Shipping Containers for Hire in Melbourne
A Shipping container is an effective resource to store your things. However, they all look the same size (at least in pictures).
What if you only need a little space to store some small furniture? Or, what if you need to move all the things in your house at once?
Well, shipping containers actually have four different sizes. Two of them are considered small containers, and the other two are larger ones.
In this article, you’ll learn about shipping container hire sizes and the pricing of each size.
Shipping Containers Sizes
In the storage industry, there are four standard container sizes, which can be divided into small and large containers. Let’s start with the small ones. The small containers are suitable for individuals, young couples, and people who are doing small projects.
- 6ft Containers6ft containers are the smallest containers a company usually offers. A 6ft container can fit up to 2 bedrooms worth of stuff.
With a capacity of 10 cubic metres, a 6ft container can fit 3 single mattresses and some furniture snugly.
Due to their size, 6ft containers are the cheapest out of all sizes. One container is $3.27 per day.
- 8ft ContainersAlthough bigger than the 6ft containers, 8ft containers are still grouped into small containers. One 8ft container can fit 2.5 bedrooms worth of stuff.
The capacity of the container is 11.5 cubic metres. With that capacity, an 8ft container can fit 2 mattresses, 2 bookcases, and some boxes comfortably.
The price of an 8ft container is $4.7 per day.
After the two small ones, there are also large shipping container options for people who want to store a large amount of stuff.
The people who usually rent these big sizes are 4-person families, business owners, and office executives.
- 10ft ContainersThe 10ft shipping container for storage is usually used to store 3 bedrooms worth of things. The capacity is 16-19 cubic metres per container.
With this capacity, a 10ft container can fit almost 8 queen-sized beds with room to spare. As one of the larger containers, a 10ft container is priced at $6.13 per day.
- 20ft ContainersThe 20ft container size is one of the largest in the industry. One 20ft container can fit a 4-bedroom house worth of things.
That means all furniture, beds, glassware, boxes, tables, and gadgets can all fit inside a 20ft container. Moreover, this container can fit a whole car inside.
The exact capacity of the container is 32-38 cubic metres. As the largest container, the price of a 20ft container is $8.56 per day.
To make it easier for you to see the difference between the four of them, let’s see this comparison table.
| Size | Dimensions (Length x Width x Height) | Capacity (m3) | Price (Per day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6ft | 2.4 m x 1.8 m x 2.6 m | 10 | $3.27 |
| 8ft | 2.3 m x 2.1 m x 2.4 m | 11.5 | $4.7 |
| 10ft | 3 m x 2.4 m x 2.6 m | 16-19 | $6.13 |
| 20ft | 6 m x 2.4 m x 2.6 m | 32-38 | $8.56 |
Why Choose the Right Size?
Why is choosing the right size important? It is not only important to save your money, but it is also important for the safety of your things.
When you choose the right size, you can be assured that you use every inch of the container optimally. You won’t be paying for extra blank space.
Moreover, with the right size, you won’t have to pay for extra containers to fit all your things. It saves you a significant amount of money and time.
Plus, picking the right container helps you secure your things snugly. If the stacks are fitted snugly, there will be a lower risk of bumping and jostling.
Before You Choose Large Containers
Large containers take up much space. The fact is, not every home in Melbourne has a large area to put a huge container in. Hence, make sure that you have sufficient space for the container.
You can request for the container to stay on the truck when you load your things in. However, you also have to make sure that your home has a big enough road for truck access.
Without sufficient road access, the containers cannot be delivered to you. So, be very sure that you have enough roadway.
How to Choose the Right Size?
The easiest way to choose the right container size is to measure the cubic metres of the things you want to store. Calculate the total of cubic metres, then compare it with the sizes above.
Calculating the cubic metres is not hard. You just have to multiply the length, width, and height of the thing.
For example, you want to store 2 single beds. Take out your tape measure and calculate their length, width, and height. After that, remember to convert the unit length to metres (m).
So, the cubic metres for 2 single beds are;
- L x W x H: 188 cm x 92 cm x 30 cm
- L x W x H: 1.88 m x 0.92 m x 0.3 m (converted to metre)
- The cubic metres of one single bed is 0.5 m3
- The cubic metres of two single beds are 1 m3
Repeat the calculation for all your other things. Once you get the total number, see from the table above which container would suit your needs the best.
Conclusion
There are four different container sizes that you can pick from, which are 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, and 20ft containers. All four cater to different audiences.
The smaller containers are suitable for individuals and couples. The larger containers cater to families, businesses, and offices.
Choosing the right container size is crucial so you can save money and time. Plus, because your things can fill every inch of the space, there will be less bumping and jostling. The risk of damage can be reduced significantly.
The best way to determine your perfect container size is to multiply the length, width, and height of your things. Calculate the total number and compare the size to the capacity of each container.
Remember, choose your container wisely!
