As usual we’re trying to answer some of the most asked questions in the shipping container industry with the hope that will help you in your quest of finding the best shipping container out there for your storage or building needs.
11. What is better rent or buy? You can check out our full post about this topic here )
Before renting a shipping container you should know a few things: What do you need the shipping container for? How long you need the shipping container for? How much space you have for the container ? How you will secure the container?
If you are decided to buy the shipping container you should ask yourself these questions: Will you need the shipping container for more than 2 years? Do you have long or short term storage needs? Do you want to use the shipping container to build a permanent structure or mobile one? You always in need of more storage containers since you are in the constructions?
12. Why do price of the shipping container fluctuate all the time?
The shipping container price usually fluctuates due to their condition, as well as the supply and demand. The new / one trip shipping containers usually is the most expensive, then a grade lower are the Cargo ready / Cargo worthy units and are also a little bit cheaper and the lowes are the Wind and Water Tight units, that are almost twice lower in price than a new unit. The price can vary because of the batches that they are bought in, market price ( now with the container crisis prices are through the roof with almost $500-$1000 more than they use to be last year ), gas price and of course steel price.
If there is a lot of shipping container inventory for sale the price drops but now with the crisis, there are less and less units especially in the inland ports. When the shipping containers are hard to find and they come in smaller batches, the price will always increase.
13. If you modify a shipping container can you add windows or doors?
The answer is always yes, you can add different sizes and types of doors and windows. They usually come with frames so you basically just need to cut the steel and wither weld or attach them to the container.
14. Can a shipping container have wheels?
Of course a shipping container can have wheels, they come in different sizes and can be attached on the each corner of the unit. That way the container can be moved around freely or pulled easier around the property or even on a longer trip, although we do recommend not to choose the option to move a container far on wheels, and use a trailer instead.
15. How do I maintain and clean a shipping container?
Shipping containers are easy to maintain and clean. You just need to make sure the unit is secured and clean it occasionally. If you are in a humid or close to the ocean is better to check the rust around it every once in a while so you keep it under control. ( you can read more about keeping a rust free unit in our previous blog post here )
Cleaning the shipping container is always an easy job if you do it very often. Whenever you get it the first time give it a power wash inside and out, use a leaf blower in each corner and along the sides to blow all the dust away. Give it a coat of paint and clean it every now and then. If there is any chemical residue use dry ice to clean it. You can read a full article about how to clean your shipping container here.
