After their three children grew up and moved out, Jaimie and David, who are from Vancouver, moved into a condo in Kalama, Washington.

They were just another couple living the “American Dream” in a condo, but they still had to work and pay bills and a mortgage. It was a typical “wash and repeat” American thing to do. So, around 2017, the couple set out to break this fast-paced and exhausting cycle by taking on a bold and ambitious do-it-yourself home building project.

Modifying That Dream

This became the goal of their lives. They decided to get used shipping containers for cheap so they could build their own home, pay off most of their debt, and make something they could both be proud of.

The design is a 40-foot shipping container on top of a 20-foot shipping container, which made it possible to have a cute and unique railed portico on the outside.

David had a brain bleed while they were working on the project, which shows that there was a lot of “tough love” in their hard work. Most of us have been through some kind of trouble, and when we “come out the other side,” we can see how that trouble made us stronger and more resilient.

Maybe that’s why the project helped David and Jaimie get through their physical and emotional pain. Once they’d reached their goal, they didn’t have to make another mortgage payment.

Another benefit of living in a shipping container is that it is unique.

Insulation is an important part of any building, and it goes without saying that good insulation goes a long way toward saving energy and lowering utility costs.

Most of the insulation in these containers comes from the fact that they are made of heavy metal, so not much else needs to be done. Using space more efficiently is another way to cut down on energy costs.