The Delta From Ark Tiny Homes Is How You Turn a Shipping Container Into an Elegant Crib

Generally speaking, tiny homes have many benefits, from reduced maintenance and running costs to a smaller carbon footprint and the possibility to live intentionally to enjoy a clutter- and stress-free life. But even today, when there are so many tiny home options to choose from, they remain priced above the budget of many potential customers. A container home isn’t.

Shipping containers can also serve as quality and even good-looking tiny homes, though they’re far less movable than those. Those looking to make the transition can go down the DIY (do it yourself) route if they feel like they can spare the time and have the necessary skill or the turnkey route. The latter won’t offer the same kind of personalization range, but it’s definitely more convenient in terms of the effort involved on their part.

Ark Tiny Homes, a family-run business from Heber Valley, Utah, in the United States, aims to bridge the two by offering customizable but turnkey container homes – at a still affordable price, to boot. “Custom is our mission,” the company says on its official website. “Quality customer service is our goal. Our team of specialists are trained to find out how to create the perfect home suitable for your needs.”

Ark Tiny Homes tiny homes (ha!) start from a handful of models that can be personalized with the client in direct relation to their needs and budget. The company even offers assistance with local authorities for setting up the new home and rigging it for electricity, water and sewage, but whatever costs these will entail are not included in the final price.

One of the most recently introduced models from this company is the Delta, which is a 40-foot (12.2-meter) container turned into a 320=square-foot (29.7-square-meter) home that feels spacious and elegant at the same time. One Delta is shown in the photos in the gallery: it was put up for sale last September at the discounted price of $65,000 OBO.

The Delta offers sleeping accommodation for at least two people and has a basic layout, with a master bedroom behind a barn door, a residential-sized bathroom, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a living room slash lounge that is left as a blank space – which is another way of saying it comes unfurnished. Standard features include the 10-cubic-foot refrigerator, a microwave, a dishwasher, and a full gas range, as well as integrated cabinets and drawers for storage.

Also included as standard is a 9,000 BTU air conditioning unit that is actually a mini-split and can be used for heating. The container has 2 inches (5 cm) of spray foam insulation so that it’s all-season worthy. The bathroom comes with a standing, full-size shower, a sink with vanity, and a residential toilet, as well as additional storage. Based on the photos alone, the bathroom and the kitchen in the Delta are comparable in both size and furnishes to what you might find in a city apartment.

That’s the whole idea, after all: Ark Tiny Homes says on its official website that another one of its goals is to show that downsizing doesn’t have to mean giving up the comforts of a bigger home. So it’s striving to offer only the best of downsizing and none of the downsides. The focus falls on versatility, affordability, and a certain degree of customization.

Ark Tiny Homes makes about four Deltas a month, proving that container homes are not just a fad but a viable option for downsizing.