Buying your first container shouldn't feel like a gamble. Here's the plain-talk version: how to pick the right size and condition, what to actually look at before you pay, what fair pricing looks like, and the mistakes that cost folks the most money.
A shipping container is one of the few things you can buy that holds its value, shrugs off the weather, and lasts a generation with zero maintenance. But the listings online are full of jargon — cargo-worthy, WWT, one-trip, high-cube — and it's easy to either overpay for a unit you don't need or buy too small and regret it. This guide walks through every decision in order, the way we'd talk it through on the phone.
1. Choosing a size: 20-ft vs 40-ft vs high-cube
There are two standard footprints, and almost everyone ends up with one of them. The right pick comes down to how much you need to store and how much room you have to place and deliver the box.
20-foot — about 160 sq ft, roughly the contents of a two-bedroom home. Fits a standard driveway or pad and needs only about 65 feet of straight pull-in to deliver. The easy-to-place choice.
40-foot — about 320 sq ft, double the space for far less than double the price, so the cost per square foot is lower. It needs roughly 95 feet of pull-in, so the lot and access matter more.
40-foot high-cube — the same footprint as a standard 40-ft but a foot taller inside (9′6″ instead of 8′6″). Worth it for tall equipment, pallet racking, or a future build-out where headroom counts.
Not sure which footprint to plan around? Our container comparison page lays the sizes side by side with real dimensions and cubic feet.
Rule of thumb: if you can place and deliver a 40-ft, buy the 40-ft. The vast majority of folks who go small wish they'd gone big — the extra space costs surprisingly little, and you only pay the delivery once.
2. Choosing a condition: one-trip vs cargo-worthy
Condition is where the price really moves, and it's the decision most people get backwards. You're choosing between a like-new unit and a used-but-solid one — and for most buyers, used is the smart money.
One-trip — crossed the ocean a single time, so it's nearly new with crisp factory paint and tight seals. The right pick when looks matter: a unit people will see, a mobile office, or any build-out. See one-trip containers.
Cargo-worthy / WWT — wind and water tight, with years of service behind it. Surface rust and honest wear, but no holes, structurally solid, and dry inside. Same ~30-year lifespan for the lowest price. See used cargo-worthy containers.
The key point: a cargo-worthy container isn't a worse container — it's the same Cor-Ten steel with the same lifespan, just with a few honest scars. For storage, tools, farm gear, or a workshop, it does everything a one-trip does for hundreds less.
3. What to inspect before you buy
Whether you walk our Wytheville lot or we send you photos, the same five things tell you nearly everything about a used unit. Run through them in order:
Doors. They should swing freely and latch tight on all four cam locks. Doors that bind usually mean the unit was set on uneven ground — fixable, but worth knowing.
Seals (gaskets). The rubber around the doors should be pliable and continuous, not cracked or missing chunks. The seals are what keep the inside dry.
Floor. Marine-grade plywood should be solid underfoot with no soft spots or daylight showing through. A little staining is normal; sponginess is not.
Rust. Surface rust is cosmetic and expected on a used box. What you don't want is flaking, scaling rust or any spot that's gone all the way through the steel.
Dents & the roof. Minor dents are fine. Check that the roof hasn't been pushed in so it pools water, and that the corner castings — the steel blocks at each corner — are intact, since that's what the box is lifted and stacked by.
The daylight test: step inside, pull the doors shut, and look up. If you see pinholes of daylight through the roof or walls, the unit isn't truly wind-and-water-tight — walk away or ask for a different one. Every container we sell passes this test.
4. What a container actually costs
Prices swing with steel markets and unit condition, but here's a realistic starting point so you can sanity-check any quote you get:
20-foot from $3,200 — delivered, in cargo-worthy condition, within our free-delivery range.
40-foot from $4,900 — delivered. Notice it's not double a 20-ft, which is why the bigger box wins on cost per square foot.
One-trip and high-cube cost more again — you're paying for like-new paint, tighter seals, or the extra foot of height.
The number that matters is the delivered, out-the-door price — not a low sticker price that balloons once a delivery fee gets tacked on. When you compare quotes, always compare delivered to delivered. We'll give you a real out-the-door number the same day on our container sales page.
5. What delivery should include
This is where a lot of buyers get nicked, so it's worth knowing what a fair delivered price covers. With us, the price you're quoted already includes:
Free delivery within 50 road miles of our Woodlawn, VA yard. Beyond 50 miles, we quote the exact mileage charge up front — never a surprise at the curb.
Set and leveled on foundation blocks so the doors swing true and the box doesn't twist. No poured slab needed for most placements.
A welded steel lockbox that shields your padlock from bolt cutters — keys in hand the day it lands.
Before the truck rolls, make sure your drop spot is reasonably level and the path in is clear and firm. Our delivery preparation guide walks through pull-in length, ground conditions, and overhead clearance so the drop goes smooth the first time.
6. Common buying mistakes to avoid
After enough deliveries, the same handful of regrets come up again and again. Sidestep these and you'll be glad you did:
Buying too small. The most common regret by a mile. A 40-ft costs little more than a 20-ft, and you only pay to deliver it once.
Ignoring access. A tilt-bed truck needs a straight, firm pull-in and overhead clearance. Soft ground, tight turns, or low wires can stop a delivery cold — check the path before you order.
Falling for a low sticker price. A cheap unit elsewhere often hides a separate delivery fee, a placement charge, or no lockbox. Always compare the delivered, out-the-door total.
Overpaying for one-trip you don't need. If nobody's looking at it, a cargo-worthy box does the same job for less.
Buying before you've thought about buy vs rent. If you only need it for a few months, renting may win. Our buy vs rent guide has the math.
Get those right and buying a container is genuinely simple. Tell us the size, condition, and where it's going, and you'll have a real delivered price the same day — most drops happen within the week.
Buy the 40-ft if you have the room to place it and the access to deliver it — it gives you double the space for far less than double the price, so the cost per square foot is lower. Choose the 20-ft when your driveway, pad, or lot is tight, since it only needs about 65 feet of straight pull-in versus roughly 95 feet for a 40-ft. When in doubt, most buyers wish they had gone bigger, not smaller.
For storage, tools, farm gear, or anything where looks do not matter, a used cargo-worthy or wind-and-water-tight container is plenty — it is structurally solid, stays dry, and carries the same roughly 30-year lifespan for the lowest price. Step up to a one-trip unit only when appearance matters, such as a unit people will see, a future office, or any build-out where you want crisp factory paint and the tightest seals.
A fair delivered price should cover the haul, setting the container, and leveling it on foundation blocks so the doors swing true — plus a welded lockbox on the units we sell. At Containers Delivered, delivery is free and already baked into the price for any address within 50 road miles of our Woodlawn, VA yard. Beyond 50 miles we quote the exact mileage charge up front, so there is never a surprise fee at the curb.