You may not know this, but there is some prep
needed in order to properly place a storage container on a job site!
The demand for onsite storage utilizing a container for
onsite storage has exploded in the last decade. Storage containers can prevent
equipment damage from natural disasters and extreme weather. On paper these
titans look like they can withstand anything, but a lot of that strength is
rooted in proper preparation for the container. Ensuring your job site is container-ready will save a lot of headache in the future!
Prep your foundation
Think about traditional buildings. You can’t just plop a house on a plot of land and call it “good.” Anything needing to be structurally sound, like a storage container storing thousands of dollars of equipment, needs a good foundation. We’re not saying go out and pour a slab for every job site, but following these steps is a great way to make sure your container will open properly and stay put.
- Make sure the ground is level. Unlevel surfaces prevent storage container doors from opening and closing properly. Small adjustments can be made with wood blocks/plywood but making sure the ground is as level as possible is key.
- Make sure the ground is high and dry. Placing a container where water is destined to collect will not end well. If you’ve got a puddle collected under your container it can damage the floors. Making sure the ground is dry is also important if you’re planning on having the container be onsite for a while. While some settling is expected, placing a container on land that’s often saturated will cause hardships in the future. It’ll make corners sink and that can cause the doors to lock and not open. It can also increase the amount of moisture inside the container.
Can we access your location?
Does your job site require us to haul the container up a mountainside, through a tiny alley way, and under extremely low hanging powerlines? Sorry, we won’t be able to make that delivery! Our trucks are huge and HEAVY. We can’t drive over any curbs or sidewalks to make our deliveries and we don’t want to damage anyone’s property or our containers squeezing through alleyways to get to your project. Follow along to see what’s needed for us to make the delivery:
- Our trucks are about 14.5’ tall with our storage container on its trailer. So, to be safe we’ll need power lines or any other overhead obstructions to be at least 15.5’ above the ground. That’s when the trailer is not tilted to drop your container. When the trailer is tilted, we’ need about 19’ of overhead clearance.
- If there is a gate to access your job site, we need about a 12’ opening to drive our truck straight through. If there is a turn into a gate, more space is needed.
- We need firm ground to drive to your designated drop location. If your job site is full of sugar sand or soft dirt our trucks can get stuck.
Is there room for this delivery?
Take a look at what is required for our containers to be delivered. We use a tilt trailer to slider our containers into place. Once we back into the designated spot, the container is then tilted and rolled off while our driver pulls away. For a 40’ storage container, we need about 100’ of room to complete this task and 60’ for a 20’ storage container.
We’re happy to walk you through it!
While it may seem tedious, spending the extra time to plan and prepare a satisfactory site foundation and space for your shipping container can save you many headaches in the future. To avoid spending the extra money and hassle after installing your shipping container, take note of proper site preparation procedures and feel free to call us and talk about your site before you order!
American Trailer Rentals provides the top-quality storage containers for rent and purchase. Please reach out to us today for a quote on your next storage container, storage trailer, or office trailer rental! We have an amazing office staff waiting near the phones to answer all your storage trailer delivery questions!
