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[Charles]

Tiny homes made from shipping containers could ease Tasmania's housing woes

By Laura Beavis



Photo: The shipping container to tiny house conversion team stand outside their work (ABC News: Laura Beavis)

A year-long volunteer project to convert a shipping container into a one-bedroom home has left Gerryd Bogie struggling to describe how the experience has affected him.

"I loved it, the whole thing was just an experience that words can't describe, it was that good," he said.

But the 18-year-old is clear about the challenges of installing a working bathroom.

"The bathroom was an absolute nightmare," he laughed.



Photo: Gerryd Bogie said he gained valuable skills in the project. (ABC News: Laura Beavis)

Mr Bogie was one of six young people from St Helens who took part in the project, initiated by the St Helens Neighbourhood House.

The manager of the neighbourhood house, Trish O'Duffy, said it started as a way to help local young people to gain skills and employment, as well as creating affordable accommodation for people in the area.

"We were able to employ one apprentice and the six volunteers who worked on the project we upskilled them with units out of Cert 3 in construction," she explained.

The young volunteers were supervised by Brian Matthews, a qualified carpenter. He witnessed their satisfaction as the work progressed.



Photo: The container conversion was a 12-month project. (Supplied: St Helens Community House)

"I take little signs like taking a photo of what they'd just completed or showing up on time week in, week out as my way of gauging whether they're enjoying themselves or not," he said.

At a launch in March, the first converted container attracted curiosity and compliments.

There's a waiting list of prospective buyers and it will be sold at auction in coming weeks.

The homes cost $50,000 to $55,000 to make, but it's expected they could go for more than that.



Photo: The tiny house will be auctioned. (ABC News: Laura Beavis)

The neighbourhood house hoped the benefits of the container project could be spread throughout the state, where an estimated 1,600 people are homeless and 8,000 are under housing stress.

Ms O'Duffy said she hoped more converted containers could be supplied to the Tasmanian Government to be used as affordable housing.

"It's quite an affordable home, it's fully kitted out, we would like to tender for any housing strategy strategy that comes up, we feel that we'd be able to branch into that market," she said.

But experts on housing and homelessness warned relocatable housing could not solve all of Tasmania's housing crisis.

Shelter Tasmania executive officer Patty Chugg said the Government would have to carefully assess whether the converted containers would meet people's needs.

"We need to make sure that it's a quality product, it meets regulation standards, it meets community standards, especially if the Government is being asked to sponsor these different models," she said.

"We really need to have those checks and balances put in place."



Photo: The converted shipping container contains a double bed at one end. (ABC News: Laura Beavis)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/are-container-houses-a-solution-to-tasmanias-homelessness/9593260

It looks a lot more comfortable than some of the accomodation I had while teaching in the country. And for, far better than the "housing" my parents, siblings and I endured as 10 pound immigrants in a migrant hostel.

[Bear]

Many will appreciate this, over living in tents - we look after asylum seekers better than our own citizens, imagine the outcry if asylum seekers were housed in 'tiny homes made from shipping containers'.



Royal Agricultural Society CEO Scott Gadd checks on homeless people living in tents at the Royal Hobart Showgrounds, Glenorchy. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/showgrounds-may-be-forced-to-shut-down-tent-accommodation-if-it-doesnt-get-help/

[Alicia]

There were shipping container homes on display at our local ag show a couple of years ago. One had 2 beds, common bathroom/toilet and a common kitchen. Really nicely done out, perfectly liveable, and as Charles has said, better than other accommodation that was around in the past. Christchurch still has containers in the CBD being used for businesses, they appear to do the job and work well. The employment and experience angle is good too, it appears to be a win, win situation. Better a container home than none at all, and better something useful to do than laze around doing very little that is productive. Good thinking

This post has been edited by Alicia: Mar 28 2018, 03:27 PM

[charka]

Very storm proof

[Alicia]

Depends where they are Charka, no good in a cyclone I’d say. Horses for courses.

This post has been edited by Alicia: Mar 28 2018, 08:46 PM

[Flin]

What a bunch of crap.
It is a lot cheaper and easier to build a tiny house from scratch than convert a shipping container.

[charka]

Did not know would it suit me as is

[scepo]

I suspect that Flin is probably right.

Provided they were well secured to the ground, I think they should be fine in a cyclone Alicia. Mind you I am no expert.