This Aussie couple were rejected from getting a mortgage. But that did not stop them from building their dream home. Here’s how they did it
Undeterred by the rejection of mortgage brokers, an Australian couple, Luis and Valentina, refused to let their dreams of a home for their family fade.
The couple had diligently applied for multiple bank loans, hoping to secure financing for their first home, but were told to come back “when they had money.”
Undeterred by this setback, Luis and Valentina decided to take an innovative and cost-effective path by building their dream home using shipping containers, all within a budget of $300,000.
“We’re here today because several mortgage brokers didn’t believe in us when we first started buying our first home,” they said.
Our budget was not very big. We were saving for our down payment and had the idea to buy between 200 and 300 AUD.
“We also planned to get married and have our first child, so they basically told us to come back when we had more money.”
South Australian couple Valentina (left) and Luis (right) build their dream home out of shipping containers after mortgage brokers rejected their loan request
In 2020, Luis and Valentina purchased a 1,000sqm piece of land 50 minutes drive north of Adelaide city centre.
With the prospect of building their home from scratch, Luis and Valentina realized that this was their chance to bring their dream home to life.
“We came across this block at a really good price and we went for it,” they wrote.
The couple initially approached builders with the idea of building their house out of shipping containers.
To their dismay, rejections and ghosting became an all too common experience.
‘Oh boy! Rejections and ghosts left, right and center. If this happened, the only way was if we let it happen and we decided to build it ourselves.”
Luis and Valentina then enlisted the expertise of an architect to help design their ambitious two-story home – made entirely from shipping containers.
The house sits on a 1,000 sq ft plot of land, approximately 50 minutes drive north of Adelaide’s CBD, and consists of eight shipping containers
The family of four lives in a small house on the property as they finish building the container house, which is estimated to cost between $250,000 and $300,000.
After ensuring the home’s design had been thoroughly reviewed and certified by a structural engineer, Luis and Valentina received council approval for their plans in 2021.
The family of four currently lives in a cozy little house on the same property. Their temporary living arrangement allows them to stay close to their project while actively building their dream home.
Valentina, who is a wedding photographer, said she and her husband, who is a licensed contractor, do “a lot of the work” themselves.
The couple explained that a construction loan allowed them to bring their dream to life without frugal spending.
“Many of the big expenses have already been done and we have yet to put the rest of the budget to work for the remaining works,” the video said.
“We do a lot of the work ourselves and we’re lucky that so many people are willing to help.”
She added that a person does not have to be “rich” to build a container house and urged others to continue the non-traditional building process.
‘Let it be: you can do it too. You don’t have to be rich. You just have to really want it,” she wrote.
“You don’t have to be rich to build a container home. Maybe not an uncomplicated process and you’ll probably still get knocked down one too many times, but as long as you have a clear view of your end goal, IT WILL HAPPEN.’
Valentina wrote in a comment that construction is estimated to cost between $250,000 and $300,000 once completed.
Container homes in Australia are treated the same as any building and should comply with the same rules that apply to a traditionally built house.
In South Australia, builders must follow the Building Code of Australia and the 2008 South Australian Development Regulations.
Shipping containers in the state may be used for residential use only and must meet the requirements of a Class 1a building in the National Construction Code (NCC).
Container homes in Australia are treated the same as any building and must meet the same regulations that apply to a traditionally built home (stock image)
Based on an average Australian home in 2020, nine 40ft high cube containers would be used for a build – with the cost of a 40ft container ranging from $8,000 to $13,800 depending on container availability, age and quality.
Container homes can cost as little as $1,200 per square foot — about a 40 percent less construction cost compared to a traditional build.
Total costs can range from $50,000 to $150,000 — not including modifications such as insulation, electrical, windows and doors — with luxury container homes costing up to $400,000.