Self-storage facilities offer greater flexibility when it comes to the safe keeping of goods. In fact, the facilities can safely house a wide range of items including, huge volumes of paperwork, machines, goods for sale and props among others. With a self-storage unit, you can always choose the duration of time that the goods will take therein and, even who can access the facility. Due to the flexibility of self-storage, it gives the tenant total control over its management and, handling of goods.
Today, there are several self-storage facilities that you can rent whenever you need additional space to keep your household items, business equipment or goods. However, it should be noted that self-storage facilities vary in terms of type, size, cost, terms of rental and security among other aspects. This means, you should never rush into obtaining a self-storage facility without some proper research.
Some of the key areas that you should always look into when thinking of renting self-storage services
Sizes offered
Although size is not the first thing you may want to consider, it is very important that you choose a facility that can provide adequate space for all your items. In order to get the right size, you should first survey all the items that will be stored to determine the needed space. If you are unable to find the right size, you can discuss with the provider, about the particular goods that will be kept in the facility. Due to their experience, they can help you get a suitable type and size of self-storage unit without a lot of hassles. Simply find a storage unit that can comfortably accommodate all your belongings, without excesses since that could impact higher rental costs.
Condition of the facility
The condition of the self-storage facility plays an important role in the safety of your items. A good self-storage unit should be durable and strong enough to withstand harsh weather and environmental conditions. Besides, you should also go for a clean unit, without pests and dust. It could also be wise to choose a unit with climate controls so that the quality of your goods is not jeopardized. Self-storage units that are dirty and in bad conditions are a sign of poor management which, you should always avoid.
Security
While a self-storage unit requires that the user bring their own locks and keys, you should be very keen about the general security of the facility. Even as the sole holder of the key to the unit, security breaches on other sections of the facility could still cause you huge losses. A secure self-storage facility should be properly guarded and equipped with modern security systems like, CCTV, electronic locks, computerized access. Both the storage units and entire facility should be accorded better security against theft, burglary and other threats.
Accessibility
Whether you are keeping items for the home or business goods, you need a self-storage facility that you can always access at any time of need. Remember, self-storage facility operators usually allow access only during their official operating hours. Therefore, you should also check the days and times they open and close in order to know if it can suit your schedule. However, there are also some facilities that operate 24/7. It could also be great to acquire a facility whose location is strategic to yours for convenience when picking or dropping items.
Duration of tenure
Self-storage units usually offer greater freedom when it comes to how long you can use them. In fact, that is why they are considered an ideal alternative to long term warehousing contracts. However, most self-storage facilities come with a minimum tenure of two weeks, which you can always extend to as long as you wish. Several providers today require that tenants acquire the units on monthly basis. In case you may wish to terminate the tenure before the expiry of the indicated duration when renting the facility, a two weeks’ notice is usually required.
Cost of self-storage
The cost of obtaining a self-storage unit will most likely depend on the type of unit, amount of space, duration of tenure and other services that may be offered by the owner of the facility. Thus, it is advisable to compare the prices of a few options before settling on a particular one. By discussing with the service provider about your storage space needs and budget in advance, they can properly guide you towards obtaining an affordable self-storage package. However, you should be very cautious with cheap self-storage solutions. Such are considered low quality and, can leave you counting greater losses.
Other storage services
There are various activities conducted in storage facilities including, packing, unpacking, loading, offloading among others. Although you can always choose how to perform these operations on your own, it is advisable to acquire a self-storage unit from a service provider that can offer these services. There are also storage facilities that can handle the management of the unit on your behalf, receiving deliveries and issuing pickups.
Even though these services will mean additional costs, they can always give you an ample time to focus on other important activities. But, you should only acquire the storage services if you are sure it could not compromise the safety and quality of your goods.
Insurance
This is one of the areas that most people usually fail to look into when choosing self-storage facilities. There are several unexpected things that can happen when using a self-storage unit like, fire, accidents and burglary. In case these events occur while your goods are in storage, there is always a likelihood they will be destroyed or end up missing. Without insurance, it can be very hectic to get compensation for the losses. For those who may already have insurance for their property, you may want to first check with your insurer to know if the cover also includes goods in storage facilities.
Storage facility operators usually offer insurance cover but, with certain conditions that you should carefully assess before obtaining the unit. For premium storage solutions, simply visit Mover Singapore.