Prefab Tiny Homes Vs Shipping Container Homes
Prefab tiny homes and shipping container homes are some of the hottest alternative housing options today. However, there can be a lot of confusion around which option is best for you and your needs. In this blog, we will help you with the top 15 points of consideration when selecting the perfect alternative housing option.
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1.) Cost
Prefab Tiny Homes
Prefab Tiny homes, like the ones built and sold by Zook Cabins, can start at a price as low as $73,000* and go up from there. These structures are built to RVIA standards, meaning that they are registered as an RV. This means that all our structures come with complete hook-ups to water, sewer, and electricity at no extra cost. The price you pay for a prefab tiny home will include the build and delivery to your prepared site. (*Prices are subject to change without notice.)
Are you unsure how to prepare your site for a prefab tiny home? No worries! Take a look at the video above.
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping container homes, on the other hand, are pretty expensive. In fact, the typical shipping container homes, like the one shown in the video, will cost you well over $500k. Now, that is a far cry from the prices of any prefab tiny home. That being said, there are cheaper shipping container home options. However, you get what you pay for in those situations and may not receive the best product or home you feel is large enough.
2.) Permits
Prefab Tiny homes
Each state has different ways in which zoning laws are viewed for prefab tiny homes. In most cases, it is not that a permit is needed, it’s that permission is needed from the local government. Trying to figure out how it is viewed in your state can feel a bit overwhelming. For that reason, we created a guide for each state and every county in the state that we serve. Simply select the state you want the tiny home to be located in, and you are off to the races to find the proper county regulations.
On the other hand, check out this article on safe places to park your tiny home in pretty much any state.
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping container homes will require a permit for occupancy. This is because, unlike prefab tiny homes, these structures are built to be like traditional homes. They are not built to a certification level like prefab tiny homes. Therefore, they must be built to comply with local building standards, just like a traditional home.
3.) Size
Prefab Tiny homes
Most Tiny homes are built to comply with either the NOAH or RVIA standards. This means that your prefab tiny home will be no larger than 400 square feet in total. One thing to keep in mind about the 400 square feet is that it does not include loft space, which can be found in our Cascade, Nook Family, Pinecrest, and Aspen. While some people may consider prefab tiny homes to include things like shed homes, for the sake of this article, we are focusing only on THOWs.
Shipping Container Homes
A Shipping Container home is typically 320 square feet (40’ L x 8’ W). While an 80 square foot difference may not feel like a big difference, 80 square feet is very noticeable when you are looking at small spaces. Because shipping containers are smaller than prefab tiny homes, we often see people feeling like they need at least 2 units to feel like they are getting all the space they need and want. And with more units comes more costs, causing your projects to quickly outpace the budget you had in mind.
4.) Configurations
Prefab tiny homes
With a prefab tiny home, what you see is what you get. Some companies are willing to create customizable tiny homes where you have a little bit more of a designer’s seat. However, this comes at a higher cost and will often cause you to wait longer for your tiny home. On the other hand, working with us at Zooks will allow you to know what you are getting and have it on your property quickly.
Shipping container homes
Shipping containers excel at being somewhat more versatile in their configurations. However, take that with a grain of salt. Sometimes, having more options leads to a few more issues with design and customizations and ultimately, staying within budget. So yes, shipping containers may have more configuration options, but you will be paying for those options.
5.) Certifications
Prefab Tiny House
A quality prefab tiny home will be built to RVIA or NOAH regulations. We recommend that you only buy a tiny home that fits these specifications. At Zook Cabins, all of our prefab tiny homes are built to RVIA standards and, therefore, fall into the category of RVIA stars of a park model tiny home and can, in turn, be financed and insured as such.
Shipping Container Homes
Unlike prefab tiny homes, shipping containers do not have any kind of certification for the buildings themselves. For this reason, a container is more of a shell that your home is built inside of. Think of the shipping container as the siding and a roof that your home is built inside of.
6.) Build Time
Prefab Tiny Homes
Prefab tiny homes by Zook Cabins can be built in a few weeks. Once we receive your order and deposit, we add it to our building queue and get to work on creating your tiny home. So long as your site is prepared, you can enjoy living in it as soon as it reaches your property and is leveled.
Shipping Container homes
Shipping container homes can be a little bit more difficult to nail down a build time. If you work directly with a shipping container home builder, they may have similar lead times to what we at Zook Cabins can offer you. However, if you are working with a contractor or doing this project yourself, the project can take quite a bit longer.
7.) Availability
Prefab Tiny homes
Prefab tiny homes, like our Sonoma, are readily available and ship nationwide when you work with Zook Cabins. If you are looking for specific features for your tiny home, you can also find local tiny home builders who can build you a customized tiny home. With a wide range of availability, prefab tiny homes are an excellent option for those who want to start living in their dwelling quickly.
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping container homes are becoming more popular, but finding a builder can be a bit more difficult than finding a tiny home builder. Now, some tiny home builders also make container tiny homes, but this tends to be a bit more uncommon. For that reason, shipping container homes are not as readily available as prefab tiny homes.
8.) Mobility
Prefab Tiny homes
This is one area where prefab tiny homes excel compared to shipping container homes. All prefab tiny homes that are on wheels can be moved. While some can be moved more easily than others (dependent on size and weight), so long as they have wheels, they can be moved to any location that you wish.
Shipping Container homes
Shipping container homes could be moved, but it’s not as likely that they would be. Typically, shipping container homes will be delivered and then dropped by a crane into place, or trailered and slid off onto your prepared pad. In theory, you could move your shipping container home with a crane if you so desired; however, if you are tied into a permanent foundation, this would be difficult to do.
9.) Customizations
Prefab Tiny homes
At Zook Cabins, we offer a few minor customizations for your prefab tiny home. One of the benefits of prefab tiny homes is that they can be built to high standards and delivered quickly. On the other hand, this sometimes leaves people feeling like they have fewer options than they would like. We understand that in that aspect, we may not be the best fit for everyone. On the other hand, if you are looking for a high-quality prefab tiny house that will be a show-stopping feature, we are just what you are looking for.
Shipping Container Homes
Currently, we can’t find any prefab shipping container home builders. With this in mind, all shipping container homes are built to be custom. Now, that doesn’t mean that shipping container home builders don’t have stock homes that can be delivered quickly, it just means that the stock options may be a bit “bland”.
10.) Longevity/Durability
Prefab Tiny homes
Prefab tiny homes are built to meet RVIA standards. However, at Zook Cabins, we use premium materials similar to those of a home. With our park models being to such a high standard, we feel confident that your home will last over 25 years and even longer with the proper maintenance.
Shipping Container homes
Shipping containers can be a little tricky to know how long they will last as rust can be a huge issue with these homes. Rust is a cancer to all things metal structures and since this homes is completely built out of metal an un-noticed rust spot can ruin a home quick. That being said these homes will last a long time but it is imperative that you stay on top of any noticeable issues with your home.
11.) Off-Grid Potential
Prefab tiny home
Ok, so we know that one of the big draws to tiny homes is off-grid living. While prefab tiny homes can be somewhat off-grid most of the time, they are built to the NOAH or RVIA standards. With this in mind, they are not typically designed to be entirely off-grid. However, people have made adjustments to the park models that we have to allow them to be used in a situation that is a bit more off-grid. Check out the video above, of how some people had one of our Luna models delivered to a remote location with the plan of going off-grid.
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping containers may be a bit easier to create for off-grid living from the get-go. Since there are no ” standards ” for shipping container construction (except your local building codes), you can customize them to meet your specs a bit more. With this in mind, if you want a home to be designed for total off-grid use, a shipping container may be the way to go. Check out how this family in New Zealand was able to create a completely off grid container home for their family of 5.
12.) Financing
Prefab tiny homes
Prefab tiny homes can be financed just like an RV. At Zook Cabins, all of our tiny homes are built to meet the RV park model credentials. In fact, at Zook Cabins, we have financing available for all of the tiny homes that we have to offer. Tim Brazil is our lending manager and would be happy to walk you through financing options once you have worked with our sales team to select the park model that you want!
Shipping Container Homes
Shipping container homes can be financed, but it typically needs to be done with a conventional mortgage. While this may give you a longer time to pay off your home, you will also be paying on your home for longer. (I know this sounds redundant, but we want you to keep in mind that a longer payment time means more money spent overall) Additionally, your home may be smaller than a park model home, and who wants to pay more for a smaller home?
13.) Roof Use
Prefab Tiny Homes
Most prefab tiny homes do not have a rooftop deck. However, you will see some custom tiny home builders have decided to incorporate features, such as a small rooftop hangout. When a deck is offered, it is typically a small area and not the entire length of the unit.
Shipping Container Homes
Unlike prefab tiny homes, shipping container homes allow you to capitalize on outdoor living. In fact, most shipping container homes allow you to make the entire roof a deck area if you so desire. While we think prefab tiny homes are the way to go, it’s hard to beat the idea of a full-size rooftop deck. And this one has a really cool hammock option.
14.) Wifi and Utility Use
Prefab Tiny Homes
Prefab tiny homes are built similarly to residential homes. Yes, some of our homes have metal roofing and siding, but they are still thin enough to let cell phone and internet signals through. Additionally, the abundant windows found in prefab tiny homes allow for a quality internet signal to come through.
Shipping Container Homes
Unlike prefab tiny homes, shipping containers are made of thick, heavy-duty steel. In fact, they are so thick that the gentleman in the video above said they do not receive cell or Wi-Fi signals in their home. They had to purchase an additional signal booster in the window to combat this. Or you can opt for a prefab tiny home that won’t have this as an issue.
15.) Resale Market
Prefab Tiny Homes
Prefab tiny homes always have a market for resale. Sometimes people will want to buy them from you and move them to a campground where they would like to have a seasonal site. On the other hand, some people are looking at park models to create one-of-a-kind stays, allowing them to have a short-term rental on their property. Even more so, some people look for prefab park model tiny homes to create entire themed stays like the Big Texan RV Ranch did in the video above.
Shipping Container Homes
Container homes are a bit more challenging to sell than prefab tiny homes. For example, shipping container homes are usually attached to the land on which they are located. This causes the purchase point to be higher, creating a smaller pool of potential buyers compared to those who can afford a prefab tiny home. Additionally, because shipping container homes have a specific look, some people may be turned off by the look of them.
Can you have a prefab tiny house that is a shipping container home?
What if we told you that you could have a prefab tiny home that looks similar to a shipping container? Well, at Zook Cabins, our Luna Park Model has a metal exterior and large end window that gives it the feel of a shipping container home with far less time waiting for the unit to be delivered, a greater chance at resale, and larger square footage. Did we mention it comes at a cheaper price than a traditionally built shipping container home? We know it sounds too good to be true, but check out the above video from designer David Latamier and learn how he created a modern oasis in the Luna prefab Tiny Home.
Conclusion…
While prefab container homes and shipping container homes seem to be pretty similar on a superficial level, prefab tiny homes seem to offer a robust option for use, quality, and timeliness in delivery. On the other hand, a shipping container can be a great option if you are looking for a permanent dwelling that allows you to capitalize on creating off-grid living and rooftop decks with a uniquely urban design flair. Now that you know the differences between the two, which one do you think fits your needs the best? If you believe the answer is a prefab tiny home (what we call park models), contact us, and we would be happy to help you “dwell Beyond The Ordinary.”