Imagine spending $49,000 on this boxhouse, and then seeing this 72 airstream go for $35k: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/tro/6036307617.html
Well, imagine spending $49,000 on a shipping-container house.
Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
91–100 of 156 posts
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#92Not trying to be a hater. I understand what is pictured may be prototypes.. if they are you shouldn't be showing them unless you have that caveat in the picture. Both the design is poor, and the craftsmanship is low. If this is past the prototype stage, and this is what you will actually be selling. Then you really don't understand the pre-fab space nor the price points of the pre-fab space.
thanks for the feedback. what are the most compelling prefabs you've found that are actually shipping, and how much do they cost?
Prefab is a loaded term - unfortunately, depending on people's experiences, it can be loaded in very different ways.
At YC, there's Acre (Pacific NW, California, Colorado): http://www.acredesigns.com/
I work with BrightBuilt (New England originally, now shipping in the mid-Atlantic as well): http://brightbuilthome.com/
Up here in Maine we also have Ecocor, which is a panel product: https://www.ecocor.us/
I think those are a couple of good prefab examples, although none of them hang their designs on the shipping container form factor (and I specifically picked three 'prefab' companies with very different delivery methods). Most prefab companies I have experience with have gone that way, primarily because the width constraints of a container aren't great once you get above one or two modules.
I think the branding (or rebranding) of small homes built on tow-able platforms as 'tiny homes' was a genius stroke of marketing. If you can do that with the Boxouse that's some secret sauce, but in the absence of a strong brand I think the Boxouse units will end up being called 'trailers' as opposed to 'prefab'.
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
Humans need space, but it doesn't necessarily need to be in their bedroom and kitchen. Small houses work just fine when there are recreational options around - walkable cities like NYC, large properties in the country, etc.
Keep telling that to yourself the air quality in these shoeboxes alone is a reason to stay away from them. Homes should be roomy these are not prison cells or airport sleepover rooms.
I suspect air quality's tied a lot more to where you live than the square footage of the house you've got. (I dunno, maybe you're an edge case and vape constantly or something...)
As an example, I'll bet this house has better air quality than mine: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/15/a4/8c/15a48c913...
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#94How would I hook up toilet, sink, electrical, cable (for internet)?
What kind of foundation do you recommend?
Does "deploy containers to yards for free" mean shipping is free? To any state? What rent revenue are you talking about? I can't just put one of these in my backyard and rent it out because of zoning and neighbourhood bylaws.
Why is square footage not mentioned anywhere? Usually a primary concern for any housing consideration.
If there's insulation included in the bare bones kit why is it not shown in the photo? Any why is it so dark? Are you trying to scare people away from that option?
You should have a photo of one of these set up in a nicely landscaped yard with a great entrance path and a beautiful exterior.
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
Here's some photos of work in progress: https://goo.gl/photos/N6jiAo9696QJG6KU8
Honestly, there is still nothing here that compels me to buy your product. Who is your target audience? What's your appeal? What makes your product special? I am a mid-twenties millennial looking for a starter home (considering a container home) and I'm not really seeing something I want.
I've followed this space for years now. The problem I see is, at these prices, someone like n-exploit can hire a custom builder to do it exactly to their tastes/layout.
I'm not seeing what benefit do you add to the existing ecosystem?
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#96How are you going to deal with zoning? Generally the big problem with tiny houses is that while they're relatively cheap to make they're not allowed by existing zoning.
Looks like they learned some lessons the hard way. They were forced out of their original location by Oakland. "Iseman said after the inspection at 2836 Union Street that it might have cost $200,000 to $300,000 to bring the property and containers into compliance with building and health codes. ... The new space 'will be organized, beautiful, and largely inside, hidden from the prying eyes of nosey neighbors and nett…
The quote about the new space sounds like they're soon to learn about building inspectors.
Putting a bunch of containers into a warehouse somewhere sounds like a good way to repeat http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oakland-warehouse-fire-v...
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#97Did you also consider 3D printing small homes? Seems like it has potential in the long run. https://qz.com/924909/apis-cor-can-3d-print-and-entire-house...
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's more than local zoning at play. There are health regulations regarding potable water and sanitary waste disposal for dwellings that occur at the state level. There's ADA and FHA at the Federal Level. Also at the local level are things like occupational taxes and building permits. Unlike room and whole house rental, a container provides direct visible evidence of the activity from the air, over a neighbor's fe…
Short summation: No way. Living in shipping containers is not a great idea. By the time you overcome all the hurdles, you realize the envelope is smallest cost of housing development.
It's not so much that it the lowest cost, it is that there are fixed costs that correlate to 'per dwelling unit'. Some of those are monetary, e.g. digging a trench for a sanitary sewer is pretty much the same for a tiny house as a McMansion. But the amount of effort is also mostly constant: getting permits and other entitlement for a four unit project is not that much less than getting entitlement for a forty unit project (and forty high end units are likely to require less work during entitlement than forty low end units because the high end units tend to be more politically palatable because they better improve the tax base).
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#99My dad owns a few trailer parks. Great investment but not for the faint of heart. From our experience, you're not going to want to live in any neighborhood that allows this kind of housing and as a result, it wont be available for long in any neighborhood you're trying to address. Many trailer parks are trashy (literally trash everywhere) with a highly uneducated and unstable demographic. Its the suburban equivalent…
Its the suburban equivalent of an urban ghetto. What does this mean? Trailor parks in the suburbs?
Re: Launch HN: Boxouse (YC W17) – Shipping-container homes
#100A couple of points, Photos: Hire a decent photographer, large sensor, low f number. You'd be surprised what a good camera with a competent person running it will do. Go wide angle. Your unique selling point should be the thought you put into the layout. Anyone can insulate and sling in some furniture, the real hard part is making the space lovable/liveable. Choose a theme or period, industrial is a good start. You ha…
Great ideas, thanks! We've been through 4 different attempts at photos, and results are obviously lacking... do any of you have sources you really like for outlet covers, light cases, and other fixture / finish elements?
I think this guy http://vantagepointphoto.com/#slide5 is one of the best in Northern California - great grasp of lighting and space, probably charges commiserate with scale / quality of his portfolio.
This guy has very solid ratings locally, nice portfolio, and worth hitting too - http://www.dannyosterweil.com/about/ - I think he's probably within a few miles of you guys.