Guides

Container Home Guides

Eight guides covering what a container home actually costs all-in, how permitting works, how buyers finance it, what delivery runs to your metro, whether the rental math holds up, and how to spot a scam listing.

We wrote these because the honest answers were hard to find. Where a figure is an estimate we say so, and where a container home is the wrong choice we say that too.

Cost and money

• What a container home actually costs — $47,900 is the home. Delivery, foundation, utilities and permits bring the realistic total to $60,000–$85,000. Full breakdown.
• How to finance a container home — why conventional mortgages usually don't apply, what buyers use instead, and a worked $771/month example.
• Delivery cost by metro — flatbed rates from Miami to 27 metros, the per-mile formula, and the site access your driveway needs.

Permitting and placement

• Permits and zoning — the three separate approvals, and the nine questions to ask your building department.
• Using a container home as an ADU — how 320 sq ft measures against typical ADU standards, including unincorporated Miami-Dade RU-1's 400 sq ft minimum.

Deciding

• Container home vs. traditional build — side by side against stick-built, manufactured, and a DIY shell, with the cases where we're the wrong answer.
• Airbnb ROI — cash flow, occupancy sensitivity, and a straight explanation of why there is no single "break-even" number.
• How to spot a container home scam — too-cheap prices, wire or gift-card payments, and pressure to pay today, with FTC guidance.

Reference

• Full specifications — every component with brand and model number.
• FAQ — 16 answers on permits, foundations, utilities, warranty, and financing.
• Shipping calculator — delivery estimate for your ZIP.
• Complete fact sheet (plain text) — every specification, price, and figure in one file.