Large Shipping Containers for Storage - Opinions Requested

[MacLawn]

Belt, keep us posted on how it goes. I'm also in Appling, fairly familiar with Columbia County building codes, they are pretty strict. I recently looked at a container when I went to the Tiny House show in Eatonton. For me the biggest issue is the long narrow box being hard to reach stuff in back. I'll probably go with poll barn. A man can never have enough roofs on his place to put all his junk under.

 

[NoTrespassing]

The main reason I'm considering a container for additional storage is to avoid property taxes on a new building.

Kevin

 

[ovrszd]

I've studied the value of having my equipment under roof. I think the benefit far outweighs the tax cost.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I've studied the value of having my equipment under roof. I think the benefit far outweighs the tax cost.

That's also why I'm considering a container for additional storage. It would be a roof over some of my equipment and I wouldn't pay property taxes on it.

Kevin

 

[topbuilder]

Container users/owners - Never enter a container without some system of making sure that the door cannot close while you are in it. The cogs/cams on the door lock mechanism can engage and lock you in. Make an angle flip at the entrance or get in the habit of fully engaging the locking mechanism while the door is open. Anything to make sure that you or someone else cannot be locked inside. This happened to me in a construction job storage container. Pitch black inside and an internal temp over 100 degrees even though it was in the low 80s outside. Were it not for a rolling tool cart that had a flashlight, I probably would not be here to give you this warning. So buttery smooth was the door lock mechanism on this trailer, when the door closed the handle latched completely in its slot AND the little paddle lock hinge flipped in place making sure the handle could not be lifted up. BEWARE!!!

 

[Industrial Toys]

So, how did you escape certain death?

I know a friend that cancelled enlarging his shop on account of having to pay more taxes. He really showed them, but he is the one that suffers, not them.

 

[topbuilder]

I first started bang on the door with a hammer. The only people in the area were operating a jack hammer with a trailer mounted compressor. You can guess how well that worked. I was able to slide a framing square through the seal between the doors. The guy who was standing there holding up a shovel eventually saw it and came. He did not know how to open the door. He finally went to get someone who did. (No speak Ingle's)
I was on a commercial job with 5 other guys. We were all working out of that container, so I tell them the potential danger. One of the guys says "oh yeah, that happened to me the other day". :confused2:

 

[AGRIMAN]

We have spray foamed the inside of several containers. None were because of condensation issues. One was being turned into a mobile office, the others were basically just for storage.

We sprayed the roofs to help keep them cooler during the summer, so you could at least go inside without have a heat stroke.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I thought maybe you used a wheelborough tire for some air, a spare lead acid battery for power, and took apart the electronics in a jobsite radio to make a plasma cutter! But sticking a square out a hole works too. That must not have been an original door. They close almost air tight.

 

[topbuilder]

Almost MacGyver . Almost.

 

[boggen]

my beef with pole barns. is mice, rats, snakes, frogs, bugs. can get in them. primary through the large shed door.

insulation of pole barn ceilings can help a huge amount. keeping cool in summer, and keeping some heat in it during winter.

pole barns for me = mostly dirt to rock flooring. to only a small section that is concrete, and that small section of concrete is little shop area.

there are some half circle metal sheds (think grain bin cut in half and on its side), that seem cheaper than standard pole barn.

pole barns should have gutters on them, and be placed so run off water runs away from them. to keep mud/rock flooring good and not a muddy mess, and if concrete, keep the concrete from cracking from frost heaves and ground movement.

the little 8 x 10 wood shed at lake = cave. were fishing stuff is stored. in order to get to the back you need to remove all the crud in the front. chairs, coolers, baskets, grill, fishing gear boxes, etc...

at one time there use to be large 3 to 3.5 feet high, by 4 feet deep, shelving in one shop area of one of the pole barns here. the 4 feet depth = you crawling up into the shelves banging head and nocking stuff on the floor in order to get to stuff clear in back up against the walls.

shelves only 2 to 2.5 feet depth (from your arm pit to tip of your fingers maybe a couple more inches longer) = shelving depth that has worked out much better. with approx 30" to 40" walk way between shelving (widths of your generic doors going in/out of home and into rooms within your home).

remember you may need to get gas cans, battery charger, or something else beside a tractor beyond yourself. in order to get tractor, vehicle, etc.. in/out of shed/barn/shipping container.

push mowers, push trimmers, push snow blowers, portable generator. even when handle is folded up half way, they take up a descent amount of space.

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if you have the equipment and tools and know how. to install a roof over some containers, you most likely have abilty to build a pole barn. DIY build = generally cheaper.

if you are paying someone else to do something, costs may begin to skyrocket.