Storage Containers in Nashville

Nashville has been under construction for so long that a tower crane on the skyline barely registers anymore. That is the main reason steel boxes keep arriving on job sites here, from the Gulch and Midtown out to the new subdivisions along I-40 and I-24.

Who orders containers in Nashville

Builders are the biggest group. A site super on a mid-rise downtown wants a locked 20 footer for tools and drywall before the first floor is framed, and a residential crew in Mount Juliet wants the same thing for lumber they would rather not see walk off overnight. Rentals by the month are normal for both.

Retail is second. Stores in Green Hills, at Cool Springs and along Rivergate Parkway fill up before the holidays, and a 40 foot box behind the building is cheaper than leasing more warehouse. Music is the odd one. Touring crews, rehearsal studios and production companies on and around Music Row keep staging gear, risers and road cases that do not fit in a studio closet. A container with shelving and a roll-up door suits that better than you would think.

Hospitals and the many clinics tied to the healthcare companies headquartered here use boxes for records during a move or an expansion. Schools do the same during summer renovations.

Getting the box onto your lot

The truck needs room. Plan on a straight run about double the container's length, firm and level ground, and nothing hanging overhead. Downtown that is the hard part. Lots in the Gulch and SoBro are tight, streets get closed for events, and a delivery window may be a few hours on a Sunday morning. Tell the provider about any limits up front so they send the right truck.

Out in the suburbs the problem flips. Space is easy, but ground is soft after a wet spring, and middle Tennessee clay turns to soup. A tilt-bed that sinks in at a new Smyrna build site is a bad afternoon for everybody. Ask whether the driver wants gravel or timbers under the corners, and who supplies them.

Humidity and what it does to your stuff

Summers here are muggy and nights cool off enough to cause condensation. Water forms on the inside of the roof and drips onto whatever you stored. Cardboard, books and fabric suffer first. Vents help. Insulation helps more, and a small dehumidifier works if you have power. For records or electronics, pay for insulation or a modified box with ventilation rather than hoping.

Grade matters too. A one-trip box is clean and tight, and a cargo-worthy used one is fine for most jobs. Wind and watertight is the label to look for when the contents must stay dry. Nashville is inland, so the used supply is trucked in from the coast or from rail yards, and the price reflects that. Do not expect Savannah prices.

Rules in the county and the suburbs

Metro Nashville and Davidson County share a government, and a box on a residential driveway or in a front yard may need approval. Franklin and Brentwood are quicker to say no to a visible container, and many neighborhoods there have homeowner association covenants that say so in writing. On a job site, the general contractor normally handles it. Check with your city or HOA before you order, not after the truck arrives.

Modifications worth paying for

A plain box is a locked room and nothing more. Most Nashville buyers add something. A roll-up door on the short end makes loading pallets easier, and a man door lets one person walk in without opening a heavy swing door. Shelving keeps tools off the floor, which matters when the floor sweats. Electrical hookups, lights and a window unit take longer and need to be set up by someone who knows what they are doing, so ask whether the provider does the work or sends it out.

Paint is a smaller decision with big consequences. If a neighborhood group or a landlord will see it, a dark green or tan box draws fewer complaints than bare rust-brown. Tell the provider the color before it ships from the yard, not after.

Who comes out to where

A provider with a yard near the airport or along Murfreesboro Pike usually covers Smyrna and La Vergne without a fuss, since both are close to the I-24 corridor. Hendersonville and Mount Juliet sit on opposite sides of town, and a driver based south may add a trip charge for the far side. Franklin and Brentwood are an easy run down I-65. Ask for the delivery area on the quote, in writing.

• Delivery and pickup, both ways, listed as separate lines
• The container grade and age
• Lock type, and whether a lock box is included
• What happens if the truck cannot set the box where you planned

Mention the grade and what you are storing in your request. A pallet of wet paint and a pallet of paper are not the same job.

If you only need the space for a month or two, rent. If the box will sit on your property for years, buying is usually cheaper than renting, and you can paint it and add a door once it is yours.

Looking for a different city? Here are some nearby.

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