OUR PROCESS

Buying a shipping container home can seem like a daunting task. While there are quite a few steps and details to sort through, we've got your back.  This page (and video) walk you through step by step of our process, start to finish.

FINANCING

1. Decide your budget (These steps will help get a general idea of cost)

• A. The million dollar question is, “How much will it cost?” Our approach might be a little different than some companies as we believe the phrase “Enjoy life,” should mean exactly that. Our goal is to help you find the best fit for your needs and not sell you on something over your comfort level financially. That is why we offer many different container home sizes and prices. By looking through our website, you will better understand what price and size container will best fit your budget.
•  Most of our customers like to personalize their container home with some upgrades and maybe even a custom feature or two. When looking at the price, please allow in your budget for these. We would be happy to help provide pricing for upgrades and customizations.
• Once you have selected the floor plan you are halfway there. In order to finish getting a general idea on your overall cost, you will need to factor in the land cost (if you don't own) and the cost of the site preparations such as: foundation, utilities, driveways etc. We would recommend contacting a local general contractor that can help provide some ballpark figures. We would be happy to provide some basic information to your contractor so they can provide you with some ballpark pricing.

2. If you need financing, there are usually two types of loans you should start with.
(Please understand these are recommendations, you will need to contact your local bank to understand their process)

• Traditional home loan - (15yr or 30yr) -This type of loan is often found through a mortgage lender and not so much your local bank. However you could possibly get a recommendation from your local bank or simply search online to find mortgage lenders. Once you have selected a mortgage lender that will lend on a modular/manufactured home then you should apply for a pre-approval letter. This is vital for your budget and your construction loan approval.
  
• Construction loan - In most cases you will work with a local bank that you have a relationship with or is local to the area of construction. A construction loan allows for upfront money to make the purchase of the land, home, site improvements etc. This type of loan allows for draws to be taken throughout the construction, paying for the progress from start to finish. Typically once the home is near completion, you would contact the mortgage lender you received your pre-approval letter from and start the process of rolling the construction loan into a permanent mortgage of either 15 yrs or 30 yrs. They can best direct you on how this works.

PERMITS

1. Call your local city or county building department and ask the following:

• Do they allow shipping container homes?
  One thing to note here is some times as soon as you mention shipping container homes they might
  get cold feet and say "NO," because they have the incorrect idea of what you are asking. Please assure
  them it could be a state certified modular home. If they allow modular/manufactured homes then
  unless they have it written specifically "NO" container homes, then it should be allowed if all other criteria
  is met.
• Is there a minimum square footage requirement?
  Ask your city/county if there is a square footage minimum. 
• Do they require a building permit for a new residential build?
  Some areas have no requirements or permits needed.

2. If they allow shipping container homes and a permit is required be prepared for the next steps.

• Most likely at this point we will have to certify your container home as a state manufactured/modular home. Please contact us to get a list of the states we are approved in and what floor plans we currently have certified.

LOCATION

Now that you have verified with the city or county that a container home is allowed you can start the search for
property (unless you already own it). Below is a list of things to consider when searching for property:

• Does the area have a HOA?
  • If so contact the HOA to make sure they will allow a container home, what expectations they have for the exterior look, and if they have a minimum size.

• Does the property have utilities?
  • For budget reasons, it is important to know if the property offers sewer, water, and electrical connections. If not, then a well might be needed for water, a sewer system installed for sewage, and either solar or a generator for electricity. If the utilities are already there or you have to install them it is probably worth exploring the cost of each one.
• Access to property
  • One benefit of a container home is how versatile they can be and the ability to place in more remote
    areas. Please keep in mind when looking for property the accessibility from the main highway. The
    property might be easy to access with a standard vehicle but always remember we deliver
    with a large semi. If you have any questions on the delivery aspect, we strongly recommend you watch
    our delivery video.
• Delivery Cost
  • One thing to note is the delivery cost is not included in the core price of our container homes. You can
    visit the delivery page on our website to calculate the delivery cost to your location.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Now that you have the property selected, it is time to reach out to the general contractor you have selected. If you
haven't contacted a general contractor yet, now would be a great time to call one or two and get bids from them.
Check to see if their schedule is conducive to your timeline. Step 4 and 5 work together. While you are working with
the general contractor, you should also be working on step 5 which is selecting your final design. Below is a list of
things you might need your contractor’s help completing.

• Permits
  If permits are required it is normally the responsibility of the General Contractor to pull all the permits needed for the
  job. Once a design is selected and a contract is signed we will provide you with a set of plans your General Contractor can use to pull most permits.
• Foundation
  You will need your general contractor to install the foundation for your container home. Once the
  foundation style is selected, we will work with your general contractor to provide what is needed to
  install the foundation.​​
• Utilities
  This is something that will be completely up to your general contractor to coordinate and install. We
  will instruct them on the sizes needed and the locations where to stub the sewer, water, electricity and
  gas. That is all the involvement CCL will have.
• Driveway, site grading, final connections
  At some point Custom Container Living and your general contractor will discuss the delivery of your home to make sure all
  the pieces of the puzzle are in place for a smooth delivery. If anything needs to be cleared or shored
  up, they can make those preparations ahead of delivery. The general contractor will be responsible
  for installing your driveway. If a new driveway is installed, it is important that it will handle the delivery
  load of your new home. After the container is set the general contractor will need to have the plumber and electrician return to make final utility connections to the home. They will also complete all the dirt work and final grading. Once the home is fully completed the general contractor should get a final occupancy from city or county in order for you to move in.

Watch our Foundation Video Below

FLOORPLAN

Now that all the challenging steps are out of the way, it's time to get psyched up about your container home!!!

Here are a few simple things you need to consider when selecting a floor plan:

• What is the budget
• How many bedrooms
• How many baths
• Square Footage (space you need)
• Customization & Upgrades you might add (see "Custom" page for more info)

THE BUILD

1. Once you have selected your floor plan, upgrades and customizations we will prepare your final
quote with the final price for your approval.

2. After you approve the final quote we will generate the sales contract for you to review and sign.
With your signed contract you can provide a deposit of 50%  by mail or a wire transfer.

3. We will take care of the rest. Each build is done in a professional and timely manner. We will
continue to keep you updated throughout your build(s) so you know exactly what phase your home is in.
If you want to come and see your build in progress please let us know ahead of
time so we can set up an appointment.

DELIVERY

Our delivery process is set up to make your life hassle free when it comes to this step. We supply the
truck and trailer to get your home delivered to you safely. Each delivery fee will depend on your location
and how many containers your build has.

Once onsite we will do the work to get your home set properly on your foundation. Depending on your
location and if additional equipment is needed (crane) we will work with the company to make sure we are still
providing you with the best service in a timely manner.

For the best understanding of how the delivery process works and what will be required from you, please
take the time to watch our delivery video (see below) and let us know if you have any questions to insure we have a
smooth delivery!!!

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