Can I Put a Shipping Container on My Driveway? Everything You Need to Know

Jane on July 9, 2024

So many customers ask us if they can put a shipping container on their driveway.

Shipping containers for storage are becoming more popular, in particular with the private house owner, when they are extending their house, doing a new build on their land or re-build of their home. 

Legal considerations

The local authorities may well require the homeowner to apply for planning permission. Please see our planning permission blog post for more information.

Our vehicles are not allowed to be on a national highway while offloading a container. You would need to seek permission from the local highways department beforehand. If there are overhead cables/obstructions then this can also cause problems. For more information take a look at our delivery and collection page.

shipping container delivery

Size and space required

You will need to measure your driveway in order to work out what size container you can accommodate. Please note that hedges/fences and other obstructions can cause problems.

We offer 20ft x 8ft and 40ft x 8ft containers. 

The 20ft containers will be transported on a 40ft rigid vehicle with HIAB and the 40ft will be transported on a 60ft arctic vehicle with HIAB.

There must not be any overhead cables or overhanging trees in the way. The vehicle must have good solid ground in order to park and offload the container and take the weight of the vehicle with a crane and container. 

The vehicle will offload the container to the side of the vehicle and there must be sufficient space to put the outriggers off to the side of the vehicle. 

Each vehicle has a different lifting capacity and distance.

The best way forward would be to send us a drawing with dimensions along with photos and perhaps a video of your site with access points.

Ground preparation

The shipping container must be sitting level and therefore the ground where you are hoping to place the container must be solid/not moveable. Each corner of the container must be level with the rest.

Please note, tarmac is not suitable as the container will weigh 2.25T plus your goods. On hot weather days, tarmac can move.

Find out more about how to level your container.

Accessibility and usage

It is crucial that you can use the shipping container that you have in your driveway. Ensure there will be suitable access for you to use the container with ease.

The double doors are at one 8ft end of the container and each door will be approx. 4ft wide, so it is always good to make sure you have sufficient opening space.

The doors fold back to the sides of the container and can be hooked back to avoid swinging doors whilst you are using the container.

Neighbours and community impact

Some neighbours think shipping containers are unsightly, but this is obviously subjective. If you find a neighbour is not happy with the look of the container then they could complain to the local authority’s planning department.

If you want to keep the peace then often a New (one-trip) container would be much better than a 15-year-old container.

We at Billie Box offer a sale or rent service, so you will need to work out whether you want a container on a temporary or permanent basis.

20ft shipping containers being transported
20ft shipping containers being transported

Second hand 20ft shipping container (approx. 15 years old)

20ft new Shipping container
20ft new Shipping container

New (one trip) 20ft shipping container

Insurance and security

The double doors of the container can be fitted with a lockbox which is like a shrouded area for a padlock. This lockbox is an area which cannot be accessed with bolt croppers. 

The padlocks we supply are of high quality.

Additionally, we recommend that you arrange insurance for your shipping container and it’s contents.

Conclusion

Here is a checklist, to answer the question ‘Can I put a shipping container on my driveway?’

  1. Check the size of your driveway.
  2. Check for overhead cables, overhanging trees and any obstructions.
  3. Do you need the container to be lifted from the road?
  4. Is the ground suitable for both the vehicle and the shipping container?
  5. Are your neighbours OK with this shipping container on your driveway?
  6. Check with the local planning department, to see if you need planning permission.
  7. Make sure you insure your container and contents.
  8. Decide whether you need a new or used container.
  9. Work out what size container will suit your requirements.
  10. Is the ground level?
  11. Do you want to buy or hire the shipping container?

If you have any other questions or need more advice then please contact us on 0800 121 7388.

We at Billie Box are here to help you.

RAAC in schools & the shipping containers solution

Jane on September 4, 2023

RAAC has been a big issue in the national news. Many municipal buildings in England were built with RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete), and it has become apparent that using this type of concrete may affect the safety and longevity of buildings.

The problem – RAAC in schools

Days before the school year started, many schools told parents that their children couldn’t begin the term as planned. There are serious concerns about the risk of collapse, so some schools in England have delayed the start of term.

Shipping containers solutions

Shipping container classrooms

We have converted shipping containers into comfortable, engaging learning spaces for schools for a number of years. Our classrooms are comfortable year-round and can be easily placed wherever is most convenient for your school.

shipping container classrooms
Shipping Container Classroom
shipping container classroom inside
Inside a converted classroom

Storage

We have a large stock of shipping containers that can be delivered and installed at schools. A standard shipping container is perfect for storage. Containers are strong, secure and simple to purchase (or hire).

Has the Department for Education, or local government informed you that you must empty your school buildings but you have nowhere to store all your furniture? A standard shipping container, available to rent, or to buy is the answer to your storage problems.

20ft new Shipping container
New 20ft shipping container

Office conversions

If your school’s administrative offices are now off-limits, our shipping container offices could be a solution for you.

A wide range of sites use our converted offices, which are perfectly suited to any administrative need. They are also secure and comfortable.

portable office, portable space, office,
Shipping Container Office

We can offer the following:

  • 20ft and 40ft containers for secure site storage for sale or hire
  • Portable 20ft office units
  • Temporary 20ft and 40ft site classrooms
  • Delivery to your door

We have made the purchase or hire of shipping containers and conversions very simple.

If your school has RAAC issues, call us on 0800 121 7388 or contact us using the form below to learn how we can assist. A converted shipping container classroom or office could be the answer to minimising disruption of RAAC in schools.

Contact us

Rent a shipping container with a simple phone call

Jane on May 26, 2020

Rent a shipping container with a simple phone call

Did you know that it’s actually very easy to hire a container from Billie Box? If you’ve never hired one before, or you’ve had trouble in the past, you might be unsure about future container hire. We’re here to show you how renting a container from Billie Box can be accomplished with a few simple steps, starting with a phone call.

Reasons to rent a shipping container

Are you renovating your home? Require storage space for your business? Hosting an event such as a festival or market? Whatever the reason, a shipping container can easily solve your storage problems.

Shipping containers are resilient and weatherproof. They spend most of their lives carrying goods from one side of the Earth to another in all types of weather conditions. Therefore, they need to be tough in order to protect their contents!

Did you know that shipping containers can also deter thieves? Not only does it keep your stored items out of site, we also supply our containers for hire with lock boxes, which you can use with a padlock to deter thieves with bolt croppers. 

Shipping containers can be easily delivered and taken away with the right equipment. We have a list of depots across England, and can arrange delivery and collection nationwide from £195.00 plus VAT each way.

How to rent a shipping container

It’s in fact very easy to rent a shipping container from us! All you need to do is:

  1. Call us on 0800 121 7388 or 01473 557409 with your name, postcode, the size of the container and any accessories you require, and your rental period.
  2. We will then email you with a free quote.
  3. Once you have agreed to the quote, we’ll create a ‘hire agreement’ and invoice you for the first 26 weeks’ rental, accessories, delivery and collection charges, plus VAT. We also ask you to set up a standing order for all future payments. This form will be sent to you with the hire contract.
  4. When you have paid the first invoice, we will make the delivery and offload arrangements.

Find out more details about container hire here.

What kind of shipping container do I need?

Wondering what kind of shipping container you need? Well, it depends on how much you’re storing. A standard container size is 20ft (L) x 8ft (W) x 8’6” (H). This will usually fit the household goods of a one-to-two-bedroom apartment.

If this doesn’t sound like enough space, we also rent 40ft (L) x 8ft (W) x 8’6” (H) and 40ft (L) x 8ft (W) x 9’6” (H) containers.

Interested in hiring a container? Do not hesitate to contact Jane today on 0800 121 7388 or 01473 557409.

24/7 Storage

Jane on November 25, 2014

We offer 24/7 Site storage by way of a shipping container delivered to your site.

We all know that theft is on the increase and that we need to lock up our belongings, but maybe some of us don’t know how to do this, securely.  We all secure our house to protect our possessions against unwanted visitors, but what about the products, stock or valuables stored outside of our four walls? Business crime is particularly rife, as often businesses are left unattended during the evenings and weekends, making the business more vulnerable.

Billie Box has a solution…. We offer many sizes of secure steel storage containers, delivered to your door. Sizes range from 8ft, 10ft, 20ft and 40ft long, new or second hand, for sale or rent. These shipping containers are manufactured from corten steel (high tensile steel) and when fitted with a lock box and padlock it makes it difficult to gain unlawful entry.  Our padlocks are made of hardened steel they come with 3 numbered keys or 2 non numbered keys. Perfect as a 24/7 storage facility.

You can purchase many accessories to ensure peace of mind. Many of you might worry about condensation, well you can buy ‘Absorpoles’ (tube of silica gel) to absorb any excess moisture.

Absorpoles. padlocks, shipping containers

So speak to Billie Box on 0800 121 7388 about the options a 24/7 storage container can give you and tidy up outside your building while securing your possessions.

Remember: Prevention is better than cure…

Comodo SSL