How to Design a Self-Storage Facility
How to Design a Self-Storage Facility
The average adult can expect to move about 12 times. Regardless of your reasons for moving, bringing all your belongings with you can be a hassle.
For this reason, the self-storage industry is alive and booming. But modern Americans require more than just a metal box with a lock and key.
How can you design an effective self-storage facility to meet your customers' needs?
This article will provide the key considerations when designing a self-storage facility.
Consider the Circumstances
The main reasons for the need for storage solutions are the four D’s: death, dislocation, divorce, and downsizing.
All of these can be traumatic and emotionally charged. These circumstances require a certain amount of empathy and concern and come with unique needs.
Death
Death can be sudden and unexpected or the result of a long-standing illness.
Either way, the family needs to decide to either sell or rent the home their deceased loved one lived in. That means they will have to do something with their belongings.
However, this process can be complicated because these items may come with sentimental attachments.
Fond memories of the deceased wearing certain clothes, or personal experiences with some items, make it even harder to decide. Families will need a place to store their belongings until a decision is made about them.
Another common occurrence is when a family member who lived with the one who is now dead must move out. They need a place to store their things while they find a new place to live.
Dislocation
Moving out of a home could be the result of a few different scenarios. It might be by choice, but the experience can be heartbreaking if it is not.
Some lose their home due to foreclosure or bankruptcy. They may be unable to afford their current mortgage after losing a job.
Another situation, less disheartening but nonetheless unpleasant, is that the lease is up, and the landlord is no longer renting.
Escaping a bad situation is another reason people will leave a home.
Whenever a move is made, there can be a need for mini storage simply because their space has changed. What worked in one home may not work in another.
Divorce
No matter the reason, divorce is ugly. This is because a shared life now needs to be separated.
One or both of the marriage partners has to leave the home. This will require finding a place to store some of their belongings until they find a new home to put them in.
One or both persons may want to store any items that bring up negative memories of the marriage.
Downsizing
Kids grow up and move out, nullifying the need for a bigger home. This often causes “empty nesters” to downsize to a smaller place.
Another reason to downsize is that you can no longer afford a bigger home.
Moving from a home with more square footage into one with less will require downsizing your belongings, too.
What do you do with the rest? Store it.
Site Planning
The motto for the success of any business, self-storage included, is: location, location, location.
Before designing a storage facility, you should choose the right piece of real estate to develop. There are many aspects to site evaluation.
Location
For a successful self-storage business, you will want your units to be in close proximity to one of the following:
Residential areas
University campuses
Military bases
Businesses
Of course, make sure you aren’t surrounded by competing self-storage facilities.
Your location should also have good traffic flow and access from the road. High road visibility is another excellent bonus.
Your chosen site should have an existing infrastructure with power, water, and internet access.
The climate must also be taken into consideration. Locations with extreme temperatures or high humidity will require extra climate control.
Land Characteristics
First and foremost, you want to be sure your land has adequate water run-off. Water pooling around your self-storage units can be a big turn-off to prospective customers and cause damage to your building.
Think about how melting snow or stormwater would be drained from your property.
Is there a natural slope? Uneven soil? Excavation and leveling would be more extensive with these types of properties.
Check the local zoning regulations, too. Will these cause any setbacks in your project? Another aspect to consider in regulations is the fire codes.
Research
Before you choose your site, you should do thorough research, beginning with a market analysis. This will determine the feasibility of your self-storage business.
This analysis includes researching the competition. Take note of their current unit sizes and how many they have with high square feet versus low.
Check their occupancy rate and target market.
Find the gap in service and tailor your business model to fill that gap.
Of course, the demographics in your area will also affect your business model.
The age and family size of the population are factors in who to target, as is the ratio of homeowners to renters.
Homeowners want bigger units for a more extended period. Renters want smaller units for a shorter time.
The area may also have plenty of commercial prospects, meaning you could tailor your self-storage facility to commercial storage.
If the region has a lot of second homes, there are people who have a high income. Speaking of high income, the income level of most of your demographic will also affect your target market and how you design your self-storage facilities.
Customers with a higher income bracket will expect and be willing to pay for more luxury features and higher security. Customers from the middle class will want efficient, cost-effective units.
The type of lifestyle people live will determine their storage needs as well. If a body of water is nearby, customers will want room for kayaks and boat storage. Areas with hiking trails may create the need for bike storage. Retirees would have more interest in larger units for RV storage.
Self-Storage Type
There are many different types of storage facilities. Each will have unique characteristics.
Climate-Controlled
Since humidity can ruin belongings, climate-controlled self-storage protects the stored items from the elements. These units will provide humidifiers or dehumidifiers and control the temperature inside the units.
Drive-Up
For the most convenient storage, customers drive up to these units to unload or load, then drive away. They may have a canopy to shield them from the elements during this process.
Drive-up storage is great for large items like motorcycles and furniture.
Vehicular
Larger drive-up units created specifically for boats, RVs, and cars can either be open but covered, or fully enclosed.
Business
You can also serve business owners who don’t have their own warehouse or office.
Contractors may use this storage for their equipment. Those in e-commerce can stow their goods in your units until they are ready to ship.
These units will require slightly more square footage than average.
Indoor
Usually climate-controlled, indoor units are best for smaller delicate items and essential paperwork. The aisles must be big enough for a large cart and two people to walk side by side.
Multi-Story
Best for urban areas where land is scarce, self-storage is found in multi-story buildings. Since you can build up instead of out, you can provide more units without the high price tag of large plots of land.
24-Hour
Facilities that allow customers access to their units whenever they want can be a popular option for busy customers and shift workers.
Student or Military
When facilities are close to universities or military bases, smaller self-storage units can offer students and service members a place to keep their belongings between semesters or stations. Units might be as small as a large locker and are provided at a short-term rental rate.
Building Material Selection
There are only a couple of viable materials for self-storage construction. The best options are to build a concrete or steel building.
Steel
This durable, low-maintenance material is popular for self-storage metal buildings. Steel is a common building material for many commercial buildings because it is versatile, sustainable, and can be adapted for industry.
Learn more: 5 Ways the Sustainability of Steel is Infinite
Concrete
Traditional concrete structures or ICFs can both be used for self-storage facilities, but the latter may be too expensive to make it energy efficient. Concrete, similar to steel, is versatile and durable.
Read more: Maximizing Energy Efficiency with Insulated Concrete Forms: A Comprehensive Guide
Floorplan Layout
When determining the layout for your self-storage building, there are a variety of options.
The goal is to design a floorplan with the highest ROI. To do this, you should use space efficiently and be sure your building contains the most in-demand unit sizes and types.
Single-Sided or Gable
Indoor facilities may have a mix of both single-sided units or gable with a U-shaped hallway. End units can be on one side, both sides, or neither. For drive-up facilities, end units can be smaller.
Equal Units or Mixed
Most facilities will have a mix of unit sizes to cater to multiple customers. This unit mix, however, could be as limited or varied as desired.
Custom
When a property poses unique challenges, it may require a custom building design. This could include odd-shaped units or a mix that isn’t uniform. Climate-controlled units need room for the HVAC system, so the floorplan should include this behind each unit.
Multi-Story
As expected, multi-story self-storage facilities need elevators. This can include one on each end or one in the middle at an equal distance from both sides to make it easily accessible.
Consider making the first floor partially rentable units and part loading/unloading and packing rooms.
Essential Features
Every self-storage facility should offer these basic features for their customers:
Entrance and Exits
A circular driveway eliminates the need for difficult turnarounds. You should also include large turnaround areas for trailers and trucks.
The entrance and exit must also be wide, allowing bigger vehicles to pass through.
Security
A fence and locked gate with a key code have become standard in most facilities. Security cameras and motion-sensor lighting provide a sense of comfort for those who are loading or unloading at night.
Fire sprinkler systems are also a must.
Office
A reception area that offers customer service should be close to the gate or entrance. The employees provide property management and could sell affordable packing materials.
Dumpsters
Self-storage should have trash receptacles and dumpsters that are easily accessible by all.
Pest Control
Units are already air-tight and watertight, significantly reducing the number of pests that can enter. However, consistent pest control servicing should come free with rentals.
Premium Features
For areas with wealthier customers, you should consider adding more luxury features that they would appreciate, such as:
Automatic Doors
With no need to lift these doors, your customers can have an armful of items to store and still open the unit with the push of a button.
Interior Drive-Up Lane
These units combine drive-up convenience with climate control protection.
Digital Rentals
To make renting and paying more convenient, provide online registration and the option for auto payment.
Customers can log on to your site and choose their own unit. Once payment is made, they will receive digital keys to their unit.
Security
Although security is essential in all units, premium security is a more beefed-up version. Luxury units may provide individual unit alarms, 24/7 onsite personnel, and high-tech locks.
Extra Internal Features
Instead of an empty box, premium units may have shelving and even a safe for customers to store their most valuable items.
Recap
The basics of self-storage facility design include site planning, type and material selection, layout design, and features.
To succeed in your self-storage business, your units should be well-designed for your target market.
Contact ZP Architects & Engineers to help with your next self-storage design project.
