Portable Self-Storage: A Game Changer for Your Storage Business
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If you’re in the self-storage business, you like to solve problems. People come to you because they need a way to store their belongings, and you’re happy to help.
But there comes a point when you want to expand your business and offer more storage solutions. With a limited lot size, and with all the complications surrounding building more units, what options do you have?
One great solution is to add portable self-storage units to your business.
At Advanced Steel LLC, we make durable, custom, portable self-storage units for companies like yours.
Keep reading to learn how portable self-storage units can grow and transform your business, helping you offer unparalleled service to customers!
What Are Portable Self-Storage Units, and How Do They Work?
Portable self-storage units are exactly what they sound like—self-storage units that are relatively small, lightweight, and self-contained, allowing them to be easily moved on a flatbed trailer. In contrast, most units at a typical self-storage facility are permanent structures.
Self-storage companies use portable units in the following ways:
Expanding operations
If you want to expand your self-storage business, you may need to add more storage units, but doing a large building project can be a huge headache. Portable units allow you to quickly and easily add more units and start storing more people’s belongings.
Maximizing space
Do your current storage units use all the land your business sits on? If you have extra space that isn’t being utilized, portable units allow you to maximize that space by adding units designed to fit the area precisely.
Offering personal unit rentals
Another way self-storage companies use portable units is by renting them out to people or businesses who want temporary storage on their own premises. For example, someone who is renovating their home may rent a unit and place it in their backyard for a few months to store their furniture while the floors are re-finished.
In such cases, it’s more convenient for that customer to pack their belongings into a self-storage
unit on their property rather than renting a moving truck to take it to a storage facility. For that reason, having portable storage units to rent out and the means to transport them can open up new revenue streams for storage facility operators.
Transportation services
Sometimes, storage facilities use portable self-storage units to offer their clients transportation services as well as offsite storage services.
Instead of making the client figure out their own transportation, the storage company can bring the portable unit to the client’s home or business location. The client can then pack the unit onsite before the storage company brings the unit back to the storage facility for storage.
Some clients are willing to pay a premium for this convenience, giving the self-storage facility a new revenue stream.
Overall, portable self-storage units open up so many possibilities for your storage business! Let’s spend some time exploring the advantages of self-storage units.
What Are the Advantages of Using Portable Self-Storage Units?
Your self-storage business has two primary goals: to meet the storage needs of your community and to make a profit. As you work toward these goals, let’s look at some of the advantages that portable self-storage units can offer.
Convenience and Speed
Since portable self-storage units are made at a factory that’s already equipped with everything they need to put these structures together, it’s a lot faster and more convenient to buy a portable unit and put it on your property than to go through the time and headache of doing a building project to expand and add to your permanent structures.
Cost savings
Because it’s faster and more convenient to prefabricate units offsite, it’s also cheaper due to reduced labor and construction costs. Another cost-saving factor is the fact that you can continue your self-storage service uninterrupted while your unit is being manufactured!
Expand your service options
Earlier, we described several ways that business owners use portable storage units. Many of those options aren’t possible with traditional storage units. Because of this, portable storage units have the advantage of helping you expand your operations.
Flexibility
Portable units offer flexibility. First of all, there are multiple ways to utilize them in your business. Furthermore, you can quickly and easily move them to another location on your property if need be. And finally, if you decide you don’t need them after all, you can re-sell them without selling your whole business.
Customization
You may hesitate to buy portable units because you assume that your options will be limited. But that’s not necessarily true! At Advanced Steel LLC, we offer customized units. That means you can get colors that match the units you already have and sizes that perfectly fit odd spaces on your property. If you have a specific type of self-storage unit in your mind and are looking for someone to manufacture your vision, reach out and chat with us about your options!
How Do I Choose Between Portable and Permanent Units?
Although we’ve focused on the advantages of portable storage units and how you can use them to expand your business, permanent units are also crucial for a thriving self-storage business. If you want to expand your business, what type of unit should you invest in?
Let’s consider the relevant factors:
Durability and longevity:
At Advanced Steel LLC, we make our portable units with 29-gauge G-Rib exterior wall panels that have a 40-year warranty, so you can expect durability and longevity. With that being said, portable structures in general are not designed to last as long as permanent structures since they’re made of lightweight materials and incur wear and tear as they’re moved. For the best long-term performance, invest in permanent units.
Time constraints
If business is booming and you need more units ASAP, grabbing some portable units is an easy solution. However, it’s important to think ahead about whether this is a viable long-term solution, and potentially plan to build some permanent units as well.
Size and space considerations
Portable units are great for fitting into small spaces on your property, but if your customers are consistently asking you to store large items, you’ll need to build larger permanent units that can accommodate their space needs.
Type of demand
Are the people in your area looking for the type of storage services that only portable units can offer? Would they pay a premium to be able to pack their unit on their own property?
Before buying portable self-storage units to expand the types of services you offer, conduct market research to see if there’s demand for them in your area.
Resale value
Portable units tend to have a lower resale value than permanent units because they’re typically not built to last as long. Keep this in mind if you’re planning to sell your self-storage business eventually.
How Much Do Portable Self-Storage Units Cost?
As you plan for the future of your business, you’re probably wondering—how much can you expect to pay for portable self-storage units?
Depending on the quality of work, the materials used, and the various add-ons you select, portable self-storage units typically cost anywhere from about ($?) to ($?) per square foot.
Portable units generally have a (?%) to (?%) cost savings compared to a permanent self-storage structure of similar size and materials.
Since steel prices fluctuate, you should always plan to get a quote for the most accurate estimate!
Where Can I Buy Portable Self-Storage Units?
At Advanced Steel LLC, we have over ten years of experience in the Light Gauge Steel (LGS) industry, and we’re focused on providing better, more efficient ways to build structures such as portable self-storage units.
If you live in one of our service areas, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, we’d love to help you with your self-storage needs!
Besides portable unities, we also make other steel structures, including:
- Permanent self-storage structures
- Commercial structures
- Custom steel structures
- Self-storage building conversions
- Raised garden beds
Contact us today for an in-depth conversation about how we can build you the structure you’re searching for.