There are four main types of self-storage facilities in the UK:
- Warehouse Storage – These are large buildings, usually used by businesses to store products before shipping them onto other locations or individual customers.
- Indoor Lockups – These are garage-style rental units which are typically smaller than other storage options.
- Furniture Depositories – These provide removals to package your belongings into crates/pallets and place them inside a container or building. Access can only be gained by appointment.
- Shipping Containers – These are solid metal containers made from Corten steel to transport products from one location to another. As they’re reusable they also make very good storage units.
Sometimes people are concerned that outdoor storage solutions may not be suitable for storing their possessions because the storage units themselves are subjected to the outside elements, such as temperature fluctuations and rainfall. The rule to remember is that as long as you ensure your items are dry before storing there should be no risk of damp or mould inside your unit.
PadStore purchase brand new shipping containers, which have only been used once to carry stock from oversees before they land on our sites. For shipping containers to withstand the high seas and stormy weather they must be watertight and sturdy and are therefore built to withstand the most extreme conditions while keeping their contents safe and dry.
More Cost Effective
Outdoor storage units are typically cheaper to hire than indoor storage as there are fewer overheads passed onto customers such as heating costs, increased electricity consumption and far greater insurance costs.
No Access Charges
When you hire an indoor storage unit you could be charged to access your belongings. This is mostly applicable to indoor storage facilities that require you to arrange an appointment for access, even if it’s during usual office hours. When hiring a storage unit with PadStore Self Storage you don’t need to make an appointment to gain access to your unit, you can visit site as many times as you like and without an appointment or any additional visiting costs.
Convenient Access
Unlike some indoor storage facilities or furniture depositories, outdoor storage can provide you with access 24/7 and as many times a day as you wish to visit. There’s no requirement for a code to be keyed into the gate for access, or another code to enter the building / specific corridor, not to mention needing to remember to turn off the alarm and resetting it again when you leave (some companies if you forget to do this will issue you with a fine).
There is also the thought of carrying your items from one end of the building to the other and battling with lifts. If you’re unlucky enough to have a storage room at the other end of the building, it’s going to be quite time consuming and tiring to be lugging your possessions into your storage unit/room from the carpark.
Having a storage unit outside, you only need to access through the main gate and then to access your unit. At PadStore, we’ve made this even simpler for our customers by using an electric GSM gate system. Your mobile number is programmed onto the gate and when you call the gate it will know who you are and open, automatically closing behind you. There’s no need to be exiting your vehicle in the dark, rain or snow, keying digits into a keypad or swiping a fob, you just call the gate, enter site, and drive straight up to your unit.
Spacious
When thinking about storing your furniture or work equipment, some indoor storage facilities have narrow corridors with other storage rooms opposite – this could cause potential manoeuvring issues if both occupants are visiting their storage at the same time, not to mention negotiating tight corners into your storage space.
Outdoor storage has plenty of space making it easier for you to load your big, bulky items straight into your unit.
More Space for Less
Some indoor storage facilities can be up to double the price of outdoor storage. This could be due to staff overheads and a percentage of greater costs being passed onto the customer.
You get more for your money with an outdoor storage unit; you generally get more square footage of space to store more items.
A Great Storage Solution for Everyone
Outdoor storage units do not have to be hired only by trade persons or businesses, they can also be hired for domestic use, such as moving home, leaving to work overseas for a while, or just generally needing to store items you don’t have room for at home.
Predictable Invoice Payments
Our outdoor storage facilities have more predictable costs, which is not always the case when hiring indoor storage where an increase in overheads for utilities, for example, could result in an increase to your monthly invoices.
An introductory offer should not be the difference in being able to afford storage or not. The chances are you may not know how long you will require your storage for and, if you’ve been seduced into hiring a unit with an offer like “50% off your first month” or “8 weeks for the price of 4”, then you may have a shock when you come into your second or third month’s invoice. It’s also good to note that those charging 4 weekly are not monthly invoices (only February is 4 weeks long), so instead of making 12 payments in a year you will be making 13!!
Still Unsure?
If you’re still unsure whether outdoor storage is for you, give us a try or pick up the phone and have a chat with us about how we could help. We offer a Flexible Package which gives you the ability to vacate any time after the first initial seven days and any unused days are refunded back to you. If you’re happy with your storage hire and would like to extend for a longer period you can always contract onto our 6 or 12 month packages, reducing your monthly invoice payments.
Whatever your storage hire requirements, PadStore are here to assist and accommodate you in any way that we can.
