Montaineer makes it easy: prefab shipping container homes

“The tiny house movement is really about doing it yourself and being off-grid—trying to do things as cheaply as possible. Our customer[s]… they basically don’t have to do anything.”

— Patrick Collins, CEO of Montainer

Patrick’s got a point, to be sure: the prefab shipping container homes his Missoula, Montana, company builds are anything but DIY, they’re connected to utilities upon installation, and a larger model can cost you more than a regular house in many areas. But the tiny house community is a pretty big tent, and there are surely a lot of people inside it who’d be interested in a ready-made (and well-made) small home that’s absolutely hassle-free.

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And you can take that “absolutely” literally, because when you make a reservation for a Montainer house they don’t just start building it. No, the first step they take is to acquire the necessary permits to ensure that you’ll actually be able to put your new home where you want it. When you think of the trouble many tiny homeowners have with zoning and building codes, you’ll realize that this is a very important and often overlooked consideration – but if you’re buying from Montaineer you can overlook it to your heart’s content. If they can’t get permission for your house on your site, they’ll refund your deposit, all of it.

If Montaineer does get the green light from your local authorities, they’ll work with you on finalizing a custom design before they begin the build. They make everything from 200-square-foot single-container units to 960-square-foot three-container models, and can build in one or two stories. Standard amenities include electric baseboard heat, closed-cell spray foam insulation, kitchen sink and cabinets, mini-fridge, stove with hood, bathroom sink, shower and flush toilet. Air conditioning, washer/dryer, dishwasher, full-size refrigerator, oven and kitchen/bathroom tiles are available as options.

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Montaineer continues to handle everything once your house is ready (usually in 6–12 months). They’ll prepare the site and put in a foundation, deliver the house on a flatbed truck and put it in place with a crane, hook it up to utilities and hand you the keys. It’s hard to imagine an easier way to get a brand-new, 100% legal tiny house in your yard.

But what about the price? Well, yes, Montaineer’s bigger models cost a minimum of $160,000. On the other hand, single-container houses start at $60,000, which is in the same range as many of the quality THOWs on the market today.

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h/t Tech Insider

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