Rent or Buy Your Container? 5 Things to Consider

So you’re deciding whether to rent or buy your portable storage container?

Here are the 5 main questions to ask yourself in order to make the right choice in terms of the overall cost.

1. How long will I need to keep the container? Think about this honestly, then add a couple of months in case of setbacks.
2. How much does the container cost to purchase? Consider everything, from condition and size to tax and delivery.
3. How much does the container cost to rent? Including all the upfront and recurring costs, and your billing cycle.
4. Do I want to add modifications or simple container add-ons? Adding mods requires you to purchase your portable storage container. But simple storage add-ons can be included on rentals.
5. Will my neighbors be okay with my container sitting in my yard? If you’re unsure, we recommend renting rather than purchasing.

Still can’t decide whether to rent or buy?

Renting for a short period of time is much more economical than purchasing it.

Unfortunately, container companies don’t allow customers to apply previous rental payments to the purchasing price of the container after they’ve been renting one for a period of time and then decide they want to buy it.

One of the primary reasons you can’t do this is because there are upfront costs absorbed by container companies, which are recovered over the rental time period.

So it’s important that you do your homework.

Evaluate your container needs before you decide. And consider the factors that determine the cost of a container at any given time.

It’s also helpful to discuss your options with your sales representative when evaluating whether to rent or buy your shipping container.

We recommend purchasing the container if you anticipate needing it for more than one year or if you want to apply modifications and paint to it.

But, remember, storage container add-ons such as shelving, contractor desks, lofts, and pipe racks can be included on a rental container.