Living in a shipping container? It's not something Scott Crosby had imagined for his family of five.

But they're about to have the experience this month when Mr. Crosby's family moves from San Francisco to their former hometown, San Diego. They will be living in a small beach bungalow they own — three bedrooms and one bathroom packed into 1,100 square feet — which isn't a lot of space for a couple with three young daughters.

That prospect led Mr. Crosby, 45, who started a software company that was bought by Google, to the shipping container. He was looking for an affordable way to add space to the house, which has a large backyard, when he saw a photo in a magazine of a small home made from a recycled shipping container. It was manufactured by Montainer (rhymes with container) in Missoula, Mont. "I thought that would be perfect for us," said Mr. Crosby. "So I pulled the website up on my phone and ordered one. It was dead simple."

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Mr. Crosby put down a $2,500 deposit for a $65,000, 24-foot-long, 8-foot-wide container that will provide his family with an extra bedroom, living room, bathroom and kitchenette. The container is made of Corten steel, which is marine-grade, corrosion-resistant and so tough it is used to build bridges and ships.

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Wheelhaus, a company based in Jackson Hole, Wyo., has been making custom tiny houses since 2007. Credit Wheelhaus

Mr. Crosby said the simplicity of the ordering process was ultimately what sold him on the home. "I don't have to make any decisions about the layout, the appliances I need or about the permitting," he said. "I just clicked a button to buy and that was it."