Finished project

The house has been a passion project for a little over 3 years now. I have spent countless hours on it, along with blood, sweat, and tears. I started the project because I was planning to hang on to it forever. It has been a haven from the city and I have met some wonderful people as a result of this house project.

With all of that being said, it has come to a time where I will have to consider putting it up for sale. This wasn’t the reason I built it, but circumstances dictate the need to consider it.

Structure and site: The house is obviously a shipping container house. It is situated directly on a water inlet to the Trinity River. It is very easy to put in a kayak directly from the shore, the neighborhood has a nice dock and boat ramp, and the water views from the deck are awesome.

The site is a 75 x 390’ lot that has been surveyed and a base flood elevation completed to make sure the house was built above the floodplain. The property slopes from the street to the water and changes elevation by over 70’ from front to back. There has been a road cut into one side, with road base on it, and a rough walking path, with lighting over it, on the other side of the lot. You could build steps or a better path using the base for either. But because of the slope and the fact that I wanted it closer to the water, it is not exactly a drive up destination.

The structure itself consist of 5 shipping containers bolted and welded together, sitting on top of steel helical piers. The 13 piers were designed by a structural engineer, are welded to the containers, and extend 10-15 feet into the ground. This method insures that the footing hits bedrock for a solid structure. In the time I have worked on this project, the house has not moved or shifted, even when neighboring property has had to do significant structural work.

Currently the structure is set up for a single entry at the front door, with a deck outside it. However the water side is prepped for two small balconies. One or both could have stairs added to them to make access to the shore easier. This is not part of the build as it is now. There’s plenty of views and natural light. The second floor access to the covered deck is currently two patio doors which are covered by the roof structure.

Windows: All of the windows are Low E, double insulated, and laminated for greater sound proofing and protection. The two bedroom windows are in metal framing and all of the window frames are vinyl for lifetime of service. The windows are covered by a lifetime warranty that includes breakage.

Bedrooms: There are two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, both with showers. There’s a larger bathroom with a smaller sleeping area and a larger bedroom, with desk area, with a smaller bathroom. All are set up for maximum space efficiency and to not feel cramped. Both bedrooms have large windows and glass, for natural light, into other rooms. The desk in the larger bedroom is solid wood. It has a twin daybed with a pullout twin underneath. The other bed is a queen size. Each bedroom has bedside lights, outlets, television with streaming and USB charging available.

Bathrooms: The bathrooms use premium materials and fixtures. Kohler shower, Moen fixtures, designer toilets, Buster + Punch hardware, Italian brick tile, and slate throughout. The upstairs bath also has an antique door (well over 100 years old) as a decorative divider for the shower wall.

Kitchen: The kitchen is small but very functional. It is more like a kitchenette and is open to the living room but is very usable for anyone who wants to do serious cooking. Again, premium products are used here. GE Monogram panel ready dishwasher, KitchenAid cooktop, GE Cafe convection oven / microwave, Rheem tankless water heater. There’s also a couple of small appliances that would be included at the kitchen island: Gaggia super automatic espresso machine, Cuisinart air fryer, induction cooktop, warming trays. The cabinetry is European style, with drawers and hinged doors, along with an island. There is power and lighting at the island. The kitchen is fully stocked with utensils. (Some work was done after a few photos – brick backsplash added, for example.)

Entry and living area: the entry is relatively spacious for a small house and opens up to the living room through a plaster door portal. The living room is open concept to the kitchen and has an open staircase to the second floor. There is enough space for a sofa, chairs, and seating for 8 in a dining scenario.

Lighting: throughout the house, upgraded lighting has been used. There are currently 4 Hunter fans used (a fifth to be added to the bar room, more on that later). Decorative and architectural lighting is a combination of WAC, DMF, GE by Savant, and even a Viabizzuno Italian piece. There is also linear lighting as accent in several rooms.

Services: the house has 100A electrical service buried from the main pole down to the house itself, where a main disconnect is located. That panel has a standard GFCI outlet (landscape lights), a 30A outlet, and 50A outlet. The pole has 200A service and has its own breaker panel with a few GFCI outlets and also a 30A outlet (RV), and 50A outlet (EV charger). The electricity service is from a local co-op. The water is also from a local company. The meter is at the street for easy shut off, there is a connection for the RV, and a separate shut off that feeds the house through underground PEX. Sewer is provided via an aerobic septic system that has a service contract and warranty. Internet is through a cellular modem, which has an external antenna. It is faster than the local ISP and provides enough speed to stream video.

Technology: even though the house has a rustic feel to it, it’s packed with technology. WiFi, streaming televisions (including a Samsung Frame TV), lighting control and automation, distributed audio, surveillance cameras, touchscreens, smart door lock, smart thermostats, and smart breakers. The smart breakers monitor electricity usage and are set up for a whole house battery, generator, solar, or any combination. Some of the lighting is set to follow daylight, so that the color shifts throughout the day and into the night. This gives the living room, outdoor deck, and even the nightlight in the first floor bathroom, a more pleasant feeling. Everything can be controlled and monitored remotely. It is a Savant system that can be controlled from the front door, by app, by the keypads, or by the touchscreen in the living area. It is ideally suited as a rental because the front door lock can have guest codes assigned. The main system shuts off the water heater, lights, and expands the temp range on the thermostats when no one is there. There is audio in all rooms. The living room, first floor bedroom, kitchen, outdoor deck, and bar room can all be synced to play the same thing.

Climate: each of the major areas has an independent heat pump PTAC for energy efficiency. There is also a baseboard heater in the living room. There is a ceiling fan in the living room, both bedrooms, and the landing. All climate is controlled through the system or through a smart thermostat.

Designer elements: quite a bit of time was taken in several areas to have designer elements added. There is a brick wall in the landing, a fabric accent wall in the first floor bedroom, the entry has a wood slat wall and ceiling, the bathrooms have Italian brick tile or slate, a lighted bookcase houses a collection of cabin books, carpet in both bedrooms, and Italian made teak wood floor in the kitchen and landing. Barn doors are used in many areas and door hardware is Buster + Punch.

Bar room: currently in progress, but not completed. The bar room is a small room off of the living room accessed through a lockable, roll up door. There will be a large window facing the water and sliding patio doors in case a balcony is ever added. All of the lighting, audio, wall treatment, windows, and flooring are on site and ready to be installed. The room has been used for storage and tools, which is the only reason why that room is the last to be completed.

RV pad: the area where there is currently an RV has many services already established. Water, electricity, and even internet can be connected. There is also landscape lights, cafe lights overhead, steps, and a deck currently near the road.

Outdoor deck: this is one of the most special parts of the project. It is just under 500 sq fr that is 3/4 covered by a translucent roof structure. There are two fans, color controlled lighting, solar lanterns, audio, furniture, a fully functions sink, propane griddle, and smoker. It is about 20’ in the air, so it sits in the trees like a treehouse and has views of the water.

Conclusion: The house is now in a finished state and fully furnished. It has been a labor of love and it was designed and built to be a place where I’d want to spend countless weekends. Nothing was left to anyone else’s decision, every item and finish were hand selected, and nothing commodity was used.