12 Biggest Benefits of Renting a Storage Container
Whether you are a large manufacturer, a construction company, or a small retail business, you will undeniably need additional storage. None of the above? The need for a storage solution may still come around.
Storage needs may be temporary or ongoing. As your business grows, material needs will increase. Once a warehouse or space is full, storage containers provide a cost-efficient solution. Some businesses decide to pay for off-site storage, but that introduces an immediate barrier to accessing tools, equipment and supplies.
Many companies in this situation rent a storage container (or rent multiple storage containers) to keep on-site. If you would like to learn more, check out the 12 key benefits of renting a storage container, shop shipping containers available to rent, and contact the shipping container experts at Rent-A-Container.
Benefit #1) Renting a Storage Container Is Cost-Effective
The first question most companies have is: how much does it cost to rent a storage container? It is a surprisingly modest investment. Unless you intend to expand your building or warehouse and have a permanent container storage solution, renting a shipping container may be the best financial decision. Buying a storage unit can be cost prohibitive or unnecessary in the long run. Renting a storage container can be less than $120 per month.
Are you a construction company looking for storage solutions? Check out 5 ways to enhance your construction site with jobsite storage containers.
Benefit #2) Storage Containers Save Space
How much space do storage containers take up? Again, the answer may surprise you. Compared to the footprint of expanding a building or even constructing a new warehouse, storage containers are space-conscious. A 20-foot standard storage container adds 160 square feet, while a 40-foot container nets 320. Storage units can be purchased in different sizes to exactly fit the space you have.
Benefit #3) Reliable Security For Storage Containers
Even if your property is fenced in, items stored without the right security leave you vulnerable to loss. Securable storage containers are a reliable way to keep large or valuable items out of view. With walls of corrugated steel and a chain lock, a storage container is going to present a big challenge to even the most motivated thieves. As an added bonus, you can position your rented storage container so your security cameras can monitor if any unwanted visitors come along.
Benefit #4) Portable Storage Containers: Rent and Use As-Needed
If you buy a storage container rather than renting it, you run the risk of solving a temporary problem with a permanent solution. You may know that your storage needs fluctuate. Whether you are using a storage container for inventory or project-based equipment, it may be advisable to consider the cost/benefit of renting versus buying a storage container.
One of the biggest benefits of renting a storage container is the flexibility it offers. You don’t have to keep it when you don’t need it. It can go back to the shipping container supplier from whom you rented it.
When renting a storage container from Rent-A-Container, you can keep the container for as long or as little as you would like after an initial three month rental period. When your container has served its purpose, you can click “come pick it up” in your account, and Rent-A-Container will arrange for someone to come grab it.
Benefit #5) With a Rental Storage Container, You Can Change Your Mind
If you buy a shipping container online, you have made a sizable investment without much room to back out or return the unit. While you can perform the right measurements and work with a rep to find a storage container for the space, you may find that your needs change quickly or often.
When deciding on renting versus buying a storage container, it’s easy to see that a rented storage container gives you more leeway.
Benefit #6) Choose From a Variety of Storage Container Types
Storage containers aren’t all simple steel boxes. People often use them as overflow classroom space for schools and even restaurant drive-thrus. While your storage container needs might be for static storage, you may benefit from a specialty type of container.
If you need double doors in order to store large items, you can rent a container with double doors. What about doors that open along the side of the container? There are side-door storage containers for rent, too.
Benefit #7) Portable Storage Container Rental Services
If your work involves moving from job site to job site, you know how much effort it is to pack everything up and move it. If you own your storage containers, you have to move them too, whether they’re going back to headquarters or to another location.
Convenience is one of the most important ways to benefit from storage container rental services. If you rent a storage container only when you need extra tools or supplies, you can have the shipping container provider drop it off at the site and pick it up when you are done. Storage container delivery alleviates all the heavy lifting and gives you an easier experience.
Benefit #8) Storage Container Rentals May Come With Tax Benefits
Your situation may vary, but leasing a storage container instead of buying one may offer some tax benefits. Renting vs. buying equipment is an important strategy that directly impacts your bottom line. It may be possible to deduct lease payments as operating expenses. Discuss the tax benefits of renting vs. buying storage containers with your tax professional.
Benefit #9) Storage Container Maintenance: None Required (For Rentals)
If you buy a storage container, maintenance and upkeep are your responsibility for the life of the unit. But if you go with a storage container rental, you don’t have to worry about the wear and tear that can occur over time. For example, if rust, moisture or even bad smells creep in, that’s the storage container rental company’s problem — not yours.
Benefit #10) Should I Buy Or Rent a Storage Container? Try Before You Buy
On the fence about whether you need to buy some storage containers? Renting a container provides a low-risk, low-cost trial period. You can try out different sizes, heights, door configurations and accessories before you make a big investment in buying a storage container.
Benefit #11) You Can Stack Storage Containers
If you have the equipment to stack multiple ISO containers, you can easily double the storage space you are renting. Stack two 40-foot containers, and you have added 640 square feet of storage where an empty patch of ground used to be.
Benefit #12) Renting Shipping Storage Containers: Customer Service & Expertise
After the sale of a storage container, the transaction is finished. It may be difficult to ask questions or find a customer service rep. A storage container rental company, however, has a vested interest in getting you the right container for the job and keeping you happy so you come back again and again.
At Rent-A-Container, we offer guidance and advice throughout the storage container rental or purchase process. To speak with our team of storage container rental experts about the benefits of renting a storage container, give our friendly team a call at (800) 880-7061 or contact Rent-A-Container online.
Still looking to learn more about the renting process? Check out our complete Container Rental Guide.