11 Best Shipping Container Home Builders to Hire in 2025

Wondering who the best container home builders are in the US? You’ve come to the right place!

Container homes are increasing in popularity as more and more people realize their benefits over traditional houses: cheaper, modular and adaptable, eco-friendly, and faster to build.

Indeed, there are so many factors you have to think about when choosing the right container home builder. From price and location to building style, the list goes on… 

But don’t worry! We’ve scoured the Internet for the best builders and most effective tips for finding a container home builder. Below is the summary, and we hope you find it helpful!

Top 11 Rated Shipping Container Home Builders

1. Custom Container Living – Best shipping container home builder overall

• Founded in: 2015
• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• Most expensive container home: $186,900 (Luxury 4 All)
• Least expensive container home: $39,950 (Backyard Bedroom)
• Known for: unique, customizable floor plans

Custom Container Living can build beautiful and efficient container homes for those on a budget, but without sacrificing aesthetic values. Whether for a permanent home, holiday cabin, rental house, or business property, they can do it all.

Their smallest home, Backyard Bedroom, is made of a single 20-foot container and great as an in-law suite or backyard Airbnb rental. They may not specialize in luxury designs, but the customizable floor plans will ensure that you get the home that you want!

2. Honomobo – Best for modern container homes

• Founded in: 2016
• Location: Edmonton, Alberta
• Most expensive container home: $404,819 (HO5)
• Least expensive container home: $25,767 (home office)
• Known for: modern & luxury modular shipping container homes

As a shipping container home builder, Honomobo’s dedication to modern style is impeccable. They always use authentic, high-quality materials for a seamless indoor-outdoor design, and the result is a minimalist but warm home!

Best known for their H series modules, most customers will agree that they’re not the cheapest, but their contemporary design will certainly stand out from the crowd. The HO5, for example, is a 3-bed 2 ½-bath property sprawling 1600 square feet.

3. Alternative Living Spaces – Best for tiny container homes

• Founded in: 2016
• Location: Las Vegas, NV
• Most expensive container home: $108,000
• Least expensive container home: $35,900
• Known for: tiny homes

This next builder is based in Las Vegas and specializes in building gorgeous tiny homes from recycled shipping containers. They are all about sustainability, simplicity, and style, which is always important to make an alternative home feel much more elegant and upscale.

From Eco to Luxe models, Alternative Living Spaces offer a range of budget options, although they’re admittedly not the most affordable, especially for a tiny home. However, we’d say that the sheer quality and chicness of their designs are worth it!

4. LOT-EK – Most professional shipping container home builder

• Founded in: 1993
• Location: Edmonton, Alberta
• Known for: impressive, grand architectural style

LOT-EK is probably more well-known for their commercial projects, which range from shipping container hotels and co-working spaces to libraries and exhibition buildings. This is because both co-founders are accomplished architects with many awards and accolades in the industry.

With that said, their residential homes are also very impressive and can be perfect for those who want unique, breathtaking architecture. The c-Home in particular is a famous prefab model that’s beautiful, elegant, and quintessential contemporary. It provides 1,920 sq ft of habitable space, an open layout, and spacious outdoor decks.

5. Backcountry Containers – Best for family container homes

• Founded in: 2016
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Most expensive container home: upwards $100,000
• Least expensive container home: $40,000
• Known for: personalized shipping container homes

Backcountry Containers is quite unique because its history began as a family project, which means there is a certain warmth infused in its customer service that can make the entire project a fun and enjoyable process.

A single 20′ container home typically starts at $40,000, although adding features like rooftop decks, porches, and high-end finishes will increase the cost. One of the main things to note is that Backcountry Containers mostly work in Texas, although it is possible to build in other areas.

6. CargoHome – Best for DIY container homes

• Founded in: 2016
• Location: Waco, Texas
• Known for: tiny homes and DIY container home kits

CargoHome is great for anyone wanting a stylish and space-efficient shipping container home. It’s a small, family-owned company that concentrates on creating stunning tiny homes with high-quality craftsmanship and elegant finishes. The Mainsail, for instance, is a 40’ container home with modern interiors and an optional rooftop deck.

There are tons of prefab models that you can browse through and pick from. But the unique thing about them is their DIY kit options, which can be further personalized for beginners and experts alike. This will be excellent if you are looking for a project to take up

7. Rhino Cubed – Best for artistic container homes

• Founded in: 2013
• Location: Louisville, Colorado
• Most expensive container home: $500 per sq ft
• Least expensive container home: $33,600 ($289 per sq ft)
• Known for: eco-friendly designs

Renowned for taking an artistic approach when designing and building homes using upcycled Corten steel containers, Rhino Cubed is another great builder to consider. They always aim to manufacture homes that can last for generations, thus emphasizing their sustainable mission even more.

This is possible thanks to the pest-proof, water-proof, weather-proof, and fire-resistant design! And with excellent attention to detail, Rhino Cubed can customize each project so that they fit your needs and preferences.

8. SG Blocks – Best for exquisite container home buildings

• Founded in: 2007
• Location: Brooklyn
• Least expensive container home: $90,000
• Known for: fast construction

SG Blocks is known especially for their fast construction time, which they claim to be 40% faster. This is impressive considering that prefabricated homes are already quicker to build in the first place when compared to traditional homes. We also love this company for using 100% recycled and repurposed materials.

Their most basic residential home is the Bluebell Cottage, which starts at $90,000. This is obviously not the most affordable price tag for most. But when the price is no object, SG Blocks really can make the container home of your dreams a reality, and the result can be nothing short of breathtaking.

9. SteelBlox – Best for high-design container homes

• Founded in: 2019
• Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
• Most expensive container home: $576,000
• Least expensive container home: $49,900
• Known for: high-end shipping container homes

Next up is Steelbox, the cornerstone of high design in shipping container homes. With more than three decades of general construction experience, their sheer expertise and knowledge reflect in their high-end designs and architecture. From accessory dwelling units to single-family homes and custom residences, they can do it all.

Shift, their most basic model, is small and ideal for those needing a tiny living solution. Meanwhile, the Model 6 is a massive 1920 square feet home with modern interiors and a luxury finish. Their services are unfortunately quite premium in terms of pricing, though the quality you get is second to none.

10. California Tiny House, Inc – Best for innovative tiny container homes

• Founded in: 2014
• Location: Califonia
• Least expensive container home: from $129,050
• Known for: innovative tiny homes

California Tiny House, Inc. is another family-owned building company that values quality and innovation above all, resulting in tiny homes that are durable and livable for decades. For those wanting a tiny home out of upcycled shipping containers, you won’t find yourself in better hands!

Their latest model, the Vesta 32 is a trailer-based container home, which makes it very easily portable. Including one bedroom and one bathroom, it is designed with large windows to maximize natural light and airflow.

11. Relevant Buildings – Best for energy-efficient container homes

• Founded in: 2017
• Location: Oregon City, OR
• Most expensive container home: $300,000
• Least expensive container home: $64,000
• Known for: sustainable, eco-friendly home setups

Relevant Buildings are the go-to for prefab homes with net zero energy systems, which can be great if you’re looking for an energy-efficient home.

Prices can vary but start at $64,000 for a shell-only model. This means weather-tight features and a full finish exterior, but without appliances and cabinets inside. It’s excellent for those who would like to personally customize and build the inside!

Better yet, they offer Uniform Building Code (UBC) standard-compliant homes, so that you don’t have to worry about permits at all, no matter where in the States you will be located.

Considerations When Comparing Container Home Companies

What to Look For in a Good Container Home Builder

Location

Perhaps the first and most important factor that you should look at before choosing a container home builder is their location. Where is the company based in and where do they build their homes?

If it’s far from your own location, does the final price includes shipping and installation? Transporting a container home may cost some money, especially if it’s not part of the package.

Budget

After that, it’s time to consider how your budget fits in with the price range of the builder. If you’re on a strict budget, it may be wise to use builders who specialize in building affordable container homes.

However, when money isn’t a problem, this will open up the options for you as you’ll find more luxury builders out there.

Design Style

Don’t overlook the design and architectural style of the company either, as this will determine if your final home will look like what you want.

For instance, some builders are great at modern and minimalist styles, while others may be better at traditional, cottage-styled homes. It all comes down to preference and what you’re looking for.

Construction Time

Finally, a good container home builder should be able to complete the project in a timely manner. This can be a particularly important thing if you’re short on time and want the container home built quickly.

Some builders are faster than others, so make sure to do your research and ask in advance how long they will need for the build.

Benefits of Hiring Container Home Builders

Use Their Expertise

One of the main reasons why you should use a container home builder instead of DIY-ing the build is their expertise. This is an invaluable resource.

Remember that these people build container homes for a living and have experience with all sorts of home styles and sizes.

What kind of wood works best for the interior of a shipping container? How do you effectively furnish a tiny home? These are questions they can answer for you!

Handle the Permits

Another great benefit of hiring a container home builder is that they can handle and obtain all the necessary permits you need to build a shipping container building and live in it.

However, not all builders offer this service. It’s important to clarify whether or not they can do this for you before securing a deal.

Save Time

At the end of the day, getting a professional builder to build your home on a remote site and delivering it to your land will be much quicker than doing it yourself.

This is because they already have the tools and human resources to do it faster. On the other hand, building your own container home as a side project will take longer, as you’ll need to gather all the equipment and knowledge on your own.

Challenges of Hiring Container Home Builders

What are some of the frustrations and challenges you might face when hiring a container home builder? While one can hope that the entire process is smooth-sailing and free from any problem, it’s always worth preparing yourself in case the opposite happens.

One of the first things that can be difficult is actually picking the right builder. There are tons of options out there and choosing the best one for you can be overwhelming. Hopefully, the list of top 11 builders above can be a useful place to start!

Additionally, you have to ensure that the builder is trustworthy and experienced. This will help prevent large problems down the line.

Summing Up the Best Container Home Builders

Overall, the best container home builder is Custom Container Living. They offer great value and customizable floor plans, as well as size options from small rentals to family homes!

Building a container home using a reputable builder will help you save time as they can handle everything from the design, construction, and installation to the permits.

Just be sure to choose a reliable and trustworthy builder so that you can achieve the best possible home for you.