Have you added portable storage to your self-storage facility to increase income? Can you let us know if it's been a successfuly ancillary option?

I'm interested in the same thing.............anybody.............anybody..... ....

I have not added portable storage, Thought it was a great idea so I looked into it at one time a few months ago and did some research on all the options, and decided for my area it would just not pay for itself, The up front cost would be a lot of money to invest and being you deliver and pick up the units means more labor involved.
I know you could get sea crates for around $2k but the equipment to move them is what kills you. I also checked on some other portable units that you buy there trailer and there containers, that way it would not take a special truck to haul them, a 3/4 ton truck would do it, but there crates were $5k and there trailers were $13k.
So still addes up to a big investment, everywere around this area that I travel The only portable crates I see are at the rental area stacked one on top of the other, just never seen any going down the road being used.
I think part of the problem is the amount you would have to charge considering the extra labor and equipment cost. And most people at least in this area don't want the extra cost.

You see them a lot here in Florida after a hurricane. People have them in their driveways or yards with all their stuff packed in 'em while their house/roof is being repaired...but in those cases the insurance company is usually footing the bill.

Other then that, I've never seen one anywhere.

I have also looked into the portable units that come with a pull trailer set up to pull behind a pick up truck.

They offer a starter pack consisting of the trailer and 6 - 16 foot storage units for about $45,000.

$45,000 at 7% for 7 years would require a debt service of about $680 a month.

So you would need about $115/unit a month just to cover that costs.

What I have seen in my area you would charge about $100 fee that includes delivery and pick up.

The good thing is you can depreciate everything on a 7 year basic.

These are the numbers I come up with. What do you all think?

Sounds like the same company I have been talking to, I also like their dumpster idea.
If there is a demand in that area and you can sell people on that idea it would probably pay off.
In my location here in LA (Lower Arkansas) I just don't think people will pay the extra money for the convience and I would be sittng on these units not being used. I plan to do somemore looking into the marketing for my area and see what people think and posibily still do this someday if there comes a demand. also the sea crates are much cheaper, just don't know what the upfront cost for the moving equipment is going to be, probably a lot.
This company with the trailer called me a few weeks ago and they now offer some other options to get started, such as leasing their crates, there package does do seem to offer a discount from just buying individual items, so what I had looked at was maybe buying less crates to start with and add to it as I saw the demand.
Still in my area I never see these being used and I know some places do offer them.

Just like traditional self storage, it's real hard to make money in mobile storage without running a LOT of units(containers). I have a working spreadsheet that has been helpful to a lot of people asking the same question as you guys are, I'd be happy to pass it along. We've sold our products to people all over the country, but there are some markets out there that are just not ideal for mobile storage. Our location does great renting out 300+ containers at a $170 per month average, but those numbers are not realistic in every market.

Handyman- contact me about that spreadsheet, it'll work those numbers out for you to the penny, and to your break even date.

A relatively affluent city in my area has had a problem with these containers staying in driveways for way too long. Seems that people who are remodeling their home would get one dropped off for a few months so they could immediately access their belongings, in addition to contractors using them as job storage. I think they either did or were about to adopt codes that wouldn't permit them in a driveway for more than 24 hours. They are VERY adamant about RV's in the neighborhoods, so I could see how they would not be happy with these boxes either.

I don't know where the profit center is on portables, is it in the delivery/pickup or is it in the monthly rental?

I looked longingly at them while at the show in Vegas, but I soon realized it was my whiz-bang intrigue at how they all work that entranced me, not the business opportunity. I think I'll catch an episode of "Bob the Builder" and keep my money. The last thing I want right now is to have employees.

Some of the cities in or areas have permits or restrictions, They don't really affect us a whole lot. If there is a time restriction, we offer to pick the container up and store it for them, most of my business comes from warehouse storage anyway. Also, most cities, not all, allow them while a building permit is active, just like a dumpster. Believe it or not, I get referrals from a few towns because they know I work within their laws, unlike some of our larger "internationally owned" competitors.