Hire a shipping container if you need storage for a set stretch, from a month up to a year, and want it gone afterwards. Buy one if you need a container on your land for years or want to fit it out. Stock'n Lock hires one 20ft container that stays on your property, with drop-off and pickup included, and doesn't sell containers. This guide is upfront about when buying is the better call.
Hire Or Buy, Side By Side
| Compared on | Hiring (How Stock'n Lock Works) | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | No purchase. A weekly rate set by your term and delivery distance | The purchase price, paid up front |
| Delivery And Removal | Drop-off and pickup are included | You pay for delivery, then later to sell, move or remove it |
| How Long You Have It | Terms of 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 or 12 months | As long as you own it |
| Changes To The Container | Not allowed without the hire company's consent | Yours to fit with shelves, vents or a window, subject to your council |
| Upkeep | You look after it while it's at your place, then it goes back | Rust, door seals and paint are yours for as long as you own it |
| Council | A hire that's collected at the end is often treated differently to a fixed structure | A container kept for years is more likely to be seen as permanent, so check before you buy |
| Size | One size with Stock'n Lock: 20ft, 33.2 m³ inside | Whatever sizes the seller stocks |
| At The End | We collect it | It's still yours to keep, sell or get rid of |
When Hiring Makes More Sense
Hiring wins when the need has an end date. Common ones:
- Moving house, including a gap between settlement dates
- A renovation, where furniture has to leave the rooms for weeks or months
- Clearing a house to sell, or sorting a deceased estate
- A season of extra stock for a business
- A building job that needs tools and materials locked up on site
In all of these, owning a container leaves you with a problem at the end: a large steel box on your property that you have to sell, move or keep. A hire avoids that, because we come back and take it away. You also skip buying a container, arranging its transport and finding a buyer later.
Hiring often keeps the council question simpler too. A container on hire that sits on your driveway and then gets collected is often treated differently to one you fix in place and keep for years. Rules vary across WA, so our guide to council approval for a storage container in WA lists what to ask your council.
If a hire sounds right, see how shipping container hire in Perth works with Stock'n Lock.
When Buying Makes More Sense
Buying is the better choice if:
- You need storage on your land for years, with no end date. A farm shed or a permanent tool store on a big block are the classic cases.
- You want to modify it. A hired container can't be modified without the owner's consent, so shelving, power, vents or windows mean buying.
- You need a different size. Stock'n Lock hires 20ft only.
If that's you, talk to a container seller and your council before you buy. Stock'n Lock hires only, so we can't help with a purchase.
How To Compare The Cost Without A Price List
Prices for both change, so compare your own numbers over the same period.
For a hire, get a quote for the term you'll really need. With Stock'n Lock, the weekly rate depends on the term and how far we deliver, longer terms have a lower weekly rate, and drop-off and pickup are already in it. Our guide to what it costs to hire a storage container in Perth explains what moves the rate.
For a purchase, add up every cost, not just the sticker:
- The purchase price
- Delivery to your property
- Any base or site preparation, such as pads or sleepers
- Council or building approvals, if your council needs them for a permanent container
- Upkeep over the years you own it, such as rust treatment and door seals
- The cost of getting rid of it at the end, minus anything you get back if you sell it
The shorter your need, the more those one-off costs at each end count against buying. The longer your need, the more they're spread out. If you're unsure how long you'll need storage, our guide to short-term vs long-term container hire helps you pin down the length, and our pages on short term storage and long term storage cover each set of terms.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Decide
- When does my need for storage really end?
- Will I want the container on my land once the job is done?
- Do I need to change the container in any way?
- Is 20ft the right size, or do I need something else?
- Have I asked my council how they treat a container kept long term?
If your answers point to a defined end date, no changes and a 20ft size, hiring is the simpler path.