Having a dedicated home office has never been more popular. As the latest guidance from the government about the coronavirus has UK workers returning to work from home, many will be reassessing their spaces and considering creating a dedicated home office setup.
As people look at the options for home and garden offices, converted shipping containers have become increasingly popular. They can be tailored to your needs, with cladding, windows, doors, colour options allowing you to set your imagination free.
There are also added benefits of speed of installation, style, and the security of a shipping container, and they are strong, durable, and built to last. They are also a sustainable and eco-friendly option.
Why are shipping containers sustainable?
Used shipping containers are a kinder option for the environment. The container will already have had a lifetime of use, transporting goods around the world, and repurposing the container for other uses reduces the need for raw materials.
The average 40ft shipping container has a lifespan of around 10 to 30 years, depending on how it is used. After it has been decommissioned, treated, and cladded, you can expect to get another 50 years of use from it.
There is only one manufacturing process. The fossil fuels and raw materials used during manufacture are spread over the whole life cycle. A single upcycled container has two or more lives. Its carbon footprint is therefore much smaller than had it simply been scrapped.
Stylish design
From a simple steel box, you can create almost anything, and in just about any style, theme, or configuration you can think of.
Take a look at any glossy architectural magazine, and the pages will be lined with stunning shipping container conversions, but if you think they’re exclusive and conceptual, you’d be wrong. Anyone can have an ultra-modern converted shipping container office.
Secure and anti-vandal
By their very nature, shipping containers are built to withstand extreme stress. They can even survive from being dropped off a ship during a storm, so it is little surprise that they make excellent and secure buildings.
Contrasted properly, your shipping container office will be difficult to burgle or vandalise, meaning that all your office equipment will be safe inside. Intumescent paint and fire-resistant cladding keeps your office and home safer too.
Planning permission
Shipping container offices don’t usually require planning permission, providing a few rules are adhered to. They are considered to be temporary buildings that don’t need permanent foundations. They should also be placed no closer than 5 metres to your home and take up no more than 50 per cent of your garden.
You will need to seek planning permission if your home is a listed building, you live in a conservation area. Planning will also be needed if you wanted to locate your office between your home and the public road, in your front garden for instance. Check with your local authority for more information.
Using a converted recycled shipping container to create your new home office in your garden is the perfect solution. Construction times are up to 40 per cent faster, cheaper and more sustainable compared to traditional building methods.
If you’re looking for a shipping container office for sale, talk to us today.
