Using shipping containers has rescued a backyard pool house project at Leopold, saving almost $50K as quotes were pointing to a budget blowout.

The humble shipping container has rescued a backyard pool house project at Leopold from a budget blowout.

Royal Wolf Geelong branch manager Justin Van Loon had quotes from landscape builders of up to $80,000 for the 10m by 5m structure before he thought his workplace could offer a more cost-effective solution.

“The quote to do it using two shipping containers was significantly cheaper and we actually ended up with a larger pool house than we initially planned,” he said.

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“All up it cost about $32,000, which included buying two containers, all the modifications done by Royal Wolf and then completing other works ourselves like electrical and flooring.”

Engineering and workshop plans compliant with building regulations, including a design for concrete footings, were drawn up within weeks.

“The Royal Wolf engineers took into account our home address, wind ratings and all the different aspects that impact building structures and designed the pool house accordingly,” he said.

They also advised on the materials needed to strengthen the 12m by 4.8m building and its window openings.

The Royal Wolf team modified the containers based on the engineers’ drawings, while contractor Maity Connoley had also helped with the outdoor area, including building the fence around the whole pool and house.

“They removed two side walls of one container and one side wall of the other container, which was then strengthened with wide window openings, doors welded closed and the exterior painted.”

A separate roof structure covers the containers, giving more covered space, while insulation also protects the building from overheating.

The complete pool house was delivered and placed at the Van Loon home, a process that took 10 weeks from sketch to completion.

“The best part was we had very little disruption or inconvenience at our home – we had the concreters dig and put the foundations in and then Royal Wolf delivered the pool house and installed it on the footings the next day. All up it only took about a week of work at our place,” Mr Van Loon said.

The pool house is the family’s go-to for entertaining all-year round.

“Initially my wife was a little sceptical but she loves it because it’s a comfortable and relaxing space, it’s everything we were looking for.”

Shipping containers are becoming increasingly popular building blocks, with everything from

building site workers huts and covered walkways to school buildings, cafes and barber shops and even architect-designed homes.

Architect Ben Edwards used three second-hand containers to construct a Wye River house that met the strict bushfire building code in the Great Ocean Road town.

Mr Edwards used three 6m-long containers, in part as a response to the steep block, but they were also ideal to meet the strict bushfire building code.

They are clad in steel, cement sheet and insulation, plus a green roof.

Originally published as Shipping containers make a splash in Leopold backyard pool house