Tim Bessell is a craftsman at heart. The surfboard craftsman turned storage container home architect grew up in La Jolla, in San Diego County. At age 54, he has worked in the surfboard market for 40 years, building more than 48,000 surfboards. Bessell owned a surf shop in La Jolla near Windandsea Beach.
From Surfboards to Containers
Bessell’s current interest is in another structure at sea- the standard cargo container. These units are used in global trade across oceans and seas. There are currently 24 million used worldwide. Bessell believes it is only common sense to use these ready-made materials rather than cut down more trees. The units are durable, mold resistant, insolated, and weatherproof. The boxes can be easily stacked to increase the size of a house.
Bessell continued to learn about containers. He researched prices and different builds online for almost ten years before launching his company. He has now officially adapted his craft to focus on architecture of homes.
Full Custom Designs
Bessell and his business associate, Claude Anthony Marengo, are breaking ground soon on their first custom container home. This home is three stories, and slated in concrete. The aesthetic style is contemporary, sleek, and modern. The location of their first home is Pacific Beach, California. How fitting that the first ever certified factory-made steel home was constructed in Pacific Beach.
Finding New Markets
The custom surfboard market has grown smaller in the past few years, which Bessell contributes to the economic status of the United States. Surfboard manufacturing has also picked up in China, which decreases the demand for his United States made products. Bessell did not let these problems ruin his career however; he is sticking to his craftsman skills and contributing to a growing architectural trend.