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Creative children playing with blocks see unlimited possibility in what they can build. Squares become cozy houses. Rectangles become towering castles. Shapes become cities. That’s exactly the kind of endless possibility shipping containers have opened up in the world of apartment construction. These sturdy steel boxes that once traveled the seas on ocean freighters are now finding second lives as apartments all over the world. And the results are pretty cool. Because of the low cost, ease of construction and wide availability, shipping container apartments have made their way into short-term rental listings.  In this post, we will discuss the benefits of shipping container apartments and have a look at 10 incredible examples you can rent right now.  Storage Container Homes: Apartment-Style Shipping container apartments for rent across the United States and around the world offer a wide range of living experiences.  From tiny home containers to stately multi-level lodgings, shipping container floor plans run the gamut of home design.  And there’s a good reason for that: storage containers are affordable and infinitely customizable.   Inexpensive Shipping Container Apartments: A True Cost-Saver  Cheap shipping container apartments facilitate the dream of low-cost living. The cost of building a container apartment or home is much lower than the cost of traditional home construction.  Some simple math can bring this benefit of shipping container apartments and how much they can hold into focus. In 2015, the average cost per square foot for home construction was $103, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Meanwhile, a 40-foot shipping container — which yields 320 square feet — can cost around $3,500. That’s around $11 per square foot. While that much lower figure doesn’t account for some of the other costs of building a shipping container home—such as transportation, painting, electrical, etc.—it’s easy to see how the cost per square foot of a shipping container apartment will be much cheaper than the cost per square foot of a traditional apartment building.   Shipping Container Floor Plans Shipping container designs are limitless. If the low cost of a shipping container apartment doesn’t convince you, designed shipping containers might. These aren’t drab, four-cornered box apartments. To start, while shipping containers all have four sides, they come in various sizes.  Here are some of the standard shipping container sizes: 10-foot storage containers 20-foot storage containers 40-foot storage containers 45-foot storage containers That’s a lot of different sizes of containers to mix and match. And for each of those lengths, you can choose a standard height of 8 feet and 6 inches or a “high cube” height of 9 feet 6 inches (that’s akin to a high shipping container apartment ceiling). Because of ISO containers’ standardized construction and materials, you can easily join two or more shipping containers together and build impressive shipping container apartment buildings. And as you will see in the list below, adding doors, windows, porches, interior walls and more to shipping containers is common practice in shipping container apartment design.   10 Amazing Shipping Container Apartments for Rent Now that we have learned about the cost and customization benefits of shipping container apartments, let’s take a look at some incredible shipping container apartments for rent in the U.S. and beyond! (If you’ve been searching, “find a shipping container apartment building near me,” this next part is for you.)   Tiny Eco Friendly Modern Shipping Container/Atlanta, GA 1. The Shipping Container Modular Home Experience in ATL Prefab shipping container homes are perfect for those who want the modular home experience. But the thing about modular apartments is that they can be right in the heart of big cities without the major cost of traditional metro apartments.  This shipping container apartment for rent in Atlanta offers an eco-friendly vacation stay just a short walk from the Atlanta Zoo and the Beltline. Check out this eco-friendly, modern shipping container unit in good ole “hotlanta.”   NYC 1st Shipping Container Home/Brooklyn, NY 2. A Stylish Container Apartment With All the Amenities The container units at a Brooklyn shipping container apartment have a unique claim to fame: they were the first legally constructed apartments made entirely from recycled shipping containers in NYC. That bit of trivia isn’t all this container apartment offers, though. The L train and Williamsburg are a five-minute walk away from one-bedroom shipping container apartments in NYC.   Shipping Container Tiny house/Pleasant Hope, MO 3. A Country Container Home Getaway  Around 25 minutes from Springfield, Missouri, you will find the town of Pleasant Hope. Situated on a quiet farm just outside of that town is a cozy country getaway made entirely from storage containers.  Country storage container homes are an affordable way to live the simple life. Check out this country storage container apartment at The Stewart Settlement.  Blended perfectly with the outdoors, this shipping container floor plan offers space enough for a queen-size bed but opens up even further if you open the doors and enjoy the fresh air, outdoor grilling space and covered patio.   Modern Beach Container Home/Carolina Beach, NC 4. Container Apartment at the Beach Most shipping container apartments for rent today were once filled with cargo and traveling the oceans aboard massive ships.  Not all container units get to retire from their ocean-faring life to live on the beach, but the Conchs shipping container rental in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, does.  Pack your towels, surfboards and sunscreen if you plan to visit this beachside one-bedroom container apartment by the ocean.   Lake Vacation Rental/Claremore, OK 5. Shipping Container Apartment For Rent by the Lake The ocean is great, but a lake getaway can provide all the fun of the water without the crowds. And in the case of this shipping container home for rent in Claremore, Oklahoma, it can also provide a lot more space. This three-bedroom, two-story short-term shipping container rental sleeps eight and provides a balcony with a stunning lake view.   Container Cabin in the Catskills/Saugerties, NY 6. Catskills Shipping Container Cabin: Adventurers Only The Kaaterskill Wild Forest

When you know you need office space for your business, you likely picture a gray and characterless four-story building with fluorescent lights, bluish carpet and that familiar dusty smell.  Or maybe you shudder at the thought of the price tag for something more extravagant — a glass and steel downtown high-rise with a coffee shop and a gym.  But there is another solution to your office space needs: renting a shipping container office. Tap here to learn about renting shipping containers from the expert providers at Rent-A-Container. In the market for a full-on purchase? You can also tap here to learn about buying shipping containers.      Shipping Container Offices Whether installed as commercial shipping container buildings or using sea cans for backyard offices, this trend is taking hold. Shipping container office benefits are numerous. These convenient and cost-effective office spaces can go toe-to-toe with the most affordable and the flashiest traditional offices. In this post, we examine 10 shipping container office advantages you simply won’t get with a traditional office space.    Advantage #1) A Shipping Container Office Benefits Your Bottom Line Among shipping container office benefits, this one may carry the most weight for business owners. It’s a fact: Renting a shipping container office is affordable. It’s likely a better deal than any traditional office lease you will find. Why? Because you can rent exactly the amount of space you need, put it where you want it and return it when you’re done.  The monthly cost of renting a shipping container is in the hundreds — not thousands. And while the shortest commercial lease you’re likely to find is around three years, you can rent shipping container offices for as little as three months.  That means you aren’t locked in to an expensive monthly bill should your needs change.    Advantage #2) Shipping Container Office Spaces Are Green You can find used shipping containers that have been converted into offices or are available for rent. These may have had a past life on overseas freight ships.  Instead of being thrown on top of the trash heap when they’re replaced, they’re cleaned and polished and put up for rent.  That saves space wherever they are left to waste away, prevents another shipping container from being manufactured and gives your business points for environmental friendliness. Bottom line? Upcycled shipping containers make for an eco-friendly office.   Advantage #3) Shipping Container with Multiple Offices? Can Do Shipping containers are designed to hold a lot of cargo. When they are converted into offices, the same principle applies. Your shipping container office can fit a lot inside of it — even multiple offices.  For example, a 40-foot shipping container yields around 320 square feet. That’s just one.  And you can join multiple shipping containers together and insert walls inside of them to create a multi-office complex.   Advantage #4) Bring Your Shipping Container Office with You Some jobs can be done from the same location at all times, but others require a bit more mobility — or at least they would benefit from it.  Want a little more oversight at the job site?  Need to move a few employees to a different campus for a time?  One of the biggest shipping container office advantages for business people that need solutions fast is their mobility.  You can have everything you need at your office, job site or wherever you need. And when you’re done, you can pack up and move on to the next spot.   Advantage #5) Shipping Container Office Benefit: Customizable to the Core Shipping containers may all be the same shape, but they come in all shapes and sizes when you rent them as office space. A shipping container office rental company can help you find any type of shipping container office you need.  Windows, doors, interior walls, insulation and more features can easily be added to your shipping container office at your convenience.   Advantage #6) Need More Offices? Get More Shipping Containers What if you signed a commercial lease for office space, moved in and found that your employees were packed in like sardines?  That would be an enormous, expensive problem to solve.  Now, what if you rented four shipping containers to use as offices and hired a fifth employee?  It’s simple — you would rent another shipping container office.  For new and/or growing businesses, one of the best shipping container office benefits is the ability to increase and reduce the amount of office space on demand.   Advantage #7) Like Your Rented Shipping Container Office? You Can Buy It If you rent a container office and find that the shipping container office advantages stack up nicely for your business, you can make the arrangement a little more permanent. Many shipping container rental companies offer shipping container offices for sale, too.    Advantage #8) From Container Office to Storage Space Say you have rented 20 shipping containers to use as offices and your business suddenly needs to downsize a bit. In a traditional office, empty offices would simply gather dust. But in a shipping container office, you can either return a rented unit, or convert unused units into something that closely resembles their original purpose: storage units.  That way, your business still uses this asset and you have the container on hand for when you need more office space in the future.   Advantage #9) Shipping Container Offices Last a Long Time Shipping containers are fairly simple structures. The modern day shipping container is essentially the same as it has always been: boxes made of steel. This simplicity gives them an advantage over some traditional offices.  Traditional offices, made of wood, brick and glass, require constant upkeep and maintenance.  Shipping containers, on the other hand, can easily last for more than 12 years and require just a bit of semi-regular cleaning without having any problems.  This is yet another way a shipping container office benefits your bottom line.   Helping You Enjoy the Advantages of Shipping Container Offices

Due to COVID related supply and production delays, there is a global shortage of shipping containers. This shipping container shortage is leading to skyrocketing shipping prices and major delays.  E-commerce companies and many other businesses are starting to feel the financial strain of the shipping container shortage and higher prices, and many don’t understand what is going on behind the scenes to cause these problems.  So let’s take a closer look at the state of shipping container availability and prices in 2021, and alternatives to avoid the rising costs.     What Is Causing the Shipping Container Shortage? A recent CNBC news article detailed the 2021 shipping container shortage and price spike. Although the article focused mostly on how the shortage is affecting goods shipped from China, it did note that the general strain on the market was reaching the United States and Europe, too. The cause of the shortage? Put simply, it’s the global COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese trade and a lack of shipping alternatives.    COVID-19 and the Shipping Industry The coronavirus pandemic changed everything for the shipping industry in 2020. As the virus spread across the world like wildfire, nations slipped into months-long lockdowns. Everything was canceled — including orders for new shipping containers. Even the orders that were placed were delayed due to factory shutdowns and raw material shortages. As some parts of the world are starting to recover in 2021, trade volume is bouncing back in a big way. But the shipping industry is struggling to catch up to demand.   Chinese Trade and the Shipping Industry COVID-19 appears to have originated in China, but the country managed to implement safety practices that enabled a relatively quick recovery and a return to container production. As trade has bounced back, China has built up a trade surplus. The nation is sending a lot more goods to the U.S. and Europe than it is receiving from them. As a result, more containers are leaving China than are coming into the country. On the other hand, China and companies needing to export from China, have been aggressively purchasing shipping containers. These efforts, according to the CNBC article, have caused this shocking statistic: 75% of shipping containers leaving the U.S. for Asia are empty. That means shortages in the U.S. too as containers that would normally have been retired in the U.S. for storage are being sent back overseas empty.   Shipping Containers vs. Air Freight: Shrinking Alternatives The go-to alternative to shipping via seaborne shipping container is shipping via air freight. Although some planes are used only for shipping, much of the global air freight capacity comes from extra space in the underbelly of passenger planes.  So, what happens to air freight capacity when travel restrictions, lockdowns and fear of a deadly virus cause passenger air travel to crash through the floor? The main alternative to sea shipping, air freight shipping, is suddenly in a tight spot. Meanwhile, online shopping — as the alternative to in-person shopping — has surged over the last year. Online sales on Black Friday in 2020 increased by 22% compared to Black Friday 2019. Reported by the University of Michigan, those stats highlight how the pandemic has spurred more online shopping. Higher consumer shipping demand squeezes air freight even harder. As air freight capacity faces challenges on all sides, it becomes a less viable alternative to sea freight.   Effect on Shipping Prices and Retailers How has the shipping container shortage affected shipping prices in 2021? It has caused freight rates from China to the U.S. to triple since last March. The China-to-Europe route has seen a similar spike. This past December, Asia-to-Northern Europe spot freight rates were up 264% over the previous year. The CNBC report also noted a 145% increase in spot freight rates going from Asia to the U.S. West Coast. The usual spot rate hovers around $1,200 per shipping container. But currently, the going rate is closer to $6,000 per container. Shipping rates from the U.S. to other countries have also increased, but the jump was not quite as severe.   Shipping Container Delays With a shortage and high demand comes business opportunity. Many industry stakeholders have ordered new shipping containers, but like the goods waiting in warehouses to be shipped around the world, the production of these new units will likely encounter delays. A recent report from the Shanghai International Shipping Research Centre predicted that the shipping container shortage and supply chain delays are likely to last at least through the end of the first quarter of 2021. Those delays will last even longer for the storage side of the shipping container industry.   How ModuGo Can Help ModuGo works every day to provide the easiest shipping container purchase and rental experience in the industry. When global shortages and other factors limit supply and cause unheard of shortages, our mission becomes even more important. Here’s how we can help during this difficult time.   Match the Best Shipping Container Prices We know business owners and logistics professionals were tired of overpaying for shipping containers long before the container shortage of 2021 began. If someone else has a better price, let us know. You can have the best price and all of  the convenience our unique container renting and buying process offers.   Extensive Shipping Container Rental Options We realize that a purchase isn’t always in the books or the right logistical choice. If your operations would be better served by shipping container rentals, we’ve got great options. Shop online, reserve the unit (or units) you want to rent, agree to the terms and you’re ready to roll. We make it easy and fast for you to rent the right shipping container, for the right price in the right timeline.   Offer Help from the Experts When the shipping container market is this difficult to navigate, you need the easy approach to renting and buying shipping containers. Our customer service professionals are shipping container experts, and they are ready

Drive-thrus have been a mainstay for years, providing consumers fast access to food and other goods on the go. During these socially distanced times the concept is more valuable than ever, as restaurants continue to find efficient ways to serve customers safely. One way these businesses are implementing cost-efficient processes quickly? Shipping container drive-thrus! More restaurants than ever before are utilizing shipping containers for drive-thru specific expansions and additional space needed for their customers.  So how might you be able to utilize shipping container restaurants? Let’s take a look at just how beneficial this route can be for restaurateurs, as well as a few of our favorite, real-world examples that are sure to inspire you.  The Benefits of Using Shipping Containers as Restaurant Space As mentioned, more and more restaurants are using shipping containers for their real estate needs. But why? It all comes down to the various benefits shipping containers provide restaurants compared to other space alternatives, like using existing buildings or constructing new properties entirely. Shipping Container Restaurant Benefit #1) Readily Available For starters, shipping containers are readily available, in part because the U.S. imports more shipping containers than it exports. With so much supply, shipping containers can be purchased at an affordable price, whether you want a brand new container or a used one at a slightly cheaper rate. Shipping Container Restaurant Benefit #2) Affordable Speaking of affordable, shipping containers are pretty cost-effective. You can get a new or barely used container at a very reasonable price, and complete some modifications and interior decorating to personalize your space. That’s excellent news for would-be restaurant entrepreneurs who don’t otherwise have the capital for traditional real estate. Shipping Container Restaurant Benefit #3) Eco-Friendly More and more business owners are taking their environmental impact into account these days. Fortunately, shipping containers are eco-friendly and sustainable. You don’t waste or require new materials to build your restaurant from scratch. Plus, it takes less energy to move a shipping container to your restaurant location than it does to build a new building entirely. Shipping Container Restaurant Benefit #4) Customizable Lastly, shipping containers allow you to customize your restaurant look. They’re customizable by design, so you can ensure that your business stands out from the rest with a few modifications and some aesthetic tweaks. You can even buy open-sided containers for easy access or for shipping container drive-thru windows. Bottom line? Shipping container restaurants are the future! Of course, the possibilities don’t begin and end with makeshift restaurant space. Check out some other creative ways you can use and reuse shipping containers. 9 Shipping Container Drive-Thru Examples  So how have people already leveraged shipping containers to make excellent drive-thru expansions for their business? Let’s go over a few real-world examples we love.  Shipping Container Drive-Thru #1) Wendy’s Check out this shipping container drive-thru for the popular fast-food chain, Wendy’s. A few different shipping containers were used for both the primary restaurant space and for the drive-thru extension on the side. It’s a great example of how even bigger restaurant companies leveraging shipping containers for greater eco-friendliness and extra savings. Source: Reddit Shipping Container Drive-Thru #2) Taco Bell The fast-food Mexican restaurant chain, Taco Bell, has also joined in on the shipping container drive-thru craze. Just check out this sterling example of two shipping containers combined to provide a safe and convenient drive-thru solution for travelers on the nearby road. There’s also an outdoor seating area in case any of the restaurant’s customers might prefer a more traditional eating experience. Source: Eater Los Angeles Shipping Container Drive-Thru #3) Starbucks One of the most well-known coffee shops in the industry, Starbucks has been leveraging shipping container restaurants for some time. But only recently has the company doubled down on shipping container drive-thrus. This particular example is built with a graceful turn that allows customers to enjoy a classic Starbucks experience without any real difference between this store and the thousands of others. But there’s no doubt that this store was a lot cheaper to build, and Starbucks saved some materials by using shipping containers rather than new construction. Source: Today.com Shipping Container Drive-Thru #4) Kahwa Coffee Starbucks isn’t the only coffee shop to take advantage of the style and cost-efficiency that shipping containers bring to the restaurant industry. This coffee chain uses two shipping containers; one of them stacked on the other to create a kind of tunneled drive-thru experience for cars to pass through quickly and easily. It certainly adds to the coffee shop’s overall aesthetic, and it’s a design we’re seeing more and more often in the restaurant industry as more companies catch wind of the benefits provided by shipping container drive-thrus. Source: ilovetheburg.com Shipping Container Drive-Thru #5) Dutch Bros Coffee It seems like coffee companies can’t get enough of the eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness that shipping containers bring to the table. This local coffee shop uses a drive-thru shipping container designed to quickly and efficiently serve its customers. Note how the coffee shop has built a drive-thru window into the shipping container wall that can slide back and forth for both worker and customer convenience. Source: Quickserv Shipping Container Drive-Thru #6) Coffee Time Low-key, single-store coffee shops are perhaps the restaurants best positioned and most benefited by shipping container drive-thrus. Maybe that’s why so many small-chain coffee shops use shipping containers both for their main restaurant space and further drive-thru options. Check out Coffee Time’s drive-thru, which even includes a bonus sitting area near the driving space for paying customers! Source: Archilovers Shipping Container Drive-Thru #7) Degani Here’s another great example of a coffee shop that uses a single shipping container both for its primary restaurant space and for its drive-thru option. You can see how the designers were clever with how they placed their menus right on the side of the shipping container for the convenience of their customers. It’s a small, cost-efficient store that no doubt returns a great profit when you consider the money the owners have likely saved

We’ve all come across a variety of ways shipping containers are being used today. From homes and pools to towering apartment complexes, shipping containers are becoming increasingly versatile. But are shipping containers just as useful for storage? In a word, absolutely. Are Shipping Containers Good for Storage? Shipping containers can be fantastic storage solutions. Whether you need them for your residential property or for a commercial business, using containers can be a durable, cost-efficient way to store just about anything.  Ready to take the plunge and set up a shipping container for storage? Check out these 14 tips first to ensure you use them to the best of their (storage) abilities. Storage Tip #1) Figure Out How You’ll Deliver the Container Beforehand When you work with a certified shipping container supplier to purchase or rent a container, they’ll take care of the transportation and delivery details for you. Depending on where you want your new storage unit to be placed, a crane may be needed to position it in a tight spot or location where the necessary clearance isn’t available for the tilt bed truck. Storage Tip #2) If Needed, Get Permits Straightened Out In some locations you may need to secure one or more permits to place or build any structure that doesn’t have a permanent foundation. If you plan to use the shipping container for a barn or shed, a permit may be necessary. Check with your local clerk’s office for a quick answer. Storage Tip #3) Choose Between New or Used New shipping containers are pricier but have less exposure to the elements. Therefore, they make a much nicer appearance and will last longer than other containers you purchase. Are shipping containers good for storage if they’ve been used? Sure! Used containers may not look as nice but they are absolutely perfectly suited to storage if they are guaranteed Wind & Watertight. Consider which of the two types you want to buy and what your budget looks like. Storage Tip #4) Buy a Quality Container Regardless of whether you buy a used or new shipping container, just make sure it’s high-quality. Do some reviews of the vendor you plan to buy your shipping container from and make sure that they don’t provide subpar or corroded containers. The higher the quality of your shipping container provider, the more comfortable you can feel after making your purchase decision. To ensure you pay what you should for a quality container, check out some best practices for shopping on the container market and browse Rent-A-Container’s inventory of affordable shipping containers. Storage Tip #5) Set a Solid Foundation Early Any shipping container structure needs a foundation. A foundation will allow for ventilation and moisture drainage while preventing corrosion on the underside of your shipping container storage structure. Prepare the foundation before your container arrives by pouring concrete or using wood and metal beams in a lattice-like structure. Railroad ties and slab-on-grade are alternative options. Storage Tip #6) Choose the Right Container Size Naturally, container size affects whether or not it’s good value for money. Be sure to purchase the right container size for all your storage needs so that you don’t waste money or end up having to purchase another shipping container later down the road. Check out our High Cube Shipping Containers vs. Standard Shipping Containers comparison guide to determine what size may be the best fit for your storage needs. Storage Tip #7) Get Equipment for Loading/Unloading You might also consider purchasing some equipment specifically for loading and unloading your shipping container. Shipping containers are often used to store bulk items or heavy equipment, particularly if you plan to use the container as a barn or storage shed. Equipment like dollies, forklifts, ramps and other supplies can help you quickly load and unload the container when necessary. If you don’t have secondary doors around the middle of the container, this may be necessary if you want to reach back-of-the-container items without unloading everything in the front. Storage Tip #8) Invest in Anti-Corrosive Paint Your shipping container will last longer if you invest in anti-corrosive paint and apply it to both the interior and exterior. Even the strongest shipping containers may corrode over time, and this process can accelerate if you live in a wet climate. Anti-corrosive paint only takes a single application and could extend the lifespan of your shipping container for many years. Storage Tip #9) Prevent Container Rain Container rain occurs in humid climates when moisture condenses to your shipping container’s roof and eventually falls. This “rain” could potentially damage the container itself or the stuff you store inside it. You can prevent container rain by investing in dehumidifiers or other supplies designed to eliminate container rain conditions. Storage Tip #10) Smell Bad? Use Coffee Like any structure, many containers can start to smell bad after heavy use. Consider scattering some coffee beans throughout the interior of your shipping container to help take care of the worst of the smell. Just be sure that you have anti-rodent traps in place and that there aren’t any holes or places for rats and mice to get inside. They may be attracted to the coffee beans and make a nest in response. Storage Tip #11) Check Ventilation Systems or Install Them Yourselves It’s a good idea to make sure that your shipping container has any necessary ventilation systems. This is required if your climate has drastically different daytime and nighttime temperatures. In this case, condensation can build up and lead to container rain. Ventilation systems can include fixed vents installed periodically across your container or an HVAC system. Consider both options based on your budget and experience level before installing. If you’re lucky, your shipping container will come with fixed vents already.  Storage Tip #12) Don’t Forget Security The stuff you keep in your storage container is undoubtedly valuable. Invest in security measures for the container’s front doors to ensure thieves can’t get inside. Oftentimes, even a simple chain lock

We all want shipping containers. They’re versatile, durable, and they can be used for anything from housing and storage, to pools and restaurants. But no matter their intended use, one of the most common questions we all have relates to how much a shipping container should cost. We know, shopping for the right price on a shipping container can be as frustrating as the used car market. All you’re trying to do is understand what the market value of a container actually is and avoid the embarrassment of getting ripped off. And while we unfortunately can’t give you a straightforward answer on exact amounts, we can give you some insight into which factors contribute to the range of prices you’ll likely see. We’ll also throw in some best practices to help make sure you get the best price available to you on the container market (or at least don’t buy an overpriced container). Let’s get started. Factors That Influence Shipping Container Cost There are a lot of different factors that can influence how much it costs to purchase one or more shipping containers. Let’s break them down one by one. Factor #1) New (ish) or Used Conditions And Shipping Container Costs The biggest factor that will influence the price of a shipping container is whether it’s a one-trip container or has been used more heavily by previous owners or commercial shipping companies. Newer shipping containers, also known as one-trip containers will obviously cost more than a more heavily used container. And this will continue to be true depending on how used and in what condition a container is in when you buy it. For example, those that have been on many ocean voyages will likely be the most affordable initially. Ocean travel causes degradation to any shipping container due to the native salinity in the air and the cold, wet conditions that permeate any ocean vessel. The result is a little more rust and some bumps and bruises. And while used containers are usually cheaper, they likely won’t be able to offer the same shipping container lifespan. How you’ll be using the container and how long you anticipate needing it for will help you decide if you want the initial higher price of a one-trip container or if you’ll be happy with a more used “wind and water tight” container. For more on the varying conditions of shipping containers and what they mean, check out our guide to buying shipping containers. Whatever you choose, we recommend trying to avoid “as is” containers unless you are really on a tight budget or are incredibly handy at repairing and welding. These containers may be sold with any number of defects, such as rust, doors that don’t properly close, holes, and more.  Note: This is especially true for home construction – if you’re using your shipping containers to build a new structure, try to aim for quality over a cheap price. Factor #2) Where You Source From Will Impact the Cost of Shipping Containers Where you actually buy the container can also drive up the price significantly. Direct From Manufacturers Likely Not An Option For Container Buyers Most buyers won’t have access to this type of wholesale market. While it might be an affordable way to pick up brand new containers at wholesale prices, almost the entire inventory of shipping containers available to people and businesses have experienced one shipping related trip. Additionally, most containers are assembled in China and the price of having a shipping container delivered would be considerable at that distance. Container Dealers Offer the Sweet Spot Between Quality, Large Selections, and Cost Savings Often the most reliable sources for containers, these dealers have access to bulk numbers of containers and have curated an inventory list that includes different types, conditions, and sizes that you’ll need. Additionally, these container dealers make a living out of providing you a specific service. That means it’s in their best interest to find you deals, source containers nearest to you, and provide the highest overall customer service experience. If you find a shipping container dealer you enjoy working with, you’ll also benefit from the relationship you build with a great sales representative. Repeat customers and bulk ordering should get you the best deals and keep you in the loop with any upcoming sales or new accessories on the market. Individual Resellers and Inconsistent Pricing Individual resellers suffer from inconsistent pricing and costs. You might find someone trying to get a shipping container out of their yard at a super affordable cost. Or you’re just as likely to notice that they understand perfectly well what the cost of their container is and they’ll add a 25% to 35% markup on top of that to try and profit. In addition, monitoring quality and getting accurate information can be much more challenging in this type of space. It’s hard to comfortably and consistently recommend this type of shopping, but you’re welcome to examine this space. Factor #3) How Amenities and Extras Impact Container Costs Some shipping containers will come with extra amenities or features, which may make them more or less suitable to your storage or construction needs. These include things like utility integration ports or plugs, window cutouts, special doors, ramps, shelving, refrigeration and more. Avoid overbuying your next shipping container by examining what features or extras it comes with. If you are buying shipping containers to act as a basic shed or garage, you might not need windows, multiple doors, or even complete waterproofing. For more sensitive storage items you might need to consider insulation, humidity reduction, and perfectly sealed corners, roofing, and doors. Related Reading: Preventing Shipping Container Humidity Factor #4) Size and Cost Of course, the size of your shipping container will also play a role in its price. In general, ISO-certified shipping containers come in two sizes: 20’ and 40’. These are standardized sizes that can fit interchangeably with other containers of their archetypes, and so they are the most common