Affordable Eco Home Container Converts

Aim

Storage containers converted into affordable eco housing in rising homelessness areas.

**Please note: Image is of a similar example of my idea sourced from MODS-international-container-homes, we are no way affiliated, however my idea is more economically friendly and aesthetically pleasing and UK based.

This business venture has been a brilliant idea of mine for quite some time now but I've never been able to acquire funding due to government restrictions on what type of start up loans you can recieve, property renovation - which is what this category falls in, is unfortunately not eligible for start up loans.

I recently heard about crowd funding so had a browse and decided to give it a shot in the hope that the community can help me and others with this venture.

Enough of that, more about what's important.

I want to purchase storage containers and convert them into affordable eco homes which I can rent out in areas of rising homeless populations, excepting housing benefit and working alongside those tenants to find themselves a more permanent accomodation.

These homes will be for those on a low income, who are either homeless or living in a hostel or at risk of homelessness. I will work with the tenants to help them find work and more permanent accomodation as I plan to only have tenants stay in these eco converts for three years maximum at a time as a half-way supported accomodation sort of setting.

Income will be generated from the rent recieved and from service and maintenance charges.

I will build a complex of shipment containers with stairs and each accomodation will suit a self-contained bedsite profile due to initially starting out directed at mainly single people.

I have already set out a cashflow forcast and will see a return within one to three years.

I will make the homes economically friendly using solar panels and an individual wind turbine per convert, this will minimise bills for the tenants allowing them to save that money to put toward their new accomodation or other living expenses.

Kitchen work surfaces and seating will be built in and able to fold away to increase floor space when not in use, the same may be for a table but this hasnt been decided yet. 

After obtaining planning permission, I will outsource plumbers for the drainage system and toilets and sinks and showers. I will also outsource electricians to hook up a mains supply which will be billed to the tenants in the service charges, this cost will be significantly reduced due to the imput of renewable energy.

Windows will be triple glazed, with frames adapted to fit the container and then insulation around the window and between the interior and exterior walls. Metal shutters will allow for extra security, secured with an internal padlock, no access from outside. The front door will be the only access into the converted container if all shutters are closed. There will be a shutter on the front door with an internal and external locking mechanism, again for security.

To prevent the unlikely risk of electric shock due to exterier walls being metal, the outside walls will be covered in a non-conductive material, such as hard wearing, weatherproof rubber. This will be the same for the interior side of the metal wall, before the insulation.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 16th February 2015