If you’re someone who loves working on special projects, a used shipping container can present you with an endless array of possibilities. These days, so many specialty projects have been done using shipping containers that you can basically create whatever you can imagine.
Want to build a home? Looking for a new office to get some work done? Need a new job site trailer for your construction business? All of these things and many more can be built with shipping containers and those good news is that shipping containers are readily available. Most containers are only put to use for 10-15 years and there are an estimated 24 million empty shipping containers worldwide.

With so many shipping containers available, the possibilities are endless when it comes to using them for specialty projects. With that in mind, here are nine reasons why shipping containers need to be an essential part of your next project:

• Steel shipping containers average a 25-year lifespan, so whatever you build will be extremely durable. Portable shipping containers can last more than 20 years, provided you regularly maintain them.
• If you’re trying to be more environmentally conscious, shipping containers are very eco-friendly as most of them are made from recycled steel.
• Shipping containers portable, easy to use and extremely versatile. They can be used to build everything from offices to workshops to hospitals and even vacation homes.
• Provided they are rooted or anchored, shipping containers can withstand winds of up to 100 miles per hour when rooted on foundation. They can withstand winds of up to 175 miles per hour are anchored with pylons. If you happen to work in heavy tornado or hurricane areas, working with shipping containers can be a godsend.
• Reusing just one 40 foot container upcycles about 3,500kg of steel and saves about 8,000 kilowatt hours.
• Shipping containers are portable and easy to relocate. Between their durability, stackability and resistance to weather, they are the perfect choice for specialty projects.
• Standard shipping containers are eight feet wide by 8.5 tall. Each one gives about 300 feet of living or office space. Added together, three or four of these containers side by side can create a 1,200 square foot, three-bedroom house.
• Building a housing structure out of a shipping container takes 2-3 weeks, much more quickly than brick and mortar structures.
• Building with repurposed shipping containers can have a cost savings of up to 40% as compared to traditional methods of construction.

With so many shipping containers out there, sitting unused, you’re probably wondering just how the heck you can get your hands on one or several. If you find a place that sells them, here are some tips for buying them:

• A lot of port cities where shipping is common will have shipping containers, but if you buy one, you best have a plan to get it home. The last thing you want is to score one (or several) and be left wondering how in the heck it’ll end up back at your house.
• Be careful with prefab containers. They can cost a lot of money and might require some reconfiguration.
• Resale sites like eBay or Craigslist or Buy, Sell and Trade social media sites can be places to find bargains. Just be careful about buying prefab containers, which can require some reconfiguration and cost a bit of money.
• Warehouses are another good spot to check for shipping containers for sale; just be sure that when you buy a container, you buy it free and clear and make sure no one else owns it.
• Shipping containers made of Cor-Ten steel are one of your best bets as far as selection goes. They last longer and hold up under all types of weather.
• Don’t be afraid to find an inspector to check out a shipping container for you. Before you go spending a lot of money, you want to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

With their durability and versatility, shipping containers are a must-have for specialty projects. Building with shipping containers saves time, money and stress that accompany regular construction methods and whatever you build is going to last you a long time.