How we Deliver Containers ​

You’ve decided that you want to purchase or rent a shipping container, whatever the need. Even though shipping containers are made for transportation, their durable build makes them incredibly heavy, and you’ll need proper equipment for the heavy lifting.

That’s where we come in!

You’ve decided that you want to purchase or rent a shipping container, whatever the need. Even though shipping containers are made for transportation, their durable build makes them incredibly heavy, and you’ll need proper equipment for the heavy lifting.

These short videos provide a quick look at how we deliver a 20 foot container or a 40 foot container.

20 FOOT CONTAINER DELIVERY

40 FOOT CONTAINER DELIVERY

PREPARING FOR CONTAINER DELIVERY

Simple Box will pick up and deliver your shipping container with little to no work required from your end. All you have to do is ensure that we have a place to set down your shipping container and enjoy the conveniences that it provides.

However easy the delivery service, there are still a few things to keep in mind when delivering such a massive item. Here’s a brief guide to the delivery process.

PREPARATION MADE SIMPLE

Simple Box’s primary goal is to make this process, well, simple. This includes limiting your need to prep.

However, we want to avoid bringing a bulky shipping container to a site only to discover that we can’t place the shipping container. Therefore, you need to make sure that you have a suitable place in mind for your shipping container before we arrive.

DELIVERY SITE CHECKLIST

  1. FIRM GROUND
    The ground must be flat and firm. If your preferred location is on soft ground or is slightly sloped, we recommend bringing in gravel or using lumber blocks to help make the space more container friendly.

  2. OVERHEAD CLEARANCE
    Make sure that there are no low-hanging wires, branches, or anything that might get in the way of delivery. We require at least 15′ of clearance for our trucks to deliver containers.

  3. ROOM TO BACK IN AND PULL FORWARD
    There must be room for the truck to safely pull in off the road, back into place, and then pull forward.

    A 20ft container requires 70ft of space for the truck, and a 40ft container requires 140ft of space for the truck and trailer.

STEP-BY-STEP CONTAINER DELIVERY PROCESS

 Many of our customers have never done a container rental or bought a shipping container before. If this is you, then you might be struggling to visualize what delivery of a shipping container looks like. Below is a step-by-step process of what it looks like, along with delivery videos of both a 20 foot container and a 40 foot shipping container.

  1. The driver will back into place and check that the area you want your shipping container placed appears suitable (level and firm ground, clear of debris, etc).
  2. The driver will gently set one end of the container down on the ground.
  3. The driver will pull the truck forward and gently set the other end of the container down on the ground, blocks, or other dunnage. 
 

The container is always securely resting on the truck, trailer, or the ground, so the box never *drops* or slides uncontrollably. 

After delivery, the driver will take a few moments to sweep the deck of the truck, put away straps, and prepare for the next delivery. We count on about 10 minutes on-site at the customers location, provided the delivery area is clear and the driver knows where to set the container. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CONTAINER DELIVERY

If the delivery area is on a bit of a slope, we recommend getting some gravel or several 12-inch 4×6 treated lumber blocks to help get the Box level and get some air-flow underneath the Box.

We do not recommend railroad ties as they are often uneven and we’ve seen a lot of people injure themselves trying to drag them around. Containers are made to carry all of the weight at the corners, so all you need is a block under the corner (the drivers carry some dunnage on the trucks).

  • 20-FOOT CONTAINER: For a 20 foot container, we need 70 feet for the tilt-deck truck to pull forward in a straight line.

     

  • 40-FOOT CONTAINER: For a 40 foot container, we need 140 feet for the truck & trailer to pull forward in a straight line.

It’s always best deliver on private property. Containers may sometimes be placed in parking areas or loading zones, but only with prior permission from the city or HOA. We only recommend this option for a very short period of time. If your situation requires placement on a city street or other public place, it is THE CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY to obtain proper permits.

Yes. We can pick up and move your container from one place to the next. 

In order to get an accurate quote and schedule container relocation, it’s important to start by sharing the right details. We will need:

  • Pickup and delivery address.
  • Details on where the container was purchased from.
  • Photos of the container. It’s best to send photos showing the front, back, and sides of the container so that we can be sure we will be able to load and unload it safely.

Our delivery team runs from 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. We love it when we have at least 3 days notice, but we will do all that we can to get your delivery done on your ideal day(s).

 

Your Driver will call or text when they are on their way to your place.

There is no need to wait around for us or to take time off work!

You do not need to be there for the delivery or pick-up as long as the delivery area is clear and we have a good idea of where you’d like the Box to be placed. 

Some people leave a cone, lawn-chair, or brightly painted rock where they would like the doors to be placed). 

We can deliver to most addresses in Washington State, Oregon State, and Arizona State. We can also move customers loaded to other states. 

Sometimes for a delivery that is further away from one of our locations, it is more cost-effective for a customer to buy the Box so that they are not paying a round-trip fee to have us come pick up the Box when they are all done.  

Feel free to give us a call to confirm whether we can deliver to your specific address and to schedule your delivery date.

Our drivers are amazing, but there are some times when a site just isn’t suitable, or a customer changes their mind. 

If a customer’s ideal delivery location is not suitable, the driver will do all that they can to place the Box in an alternate nearby location.

We budget for up to 30 minutes at customer site to load or unload, and secure the container. Any additional standby or transport time will be billed at $100 per hour.

Any towing or repair bills resulting from insufficient site conditions will be sent straight through to the customer or delivery contact.

All Deliveries are subject to our Terms & Conditions.

We can often deliver very quickly, but we always ask that you plan ahead and give us at least three days’ notice before you require delivery. All appointments depend upon availability, and three days or longer is often enough time to fit you in during your preferred times. If you need a delivery within two days or less, we may institute an expedited delivery fee.