In fact, you can use a 40-foot container for business or personal purposes as well. In most cases, you just need to make a few conversions to make a 40-foot shipping container into exactly what you need.
If you’re wondering how you can use portable storage containers in your business, keep reading. We’re sharing with you five ways to use 40 ft shipping containers.
1. Transform a 40-Foot Container Into an Office
40 feet is a lot of space. If your business is expanding, you may not want to invest time and money into finding and leasing new space. If you have the land, it’s easy to place a 40-foot shipping container on that land and you have the perfect space for a container office. All you need to do is minor modifications to ensure the container is ready for an employee to move in.
2. Turn It Into a Bistro or Restaurant
While food trucks are all the rage, it’s much harder and more expensive to set up a food truck business. Most cities have strict regulations regarding where and when a food truck can park. And it’s not uncommon for a food truck to break down. When that happens, there’s no business.
But with a 40 ft shipping container, you have the perfect structure to build a bistro, coffee shop, or restaurant. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about high rent increases, since you will own your building outright.
Check out our shipping container gallery for all the amazing structures that we can build for our customers.
3. Indoor Gardens
Traditionally farmers grow their fruits and vegetables outside in the ground. Unfortunately, doing so leaves them vulnerable to animals, bugs, vandals, and bad weather. But when you convert a 40-foot shipping container, you eliminate all of those issues. Best of all, by adding more than one shipping container together, you can build an indoor garden to the exact size and specifications you need. That means fresh produce year-round that you can deliver to your customers.
4. Extra Storage
Extra space is at a premium these days. And getting extra space usually costs you a lot. But shipping containers give you the extra space you need at a fraction of the cost. You won’t have to rent storage space monthly, which saves a lot of time and money. And you can place your shipping container wherever you need it. That eliminates driving to a storage facility that may not be conveniently located near your office.
Having extra storage is especially great if you have a seasonal or holiday-based business where there are times during the year when you need more space for your products. And, during the rest of the year, you can use the space however you need to.
5. Bathrooms
Most women will tell you that there never seem to be enough bathrooms, especially when they’re at an event. No one wants to spend their time waiting in line for the bathroom which is why shipping containers are so great. Instead, you can build your own additional bathrooms. This is perfect because shipping containers are pretty easy to move around.
That means if you own a business where traveling to events is common, you’ll always have extra bathrooms to supply. This is also a business in itself since bathrooms made from shipping containers are much nicer to look at than the usual port-a-potties seen at most events.
6. Swimming Pools
While owning a pool is a dream for many, the reality of owning a pool isn’t always so cost-effective. But since you can make a pool or sauna from shipping containers, it’s now easier than ever. There’s no need to dig a giant hole in the yard, instead, a pool business can simply place a shipping container on the property. Shipping containers make the perfect swimming pool because it’s customizable.
You can easily convert a few shipping containers to make your customer’s pools as long and as deep as they want.
7. Emergency Shelters
The number of natural disasters is on the rise. And according to NASA, global warming is making those disasters far more destructive than in the past.
Emergency shelters are now becoming a necessity. Building them out of shipping containers is a great idea because they’re already built to withstand extreme weather conditions.
Whether shelters are needed to house the homeless after a storm or to place them in a backyard for increased peace of mind, there’s a definite market for more emergency shelters.
8. Extra Lab Space
Sometimes businesses need a safe space where they can perform experiments. Shipping containers are safer to perform experiments in because they’re not made from flammable materials.
Also, if something does go awry, the problem is usually contained within the shipping container itself. This allows a safer space and you can modify it by adding as many shipping containers as you need.
Features to Consider When Modifying Storage Containers
Portable storage containers are great because they provide you with a basic structure that you can use for practically anything. And they’re much cheaper than investing in new construction.
All you need to do is add a few features to personalize the space such as:
- External and internal paint
- Personnel door
- Windows
- Internal electrics, heating/cooling, and lighting
- Security and lock boxes
- Shelving
- Exhaust fans
Shipping containers can be placed side-by-side or even on top of one another. They’re an affordable way to create new buildings without using additional raw materials.
Take some time to learn some basic information on how to shop for shipping containers. That way, you’ll eliminate errors and end up with exactly what you need.
Why Building With Shipping Containers Makes Good Business Sense
There are many reasons why 40-foot shipping containers make sense when you need something built. Here are a few of our favorite reasons:
- Unique style
- Faster to build
- Eco-friendly
- Portable
- Affordable
- Durable and tough
Also, it’s easier when it comes to building structures made from shipping containers. They can be built at the factory and then easily shipped to wherever you want it.
That eliminates problems and expenses usually associated with building in remote places.
Contact Us
Whether you’re already in business and need the extra space a 40-foot container offers or you’re looking to get into a new business niche, we can help. We have shipping containers to suit every need.
And we’ll even do modifications. Ready to get started? Click here to contact us.
