Shipping Containers Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Hire’

Yesterday we discussed the process of ordering a shipping container conversion.  Today I promised that we would go through some of the options that you might want to consider when converting your container.

If the container is going to be used as an office, site accommodation or a classroom, the first thing is to insulate and line it.   The most common method of doing this is with a combination of rockwool and melamine faced board.   This produces nice smooth walls and ceilings - although you can choose to have wall paper or a painted finish if you require.   Flooring is generally placed over the existing wooden shipping container floor.  The most common is a hard wearing lino although carpet (and in particular carpet tiles) are another favourite.

10 ft office conversion

The next thing to consider is the number of windows required.   For a 20ft container the normal requirement is between 2 and 4 windows and for a 40ft 4 or 8 windows.   The windows can be double glazed and are normally 3ftx3ft with lockable steel shutters for security.  As far as access is concered it is quite common for the double shipping container doors to either be sealed off or replaced with a blank end and  personnel door put into the container - usually on one of the long sides.

Shipping containers are then ideally suited to be fitted with electrics, lighting and heating.   Specify the number of double or single sockets you require and, if possible, where they are to be located within the container.

shipping container conversion

Do remember too that it is perfectly possible to have containers joined together along the length to give additional width.   Bespoke Container Conversions are able to do this with up to 5 containers and then go up to 7 storeys high due to the strength of the corner posts of a genuine ISO shipping container.

These are just the basic alterations that you can have to a shipping container.   Plumbing, glass frontage, internal bulkheads and air conditioning are also possibilities - in fact most things are possible so don’t be afraid to ask.  And if you are looking for something temporary on a short term basis, don’t forget that standard offices and site accommodation are available on a hire basis as well.

There are many different reasons for hiring a shipping container rather than getting involved in shipping container hire.   Mostly this is to do with the length of time you need the container for or using the container on a trial basis to see if it is the solution for you.   If you are considering hiring a shipping container for over 9 months it may well be more economic to consider buying a shipping container.   If you no longer require your container after this time you can either ask the company you bought it from to buy it back or sell it on ebay.

Whatever your decision here are some useful things to consider

1. To hire a container you will be asked to pay the delivery and collection charges up front.  Therefore you need to try and source your steel container from a depot near to you.   You want the haulage charge to be as small as possible in order to reduce costs.
2. The minimum hire length of a shipping container will normally be 28 days.   Even if you want your shipping container hire to be for less time than this you will still probably be asked to pay for the full 28 days.   This is normally paid per month in advance.
3. Very few companies will hire containers if they are to be used for export shipping.   This is because of the costs involved in reclaiming a container once it has left the country should you default on payment.
4. It is important that you ask about the notice you need to give when you no longer require your shipping container.   Most companies require a weeks notice.  As you will have already paid for the collection up front no further fees should be payable.
5. If you decide you want to buy the shipping container whilst you have it on hire, you should have the collection charge taken off the overall cost of the container.   If you have hired the container for over a year, most companies will give you a discount on the final purchase price.
6. The condition of the container is very important.  If you want to hire a second hand container then you should ensure that it is guaranteed to be wind and watertight and structurally sound.
7. If you wish to hire a new/once used container generally the minimum period of hire is for 2 years.
8. Refrigerated containers are also available for hire as well as storage/shipping containers.
9. Consider where you are going to place your container, as you really need a level surface in order to open the doors without difficulty.
10. Finally, you need to consider the security of your shipping container.  Ask for a lock cowl (lockbox) and a CISA heavy duty container padlock to prevent illegal access from bolt croppers and angle grinders.

Whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to discuss your needs with the company you intend hiring from.   There are many different options available and they may be able to suggest different answers to your particular needs.

I get asked about once a month about burying shipping containers - either because of disguising them so they don’t stand out in the countryside or for the insulative properies that this will bring.  This week, for example, I got asked for advice about building bunker camping shelters made out of 10ft containers that would be buried at various points in the Yorkshire Dales.   Whatever the reason it is important that although shipping containers will support an enormous amount of weight directly on top (as we have seen in a previous post when shipping containers were used to support a bridge in Utah), this is only if this weight is placed over the load bearing iso corners.  The top and the sides of the shipping container are prone to flexing otherwise and this means that the roof can, and will, eventually collapse.  So at the risk of being boring and giving you more information than you would ever want to know about how to bury a shipping container safely I am going to outline one method of doing this safely just in case you have your own shipping container conversion in mind that would need this sort of information!

Let us take as an example a 40ft container that we want to almost completely bury.   First of all dig a hole.   This should be 16ft wide, 55ft long and at least 6ft deep.   Any hole this large is going to fill with water so a sump or a trench needs to be dug before lining the base and 2ft up the sides with heavy duty foundation plastic.  A french drain with an integral silt shield should be put in the bottom of the hole, staked into place so it does not go under the corners or the edge of the container.   Secure the plastic within 6″ of the sides with t-posts before covering the base with 6″ of gravel.

If you are not completely exhausted by this stage, the shipping container can now be placed on top of the gravel in the centre of the hole, making sure it is level.   To support the sides and top of the iso container a barricade needs to be built all around.  This can be in the form of gabion or hesco baskets filled with rocks or sand or, providing that they do not touch the container itself,  walls of tyres filled with sand.   These need to be built up so they stand proud of the container top and can support heavy timber crossbeams and a false  “roof” covered with another layer of plastic so that the container can be completely buried.  At the door end of the container protect the doors by building a wooden post frame around them so they can open easily whilst the surround can be appropriately disguised if required.

All of this proves that burying a shipping container for whatever container conversion you have in mind is not a task lightly undertaken.   It takes a vast amount of work but, if done properly, is well worth the effort.   Should you be inspired to have a go, let me know how you get on.

When thinking about Shipping Container Sales (or even hire) there are quite a few things you should consider.   Here are 10 that you might want to keep in mind.

1. The cheapest  to buy are 20ft Shipping Containers or 40ft Shipping Containers.  This is because these are the most common sizes used by the Shipping Lines/Transport Companies etc and therefore the most readily available.   Sizes such as 10ft etc are often cut down from larger containers and, due to the labour involved, are often more expensive.
2. Your shipping Container should be made out of corten steel.   This is a highly rust resistant and strong material that is weather resistant.   If you are considering buying  second hand shipping container then it will probaby be painted in the colours of a Shipping Line Company.   There will probably be places where the paint has been scraped and a brown surface layer will have formed.   This is not rust!   Corten steel forms this patina to stop rust getting to the underneath layer.   Your steel container should last another 10-15 years.
3. You should check that your container comes with a wind and watertight guarantee.   When you take delivery of your shipping container walk inside it and look for any holes in the sides and don’t forget to look up and check the roof!   This should be easy in the daylight as the sunlight will show through any holes there might be.
4. The floor of a standard shipping container is made out of 27mm timber.   Check that there are no soft spots in the floor that might give way when the container is loaded.
5. Make sure that your shipping container is sited on level ground.   This means that the doors will open smoothly.   When the container is empty this potential problem is often not obvious as the doors will probably open easily.   However, once the container is loaded if the container is not sited on the level then things are about to get a whole lot worse!
6. If you are going to use your container for shipping then make sure it has a CSC certificate or plate.   This will ensure that your container is cargo worthy and that you have no problems when delivering it to the port for shipping.  Remember that a lot of people choose to buy their container rather than hire is so they can use it as a shipping container conversion once they get to their new country.
7. If you have any concerns about the security of your container have a lock cowl or lockbox put on at the depot before delivery.   This is a metal box that is welded on to the container doors to protect the padlock from illegal access and tampering from bolt croppers or angle grinders etc.
8. Some insurance companies offer a premium discount if you use an insurance approved heavy duty container padlock such as CISA.   It is worth asking the insurance company you use to insure your container’s contents whether they do.
9. If you are worried about condensation then it may be worth considering lining the container.   This can be carried out at the depot and can be done in a variety of ways.   The most common is done using ply either without or without the addition of rockwool behind.  You could also consider using a “thermal blanket” - the method used by a large number of the shipping lines themselves.  A cheaper alternative to the problem of condensation is a moisture trap.  These last for 4 months and suck up 2.5 litres of water.   They are extremely effective but you do have to keep replacing them.
10. Finally, make sure that when you arrange delivery of your container you take into account the access to your site.   If there are overhanging trees, low cables or the lorry has to cross a field then the lorry might not be able to deliver your container and you will be charged for wasted transport.   It is always worth checking at the time of purchasing your container and, if there are concerns, sending photographs of the site or arranging a site visit to make sure that your container can be delivered.

If you are planning on emigrating, there are two ways to move your home contents – by air or by sea.   If you choose to ship your items it will obviously take longer for them to arrive at their final destination although usually it will save you money.   When you are trying to decide which option to choose, look at both air and sea options in terms of cost and time and don’t forget to factor in any furnished rentals you may need to pay for in the interim.  You can undertake the whole move yourself, or pay an international mover to take care of it for you.   Much will depend on your budget but, even if this is comparatively small, it could be worth talking to a professional as there are various options available that mean you can take on some of the process yourself and keep the price down!
If you do decide to move by sea, you will probably use a shipping container.   These are available to buy or hire and are made of corten steel.  These steel containers are extremely rust resistant and strong and are able to be delivered to your home so that your belongings can be packed inside.  Remember that you can either load straight away if you do not have too much stuff, or you can have the container left for a few weeks whilst you pack at your leisure.
 If you do decide to buy your own shipping container – and many people do, finding it extremely useful to have as additional storage space or as the basis of a conversion once they have arrived in their new country – then you must make sure that your container is sea worthy.   The phrase CSC plated is often used to determine whether the shipping container is suitable for shipping.   CSC stands for “Container Safety Convention” and the plate is usually attached to the shipping container doors and acts as the equivalent of a passport for the container.  Second hand shipping containers over 5 years old, can be tested and awarded a certificate that needs to be presented to the shipping line that is moving your container.  Basically this ensures that your shipping container is strong enough to be lifted safely on and off the ship with your home contents inside.
But how do you decide which size of shipping container will take all the contents of your home?  The standard sizes are either 20ft or 40ft and the easiest way to judge the size is to imagine that a 20ft shipping container as the size of a single garage and a 40ft shipping container the size of a double garage.   Whilst there are other sizes of shipping containers available generally these would need to go as special cargo and therefore be more expensive to ship.     Shipping containers are normally loaded onto the boat as cargo and must fit into the boat’s schematic.   Therefore all the 20ft containers are usually stacked together and similarly all the 40fts.  
Once you have loaded your container, it should be collected and moved to the port by rail or road where it can be loaded onto the ship.   Once your goods have arrived in your new country, the container is then unloaded and must pass through customs.   International movers should be able to help you with all the necessary forms and are often responsible for clearing your goods.  Don’t forget that depending on which country you have moved to it may be possible to claim back the vat you will have paid on your container.
From there on in you are on the home straight (as it were)!  It is simply a matter of getting your shipping container to your new house and unpacking.  
Best of luck!

When you buy or hire a shipping container usually you do so by size.   The size you choose is normally to suit what space you have available or how much you need to store or ship.   In fact shipping was responsible for determining shipping container sizes.   For what you probably don’t realise as you choose is that the standard sizes of shipping container – either 20ft or 40ft long by 8ft wide and 8ft 6in tall – revolutionised the cost of shipping.
These standard sizes meant that the loading and unloading of shipping containers could be mechanised.  Only a few pieces of equipment are needed to move the containers rather than the considerable manpower and different types of machinery that had been needed to move the varying shapes of palletised goods that had up until then been the norm.  It also meant that large numbers of shipping containers could be organized on a single ship as they are easily arranged in large stacks.
Of course the standard 20ft and 40ft are not the only sizes of shipping containers available.   There is a 20ft and 40ft high cube available which is 9ft 6in tall and is particularly useful for putting taller machinery and equipment in.   Smaller sizes of shipping container are also available such as the 8ft and 10ft long containers although these often have to be shipped as “special cargo” rather than going on the main container decks.
But nowadays, shipping containers are not just used for shipping.   They are used for secure, dry storage.   As such, they can be altered to any length from 40ft downwards.  Frequently, people ask for an 8ft or 10ft container believing that they will be cheaper than the 20ft.   Yet because a 10ft or and 8ft is usually cut down from a 20ft container, the additional labour means that the 10ft or 8ft is as – if not more – expensive than the standard 20ft size.  So, if you have room for the larger size, it is often worth buying as you get more storage space for a similar amount of money.

We are all getting used to seeing shipping container conversions of  amazing h0uses, art galleries and classrooms but, in order to prove that uses of shipping containers and container conversions are really is only limited to yor imagination, here are some of the more unusal requests we have had over the last few months.

1. Rogrigo the human cannon ball wants to be able to transport his cannon over to Australia and needs to be able to secure his cannon for the trip.   This enquiry is  relatively simple to do but how could anyone resist including such a request?   7 metres in length,  2 metres in width and 2.5 metres high it weights 2000-2500 kg so is a substantial piece of kit!   Luckily shipping containers are used to taking a lot more weight than that so, providing the cannon is kept anchored in side securely it should not prove to be a problem.
2. Refrigerated shipping containers are often put to the most unusual uses.   Have you ever thought of them as being useful for bug extermination?   A well-known country house uses them to put in their antique carpets and turns down the temperature to kill off all the nasties that are trying to chomp through the carpet fibres.  Apparently if you keep the carpets at -20C for two weeks, let them slowly come back to normal ambient temperature for another two weeks before repeating the process again, this solves the problem.  These carpets are priceless so the refrigerated containers have to be kept in a bonded warehouse or somewhere equally as secure to make sure the carpets don’t get stolen.
3. Talking of creatures with more than 2 legs, we have also been asked for a shipping container conversion of a refrigerated container so it could be used as a climate controlled holding tank for crabs for a sea aquarium whilst the crabs were breeding.   The floor had to be bunded to hold 1 metre depth of water at a constant temperature and have a ledge for the crabs to be able to climb up on.   At the same time the refrigerator motor had to be totally secure so the crabs could not get into it!
4. One of our refrigerated containers has been used to test a Range Rover!   Regulations apparently required that the car underwent a series of tests at -20C and these were carried out in one of our containers that we hired out for 16 weeks.   Amazing!
5. Maybe not such an unusual shipping container conversion - but rather an unusual use - was the request for a shipping container to be converted into a mobile on-line auction room.   Fitted out to a luxury spec it was to provide a place where clients would feel happy to bid for luxury yachts in all parts of the world be this at  the Boat Show at Earls Court or  St Tropez or even Florida!   With the different power requirements, lots of glass, sofas and expensive rugs, as well as the need for air conditioning and heating (depending on where the conversion was sited at any particular time) it certainly proved to be a detailed job to undertake!

So there you are, next time you look at a shipping container you can think of these requests and see them in a whole new light!

There have been quite a few people recently who have been interested in hiring shipping containers for storage for the very first time. This has been for a variety of reasons, downsizing, house renovation, or just to gain extra storage whilst seeing whether a new home business is a viable option. What none of them has realised is how hiring a container actually works.

Firstly, it is much cheaper to hire a standard 20ft or 40ft container than any other size such as a 10ft or 30ft. This is because 20ft and 40ft shipping containers are the industry standard and the other sizes are cut down from them - and it is the labour involved in doing this that makes it more expensive.

Secondly, the way that hire works it that you are charged haulage both for delivery and collection on the first invoice. The payment for the collection of the container acting as a guarantee that the regular hire charge will be paid. Obviously at the time of off hire no further haulage cost would be due. The first invoice also contains a charge for the initial hire of the container - usually to the end of the calendar month. From then on subsequent invoices are purely for the next calendar month in advance.

When the time comes that the shipping container is no longer required a weeks notice to allow for time to book in the collection with the haulier is normally required. If the customer decides to buy the container the collection charge is normally deducted off the sale price.

Shipping container hire rates are normally variable depending on how long the hire period is. The monthly rate for a year’s hire is going to be less than for the minimum 28 day hire.

Shipping containers were used as platforms for a spectacular firework display to mark Liverpool’s transition from European Capital of Culture 2008 to a European Culture Capital.

Shipping Containers at Liverpool Firework Display

The firework display, held on 10th January 2009, was produced by Walk the Plank who hired the specialist containers in the form of 20ft collapsible flat racks from CS Shipping Containers. Everything had to be delivered within a very tight schedule to Liverpool Docks. Here the flat racks were converted into platforms from which the fireworks were mounted before being lifted on to boats straddling the Mersey and set off to much excitement.

Fireworks on shipping container flat racks

The display was watched by over 35,000 people who had no idea of the logistics behind the spectacular display.

Flat racks are generally used for transporting awkward shaped loads that will not fit inside the 8ft width of a ordinary shipping container. Examples of loads the containers would be used for would be heavy machinery, boats etc. On collapsible flat racks the two ends of the rack fold flat into the middle making it easier to transport multiples on one lorry when the shipping containers are not in use.

20ft collapsible end flat rack

Shipping Containers as part of such a spectacular firework display? It is amazing what uses shipping containers can be put to!

Shipping Containers are, as we have discussed in previous posts, ideal for use in emergency situations.  They are frequently used in Australia and New Zealand for emergency housing and the Red Cross in America used them extensively in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.

Flooding

The floods in North Lancashire and Cumbria mean that many people are going to be looking for emergency container storage for household items.  Most firms will guarantee their containers to be wind and watertight, and as shipping containers are designed to withstand marine conditions they are ideal for storage after the storms and flooding that happened at the weekend.  Offices and site accommodation in the form of conversions made out of shipping containers are also likely to help out local businesses.

20ft container

10ft container

Obviously, the storage containers will not be needed for long periods of time so container hire is an option that should be considered.  Often insurance companies will organise this for their clients.  If you are looking to hire a container yourself, you should remember that the initial invoice will normally be for the first period of hire (normally a month) together with the delivery and collection haulage.   Therefore if the haulage was £150 the first invoice would be for £150 x 2 = £300.

Condensation solutions are also available in the form of moisture traps and additional security  can be provided through lock boxes and insurance approved CISA padlocks.