Importing a shipping container house from mainland US to PR

You need to make sure your container will stand up to 185 miles an hour of wind once it is assembled. Otherwise, you won't have a home to return to after a hurricane.

Saysme, I understand that.  These are the containers that are used to ship goods across the worlds oceans.  They are extremely durable and strong.

Shipping containers are designed to be stacked in high columns, carrying heavy loads. They are also designed to resist harsh environments, such as on ocean-going vessels or sprayed with road salt while transported on roads. Due to their high strength, shipping containers are usually the last to fall in extreme weather, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis

Shipping containers are readily available on the island.  My guess is that the costs of pre-fabing and shipping from Colorado are prohibitive.

My advice is to search "articulos" in Clasificados for "contenedor".

Your. Better off. Building an earthship house or a sandbag home. Theres an earthship house in aguada and a sandbag home in utuado
These are made to withhold earthquakes and hurricanes

There was a PR shipping container home building company called Hivecube that got some buzz a while back. Don't know if they ever got off the ground though. Good luck!

I lived on the island through irma and maria.  I seen cargos containers ripped to pieces all over the island. I would build a house with one of these.
Casa tin is a container home in aguada

Try these This company seems to work on containers https://www.prefabcontainerhomes.org/20 … -sale.html

Comments from one of the members:
Like living in a closet with a short ceiling 
They are 7'8" wide and high, but after you insulated it and wall covering, 7'4 wide by 7'6 high👀🤔🤔👀 Nope.
Very good for people who don't understand building, but can paint and add colors..

You still going to need a piece of land.

Most contractors can work with you on this. However You are going to want somebody that can show you a 3D model of the house before you start paying money.

The containers made from steal will do perfectly fine in a huracane if well angered to a concrete base. Aluminum containers won’t.

ReyP.. thanks for the info!  My idea was to buy a piece of land there, build the container out here in Colorado in my shop and then have it shipped down all finished and ready inhabit. 

Depending on the land I find, I can build the container out to be a "off grid" home.  I am very aware of the size and limitations of a container.  This might be my "starter house" while I take my time to build a more permanent structure.   This is just an idea, a way to start on my PR dream tomorrow from the comfort of my existing home.   From my research a decent used RV down there can cost anywhere from $14K on up.... that money would go a long way toward my PR homestead.  A shipping container house can always be used as a guest house or integrated into a larger structure when the permanent house is finished.   I am very aware of earthships and sandbag construction and I am researching these hurricane proof options alongside my container concepts. 

My main question is if anyone had any ideas on how something like a fully built out container house might be taxed?  Which department of the government would I email to ask these questions?  Are there local resources that I can access to research this idea? 

I really appreciate everyone's wisdom and input.

You should communicate with Hacienda, they handle money for the government. One of the departments CRIM is the one that bills you for property taxes.
This is an assumption on my part, but a trailer is a trailer as far as transportation goes and cost of transport. Once you start cutting into one of those containers you start exposing the interior to salt air and potentially splashes. So there may be some degradation during the sea trip.
To get connected to electricity and water you will need permits and to use the place as a home you will need a permit, but having said that, a lot of people do build  homes out of wood and concrete and never get a single permit. Most of the houses damaged by Maria and earthquakes were build this way, with zero inspection or permits. This would have an effect on insurance and mortgage if any.

But you should check with a local lawyer, none of us have done the research.

Locating the perfect spot and community where to live takes time so you have at least 1 and probably 3 trips before you move permanently. I purchased property in 2016 and now I am in the process of building, so you can always wait to build your container home until after you have the perfect spot and can get your questions answered locally. Make a trip for 2 weeks.

By the way, containers are known as Vagones and contenedor but also containers for those with some English.

I have had similar thoughts, please contact me directly offline at pressley.***
Ron

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