Kim Manzo’s Journey to Building a DIY Container House just $25,000

Kim Manzo’s DIY container house project is an inspiring story of determination and creativity. Manzo, a single mother, dreamed of building an affordable yet durable home for herself and her son. Working in the shipping industry for over 15 years, she envisioned living in a container house and turned this dream into reality despite numerous challenges.

Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph

Research and Planning

Manzo’s diy container house journey began with extensive research. She emphasized the importance of understanding the pros and cons of container homes and gathering sufficient information before starting such a project. She bought a shipping container for Php 80,000 ($1370) from the Port of Manila and spent an additional Php 30,000 ($513) to transport it to her location​​.

Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph

Hiring Professionals

Hiring the right professionals was crucial to her success. Despite doing much of the work herself, she enlisted an architect to design the house and hired a skilled mason, electrician, and helpers for specific tasks. Her budget for the project was between Php 1.2 million ($20,525) and Php 1.5 million ($25,657). Throughout the construction process, Manzo followed a save-and-construct approach, pausing the work when necessary to save money and plan further​​.

Photo : Cosmo.ph

DIY Projects and Cost-Saving Measures

Manzo also undertook many DIY projects to reduce costs. She painted the interior walls, ceiling, and specific areas like the toilet, bath, and bedrooms herself. Her efforts resulted in a beautiful, functional, and personalized home, demonstrating that even non-professionals can achieve remarkable results with dedication and creativity​.

For more details on her project and tips on building a container house, you can read the full articles on (Cosmo.ph).

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Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph
Photo : Cosmo.ph