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Storage Price Comparison

9 February 2021

When choosing which self-storage unit to store your belongings, you would obviously want the best fit for you. There are a lot of factors that you have to consider – location, security, size, convenience, amenities, etc. A self storage unit facility will hold all your valuable items so it should be secure. However, security is not the number one priority that is taken into account.

The price is the first thing that an interestedtenant looks at. It also determines whether they will take it or not. When searching for self-storage facilities, the cost of a unit is what attracts potential customers. Storage Units are not just for personal use. Companies are also using business storage units for their use. Many of these companies use units to safely store their hard copy documents and stocks. Others store their equipment and art supplies for safekeeping.

This is just proof that storage units are versatile and may be used for many applications. When it comes to business, we know that price always matters. That is why we have gathered a comprehensive guide on self-storage prices to help you make a well-informed decision.

Factors That Affect Self-Storage Prices

Size of Storage Unit

Storage Units come in varying sizes. This often leads to the common mistake of tenants getting the wrong size for their items. The ideal storage unit should be the right size — not too big and not too small. A storage facility that is too large will be expensive. This will also be considered a waste as you are essentially paying money for air to be inside your storage unit. On the other hand, getting something too small (another common mistake because of its cheapness) will be counterintuitive to the purpose of renting out a storage facility. The size of a unit affects the prices directly. A 25 sq ft unit will cost way less than a 160 sq ft. Storage facilities range from as small as 25 sq ft to as big as 320 sq ft.

However, WhatStorage can get you any size you need. If you are unsure what size you should get, you can check out the storage unit size guide for more information. As a rule of thumb, a 25 square feet unit can fit the contents of an entire home closet. You can store extra mattresses and a couple of boxes filled with your old clothes, books and numerous other small items. A 320 square feet unit, however, can fit Storage facilities vary from 25 sq. ft. to 320 sq. ft. As a guide, 25 square feet unit can fit the contents of a home closet. Items like an extra mattress and boxes filled with old clothes, books, etc. can also fit. On the other hand, a 320 square feet unit is ideal for storing all the content of a five to six bedroom house. It holds 760 medium-sized boxes or the equivalent load of 12 Transit vans.

Location

As with real estate, the prices of storage units increase or decrease depending on its location. Real estate is considered prime when it is closer to the city centre. Storage units in cities and inside residential areas are much pricier than in the outskirts. The pricing also is affected by the actual location. Self storage prices in London usually range between £12/week to £55/week. It could be much more expensive compared to a storage in Brighton and Hove, storage in Edinburgh, storage in Glasgow, storage in Manchester, and storage in Bristol since it’s where most business centres are located.

The idea here is that storage units are like real estate for your items so there are also prime locations. The same logic applies even when you are looking for self storage in Dubai, the United States, or even in Australia.

We recommend that you get a storage unit that is closer to you only if you will regularly access your unit. If you will store items that you won’t need for a long time then, it would be better for your bank account if you get a storage facility outside of the city.

Amenities

A climate controlled storage, for example, is recommended if you are storing wooden furniture and clothing as this prevents any environmental damage like mould or over humidity. 24/7 CCTV Camera, on the other hand, is for your sake. You can rest assured that your items are safe from theft and damage. Be aware that these amenities will drive up the price of the storage unit. This may mean an additional pounds to double your supposed rent so make sure that you get only what you need. Often, people overload their storage units with unnecessary amenities that will just cost them money.

Type of Unit

There are two common types of storage units available in the UK: Indoor and Outdoor. Outdoor Access Facilities are cheaper as compared to Indoor. However, this does not necessarily mean that you should automatically choose an Outdoor Storage Unit. Both types have their own pros and cons. For Outdoor Access Storage Units, it is easier to access as you can just drive up to them.

These usually come in the form of container storages. However, because of the rustic build of this facility, amenities like Climate Control will not be available for you. Indoor Storage Units, on the other hand, are a more secure option as you will have extra amenities and there are more staff present to guard your items.

The con of this, however, is that your unit may be situated in a distant area of the warehouse making it a daunting task for you to move your stuff in and out. For more information about the different types of storage units and their pros and cons, click here.

Population Density

As was established above, the price of storage units behaves similarly to the price of real estate. As the population of a certain place increases, the value of space also increases. It is just simple economics that when the demand for something that has a limited supply increases, the price also will. It is then important for you to check out the town where your storage unit is so you can determine whether there are cheaper options.

Duration of Stay

The rental period can heavily affect the self-storage price. The longer you stay in a self-storage facility, the cheaper it will become. Many of our storage facility partners will be willing to give you discounts and price reductions if you decide to stay for a long amount of time.

24/7 Accessibility

If you want to access your storage unit anytime you want then you would obviously have to pay more pounds. Staff and guards have to be paid to be present to accommodate you any time should you decide to access your unit. Now that you know which factors affect self-storage prices, it is time to talk about what you are actually paying for.

Self-Storage: What Am I Paying For?

When you decide which self-storage unit to get, it would be prudent to know what you are actually paying for. When you rent out a self-storage facility, the company does not just give you a certain amount of space and leave you hanging. WhatStorage partners ensure that your life is hassle-free and everything becomes convenient for you. Here are some of the added services that we and our partners provide once you start renting.

(Please note that this is a general list and services may differ per self-storage facility)

Unlimited Storage Access

Access your items for as much or as less as you want. Depending on the storage facility that you get, you can even ask for a 24/7 Access meaning you can literally move in or out your items no matter what time it is. There is no limit as to how many times you can go in and out of your unit. We won’t judge!

Your Own Personal Lock and Key

They are your items and as such, only you will have access to it. None of our staff, even the highest management position will have the key to your personal storage unit. This ensures that your items are safe from theft.

Help in Moving In

WhatStorage has Removals and Man and Van Hire Partners that you can contact to help you on your move.  

No need to give yourself a headache moving your stuff. We have professionals that will take care of it and rest assured that all your items will be safe. We’ve got a wide selection of moving companies in London, Brighton, Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool, Cardiff, and many more cities in the UK that you may check out.

Below is a table of the average storage prices in the UK

Unit Size / Weekly Price	Whatstorage?	Safestore	Big Yellow	Titan	Lok N Store
25 Sq ft	£6.00	£11.25	£7.75	£10.79	£7.50
35 Sq ft	£6.99	£10.62	£8.75	£12.86	£9.00
50 Sq ft	£9.90	£13.12	£12.25	£16.54	£12.00
75 Sq ft	£13.00	£19.16	£15.50	£18.83	£16.00
100 Sq ft	£17.00		£19.75	£24.11	£20.00

Price vs Convenience?

It may be human nature for us to choose the cheapest self-storage unit out there. We are here to tell you that you shouldn’t base your entire decision just on price alone. There are more factors that you should consider when deciding which unit to choose. While admittedly, the price should be an important factor, we at WhatStorage, believe that you should also take into consideration the convenience that each unit would give. Here are other factors that you must take into account before you decide to get the storage unit.

Friendly Staff

You will be leaving your stuff to the care of these people. Obviously, you would want to leave your items to people that you are comfortable with. If you feel that you are not compatible with the staff then that is already a red flag.

Location

Is your storage unit convenient? How far will you be willing to travel just to transfer or access your items? If you feel that it is not worth the travel time, then that is a red flag if you are storing items that you would regularly need.

Take also into account the means of travel and the traffic to and from the storage unit. Despite the very cheap price if it is way too inaccessible then it is probably not worth it. If you’re a student who’s planning to rent a storage unit to put your excess stuff, then might as well get one that is near your dorm or university. This way, you have better access to your things anytime you want to. Check out our student storage guide for tips.

Available Size

Do not rush into getting a self-storage unit. If the size that you need is not available, then look for a different one. WhatStorage has the largest online listing of Storage facilities and it is guaranteed you’d find the best fit for you.

Security

Do you feel that your items are secure? If not, then why would you leave your items there? Make sure that the self-storage facility has the latest security systems to avoid mishaps on your items.

Additional Cost

Are there other fees that you have to pay? Aside from the rent, here are some other costs and expenses that you have to account for.

Locks

The first thing you have to buy is an industrial-strength padlock. This is the last line of defence between intruders and your items. It would be best to invest in a very strong padlock.

Storage Insurance

It goes without saying that you should have insurance on your items. While you can rest assured that your items will be safe at any of our WhatStorage partners, it is still better to have storage insurance just in case.

Moving Costs

We recommend that you hire a Man and Van partner instead of doing the move yourself. This recommendation is especially applicable if you are bringing a lot of your items. This is to avoid accidental damage and other mishaps.

Need help finding a man with a van to help you out? WhatManAndVan has various partners all over the UK including London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Croydon. Another place to find a moving company is WhichManandVan – London.

A removals company is also a good option when you’ve got a lot of items to move into storage or are moving house as well. If this is your plan, do check out or recommended movers in London, Croydon, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, and Birmingham.

Packing Materials

Lastly, you have to spend on packing materials. Make sure that you get industrial strength and not just any type of material. They will hold your items for an indefinite amount of time so it would be prudent to invest on them. WhatStorage offers packing materials that are industrial strength yet cheap. These are boxes that are used by expert movers.