Containerised vs. drive-up. Climate-stable vs. unheated. Short-term vs. long-term. What to ask before signing a storage contract.
Self-storage is a category that looks identical from the outside but actually divides into half a dozen different formats with different costs, different security profiles and different access arrangements. After forty years operating our own Lower Dicker storage facility — and after handling thousands of customers using third-party storage between contracts — we have a clear view of how to pick the right type.
This guide walks through the formats, the questions to ask before signing, and the operational considerations that almost no comparison site mentions. The aim is to save you from either over-paying for storage you don't need or under-paying for storage that's the wrong fit.
The three main formats are containerised storage, drive-up self-storage, and strong-room storage. Containerised means your possessions go into a sealed wooden box (typically 8ft × 7ft × 5ft) which is stored in a warehouse. Drive-up self-storage means a steel-walled unit (sizes from 25 sq ft to 250+ sq ft) that you access by driving up to it. Strong-room storage is a secure warehouse room used by removal firms for short-term moves-in-storage between completions.
Containerised is the cheapest but the slowest to access — typically 24–48 hours' notice to retrieve anything. Drive-up is the most expensive per cubic foot but you can come and go 24/7. Strong-room is the cheapest for short-term (a few weeks between completion dates) but you can't usually access it yourself; the remover does it for you.
Our Lower Dicker depot offers both strong-room storage on the mezzanine (for short-term between-contract moves) and drive-up self-storage on the ground floor (for longer-term needs and self-access). Most customers use one or the other; some use both — strong-room for furniture, drive-up for items they want regular access to.
The questions worth asking any storage provider before signing: Is it climate-stable? (not climate-controlled — that's expensive and unnecessary for most household contents; climate-stable means insulated and well-ventilated, which is enough for furniture, books and most electronics). What's the security setup? (CCTV, alarmed, individual unit locks, key-fob entry, on-site staff). What's the insurance position? (most facilities require you to insure your contents separately, or via their policy).
Climate-stable matters because British winters bring condensation into uninsulated steel containers, and condensation ruins photographs, paperwork, fabric and electronics. If you're storing for more than a couple of months, climate-stable is non-negotiable. Our depot is climate-stable by design — fully insulated, ventilated, monitored.
Security is the visible bit but it's not just about cameras. The questions that matter: is the perimeter fenced? Is there 24-hour CCTV with recording (not just monitoring)? Is the building alarmed? Who has keys to the building outside hours? Are individual units padlocked by the customer or by the facility?
This is the most common mistake — customers consistently book either too much or too little space. The rough rule: a 25 sq ft unit fits the contents of a single bedroom plus a few boxes. A 50 sq ft unit fits a one-bedroom flat. A 100 sq ft unit fits a two-bedroom flat or a three-bedroom house's worth of furniture without large items. A 200 sq ft unit fits the contents of a four-bedroom house.
Strong-room storage is priced per container or per cubic foot, which means the volume question is the right one — how many cartons and pieces of furniture, not how many square feet. A three-bedroom house typically fits in three or four containers. We'll cost this at survey stage as part of the removal quote.
The way to estimate is to imagine the contents of the house stacked floor-to-ceiling in one room. Pad-wrapped furniture stacks more efficiently than people expect because the wrapping protects against compression. If you're not sure, ask the storage provider to walk you through their unit sizes in person — most facilities will show you sample units before you sign.
The mismatch we see most often is between access expectations and reality. Customers booking strong-room storage think they'll want monthly access; in practice they go twice in six months. Customers booking expensive drive-up self-storage think they'll go monthly; they go three times the entire contract.
Be honest with yourself about access. If the storage is for items you'll genuinely use (children's toys for a half-built house, your gym kit during a renovation, business stock that turns over) then drive-up is worth the extra cost. If it's furniture or boxes you're storing because the timing didn't work out, strong-room is cheaper and the access difference doesn't matter.
One operational point: if you're storing in a remover's strong-room between contract completions, the remover handles all the heavy lifting at both ends. Your job is just to decide what goes in and what gets delivered out. For drive-up self-storage you usually do the loading and unloading yourself, which means an extra van rental at both ends.
Storage contracts vary hugely. The questions worth confirming in writing: What's the minimum notice to vacate? (typically a calendar month at a major facility, often just two weeks at a smaller one). How is the price set? (typically by unit size, but some include 'free' moves in/out for the first month — read the small print). Are there exit costs? (some facilities charge a 'final clean' fee). Is the price guaranteed for the contract length, or does it review?
Insurance is the biggest variable. Most storage facilities won't insure your contents; you do that separately, either via their suggested broker or your own home contents policy (some policies extend to off-site storage; many do not). Confirm in writing what's covered and what isn't. Our depot insurance arrangements are explained in the terms and insurance details.
Final point: storage is a long game. The cheapest provider for the first three months is sometimes the most expensive at month twelve because of price escalators. Read the contract end-to-end before signing. If you'd like an independent view, talk to us — we've sub-let from most of the major storage operators across Sussex over the years and we know which contracts are honest.
Free in-home or video survey, written fixed-price quote, BAR-protected deposit. Sussex’s family-run remover since 1982.
Three mistakes we see most often when customers shop for storage. First, buying on price alone without checking climate. The cheapest unit in a non-insulated steel-walled facility costs the same as a climate-stable equivalent over twelve months once you factor in damage to contents. Climate-stable is non-negotiable for anything over two months.
Second, over-buying space. The instinct is to round up; the reality is that pad-wrapped furniture stacks more efficiently than people expect. Most three-bedroom households fit in 100 sq ft, not 200 sq ft. Ask the facility to walk you through their unit sizes in person before signing. Our Lower Dicker depot demonstrates each size on request.
Third, missing the contract exit terms. Many storage facilities charge a final clean fee, have minimum-stay penalties, or escalate the price after the first six months. Read the contract end-to-end, get exit costs in writing, and confirm the notice period. The short vs long-term guide walks through these decisions in more depth and the what-you-can-store guide covers the practical rules.
We've been a family-run Sussex remover since 1982 — the same name on the lorry as the name on the paperwork. Mark personally surveys the high-value and overseas moves; our crews are directly employed (not casual day labour) and trained at our own staff training centre, one of only a handful of UK removers with that facility on site.
Standard inclusions on every full removal: pad-wrap protection for every freestanding piece of furniture, removal-grade cartons, a written and itemised fixed-price quote with no surprises on the day, and the British Association of Removers' Advance Payment Guarantee protecting every deposit. The result, over forty years and tens of thousands of moves, is a 4.9/5 review average across 120+ independent Google reviews.
Booking the survey takes ten minutes. Whether it's a one-bedroom flat across Eastbourne or a country house to overseas, the process is the same: in-home or video survey, written quote within 48 hours, deposit-protected booking, and a calm move day.
Strong-room is cheaper but you can't usually self-access — the remover retrieves items for you. Drive-up is more expensive but 24/7 accessible. Strong-room suits short-term between-contract moves; drive-up suits longer-term self-managed storage.
Climate-controlled is rarely worth the cost; climate-stable (insulated, ventilated) is enough for most household contents. Avoid uninsulated steel-walled units for stays over two months — condensation ruins fabric, photos and electronics.
Rough rule: 25 sq ft for one bedroom, 50 sq ft for a one-bed flat, 100 sq ft for two beds, 200 sq ft for a four-bed house. Volume not floor area is the variable; ask the facility to show you sample units.
Most storage facilities don't insure your contents — you do that separately. Check whether your home contents policy extends to off-site storage; many don't. Get insurance confirmed in writing before move-in.
Yes — strong-room storage at our Lower Dicker depot is one of the most common services we provide. We hold the load, deliver to your new property when the completion date arrives, no shuttling required from you.