Minneapolis Storage Container Rental and Sales

Winter decides when and how you order

Minnesota gives you about seven months of building weather and five months of everything else. Contractors tend to line up their containers in March and April, when frost leaves the ground and projects start. That is the busy period, and good boxes run short. Ordering in February is easier than ordering in May.

Winter delivery is possible, but the site has to be plowed and the ground has to be stable. Frost heave can tilt a container that was set on bare dirt, so a gravel pad or timber footings are worth the trouble. Door hardware freezes shut in a hard cold snap, and a drop of lock de-icer in the pocket saves a bad morning.

Mid-summer is quieter. If you have flexibility, delivery in July or August gets you a better choice of boxes and an easier schedule. Fall brings another rush from retailers building holiday overflow.

Condensation and cold

A steel box in a Minnesota winter is a very cold box. Moisture in the air condenses on the ceiling and drips on your stuff, and in the spring thaw, it gets worse. Vents at both ends and a small dehumidifier on a heated circuit solve most of it, and insulation handles the rest.

If you are storing anything that freezes, like paint, liquids, some food products or electronics, a plain container will not do. Insulation and a heater are possible, and cost a good deal more than the box. Be honest about what you are storing. The Twin Cities swing from deep cold to humid heat in the same year, and the box feels all of it.

Thaw season is worse than deep winter for drips. When the sun hits a frozen box in March, ice on the ceiling melts and rains on the contents. Cover pallets and leave the doors cracked on a warm day.

Inland supply

Minneapolis is far from any ocean port. Used containers arrive by rail from the coasts and are stacked at yards around the metro, which means you pay a freight premium over a coastal buyer. On the other hand, the Twin Cities is a major rail and trucking hub, and supply is steady. Used cargo-worthy and wind and watertight boxes are easy to find, and one-trip units are available at a higher price.

That freight premium changes the rent-or-buy math. For a short project, rent. For anything over a year, run the numbers on a purchase, then resell the box when you are done. Used containers hold their value better inland than people expect.

Saint Paul has a big rail presence along the river. Providers in Eagan, Burnsville and Blaine can reach most of the seven-county area with a standard delivery, and often charge by distance only for the farthest suburbs.

If you are renting, ask how many months you can add at the same rate. Winter construction runs long on this side of the country, and a short contract that rolls over at a higher rate defeats the purpose.

Who is using them, and where

Construction is a big driver, along with retail. The Mall of America in Bloomington and the shops around it fill up every holiday season, and nearby retailers rent overflow space. Eden Prairie, Plymouth and Eagan have corporate campuses and medical device makers. Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove and Blaine are growing fast and have a lot of new builds. Burnsville and Coon Rapids have light industrial areas.

Saint Paul and Minneapolis proper have older housing, and a container in a driveway during a remodel is common. Farms and agriculture on the metro edge buy containers for equipment and grain bags. Schools and parks departments use them for summer equipment.

In Minneapolis and the western suburbs, medical device and food makers sometimes use a container for dry storage during a plant expansion. Hospitals and clinics sometimes rent one for records while a floor is renovated. Churches and schools use them for seasonal supplies.

City rules and what to ask

Minneapolis and Saint Paul have rules about containers on streets and in residential zones, and the suburbs each have their own. Many suburbs limit how long a container can stay on a residential lot, or ban it outright. Ask your city before you schedule, and keep the permit paperwork with the delivery confirmation.

When you compare quotes, ask about winter pricing and whether delivery is included. Then ask how the provider handles a site that is not ready. Drivers will not leave a box on an unplowed lot. Ask whether the doors have a cold-weather lock option and whether vents are installed.

Lakes matter too. Properties near shorelines in Plymouth, Eden Prairie and the city lakes may have shoreland rules that limit what you place near the water. Ask your city if you are in doubt.

For retailers around Bloomington and Maple Grove, ask the landlord first. Many shopping centers prohibit containers in parking lots except during the holidays, and some require a screen or a certain color.

A good container in this climate is a dry one. Spend the extra on a better box and a pad, because in Minnesota a bargain box is a wet box.

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