.”
Interested but feeling intimated or don’t know where to start? Here are some tips and ideas to help you feel confident tackling this popular home improvement project.
Understand pros and cons
Shipping container homes have many benefits – they’re durable, weather resistant and watertight. Best of all, they’re a more affordable alternative to a cottage, summer home or trailer. Recycling a used container is also great for the environment. Plus, they’re secure, stackable and just look really cool.
One thing to consider is the indoor climate, as shipping containers can get very hot and very cold. You’ll also want to double check with your municipality’s regulations to see if you need a permit.
Decide on your vision
What do you want your tiny home to be – a rustic cabin with a country feel to replicate your favourite cottage vacation? A luxury hotel room with tropical colours inspired by a treasured Caribbean getaway? A cartoon character-decorated spot for the kids, to remind them of theme-park vacations past? The possibilities are endless, so dream big and plan small. Pinterest, blogs and social media are great sources for inspiration.
Prep for tough weather
Depending on where you live, your tiny home will have to stand up to rain, wind, hail or even snow. This means that if you want to be able to use it all year, you’ll need to upgrade it with the right materials. You may even want to winterize your home if you live in a colder climate.
Subflooring is essential to keep floors soft, comfortable and feeling warm even in freezing weather. Most shipping container floors are cold metal, so you’ll want to find ways to make them soft and warm. Affordable premium subfloors from DRICORE with Air Gap Technology softens hard surfaces and helps protect against moisture, mold, mildew and small water leaks.
To insulate your shipping containers walls, use DRICORE Smartwall. The high-performance, prefabricated wall panel is designed with an integrated moisture barrier. Perfect for DIYers, the wall and floor panels have a tongue-and-groove design that makes them fast and easy to install.
Know when to call the pros
There’s plenty you can do yourself when it comes to converting a shipping container into a tiny home, including the insulation, subfloors, framing and decorating. But it’s smart to work with a professional for more technical tasks, like the electrical wiring, cutting holes for doors and windows and creating the foundation. Do things right the first time and you’ll save on money and stress in the long term.