Questions people actually ask

Trust and legitimacy

How do I know you are a real company?

Our verification page lists what we have published and, just as important, what we have not published yet — with the registry link so you can look us up yourself. Read it before you speak to us. If a credential you need for your state is not there, ask us for it in writing and check it with your building department before you pay anything.

Your factory is in China. Why should I send money overseas?

You are not sending it overseas. Your contract is with ContainAura LLC, a company registered inCalifornia, and milestone payments go into escrow with an independent licensed escrow agent named in your contract, released only against evidence you can verify: a copy of your issued permit, a live video walkthrough, an inspection report by a company that is not us. The final 8% stays with you until your home is standing on your land and you have signed for it.

What stops you taking my money and disappearing?

Escrow, retainage, and the fact that every release is tied to a document you receive first. It is a fair question and we would rather you asked it than not. If any part of that structure is not in the contract you are shown, do not sign it.

Can I visit the factory?

Ask us and we will tell you honestly what is possible for your project and when — access to a working production floor has to be arranged rather than assumed, and we would rather say so than promise a trip we cannot deliver. What is not optional is the live video walkthrough at structure-complete: it is a condition of releasing a milestone payment, so it happens whether or not anyone can travel.

Can I speak to a previous customer?

Ask during your discovery call. Where an owner has given written permission, we will put you in touch and step off the call. Where we cannot yet offer that for a project like yours, we will say so rather than improvise — and you should weigh that when you decide.

Permits and legality

Are container homes legal where I live?

Sometimes. It depends on your zoning, your county's adopted code, and whether your state's modular program covers our units. Send us your address and we will check it free before you pay us anything.

Do you guarantee I will get a permit?

No, and nobody honest does. Your building department decides. We do a feasibility study first, and if your lot cannot be permitted you get your $3,000 back. If a permit is refused later despite a passed study, your contract terminates and you are refunded less capped design costs.

Who files the permit application?

You do — in most jurisdictions only the landowner or a locally licensed contractor of record can. We give you the full packet, tell you exactly where to file it, and answer the plan checker's comments directly for two rounds at no charge.

How long does permitting take and what does it cost?

Typically 4–16 weeks and $1,500–$8,000 in fees, plus any impact fees. Rural counties are faster; urban jurisdictions with an HOA overlay can take longer. Your feasibility report gives figures for your county rather than a national average.

Will my home have the state modular insignia?

Yes, where your state requires one. Without it you cannot get a certificate of occupancy. Our approvals are listed on the verification page — if your state is not there, tell us and we will say honestly whether we can serve it yet.

Money

Is the price on your site the price I pay?

It is the starting price for that model, delivered to your site. Your written quotation is your binding price. It does not include your foundation, crane, utility connections, permit fees or taxes — all listed with indicative ranges on the pricing page.

What is the real total cost of a project?

The home, plus foundation, crane, utility connections, permit fees and taxes. Ask us on the discovery call and we will build the whole number with you, not just our part of it.

Can I get a mortgage on it?

Be careful here, because this is where plans usually break. Many US lenders will not write a conventional mortgage on a container-based home, and those that will generally require it to be permanently affixed to a foundation, permitted as real property and certified under the state modular program. Buyers commonly use cash, a home equity line on another property, a construction or renovation loan, or a personal loan. We are not a lender, a mortgage broker or a credit intermediary, we hold no NMLS registration and we receive no commission from anyone. We give your lender the specification, drawings and invoices they ask for — the decision is entirely theirs. Talk to a lender before you pay us a reservation fee, not after.

Do you take card payments?

No. Contract payments are by bank transfer into escrow. We will never ask for cryptocurrency, gift cards or payment to a personal account. See payment security.

What if tariffs change while my home is being built?

Under 2% of contract price, we absorb it. Between 2% and 8%, we split the difference and show you the customs entry. Over 8%, either of us can walk away and you get everything back.

Building and delivery

How long from signing to keys?

Between 10 and 27 weeks from permit issue depending on model, with permitting on top. Full table on thepricing page. If we are more than 21 days late for a reason that is ours, you get a daily credit.

What do I need to have ready?

Land with clear title, an issued permit, a cured foundation built to our drawings, verified truck access, a crane if it is not in our scope, and a licensed plumber and electrician booked for the afternoon of delivery day.

Can I see it being built?

You get photographs every two weeks and a live video walkthrough before the walls close. Most people find the walkthrough is the moment the project stops feeling abstract.

What if it arrives damaged?

It is insured at 110% of value in transit and inspected independently before it ships. If something is wrong on delivery day, it goes on the punch list before you sign, and your 8% retainage is still in escrow.

How well does a steel box perform in a hot or cold climate?

Continuous closed-cell spray foam insulation and a ductless mini-split system sized to the model. We do not publish one site-wide R-value, because it changes with the insulation package and the climate zone you are building in. Your specification states the R-value for your configuration in writing before you sign — ask for it, and ask for the HVAC sizing calculation alongside it.

What about wind, snow and earthquakes?

Your feasibility study identifies the wind speed, snow load and seismic category for your parcel, and the engineering is designed and stamped to those. Upgrade packages are quoted separately where needed.

Afterwards

Who fixes it if something goes wrong?

Our US service partner — named, with a direct number, in your handover pack and on your warranty certificate — on site within 20 business days of a claim where a visit is needed. Full terms on thewarranty page.

Can I move it later?

In principle yes — it is a modular steel structure with lifting points, which is more than can be said for a stick-built house. In practice it is a project: disconnection by licensed trades, a crane at both ends, transport permits, a new foundation and a fresh building permit at the destination. Treat it as possible, not as easy, and do not buy on the assumption that you will move it cheaply.

Does the warranty transfer if I sell?

Yes, once, within the original periods, on written notice within 30 days and a transfer fee.

Ask us something else

This page was last updated on 14 September 2026.