Category Archives: Retail Services

What Is the Monthly Expense of Your Storage Unit Going to Be?

So you just decided to move to a new place, and you want to plan ahead. One of the most important things you can do in the process is to find out how much everything will cost you – including moving services and storage units you might want to book.

When it comes to self storage services, you can expect a monthly payment that you’ll have to pay each month you use the unit you rent. However, unlike with other services, booking a storage unit can be a lot more complicated than you’d expect, and finding a good price estimate won’t be too easy.

What Is and Isn’t Required to Rent a Storage Unit?

Renting storage near me is typically easy. All you need is a date and time, information about the items you want to store, and the amount you will require to pay before gaining access to your new unit. In many cases, it will also be a good idea to consider insuring all your items, so you won’t have to depend on the basic insurance coverage that the company offers – if they even offer any type of coverage.

On the other hand, you won’t need to know the exact amount in advance, and you will be able to compare, pick and choose, and even negotiate on the price in some cases. Also, even though some special storage facilities will do a 24-hour background check before allowing you access, credit checks won’t be necessary, so you can be sure that you’ll have the ability to rent a storage unit without being denied one because of bad credit.

The Prices You Can Expect

The national average for a small, 5×5 storage unit is currently somewhere around $40-$50. Depending on the size, that amount can grow to more than $100 for a larger, 10×15 storage unit and to more than $140, if you also need climate control for it.

You’ll have to discuss all the details and consider the amenities you’ll need before you can determine the exact price. Companies offering storage near me have their own policies, so there will be some difference between the quality/price ratio offered by every one of them.

storage near me

Compare Online and Rent Fast

Once you establish your budget, it’s important to shop around and get a feel for the local market. Not all storage providers are the same, and some might be able to offer you a greater discount and a larger number of advanced features for the money you have at your disposal.

It’s much better to check and see what features and sizes are offered by each storage provider, before actually looking at the cost. You might find that you can get climate control and advanced security solutions, for example, without paying as high as you would have, if you chose the services of a company you found in the past to be one of the most popular.

However, take extra special care when it comes to entrusting your belongings to a lesser known storage provider. Even if the price is great, you will have to be careful and do your own background check to make sure that no foul play is afoot.

What Is the Cost to Own a Storage Facility?

Running your own storage facility is a great thing – people will always need safe temporary or long-term storage solutions, so you will never run of clients. However, owning a storage facility is no small investment – here are the factors that will influence your costs.

The Geographical Location

The location of the facility will largely influence its value – storage facilities are forms of real estate, so their value is influenced by factors very similar to the factors that determine real estate prices in general. These factors include the type of settlement where the facility is situated – the facilities in smaller towns are usually cheaper than the ones in large cities. The facility’s location within the settlement is also important – downtown facilities are more expensive than the ones located in the suburbs or in industrial areas.

The Construction Process

Your ownership costs will also be determined by the construction process that you choose. Buying plot and building your storage Fort Smith AR facility can be a cheaper solution, but only if you have the time and the resources for the process. You can also choose to buy property that has been used as a storage facility or property on which there is a building than can be transformed into a storage facility, both decisions having cost-related implications.

The size of your storage Fort Smith AR building will also influence the costs – single-storey buildings are cheaper to build than complex, multi-storey construction.

The Level of Equipment Provided

Setting up a storage Fort Smith AR facility that offers only outdoor storage units is the cheapest option, but outdoor units are the cheapest to rent, so your income will probably be lower, too. Indoor storage facilities usually offer two types of units: temperature-controlled units and climate-controlled units. Temperature-controlled facilities provide stable temperature inside the facility, usually in the 55-85 degrees Fahrenheit range, while climatized units offer humidity control as well. Climate control requires more complex equipment that includes multiple sensors, humidifiers, filters and advanced ventilation, therefore the units in such facilities are more expensive that the units available in temperature-controlled units.

The Services Provided

The additional services that you provide to your clients will allow you to increase your rates, but in most cases, they will also increase your costs, too. Facilities monitored with security cameras, surrounded with electric fencing or other type of reliable fencing, fitted with advanced alarm systems and facilities that offer insurance solutions for the items stored in their units inspire more trust and convince clients to pay more, but such advanced equipment is not cheap, so the installation will increase your costs, even if it can be considered investment.

storage Fort Smith AR

Final Thoughts

Operating your own Fort Smith storage facility is a great, profitable business, but you will need to assess and analyse all aspects of the set-up process and to calculate the necessary budget with all these aspects in mind. The process will probably require the participation of various experts, such as real estate agents, lawyers, architects, building contractors and architects, who all work for fees that increase your costs, so make sure to include expert fees when you calculate your overall costs.