There are several things that you need to consider before purchasing shipping containers.
Roof
The first thing is the roof of the shipping containers. When you walk into the container, then you are going to need to look up at the roof. If you are able to see the sunlight coming through the roof, then there is a chance that the roof is starting to corrode. Therefore, the roof of the container is going to leak if it rains. It is also a good idea to get a ladder so that you can look at the roof on the outside of the container.
Floor
The second thing is the floor of the shipping containers. You are definitely going to want to stay away from buying a container that has a floor that is rotting. Most of the time, the floor will be made of steel but there are some containers that will have a wooden floor. If it has steel floors, then you are going to need to look for signs of rust on the floor. Then if it has wooden floors, then you will need to make sure that wood of the floor has not rotten away.
Doors
The third thing is to look at all of the doors of the containers. Therefore, you are going to need to open the doors to make sure that they are going to swing open and close as smoothly as possible. This means that you will need to check the latching mechanism to make sure it is working the way that it is supposed to. One of the common places that are going to find some corrosion or rust is at the bottom of the door.
Height
The fourth thing you must check while evaluating shipping containers is the height. You want to make sure that the height of the container is going to work for what you are going to be using the container for. You will need to think about if your cargo is going to need you to have a high cube. If you have large equipment that you are going to be shipping, then you will definitely need to have a higher cube. If not, you will have the ability to stick with the standard height that the containers come in.
Insulation
The fifth thing is whether or not the shipping container is insulated or not. If the cargo that you are going to be shipping needs to have temperature regulation, then you want to make sure that the container has some insulation inside of it. If you don’t, then there is a chance that your cargo will be exposed to extreme heat and cold temperatures. If you are planning on using the container for a building, then you will need to check the local codes for the requirements for the wiring and insulation of the container. But you are probably going to find that the container does not have any insulation inside of it is going to have more space in it.
Delivery
The sixth thing is you have to think about where the container is going to be located. If the container is going to be used for shipping, then you are going to want to have the container located at the port. This is the best way that you can get it loaded and ready to be transported. But if you planning on using the container for building, then it is going to be better to have it delivered to your property. You can ask the seller if they will be willing to deliver it after they have made the necessary repairs to it.
Length
The seventh thing is that you want to make sure that the length of the container is going to work for all of your needs. This is based on what you are going to need the container for like the cargo that you are going to be transporting to a different place. Most of the time, the lengths are going to have the same weight to them. But if your cargo is a little bit heavy, then it is better to have a 20-foot container compared to a half-empty 40-foot container.
Legal
The eighth thing is that you want to make sure that the container that you buy is going to be certified. This is because if you don’t do this, then there is a chance that the container could get rejected at the port. You will need to look to see if the container has a CSC plate on it. This is going to have all of the state information that you are going to need about the container. Some of these things are going to include the manufacturer date, container model, approval number, and the owner’s name and address.
