There is no doubt that you already know the benefits of buying a shipping container, you may have even worked out where it’ll be positioned and what size you need…but what should you be looking for when purchasing a container? What are the key factors that you should consider when buying your shipping container?
What Will You Be Storing In The Container?
One container is not the same as another container – they all have different ages and could have been used for a plethora of different purposes. Think about what you are using the container for. For many, it will be simple storage of items, whether it be domestic or commercial. However, if you are using it especially for a food-based industry then you need to ensure that the container has been classified as ‘food standard’ before purchasing.
How Old Is The Container?
We always say that the newer a container, the better. There is less risk of rusting or structural deficiencies, especially if the container has been used for shipping for a large portion of its life. It may be more costly, but a one trip (or nearly new) container will provide you with greater storage life and security than a 10 year old container.
How Do I Get The Container To Where It Needs To Be?
This is one of the key concerns we have found; the costs of moving the container can be high, especially if the company does not have their own transport arm or methods of transferring the container. Thankfully, at ST Containers we have a transport fleet we can call on to ensure that your container will not only get to where you want it, but using a system called what3words, we can ensure it can go exactly where you want it. Not only that, but we have the experience to move anything, anywhere – no job is too complicated for our experienced and knowledgeable team.
Should I Ensure There Is A Flat Surface For The Container To Sit On?
In short, yes. Whilst a container is solid and sturdy its important to ensure that it will have a flat surface. If you are concerned about the container subsiding, place concrete blocks or old railway sleepers on the ground – this will not only raise the container off the ground, but will also give an extra layer of protection and help reduce any risk of condensation forming on the inside, or rust developing on the outside.
A wonky placement can also make the doors unnecessarily tough to open and close.
What Do I Need To Do To Secure My Container?
Security is one of the biggest concerns when hiring or purchasing a Container. You don’t need to spend a lot to secure your container, but we would suggest investing in a heavy-duty lock and ensuring that a lockbox is fitted as well.
When purchasing your second-hand container, we suggest ensuring that the locking bar handles are working freely too – not just for security, but to ensure you can access your stored items and don’t encounter any unwanted problems further down the line.
Who Should I Buy The Container From?
Quite simply, go for reputation. Ensure that the company you purchase from has a solid reputation for providing good-quality containers. You want to ensure that, like anything, you are getting good value for your money and the company you purchase from are able to deliver on their promises…and deliver the container ideally too.
Research reputable companies…or just come to us– we have the pedigree and experience to be able to not only match, but exceed your expectations.
How do I buy one? I hear you ask
You can hop onto st-containers.com and learn a little more, fill out the contact form or call the team on 0800 915 23 23. Or, you can use our really cool quote request tool at quote.sussextransport.com where we’ve taken advantage of some of the latest tech in the world of GPS from What3Words to bring you a quote tool that allows you to pin point exactly where you want your container to be placed and enables our team to verify the location and provide an accurate quote.
