Buy or rent a shipping container: which pays off
When it pays to rent a shipping container and when to buy: a simple calculation with your own numbers, what rentals often leave out and what you lose by only renting.
Practical advice on shipping containers from the Kontiks.lv team in Riga: how to choose a new or used container, what to check before buying, when a container needs a building permit, how to site it and protect it from condensation. We write about the questions customers ask us most.
For specific containers with prices, see the pages new shipping containers and used shipping containers.
When it pays to rent a shipping container and when to buy: a simple calculation with your own numbers, what rentals often leave out and what you lose by only renting.
What one-way, IICL, CW, WWT and As-is mean for shipping containers: condition, what each grade is good for and what to check before you buy.
Fake container sellers online: 8 warning signs, what to check before paying and how to buy a shipping container safely in Latvia.
Weight of 20 ft and 40 ft shipping containers, what delivery with a crane truck needs, how to prepare the site and avoid surprises on delivery day.
Why a standard padlock does not protect a shipping container, what a lock box and puck lock are, and how to place a container so it is harder to break into.
How to insulate a shipping container: PUR spray foam, PIR boards or mineral wool, vapour barrier, ceiling, floor and ventilation. When to insulate and when a ready module is the better choice.
Why water drips from a shipping container ceiling, how to tell condensation from a leak and 7 ways to protect stored items from moisture.
What to put a shipping container on: concrete blocks, gravel, a slab or screw piles. How many supports you need, how to level it and what to prepare before delivery.
What to check before buying a used shipping container: IICL, CW and WWT grades, roof, floor, doors, rust and the CSC plate. A practical checklist.
When you can place a shipping container without paperwork and when you need the building authority: small buildings up to 25 m², 40ft containers and temporary structures.