MODS’ YEAR END SALE!

We recently sent out an e-mail to our subscribers about our demo container homes for sale. If you have been considering purchasing a cabin, vacation home, or downsizing to a small home now is the time! We are currently offering our lightly-used demo units for only $25,000 during our end of the year blowout sale! HUGE savings on these units of $10,000+! Free shipping and set up within 500 miles is also included!

Standard Container Homes For Sale

These clearance units were used for local trade show displays and have only seen light foot traffic. They feature a bedroom, 3/4 bath, kitchenette, and living area. They are built from a single 40′ shipping container and offer about 300 square feet of living space.

Links

View the Standard MODS Brochure
View the Standard MODS Specs Sheet
More info and photos of the Standard MODS
Watch a video tour of a Standard MODS Unit

You are welcome to stop by anytime during office hours for a tour of these units or call to set up an after hours/weekend appointment. This sale is for a limited time only and supply is also limited, so if you are interested please call 920-574-0215 or e-mail us so you don’t miss out!

 

Pop-up Shipping Container Stores for the Holidays

Holiday sales can make or break a business.  This is true for any size retailer. You need to stand out from the crowd, so why not try a unique, sustainable approach? Pop-up shipping container stores give retailers much more flexibility than traditional stores do. You can avoid having to sign a long-term lease on space and keep your overhead low. Opening a temporary store near the holidays is especially great for start-up retailers to test the waters. It’s a powerful vehicle for gaining brand awareness.

Advantages of Pop-up Shipping Container Stores

There are many reasons to build a pop-up from shipping containers. The main advantage is having the ability to pick up and move whenever you want. Containers can be easily shipped anywhere. This means you don’t have to wait for your customers to come to you; you can go to them! You can be selling your product to customers in New York for a few weeks and then move on to a new location on the west coast. The urgency of the store being “limited-time only” often entices customers to make a purchase when they otherwise may not have. Another huge advantage of using containers is the ease of creating an attention grabbing display. There are endless design possibilities. The different container sizes offer various square footage and they can be painted to match your brand’s color scheme.

Workers outfitting a temporary display

A pop-up store is a great way to get your product in front of various crowds any time of year, not just the holidays. If you are interested in learning more about what a MODS pop-up store can do for your business, contact us today.

5 Most Common Mistakes When Building with Shipping Containers (and How to Avoid Them!)

As the eco-friendly building movement continues to grow, so does using shipping containers as a building material.  There are a lot of amazing shipping container homes and other structures out there that were built quickly and on a low budget.  However, we have heard of many DYI container projects gone wrong, as well as failed container projects created by inexperienced companies.

Here are five mistakes that are commonly made when building with shipping containers.

1. Not Researching Local Zoning Regulations

It’s really important to talk to your local planning and zoning department before you begin the building process.  You can usually find out some basic guidelines for your residential or commercial structure, but you will typically need to be able to provide information on the land plot as well as your floor plan and foundation plans. We are always willing to get in touch with your local building inspector to push the process along and answer any questions they may have about shipping container structures.

2. Purchasing a bad or incorrectly sized container

Easily the most common mistake is made when choosing the actual containers.  Many people aren’t aware of the various sizes of containers and more importantly, the two variations in height. Depending on what type of structure you are building, choosing high cube container vs a regular container can be a big deal.

Height Comparison: High Cube vs Regular Container

The quality of a container is extremely important.  Always do a proper inspection of the container before purchasing. You may be able to get a great deal on an old, corroded container, but it’s completely worth it to pay the extra money for a newer, undamaged container.

3. Not Choosing the Right Type of Insulation

In many cases, people think that one type of insulation is better than another.  The two most common choices for containers are spray foam and fiberglass. Choosing between these two really depends on the type of climate you live in and your budget. Spray foam is typically more costly, but better if you live in an area with high amounts of rain.  There is also other lesser used options for insulating as well.

4. Over Modifying the Containers

Shipping containers are a great building material due to their durability and strength. When you begin cutting the steel out of the container, the structural integrity is reduced. This requires added costs to reinforce the area that has been cut away, such as adding steel beams. Adding windows and doors doesn’t have too much of an impact, but it’s important to be aware of how much of the container you are modifying.

5. Using an Inexperienced Builder

DIY container projects are becoming more common, but if you lack the time and engineering knowledge it’s best to find an experienced builder to construct your structure. If you choose a builder who doesn’t have a vast amount of experience using shipping containers, it’s quite possible you will end up with a low quality structure.

These common mistakes can be easily avoided as long as you have done a good amount of research and planning. For more information about container building, read our FAQ section and this post about the most common questions we receive.  When you are ready to get to work on your project, contact us to get started.

How Much Does a Shipping Container Project Cost?

We receive multiple inquiries every day about various container project ideas.  The most common question we get is “How much will my shipping container project cost me?”  From the few pieces of basic information we are provided about the project plan it’s almost impossible for us to price out on the spot.  The cost varies for each project we create due to the customization that goes into it.  Here are the three most important factors that go into the pricing.

Design – We do charge for creating your customized floor plans and 3d renders.  Once we continue on to the building stage of your project this fee is included in the end price.  If you decide not to go through with the project, whatever designs we have created are obviously yours to keep and use in the future when you are ready to build your project with MODS or another company.

Time – Shipping container structures are built much quicker than traditional stick built structures, but not all projects take the same amount of time to complete. It depends on the size of the project, the materials you have chosen to use, the amount of fabrication, and if we are completely furnishing it or not.

Shipping & Delivery – The price of shipping depends not only on the distance of the trip, but also the number of containers we are shipping.  Another factor that is considered is the on-site set up.  How much works needs to be done on-site?  How many laborers will the work take to complete?

There can be other factors that affect the price of your project.  This is why when you request a free quote, we usually reply with a number of questions for you.  We want to be able to provide the most accurate, best price possible as well as delivering the best product. Contact us to get started on your project today!

How to Make Your Brand Stand Out at Trade Shows

A lot of work goes in to preparing a company display for an event.  Months are spent on budgeting, pricing, planning, and then there’s the actual event itself!  So, how do you make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck and maximizing your efforts?

MODS workers creating a custom trade show display

The most important part of the planning process is to define the purpose of your display.  What do you want the visitors to take away from the experience? How do you want them to think of your brand? These are very important things for us to know before we begin designing your custom trade show display.  A great example of this is our Nxt Pizza display. They wanted people to think of them as innovative and fresh. They also wanted people  to hang around and try their product. We created the display around the experience Nxt Pizza wanted their visitors to have. We used their color scheme and branding to create a cool, open concept design, complete with a sitting area on top of the container. Show attendees couldn’t help but be drawn to the display wanting to learn more.

You want to not only draw attention to your display, but leave a lasting impact on visitors. This can easily be accomplished by using MODS to build your display. A one of a kind shipping container display is sure to be a hit at any event. It also simplifies the set-up and take down process leaving you with more time to interact with potential customers. If you are planning an event in the near future or just want more information, contact us. We’ll work with you to assure your next event is as successful as possible!