Planning to move to your new house or looking for a container for your business? Perhaps you’re looking to haul bulk goods, or to store your stuff for a short period? Hiring a shipping container could be a viable option. Many people consider hiring a shipping container as an alternative to buying for utility and affordability. Although they are widely available these days, choosing the right container from plenty of them can sometimes be challenging.

So, what things need to be considered when hiring a shipping container? Well, here is a simple checklist to ensure that you meet your container needs.

1. Size of the container:

First, determine the size of shipping container you will need. This will require you to have a plan around what you are going to put in the container.

It’s better to spend your money on hiring one single large and long unit rather than going for several small shipping containers. Make sure your chosen container can handle all the weight you intend to carry. People commonly use  6m by 12m long containers as containers with these lengths are readily available and widely used in the freight industry.

2. Quality of the container:

Perform a quality check on the shipping container you are hiring. Scrutinize the unit from top to bottom and ensure that it is suitable for your needs. While inspecting look for durability and sturdiness to resist harsh weather conditions along with holes or cracks that can lead to damaged goods.

3. Duration of usage:

How long you are going to use the container for is another factor to take into account, especially if you are looking to hire rather than buy. All you need to do is to fix a date with the container hire company stating the approximate usage duration of the container.

A good idea while hiring a container is to extend the hire period a bit beyond your actual intended use. This way you have time up your sleeve when you need to use the container for longer than you anticipated. Sometimes container providers offer a discount on longer-term leases, making container hire a cost-effective option.

4. Perform a security check:

A must while hiring a container is performing a security check. The door of the container is the most dangerous area, but make sure the entire container is safe from unauthorized access; look for a lock box joined with the container doors to ensure the padlock is safe from being tampered with unlawfully.

While hiring a shipping container, it is wise to talk with your shipping container provider about insurance obligations. Also, make sure that the insurance covers all risks associated with your stock of stored or shipped goods while using the container.

5. Prepare the site to receive delivery:

When dealing with a container service provider, make sure that you inform them about the sort of site access you have, as making them aware of this will assist them in arranging the delivery of your shipping container.

If your site has any obstacles like overhanging trees or power lines, notify them so that they can plan to deliver your container in the safest manner possible. Make adequate room for the truck to allow for easy loading and unloading of the container.

6. Choose the right shipping container provider:

Make sure that you hire the right shipping container supplier. Look at what services they offer customers. Do you have a container that you need to be moved? At Jacobs Transport, we offer container movement services both nationally as well as cross-border container transportation services. Call Jacobs Transport today, to ensure your container is transported safely, timeously and in a professional manner to its desired destination.

Now you have a checklist of what to do while hiring a shipping container. So what are you waiting for? Make the best use of the list and choose the shipping container that is most suitable for your needs, call Jacobs Transport today!