Brunswick Students Build Container Homes for U.S. Veterans
How a Shipping Container Hobby Build Could Make $1 Million
Two brothers, their father and a mate put together a shipping container mansion overlooking the Surf Coast at Kennet River in Victoria that could net them a cool $1.1 million now it is on the market.
The guys got together and spent a year’s worth of weekends building the home, which sits on a hillside and drinks in the outstanding views with full height windows.
Locals response
Perhaps worried at being confronted with a wall of shipping containers on their beautiful land, there was some opposition from locals to the project. Shipping container homes don’t have to look like they’ve just been dragged from a container port, and that was the attitude of those building it.
One of the builders, Sam Clarke said of the mansion, “it’s a really nice home to be in, you really can’t tell it’s shipping containers.”
Thanks to the opposition from locals the team asked for an artist’s rendition of the project ahead of completion and this seems to have dulled the opprobrium.
Busman’s holiday
Sam Clarke is a commercial construction worker based in Melbourne and spent a good 50 weekends commuting down to Kennet River to build the home at weekends.
Using the skills he has honed professionally, he was able to put the container construction up quickly. As such it was a bit of a busman’s holiday where you use your professional skills for fun.
Clarke has said that the project was an ambition of his, thanks to his steelwork experience he wanted to try building a home like this.
When Clarke started the build he was unaware of the sort of effort it would take to enjoy such a weekend home. Clarke said, “I got a bit carried away with the view and didn’t think about the commute,” and this led to the reluctant decision to sell up.
On the market
Great Ocean Properties originally put the home on the market for $1.3 million for more than a year but have since corrected the price to try to sell it. You can now snap it up for $1.1 million.
The agents describe the home as follows:
“Cleverly constructed using shipping containers to create a masterpiece with a low carbon footprint.
Rising over two impressive levels with an abundance of natural light streaming through the double glazed full height windows the magnificent interiors include an atrium staircase made of local hardwood timbers that not only makes the most of the surrounding views, but allows for hot air to be purged from the home through its apex windows.
A large custom kitchen island bench and breakfast bar includes Smeg appliances, integrated fridge and dishwasher and a walk in pantry, lacquered timber joinery and stone work.”
The guys who built it aren’t in a hurry to sell as it costs them nothing to maintain thanks to the rents they take from people using it as a holiday home.
Let’s hope it sells!
Dream homes can only appeal to people with a certain amount of cash to spare, and this home may appeal to those who might fly in from Melbourne or another part of the country to avoid the slog of driving.
It appears that the distance that killed the love of the home for the builders may well be deterring those who may want to buy it too. Those selling it suggest you rent it for a little while to get a flavour of life there – you never know, you may get hooked!
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