Frequently Asked Questions
What a container costs, what the truck needs to get to you, how long you can keep it, and where we deliver. If your question is not here, call us and ask. The people who answer the phone are the people who run the business.
Cost and billing
- What does a storage container cost?
- Get a free quote for your address. Transportation is quoted separately from the monthly rental. One month minimum, then month to month.
- Why isn't transportation a flat rate?
- The cost of a trip depends on how far the truck drives to your address. A published flat rate would either overcharge customers close to us or undercharge the ones farther out, and we would rather tell you the real number for your address than average it.
- How many transportation trips will I be charged for?
- It depends on what you need. A delivery and a pickup are two trips. A move that ends at a new address, or a relocation partway through a rental, changes that. Your quote identifies every expected trip before anything is scheduled.
- When am I charged?
- The billing sequence is set out in full on our pricing page. See “When You’re Charged.”
- Are there other fees?
- No fuel surcharge and no administrative fee. Mileage beyond the included distance on a trip is the only add-on.
- Is there a minimum rental?
- One month minimum. After that it renews month to month for as long as you need it. Extend, and the rent simply continues. There is no proration for a partial month.
The container
- What size are your containers?
- One size: 16 feet. Weatherproof steel, ground level, no ramp to climb.
- How much fits in one?
- The inside measures 15'6" × 7'4" × 7'6", 835 cubic feet of usable space, up to a maximum load of 5,000 lb. A dense load reaches the weight limit before it fills the space.
- Are they climate controlled?
- No. They are weatherproof steel containers, not climate-controlled units.
- Is my container stored indoors?
- No. Your container is stored at our Carver yard and it sits outside, in the open. The container itself is weatherproof steel, and the yard is fenced and gated, with cameras and lighting.
- Is there a lock?
- You supply the lock at your own expense and we hold no key or combination. Nobody but you opens the container. Any lock you consider sufficient is fine, and the container has to be locked before we move it.
- What can't I put in it?
- No food or perishables, nothing hazardous, flammable or explosive, nothing illegal. The container is not for living in or running a business out of. The full list is in the rental agreement.
Delivery and placement
- What does the truck need?
A clear path in and out, and room to work: at least 14 feet wide, 40 feet long and 15 feet of overhead clearance. That is a measurement you can take with a tape, and it is a requirement rather than a preference. Below any one of those figures the delivery cannot happen.
The spot needs to be flat, level, and even, with no steep incline. We do not publish a maximum grade. Our driver makes the final safety call at delivery.
Clearing that space is necessary but not the whole question. The ground has to carry a loaded container and our equipment:
- Pavement or concrete. Firm, mature pavement or concrete is what we prefer. It carries the loaded container and our delivery equipment without question.
- Gravel. Gravel often works, as long as it is level, firmly compacted, and not loose or deeply rutted. Rain alone doesn't rule it out. Compacted gravel still carries the truck wet, which is why it's often where we move to when the rest of the yard is soft. We confirm unpaved placements with you in advance.
- Grass or dirt. Grass and dirt we take case by case. If the ground is soft, wet, muddy, recently filled, or otherwise unstable, we may refuse the placement. The truck or the lifting equipment can sink or do damage. That usually doesn't mean rescheduling: most often we move to pavement or a compacted gravel area and the delivery goes ahead the same day. If there's genuinely nowhere firm on the property, we'd rather wait for the ground to come back than leave ruts across your yard.
- Sand. Sand we take case by case, and we need to see the surface and the access beforehand. If the ground cannot safely support the truck and the loaded container, we will require a different placement location.
For any gravel, grass, dirt, sand, or sloped location, send us photographs beforehand and confirm the spot with us in advance.
- Where can't the container go?
Some spots we will not set a container on, whatever the surface looks like. Tell us before delivery day if any of these are in or near the placement area:
- fresh asphalt
- newly installed pavers
- sprinkler heads
- septic systems
- underground tanks
- soft shoulders
- drainage areas
- curbs
Septic systems, underground tanks and sprinkler heads are the ones customers most often forget are there, and they are the expensive ones to get wrong.
- Do I need to be home?
- You don't need to be home when we deliver, provided three things are settled with us beforehand: clear placement instructions, access to the property, and your approval of the exact placement location. Our driver still makes the final call on arrival.
- Do I need to trim branches before delivery?
- Before delivery day, trim back any branches that could block the truck. We review your access photographs beforehand, but if our driver arrives and cannot enter safely, the delivery may need to be rescheduled.
- Which way will the doors face?
- The doors are on the 8' end, and they swing. We'll ask which way you want the doors facing before we set the container down, and we'll position it that way wherever the site allows.
- Will it damage my driveway?
- We put planks under every container, on every delivery, at no charge. They go under the corners to protect the driveway or ground surface where the container rests. We will also go over the spot with you before we schedule, and we will tell you if we think it is a bad place to set a container.
- Can I have it put somewhere other than the driveway?
- Often, yes. A side yard, a parking area or a job site all work if the truck can reach the spot and the ground will hold it. That is part of what we go over before scheduling.
- Where does the container go if the driveway is short or the yard is small?
- Beside the house, at the edge of the drive, or in a parking area. It depends on what the site allows, and we look at that before the day. If the ground is soft or sandy we may need a different spot than the obvious one. Anything overhanging the approach needs trimming before we come, otherwise the driver may not be able to get in safely and we'd have to reschedule.
- The yard is soft after a storm. Should I reschedule?
- Not necessarily. Often we move to pavement or a gravel area instead and the delivery goes ahead the same day. If there's genuinely nowhere firm I'd rather wait for the ground to come back than leave you with ruts across the property.
Permits and permissions
- Do I need a permit?
- We place containers on private property only, so no town permit is needed. If you rent, or your property is in a condo or homeowners association or on a private road, check with them first — those rules are separate from anything the town requires, and it's worth getting written permission before delivery day.
Rental period and changes
- How long can I keep it?
- One month minimum, then month to month for as long as you need it.
- Can I have it moved to another address?
- Yes. Relocations are quoted on request. We leave the container at the new address and you unload on your own schedule. Rent continues while you have it, and there is no waiting fee.
- Can I move it to a different spot on the same property?
- Yes. Call us and we will quote it.
Service area
- Where do you deliver?
- Across southeastern Massachusetts. The South Shore, the Bridgewater and Middleborough area, the coastal towns, and the Cape out to Hyannis. Our 18 standard towns are listed on the service areas page.
- Do you deliver past Hyannis?
- We serve every town out to Hyannis as standard. Past Hyannis, delivery is by arrangement: those trips run beyond the 30-mile allowance, so we quote the mileage for your address and you accept it before we book the job.
- Do you serve Rhode Island, or move out of state?
- No. We are licensed to move goods within Massachusetts only, so we do not serve Rhode Island and we do not move out of state. If your move crosses a state line, we will point you to a carrier authorized for it.
Still Have a Question?
Tell us the address and what you are storing, and we will answer it along with the price.