MKV International Trading
+1 (604) 908 2247  |  sales@mkvinternational.com
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This Stylish Shipping Container Home Is Nothing Like What You'd Expect

10/12/2017

1 Comment

 
Credit: Luke Stangel / realtor.com
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Aaron Schnepp lives in the coolest house in town. That’s one of the reasons why he has to sell it.

The concept car designer and his wife made local headlines last year when they bought a 2,350-square-foot home in Royal Oak, MI. The home was made out of seven shipping containers.

Soon after closing, questions started stacking up for the owners: How much does it cost to heat? How’s your cellphone reception? How loud is it when it rains? The answers: less than a conventional house; great; and it’s a commercial-grade roof, so pretty much what you’d expect.
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And they weren’t just getting questions at the grocery store—strangers would peer in the front windows, knock on the door, and ask to look inside. Somebody jumped his fence to check out the backyard. Four people drove up from Pittsburgh, nearly five hours away, to see the house.
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Schnepp and his wife listed the house for $550,000 this month. They say they plan to build a second shipping container house in the area, ideally on property with more privacy.

To be fair, the questions from strangers were just a small part of why they’re selling. The main reason is that Schnepp is a designer, so he has a vision for the perfect house, and he’s obsessed with the details.

In the past 17 months, he’s replaced the home’s vinyl siding with wood, built a two-story wooden privacy screen, replaced the staircase and railings, added a dark wood accent wall in the kitchen, and repainted throughout.

The result is a stunning industrial-style house that’s unlike anything on the market in this wealthy Detroit suburb.

But Schnepp’s still not satisfied, and at some point it became easier to think about building from the ground up to exact specifications, rather than continuing to make minor tweaks to the existing house.
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“I’m concerned that people are going to think we hate the house. But it’s not that at all; we love it. If the house doesn’t sell, we’ll happily live here for the next 10 years,” Schnepp says. “It’s because I’m so picky. The floor color is light brown, and I want it dark brown. Most people wouldn’t care, but I do.”
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 Schnepp’s attention to detail is readily apparent in this picture-perfect three-bedroom, 2.5-bath home.

The exterior features wood, metal, and stone. At first glance, the home doesn’t look like it’s made out of shipping containers, given its rich wood and brick accents and large picture windows.

It’s easier to see its maritime transportation origins inside: The living room walls still bear the blue-and-yellow logo of Hong Kong–based Florens, the world’s second-largest container leasing company. The home’s lower level is spare and modern, with frosted-glass entrance doors, dark gray walls, exposed ductwork, and an open-concept kitchen with dark cabinetry and white granite countertops.

Upstairs, the master bedroom is painted dark gray and purple and adorned with a dramatic chandelier. There’s a walk-in closet, a private patio, and a separate Zen garden–inspired balcony. Elsewhere, the home’s backyard has custom cedar fencing, and there's a two-car attached garage.

The house was built by Michigan-based C3 UP, which specializes in shipping container homes and businesses. The company makes tiny container homes that start at $31,500, and full-size shipping container houses like Schnepp’s starting at $125,000.
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There are an estimated 17 million shipping containers in existence today. Buying a used container from a reseller starts at around $2,500, depending on size, condition, and location. But a house this cool is practically priceless.

For more information on new or used container pricing in your local market, email sales@mkvinternational.com or call (604) 908-2247.
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5 Benefits of Creating a Storage Facility with Shipping Containers

1/13/2017

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Written by Dale Makaroff
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​Storage facilities are an important part of today’s urban life. They provide a place where we can store stuff we just can’t discard anytime soon. As more realize the value of this type of service, you can expect to see growth in the number of people looking for storage facilities, and more businesses looking to meet that demand.
We here at MKV International Trading offer wholesale shipping containers for storage use. Shipping containers work so much better than traditional self-storage solutions. 

​What are the benefits to adapting the use of shipping containers for your business?
 
Benefit #1: It’s the more cost-effective option.
Traditionally, storage facilities built building-like structures and divided the rooms into storage units. This requires a large amount of capital. Building maintenance costs are equally huge. Modern storage facilities are now discovering that using shipping containers is more cost-efficient compared to the old ways. It requires a smaller investment. More importantly, they arrive ready for use.
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Benefit #2: Durability makes your investment go a long way.
Shipping containers are built to resist external forces. They are designed to withstand strong impacts while protecting their cargo. These containers have a long lifespan because of the high strength corten (weathering steel) used in its construction. To further protect the structure, these are coated with a special finish that fights off corrosion and other elements. You are practically guaranteed to keep gaining returns on your investment for a long time.
 
Benefit #3: Attract more customers with security features.
Shipping containers are durable and can offer excellent protection to the items stored inside. Its solid construction provides peace of mind that each container is safe from break-ins or tampering. Customers highly value a sense of security—especially when it comes to the things they wish to store indefinitely. If you can offer them this kind of safe storage solution, you can expect to gain and retain happy and loyal customers that will help your business grow by spreading the good word to friends and family.
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Benefit #4: Reduce costs and risks associated with expanding your business.
There’s a healthy market for used containers; so if you decide to resell any of your shipping containers, you can definitely liquidate them at a good price. This also means that it would be easier for you to expand or to downsize as needed.
If you are new to the storage business, you might not have a good estimate on the level of customer demand. You can start with any number of shipping containers and then procure new ones as the demand rises—knowing that reselling them is easy if it turns out that you have too much storage space. In addition, adding more storage containers do not require you to make huge changes to your existing infrastructure.  

Note: If you have new or used containers that you would like to sell or have purchased a container from MKV International Trading that you no longer need, contact us, we purchase containers and offer a Buy Back Program to all customers!
 
Benefit #5: Make the most out of your space 
Shipping containers are specifically engineered to be stackable. This means that compared to traditional self-storage units, you can get more out of the land where you chose to set up your business. You can just add stairs, ladders, or walkways for your clients to be able to access their containers conveniently.
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We at MKV International Trading are known for being a reliable provider of shipping containers for businesses looking to expand—or those who want to benefit from the cost-effectiveness and scalability of this practical storage solution.

We understand that in business, it is a good idea to be knowledgeable about a new venture and we are more than happy to guide you in choosing the shipping containers that are ideal for your needs. If you have questions, we’ve got the answers!

Email: info@mkvinternational.com
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Phone: 604.908.2247
Facebook: Click Here
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MKV International Trading
2025 Willingdon Avenue, Suite 900, Burnaby, BC V5C 0J3
Phone: (604) 908 2247
Email: sales@mkvinternational.com
Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: ​Closed
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