Buying advice

A container is a purchase that lasts twenty years and longer. It is best to clarify the following points before you order. If anything remains unclear, write to us and we will go through it with you.

1. What size do you really need?

Shipping containers follow standardised dimensions. A 20 ft container measures 6,06 × 2,44 m on the outside, a 40 ft container 12,19 × 2,44 m. The clear internal height is around 2,39 m for a standard container and 2,69 m for a High Cube.

Calculate not only the floor area but the stacking height of your goods.
Two 20 ft units are often more practical than one 40 ft container: separate access, easier to position, more flexible to sell on.
If you want to fit shelving, that costs around 40 cm of usable width per side.
With an insulated fit-out you lose 15 to 20 cm of room height. Anyone who wants to stand upright should choose a High Cube.

2. New, One-Trip or used?

New means factory-new, unused. One-Trip means: loaded once and shipped from the factory to Europe, almost like new in appearance and considerably cheaper than a new container. Used ranges from well maintained to heavily marked.

For storage on your own property a used, wind- and watertight container is generally sufficient. If the container stands visibly at your company premises or is to be fitted out, the extra cost for One-Trip is worthwhile. The condition is stated with every model in our shop.

3. The ground is decisive

A container carries its weight through the four corner castings, not through the floor. It needs four load-bearing, level bearing points, such as concrete slabs or strip foundations. If it stands out of level, the frame warps and the doors no longer close properly. This is the most common avoidable mistake.

Ground compacted and frost-resistant, not filled topsoil.
A little clearance from the soil keeps the floor dry and prevents rust.
A slight fall towards the rear lets rainwater run away from the door area.

4. Access and unloading

The lorry must be able to drive right up to the pitch. Check the width of the access, the height (branches, cables, gates), turning space and the load-bearing capacity of the ground in advance. For a 20 ft container we need roughly 20 m of straight approach, and correspondingly more for 40 ft.

Tell us when ordering what the situation is like on site. We will clarify whether the container has to be set down or craned, and on request we will place it directly in its final position.

5. Avoiding condensation

Warm air meets cold steel and releases moisture onto the wall. For purely dry storage, ventilation grilles are usually sufficient. As soon as people work in the container or moisture-sensitive goods are stored, there is no way around insulation with a vapour barrier.

6. Permits

Whether a container requires a permit depends on the federal state, the duration of installation, the size and the use. A storage container installed for a short time is assessed differently from a permanently used break room. Clarify this with your local authority before ordering; we cannot give any binding information on this.

7. What the price includes

All prices in the shop are final prices including 19 % VAT. Delivery within Germany costs a flat rate of 400,00 € incl. VAT, regardless of distance, size and quantity. The flat rate is shown separately in the cart, so that you see the total amount before ordering.

Any questions?

Write to us at info@diecontainergmbh.com or use the contact form. If you tell us the dimensions, the intended use and the location, you will get a specific recommendation rather than a price list.

Do you have a question or need an individual quotation?

Our team will advise you personally and find the right solution, including for custom-made items and larger quantities.

info@diecontainergmbh.com Mon – Fri: 08:00 – 18:00

You will find all external and internal dimensions, door openings, volumes and tare weights of the common sizes compiled compactly in our overview of container dimensions.