Jamie and David were born and raised in Vancouver, where they later brought up their three children. Eventually, the family moved into an apartment in Kalama, Washington, hoping to get closer to their version of the “American Dream.”
But reality looked very different.
Like millions of others, they found themselves stuck in an endless loop — work, mortgage, bills… repeat. Day after day, month after month.
In 2017, they decided they’d had enough.
The couple made a bold move to completely change their lives by building their own home — with their own hands.
What started as an idea quickly became a life mission. To save money, they chose an unconventional approach: constructing a house out of old shipping containers.
Jamie and David handled both the design and the construction themselves, hoping the project would eventually free them from debt and help them live more independently.
And it worked.
The design is simple yet elegant: a 40-foot container on the ground level, topped with a 20-foot container. This clever layout created a cozy covered balcony on the second floor, complete with railings.
Of course, the journey wasn’t easy.
At one point during construction, David even suffered a brain hemorrhage while working. It was a serious and life-changing moment.
But sometimes, the hardest challenges shape us the most.
Looking back, the couple realized that every struggle made them stronger — both physically and mentally. Finishing the project wasn’t just about building a house, it was about rebuilding their lives.
Today, they no longer work just to pay off a mortgage.
They also paid special attention to insulation — a key factor in any home. Good insulation helps reduce energy consumption and lowers utility costs.
Fortunately, shipping containers are made of metal, which already provides decent insulation. Combined with the relatively compact living space, it makes the home even more energy-efficient.