The man speaks the truth. I have driven and been in the trucking industry for over 25 years. I am now a fleet manager and have been for some time. I spec these types of trailers as part of my job. You want to get a Great Dane if possible like John has. Most are built in Brazil, IN. The swing doors are more resilient than the roll up doors. But the roll ups sure are convenient. They are rare in freezer rated trucks as they are more difficult and expensive to insulate and seal. We run them as we have rail type liftgates. John's point about the freezer rating is important if you are looking for insulation. There is a big difference between freezer rated vs refrigerated. We run -20°F and the insulation in our trailers run 1.5" to 2.5" thicker than a standard refrigerated trailer depending on which wall you are talking about. Be advised that if you are looking to set the trailer flat on the ground, you will have to remove the ICC bumper and its support structure. Not a huge deal, just another step is all. Great info as usual Brother!
Yeah as a general term refrigerated is still really good and structurally sound using 1 and 7/8 wall density but the refrigerated freezer model uses another inch of high density plus up to 1-1/2 more in floors and roof. Companies like FFE, ALPINE, CENTRAL, and CRST will tell you who their used broker is if you just call.
Thank you SO MUCH for this video. Turning a semi trailer into a Tiny House makes FAR more financial sense than a shipping container. And if I need to move it, there is a huge number of independent truckers who can pull it anywhere for a fee and I don't have to worry about it being damaged. they're pros. I saw the first video with the AC- now I'm looking for one. It's tall enough inside to have a raised bathroom, tanks that empty to the outside via a hatch (like a motorhome), and have a small storage loft besides. And best of all, the weight rating is such that nothing I put in it will overload it at all.
There is companies now that are converting Semi-Trailers into temp. housing with beds, bathroom, washer/dryer systems, water, and tankless water heaters. Shipping containers are junk!!!
I'm currently converting a 53ft reefer! 2003 utility and I got it for only 2700 and they delivered it to me for free an hour out. It was my dream for a shipping container tiny home but then it would cost a fortune if you wanted to move! VS just paying a trucker to hook and drop this semi trailer around $200 across town! I asked and that's the average a trucker will do. Or go to a damn truck stop and catch somebody on a day off or off work and they will on the low move it across town for cheap. Luckily I live at a truck stop area down the road lol.
i purchased mine from a friend that has an auto dealers license who rebuilt salvage cars. he delivered it from where ever (he is in S.E. IOWA ) to south dakota for total cost of $4000. it is 53 foot, the refer unit still works, the fuel tank is still attached too. i used the wooden shelving frames for 12 inch wide shelves on edge on the floor (they are 15 inches outside to outside) to put 5 rows of 5 gallon buckets and 1 row of 18 gallon storage totes from front to back on the floor. then covered with plywood. then 24 inch shelving down 1 side, and 12 inch shelves at the refer end to hold 1 gallon cans. that is 5/6 53 foot long rows of 5 gallon buckets with ZERO LOSS OF FLOOR SPACE!!
Brilliant find. Very rare to get them at that price, massive shortage of them right now. The factories can't even produce them cuz they cannot get roll aluminum for the last year and a half. Some commie name the Barack Obama cut a deal with China and sold out our entire metals industry to them. Now you see the result.
@@JOHNDANIEL1 i think that commie is STILL president. What everyone thinks is dementia is just 'Slow' Biden waiting on barry O to give him an answer through the earpiece
If you just want a storage shed, a container is OK. Building it outta wood would cost double the container cost, but if you're gonna live in it, Reefer is the way to go.
As long as you stay under 50 foot, so pick a 48 or 50 foot trailer only. The 53 foot will probably always be commercial only since that ones total size and registry is locked in till 2035 under DOT. The big conversion companies do not buy the 53's due to this. And if they do, you do have to have a commercial license to move it, not to own it.
Cheers, that's great info. A workers camp I stay in sometimes in Western Australia has our rooms, with toilet and shower, built on the back of trailers.
You have a valid point but... If you want to move the trailer in the future you have to $ Register it - $ Aquire DOT Permits/inspection, $ Pay someone to move it, (hope that tires are good and brakes still work especially if it has sat for several years....)- A shipping container can be transported (With contents inside), In my experience Ive got some quotes to move a 40HC and it was around $1200 to move it 35 miles or so. Which isn't too bad if its loaded full of stuff! - Im looking for a reefer container currently...
You have to weigh the options. With a Refer trailer your already $2500 ahead on structure and insulation plus 8+ inches wider and easily 10+ feet longer. You can transport them in state on a 48 hour permit for cheap even without current regs. Normally a used refer is at no extra purchase cost compared to the crazy prices they charge for shipping containers.
Be careful about cutting large (double door or double window) holes in side of semi trailers. They get their strength from the side walls. If you did smaller windows and maybe keep doors toward the ends of the sidewalls may be OK. As far as having them moved after "tiny house" construction may be problematic depending what is inside (weight wise) and how many, what size and location the holes are. I agree if just using 1 trailer for a cabin or tiny house you can't beat them.
Small windows can be cut in like it is without much worry, but doors do require you use a structural style door frame to restore and loss in strength on the wall. The door I have for it is made by Pacific, it has a full weight strength two-part clamshell frame set so when it's clamped into place it replaces the load bearing member I would have to cut. Good call though people really need to be sure they frame the support anything they cut that's more than one wall member or stud.
@@JOHNDANIEL1 For a "tiny house" that wanted to move I guess a frame of I beam or C channel could easy enough be added to bottom ribs the length of the trailer similar to how the tandems are attached. This would help keep the integrity/strength of the trailer if sidewalls were hacked on very much.
@@JOHNDANIEL1 understandable. Watching your video showing off the shop it was clear to see you brought a few things. Glad to hear from ya anywho and see all is well. Still exctied to see that Vector fly! Staying with a 12 volt system or maybe something differenr since you gotta build back new?
Whats the legality of having a semi on your property for office/storage space? If you need to move it can you register it after cutting windows what kind of laws are out there regarding modification of these?
Depends on state, local and county codes. But in most of the non socialist parts of USA like Texas or most all what they refer to as RED states, then your fine doing what ever you want as long as you stay within DOT rules on transporting it which is height, weight and width rules. You can get a temp tag for $200 to $250 to relocate it if needed as long as you hold title and original registration on them. They are 500% better then a goofy cargo container and about 1/3 the total cost to adapt.
Property taxes are high af in texas. If i built my house from one of these would they still try to raise my taxes? I dont see how they could if its a trailer i can move off my property. But the man always tries to stick it to you no matter what!
Keep the registration up to date, no extra taxes. when I was converting them we registered them as Temporary Site Housing. Even 12 years later, no extra taxes were placed on them.
The containers made in China are for ships, there designed to a certain specification to maximise cargo. The American one is sturdy but logistically not great, the weight of that will be alot more heavy and would require more fuel to transport it around.
I wouldn't stack the shipping container unless it was welded very well & based on what I now know it's better to find American shipping containers but still they have drawbacks. The freezer trailers may cost more but the chinese junk will need mods & welders ain't cheap.
If you have any idea how many containers sales people have sent me nasty ass emails it would blow your mind. I even had one of them offered me $500 to take the video down because people were referring to it.
Do a Google search for this term - REFRIGERATED TRUCKING COMPANY IN MY AREA. You'll have to call them individually and find out who handles their used trailers and trade-ins, and sometimes they individually sell them like the company I got mine from which is Alpine logistics.
I have question on 12v series connection to make 24 volt battery bank, then parallel connection to link amp hours to set of 4 or 8 -12 volt marine batteries? series connection then parallel OR parallel , 1st, then series? Trying not do destroy my very limited emergency power bank!! Thanks in advance for an answer. still looking at your vids on your battery bank & ancillary equipment. fixing to get a vevor soon.Thanks again, sir!
Man wherever you're going or wherever you live that selling those shipping containers are literally scamming the fuck out of everybody because down by where I live you can get a 40-footer for 1500 bucks all night and day practically brand new so maybe it's I just live close to shipping ports and maybe you're so far away that they're just up charging for the crate and shipping delivery and all that
Those reefer trailers will stand more wind than those containers, especially when you remove the tandems and anchor them on/in the ground.. And you wouldn't hear the 175 mph wind howl nearly as much. (where are you planning to be, anyway?) I've seen a few that regularly took on 100 mph+ winds plus whatever headwinds they were going in to. And the "Benn & Jerry's", "Blue Bell's" or whatever brand of ice cream, was still frozen to be put in the grocers freezer without it being all melted and runny when it got there. Like John said, Solid. You couldn't insulate that $1000 container that well without going over the price of the reefer, let alone wire it up, and still wouldn't have the square footage. Maybe you missed what he said about removing the tandems and landing gear and selling them. Once the wheels are off, the "Trailer" at that point basically becomes a "Shed". (That's important terminology for the tax man and other county officials.) Plus, delivery is cheaper for the company/driver. With a Container, he HAS to haul a trailer back, empty or otherwise. Delivering a van or reefer trailer, he can bobtail back, which gets better fuel mileage and/or can even pick up a load for the return trip and not be stuck with container only loads. I reckon you COULD sell your $1000 container for $2500 or so, do it once more, then get yourself a reefer trailer. Undercut the dealers price and I believe that in the long run, you would be better off. I mean, if you are really that worried about it. Neither type will make much difference in a nuclear strike unless you are far enough away and happen to already be inside. In that case, I guess go with what you got and pray that the Lord splits the eastern sky before it gets to that. According to The Book, He comes afterwards. But for the ones that Believe, they are taken out of the way somehow before that part gets here. Some are taken through it, having gotten a late start in learning and believing. Tribulation Saints, I believe they are called. But they make it and seems like there is a special deal for them. And, there will be a bunch that never believe and what they face seems to really, really suck. Some folks think it's not fair but in reality, they've been being warned all of their life, in one way or another. Their Choice NOT to believe is probably the only unpardonable sin. There are many and varied opinions on the subject, so it's worth getting into the Word and figuring it out on an individual basis, the sooner the better. From what I've been seeing, this ballgame just may well be wrapping up. I mean, it also says in the Book that He Has Plans For You. It might not be a bad idea to actually take the time to ask Him, personally and sincerely, just what they are. And expect and listen for an answer. What do you have to lose? Take Care, The Tinker
There's practically nowhere unless you want to spend three times the money to buy a wind turbine not made in China now or at least 90% of its parts from China. You can get a kestrel which is Japanese engineered and mostly made or you can literally make an axial flux turbine by hand but even then most all your parts still come from China.
If you use the semi trailer for storage is there a ventilation to prevent molding? I’m looking for something to store all the stuff in my house so I can rent it. I have a lot of electronics.
I would put a solar ventilator in it. amzn.to/3CJghm9 and add two mouse proof intakes in the floor about 2 in each in diameter towards each end of the reefer trailer, as the sun warms the body the moisture that would cause damage gets evacuated, on cloudy days when the moisture is high in the air it won't work very fast to draw any in, and at night when the new levels are high it doesn't run at all. Typically these will keep your humidity less than half of what normal is in a trailer like that.
@@JOHNDANIEL1 Thank you, John. I like what you showed. Looking to place a wall of tinted UV protected sliders on both sides for a desert cabin with 360 degree mountain views. That's a lot of support but I think I can make it work.
@@fightswithspirits915 if theres a will theres a way- Im looking at trying the same thing in the foothills of western NC. Either double or triple wide. Either way im saving tens of thousands and ending up with a very solid home. Yours is a GREAT idea.
people can die inside a container they are not not made for occupancy excellent choice only proper modification needed for occupancy a d then they are great,but yes a reffer is much better excellent video.
