| Have you considered getting into self | | | | piece of paper and marking off where the self |
| storage, but are unsure of where to start? | | | | storage units will be. Though you've probably |
| Maybe you've done some research on the | | | | already determined the best mix of unit type |
| industry and while you're convinced you could | | | | and size during the initial phase, now you |
| make a self storage steel building | | | | need the architect to put it all in a design |
| profitable, you're not entirely sure where to | | | | plan. Design plans include the actual site |
| build, or who to get to help you build it. | | | | plan as well as landscape design, civil |
| | | | engineering, architectural engineering, MEPs |
| Like any other business, self storage | | | | (e.g., electrical and plumbing drawings) and |
| requires a lot of research upfront before you | | | | structural engineering. |
| can decide if it's right for you. | | | | |
| | | | Each plan usually requires a specialist to |
| Step 1: Should you build a self storage steel | | | | design it. For example, a civil engineer has |
| building? If so, where? | | | | to handle the civil engineering design plan |
| | | | because he would be familiar with policies |
| It would benefit you to hire an expert to | | | | and restrictions on land use. This is the guy |
| help you assess if you should build a self | | | | who is responsible for watershed, zoning and |
| storage building, and if so, where. If you've | | | | placing utilities, to name a few. |
| already got a location in mind, an expert can | | | | |
| help you find out what to build and what to | | | | Step 3: Constructing your building |
| charge. This also known as the "feasibility" | | | | |
| phase, where you analyze everything about the | | | | Once you've completed the design phase, it's |
| project: the true start-up costs, the | | | | time to move on to the construction phase. |
| anticipated income, the market, potential | | | | This is typically where a general contractor |
| locations for construction, demographics, | | | | comes in. A general contractor will be |
| proximity of competition, what customers are | | | | responsible for coordinating the construction |
| likely to pay, and what kind of self storage | | | | and providing quality control. The contractor |
| will appeal to them most, just to name a few. | | | | may provide labor and materials, or he may |
| | | | hire subcontractors. He's also responsible |
| You'll also have to take into consideration | | | | for establishing a timeline of the |
| city fees, county fee, state fees, | | | | construction. |
| jurisdictional fees and other miscellaneous | | | | |
| fees that you may have to spend before you | | | | You should be particularly careful when |
| can even begin construction. That's not | | | | choosing a general contractor or construction |
| counting what you'll have to pay for the | | | | crew for your self storage steel building. |
| land, site work (tying in to existing sewer, | | | | You want to make sure that you get somebody |
| water, electric and gas lines, importing and | | | | that carries insurance and has extensive |
| exporting fill, soil conditions, rock | | | | experience in erecting self storage steel |
| excavation, etc.), design and construction. | | | | buildings. They should also be professional, |
| | | | which means that they sweep out the units and |
| This phase can give you a good idea of the | | | | clean up once the job's done. |
| bare minimum you'll be spending to get your | | | | |
| self storage steel buildings up and running. | | | | There's a lot that goes into constructing |
| If you and the expert determine that the | | | | your self storage steel and metal buildings, |
| anticipated income for your self storage | | | | but the cost of time and money can be well |
| building will be worth the start-up costs, | | | | worth it in the long run. Self storage has |
| then you'll be ready to move on to the design | | | | been the fastest-growing area of commercial |
| phase. | | | | real estate in the U.S. for the past 30 |
| | | | years, and only 10 percent of U.S. households |
| Step 2: Designing how your self storage steel | | | | use self storage. That's 9 out of 10 |
| building will look | | | | households that still don't use it, and if |
| | | | you get in on the game, some of them could be |
| Design isn't just about drawing a square on a | | | | your future customers. |