Mexico Container Construction Information

Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world and a country with a rich cultural history. It's been growing at a rapid pace since gaining independence from Spain back in 1821. It's an intriguing location to consider for a Latin American container home.

Why would you want to build a container home in Mexico?

With a substantial US border and ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Mexico is positioned to be a large player in the world economy. And let's not forget about the capital, Mexico City.

Home to over 20 million residents and sitting at over 6,000 feet of elevation Mexico City is as big as it is interesting. As the largest city in the country and the head of government administration (officially called the 'federal district'), Mexico City is the center of gravity for the country.

But there is plenty of life outside of Mexico City, both in other major cities and the rural areas in between. After all, Mexico is a country rich in culture and tradition. From ancient ruins to modern skyscrapers, there’s something for everyone here.

And Mexico has earned its reputation as an affordable place to live, especially when compared to most of the rest of the world. People often come to Mexico for its low cost of living, which means they don’t need to spend a lot of money on housing. But it's still a beautiful country with so much to do and explore, so you may not feel like you're giving up much.

Does Mexico Allow Shipping Containers Homes?

Yes, shipping container homes are allowed in Mexico. The difficulty of getting on built, both in labor and material availability, as well as government regulation, can vary dramatically.

We'll discuss some of the specific regulatory hurdles later, but for now, take comfort in knowing there is no prohibition on container construction in Mexico. And a number of container houses have already been built in different parts of the country.

Thanks to a strong culture of architectural innovation and a large trade volume, we're seeing more and more shipping container buildings in the country of Mexico. Thanks to many of the inherent benefits of container construction, we hope to see many more!

Building a Mexican Container Home: What to Know

There is plenty of evidence pointing to Mexico being an incredible place to live if you focus on the right areas. But you may still have some questions on how to actually get a container home built in Mexico.

When it comes to construction in the country of Mexico, Mexico City plays a large role. In short, the building regulations created and enforced for Mexico City also apply to the rest of the country (although whether this is actually enforced in smaller cities and rural locations is another discussion). It's all administered by Mexico City's Secretary of Works and Services.

You start with the Regulations of Constructions for the Federal District (Reglamento De Construcciones Para El Distrito Federal), effectively the building code of Mexico City. Some publications abbreviate it as the MCBC - Mexico City Building Code.

In addition to the code itself, there are eight Complimentary Technical Standards for various construction functions. Each gives minimum requirements for design and construction in their specific area, like steel structures and foundations.

Whether the government enforcement of the codes is strict or not, there are several issues specific to Mexico that you should keep in mind when building a container home. First, if you're close to the coast, consider the corrosive effects of salt water spray. You'll want to make sure all surfaces of your container home have a good marine-quality coating to prevent deterioration.

Next is seismic activity. Certain areas of Mexico may have seismic concerns, so ensure this is investigated and accounted for in any structural designs.

Last are wind and hurricanes. The Atlantic side of Mexico is especially prone to the high winds and driving winds of hurricanes. You'll definitely want to ensure all attachments and reinforcements are designed with heavy wind activity in mind. And if you're on a slope, consider the possibility of mudslides as well.

How much does it cost to build a container home in Mexico?

We previously mentioned a few factors that may influence the cost of your Mexican container home: seismic activity, hurricane potential, and coastal salt corrosion. Not all of these factors will affect every container home in Mexico, and some homes won't face any of these concerns at all.

Still, these issues are worth calling out. Beyond these, you should find generally good access to empty containers in Mexico, as well as low-cost labor.

However, there are still a lot of factors to account for when building a container home in Mexico. Therefore, it's almost impossible to provide a one-size-fits-all price range for container homes in Mexico.

Instead, we recommend using our free Container Home Calculator to get some rough costs based on the specifics of your project.