Raised On Self Storage

For at least the past 25 years, creative self storage owners have found a valid way to turn unused parking lot space into rentable square footage without increasing FAR’s (floor area ratios). They do this by purchasing retired shipping containers, placing them on their site, and renting them out as a storage unit. Since freight containers are considered temperary structures, they do not increase the amount of floor area on the site.

In some cases these freight container rentals bring in a higher rental value than the hallway access units inside their converted warehouses. The ability to drive up to the unit is usually enough of an incentive to overlook the negatives of renting a cargo container.

These negatives often include variable temperatures, from extremely cold in freezing climates to hot like an oven on hot days. another negative is the potential for leaks and the inability of a storage operator to discover the leak. There are, however, ways around the negatives.

You can locate the container in an area that gets little sun exposure. My favorite solution to both problems is to build a pitched roof on the container. It is relatively easy to do and an inexpensive way to turn an old freight container into a temperate and water proof storage unit.