Connex box (shipping container)

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I have been renting a 40' connex box since about mid summer. The rental company has recently sold to a bigger outfit. Price is still the same $110/ month. I called after the business changed hands and offered to buy the unit... $4,850 to buy it. I figure I'll have it for 2 more years at least. I'm waiting to build a house until this crazyness with pricing and supply chain has gotten a little better.

Anybody have advice on buying vs continuing to rent?

 

[newbury]

I have been renting a 40' connex box since about mid summer. The rental company has recently sold to a bigger outfit. Price is still the same $110/ month. I called after the business changed hands and offered to buy the unit... $4,850 to buy it. I figure I'll have it for 2 more years at least. I'm waiting to build a house until this crazyness with pricing and supply chain has gotten a little better.

Anybody have advice on buying vs continuing to rent?

What will you do with it at the end of the 2 years? Why do you think this crazyness is going to subside?
$4850 seems kinda steep but it's delivered, you must be satisfied with it and are willing to put another $2.5 grand into it. I'd say buy it and get on with it.

 

[duffer]

Do a little more price comparison shopping. The price seems a little high, but what else is new.

I'd ask the company to give you purchase credit for the rent you paid to date against the final purchase price.

If you're going to buy it, make sure to get it off the ground so it won't rust thru from the bottom. A good drainage base under it should prevent that.

 

[workinonit]

They are 2 to 3 grand around here.

 

[TheMan419]

i'd price shop it. You are going to put at least $2640 in rent into it over the next 24 months. If you have it off the ground and keep it in good shape you will be able to sell it at the end of that time to recoup some of the costs.

But price shop it and see if you can get a better deal. Of course there is some pain in changing to a different box in that you have to move all your stuff out of the old and into the new.

 

[ponytug]

FWIW: Containers are pretty scarce here. It is a casualty of the demand for import/exports, and long wait times in the shipping yards.

All the best,

Peter

 

[caver]

I paid 1875 delivered (50 miles) in early 2020 for a 20' unit. A 40' was maybe a few hundred more but I wanted something I could move if needed and the main issue is a truck could not get around a curve to deliver it.

 

[ovrszd]

Buy it, use it, sell it.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I paid $1700 for an UGLY 40' HC in spring of 2018. Prices have skyrocketed since then, but $4800 seems pretty high.

 

[ddgood]

$4300-4500 for a 40’ HC wind and water tight is what I’m seeing in East Tx right now. $7500 for 1 tripper which is crazy.

 

[jyoutz]

$4300-4500 for a 40’ HC wind and water tight is what I’m seeing in East Tx right now. $7500 for 1 tripper which is crazy.

But consider that you couldn’t build something as large and sturdy as the container for that price. Also consider that the container can be resold, and rental money is just gone.

 

[Torvy]

Renting has its uses, but for the length of time you have, I would buy...the price is a valid question and I would shop around.

 

[pokey1416]

Price doesn't sound bad for a 40'. Here's a quote I received last November. Yard was only 90 miles from my house too.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Oof. Yeah these are expensive. I wish I had thought about the rust issue with them sitting right on the ground that some of you brought up. I just had it set on the grass when they delivered it. It's not in a low spot but it is directly on the ground.

 

[oosik]

I'd buy it and get it up off the ground on concrete blocks. No way are you going to build something that cheap - stick built.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm not a big container fan. My Eldest Son and wife have two. 20 footers. They bought them for temporary storage and will sell them in a couple years. They asked my opinion. I said buy two 20 footers rather than one 40 footer. My philosophy was, easier to sell smaller containers, wayyyyyyy easier to find the things you need stored in a 20 footer.