Storage5 Reasons to Rent a Storage Unit Over a Warehouse for Your Business
As a business owner, you likely have a large volume of goods that needs to be stored appropriately and protected from damage. You may be leaning towards a warehouse for this storage, but these five reasons may convince you to go with storage units instead of a typical industrial warehouse. Fully understanding their benefits can help to make it easier for you to choose a storage option that best suits the unique needs of your particular business.
5 Reasons to Rent a Storage Unit Over a Warehouse
- Lower Price Per Square Foot
- Inexpensive Insurance
- Easy Access Options
- No Long-Term Contracts
- Simpler to Scale for Storage Needs
1. Lower Price Per Square Foot
Square-footage costs may sway those debating between storage units and warehouses. You may think that warehouses would be more cost-efficient with their more massive floor. However, that is rarely the case. When examining the costs, it is found that storage units can cost anywhere between $0.60 to $0.80 per square foot, while warehouses cost an average of $1.00 per square foot.
The cost benefits here can add up quickly. For example, let's say that you need 2,000 square feet of storage. From a warehouse, that would cost $2,000 per month. By contrast, based on the abovementioned averages, storage units cost from $1,200 to $1,600 per month. Per year, that's a difference of between $4,800 to $9,600 - those savings are hugely beneficial over the life of your business.
2. Inexpensive Insurance
Your insurance costs are likely much lower when renting a storage unit instead of a warehouse. Many experts estimate that monthly storage units cost around $10-30. These policies will pay for destroying any goods within the unit to ensure that a business owner doesn't suffer too much financial loss if a storage facility is burned down.
These policies' coverage ranges from $2,000 to $5,000, which should cover a large portion of most of the losses. By contrast, warehouse insurance will cost much more because of the larger size of the building and the more numerous goods it holds. Therefore, business owners trying to save on insurance costs may choose storage units instead of warehouses.
3. Easy Access Options
Though warehouses are often quite open and may seem easier to access, you may have difficulty finding the items you need due to the sheer size of the place. Therefore, it is a good idea to consider storage units instead. You can sort out your items in a way that makes sense and then place them in groups in a way that makes the most sense for your storage needs and demands.
This benefit is more useful than you may initially think. Simply put, you'll be able to get items out of your storage unit more quickly when you need them. This speed can allow you to make great deals in many businesses - particularly those that rely on up-to-date sales. It also helps to keep down your work hour costs by making it easier to find necessary items.
4. No Long-Term Contracts
When you rent out a warehouse for storage, you usually get a long-term contract that can cause you to stick with them for years. By contrast, storage units have no contracts but often rent monthly. Those involved with a growing business or one that moves from place to place frequently may appreciate storage units more than warehouses.
Some may think the lack of a long-term contract would be a negative. However, it is very easy to make mistakes with your contracts that could cost you money. Even worse, you could end up in a lengthy contract that is hard to end and could cost you money if you no longer need a warehouse for your goods. With storage units, your month-to-month deal lets you leave the unit whenever possible.
5. Simpler to Scale for Storage Needs
Lastly, storage units are more diverse and flexible for scaling needs. Warehouses have almost no scaling ability - you have to pay for the whole warehouse and usually cannot pay for a portion. By contrast, storage units come in a multitude of sizes. As a result, it is much easier to find an efficiency for your storage than you can't with warehouses. This factor is particularly critical for those who may not need much storage space.
For example, you can find storage units as small as 5x5. However, they are also available in sizes up to 10x30 or large enough to park some vehicles. As a result, you can scale your storage needs more quickly than you would in a warehouse. As importantly, you will pay less for your room by choosing the best size for you. Renting a whole warehouse when you don't need its full storage capacity is a waste of cash.
Making The Right Choice
As you can see, the benefits of storage units make them an excellent choice over warehouses. And since there are often so many more storage groups compared to warehouses in an area, it is usually quite easy to find where you can store your goods for extended periods. Research what is available near you, and you should find it easy to choose a great storage unit. Pay attention to facets such as temperature control, the size of the storage unit, and its location when making a rental choice.
We're Your Storage Solution!
Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or call our storage experts at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.
