Buying shipping containers for storage.

[HoLeChit]

So I’m a few months I’ll be moving from my home, renting it out, and moving into the old lady’s rent house so that we can fix it up. Hopefully in 2-3 years we’ll have it finished and enough cash to buy a decent acreage, where we will custom build and go back to renting her place out. We’ll be downsizing about 300sqft and we will need to expand our storage unit size to make the living situation comfortable. Right now I have a 10x15 storage unit that is full. Looking at storage units in the area we are moving has shown that upgrades on space are going to be expensive, to the tune of 180-250/month.

So I thought, why not buy a shipping container? For the same cost (or less) of renting a storage unit I can own my own storage that I can move around; and eventually be on our land, possibly incorporated into my future shop. I looked into those prefab sheds, but they’re even more expensive than shipping containers or a storage unit, and harder to move. I don’t wanna spend a couple grand on a shed only to leave it at the rent house. Maybe a pair of 20 footers, or a 40 footer. I’m considering dropping the containers on my mom’s land, she has a couple acres outside the city. I don’t know that I can actually get them into the back yard of the now rent house, given the lack of space between houses/trees on the side of the house.

Thoughts? Has anyone done this? Can I just set the storage containers down on the ground, or should I put down some sort of a base? Gravel? Railroad ties? Concrete piers on the corners? Do I need to worry about settling/sinking? Any good local sources for containers that deliver?

 

[Hodrod]

I purchased a 20' shipping container (1 trip) a couple of years ago for $3250.00 delivered to my ranch. It's been great for storage. It's rain proof, rodent proof and looks like new inside and out....I'm currently pricing another 20' one trip container but was shocked at the price increase....now just under $5000.00 delivered. I suggest having the container at least 6" off the ground. I used concrete blocks on my install. You don't want the container to touch the ground as rust problems will occur over time. Good luck with your quest......

 

[undeg01]

My property had a 40 footer on it when I bought the place. It is sitting flat on the ground and though I have not had any problems yet, I do see them coming on down the road. I park my tractor inside when I leave it there and with the excessive rain we’ve had, the container settles a little every so often. I notice the settling because the doors will scrape the ground more on occasion and i have to scrape the dirt back.

Other than that, shipping containers are about the cheapest and most secure way to go. Mine has electricity, outlets and lights the length of the container.

In the future, I plan to buy another 40 footer and pour two slabs a distance apart to set each on, then have my buddy who builds steel buildings connect them with rafters and a tin roof, leaving a breezeway between the two that I will fill with gravel for equipment storage.

 

[bigred1]

I'll be watching this thread because I thought about sitting one on the 10.
I like @undeg01 's idea.

 

[HoLeChit]

My property had a 40 footer on it when I bought the place. It is sitting flat on the ground and though I have not had any problems yet, I do see them coming on down the road. I park my tractor inside when I leave it there and with the excessive rain we’ve had, the container settles a little every so often. I notice the settling because the doors will scrape the ground more on occasion and i have to scrape the dirt back.

Other than that, shipping containers are about the cheapest and most secure way to go. Mine has electricity, outlets and lights the length of the container.

In the future, I plan to buy another 40 footer and pour two slabs a distance apart to set each on, then have my buddy who builds steel buildings connect them with rafters and a tin roof, leaving a breezeway between the two that I will fill with gravel for equipment storage.

Yeah, thats kinda my thought eventually, or to place them inside my shop and esentially build a platform/walkway on top kinda like a second story inside the shop. The containers would then work as storage rooms/secure storage for things I want another layer of protection for. (dedicated gun/reloading room anyone?

 

[Okiedog]

I purchased a 20' shipping container (1 trip) a couple of years ago for $3250.00 delivered to my ranch. It's been great for storage. It's rain proof, rodent proof and looks like new inside and out....I'm currently pricing another 20' one trip container but was shocked at the price increase....now just under $5000.00 delivered. I suggest having the container at least 6" off the ground. I used concrete blocks on my install. You don't want the container to touch the ground as rust problems will occur over time. Good luck with your quest......

This is what I did, and yep, gonna run around 5K,

 

[HoLeChit]

So I got off the phone with ContainerKing here in the city, boy have prices gone up. 10ft containers are pickup only, and roughly $5500. 20ft containers are roughly $4700 delivered within the metro area, and 40ft containers are $6700 delivered. To place the container they need 120' in a straight line for approach, 25' worth of vertical clearance, and 14' worth of gate clearance.

Those prices seem pretty high, and I dont care if I get a unit with some rust or something, all these container suppliers brag about how nice and clean and fresh the paint is on their containers, I dont care about that. I can paint it if I wanted. Gonna have to do some shopping and see if I can find a better deal. Sure with a still had my diesel and a gooseneck, then I could go pick up from wherever. I could have sworn a few years ago you could get a 40 footer for $3500ish.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Depending on what you are keeping, you might be better of selling some stuff. They get incredibly hot during the day

So I got off the phone with ContainerKing here in the city, boy have prices gone up. 10ft containers are pickup only, and roughly $5500. 20ft containers are roughly $4700 delivered within the metro area, and 40ft containers are $6700 delivered. To place the container they need 120' in a straight line for approach, 25' worth of vertical clearance, and 14' worth of gate clearance.

Those prices seem pretty high, and I dont care if I get a unit with some rust or something, all these container suppliers brag about how nice and clean and fresh the paint is on their containers, I dont care about that. I can paint it if I wanted. Gonna have to do some shopping and see if I can find a better deal. Sure with a still had my diesel and a gooseneck, then I could go pick up from wherever. I could have sworn a few years ago you could get a 40 footer for $3500ish.

You could a few years ago. Then covid and inflation happened.

 

[skyhawk1]

I agree with Okbassin they get REAL hot inside in summer. I put a turbine on mine but still don't have enough vents and I leave the door open but with chain on it. Just don't store anything the heat will get to.

 

[HoLeChit]

You guys think it would get hotter than a standard storage unit? My current storage unit doesn’t have any insulation or ventilation.

I would mostly be storing tools I don’t need regularly, furniture that doesn’t fit in the house (my couches are huge, gonna have to get new ones for the smaller house), clothes, camping/hunting gear boxes, etc. the usual stuff.