Shipping containers for sale

JOLT sells steel shipping containers in three lengths and three grades, and quotes every sale in writing within one business day. The price depends on the size, the grade, how many you buy and where the truck has to go, so the quickest way to a real number is the short form at the foot of this page.

Which shipping container sizes can you buy?

Three lengths, all built to the standard 8 ft width, so they stack, line up and move on the same trucks.

• 10 ft. The short box for a driveway, a tight lot or a corner of a yard where a 20 ft will not fit. Good for tools, records and seasonal gear.
• 20 ft. The most common size on jobsites, ranches and farms. It holds the contents of a large garage and still fits most driveways.
• 40 ft. Twice the floor of a 20 ft. It suits bulk materials, equipment and anyone who would rather own one big box than two small ones.

If you are not sure which length fits the space, measure the spot and the approach, then tell us both when we call back. We would rather talk you into the right length than deliver a box that does not fit.

New, one-trip or used: which grade is right?

The grade is the condition of the steel, and it is the biggest swing in the price.

New containers have never carried cargo. Choose new when the box will be seen every day, at a storefront, a home or a finished site, or when it will be modified into a workspace.

One-trip containers made a single loaded ocean crossing and then came off service. They are close to new, with tight doors and sound floors, and the scuffs from that one trip are minor. For most buyers who want a box that lasts decades, one-trip is the value pick.

Used wind and watertight containers have worked for years at sea or in storage. Expect dents, surface rust and faded paint. What the grade promises is the part that matters for storage: the doors seal and the box keeps out wind and rain. For farm storage, a back lot or a box that will be painted anyway, it is the lowest-cost way to keep things dry.

Our one-trip versus used guide goes through what to inspect on delivery day.

How does delivery work?

We deliver anywhere in the lower 48. Delivery is priced to your ZIP and shows as its own line in the written quote, so you can see what the container costs and what the trip costs.

Before the truck is booked, the site needs:

• a firm, level, well-drained spot, on gravel, pavement or compacted ground;
• a clear, straight approach, about 70 ft for a 20 ft container and 100 ft for a 40 ft;
• nothing overhead along the drop line: power lines, limbs and gate arches all count.

Send photos of the spot and the approach with your request. Mountain and rural drops are routine for us, and the delivery access guide shows what a good drop site looks like.

How do you get a price?

Use the form at the foot of this page. It asks for your name, phone and email, and it is already set to buying a container. Someone from the yard calls back, asks the size, grade, quantity and delivery ZIP, and the written quote follows within one business day.

The quote lists the container, the delivery and any modifications as separate lines. Nothing is charged until you accept it.

Buy, rent or lease to own?

Buying makes sense when you need the box for a long time or want to keep it. Renting makes sense for a job with an end date. A conex box rental starts at $225/mo for a 10 ft container, every size has its rent published, and the box goes back when the job is done.

To compare, divide the purchase quote by the monthly rent of the same size. The rent-or-buy break-even page walks through the same arithmetic for our office builds, including the fees on each side.

Lease to own is for the 20 ft office builds only. If you want an office rather than a plain box, see the 20 ft office for sale or lease to own.

Custom work from our Gypsum shop

The crew in our Gypsum, Colorado shop builds, modifies and maintains offices, and the same work is available on a container you buy: cut and framed doors and windows, insulation and drywall, mini-split heat and A/C, lights and outlets. Tell us what you want the box to do, and the modifications are priced in the same quote as the container.

Permits before the box arrives

A container that stays on a lot can count as an accessory structure under local zoning, with setbacks, a size limit or a permit. A short placement for a construction job is often treated differently. Rules vary by county and city, so call the planning or building department before delivery. Our Colorado permit guide lists who to call in each county.