How many use a storage facility?

[TerryH]

My wife and I are in the engineering stage of such a facility. All outdoor spots at least to start. 5 acre facility with the usual stuff, security gate, lights, surveillance system etc... How many of us use a storage facility to house our units when not in use? What do you like or don't like about the facility you use? What would you like to see in such a facility?

Editing 1.23 to add what we have planned.

The facility will be perimeter security fenced with a 20' keypad and bluetooth accessible gate. There is ample parking area around the office to pull off the main road for any size rig so no one will have to deal with the gate code while on the street. Ample lighting and monitored security cameras on the site.

Electricity will be available at our garage inside the main fence to use for an air compressor etc... but not at each individual spot.

Ample room to maneuver is a top priority for us. Smaller spots will be back in's but there will be 50' pull thru's so the larger rigs will never have to back up. Aisles are 40' wide and spots are on a 60° angle for ease of entering and leaving the spots.

Landscaped area with seating and picnic tables so the kids have a place to go hang out while the adults are there taking care of their rigs.

 

[Bungy]

My wife and I are in the engineering stage of such a facility. All outdoor spots at least to start. 5 acre facility with the usual stuff, security gate, lights, surveillance system etc... How many of us use a storage facility to house our units when not in use? What do you like or don't like about the facility you use? What would you like to see in such a facility?

The one I’ve used a few times near me has a sani-dump, never used it but a usefull amenity.

 

[TerryH]

The one I’ve used a few times near me has a sani-dump, never used it but a usefull amenity.

Thank you!

 

[ajg617]

Nothing close to us that isn't outrageously priced. Keep it in our driveway uncovered (the snow cleans the roof and cap as it melts off. Since there are also no convenient dump locations, we plan our last nightly stay for the year at a campground to dump and fully empty tanks.

 

[TerryH]

Nothing close to us that isn't outrageously priced. Keep it in our driveway uncovered (the snow cleans the roof and cap as it melts off. Since there are also no convenient dump locations, we plan our last nightly stay for the year at a campground to dump and fully empty tanks.

Thanks for the response. Prices are all over the place here. We are definitely going to be on the reasonable side.

 

[trailrydr]

First, the 3 "P"s..... price, price and price is the first thing.

Second, room for easy TV/RV backing, parking, and drive out.

Third, would be security (i.e. completely fenced, power gate with keyed entry pad, monitored cams by DVR).

Fourth, would be 4 or atleast 3 sided UV/weather protection (4 sides better - roof/sides/rear).

Fifth, would be 120v hookup near bays for battery tenders.

Six, good facility road/bay surface maintenance (i.e. no rainout potholes, poor water drainage)

Could be others (like coin op wash bay and dump station) but the above is what we look for in a RV storage facility and currently have where we store our RV.

 

[TerryH]

First, the 3 "P"s..... price, price and price is the first thing.

Second, room for easy TV/RV backing, parking, and drive out.

Third, would be security (i.e. completely fenced, power gate with keyed entry pad, monitored cams by DVR).

Fourth, would be 4 or atleast 3 sided UV/weather protection (4 sides better - roof/sides/rear).

Fifth, would be 120v hookup near bays for battery tenders.

Six, good facility road/bay surface maintenance (i.e. no rainout potholes, poor water drainage)

Could be others (like coin op wash bay and dump station) but the above is what we look for in a RV storage facility and currently have where we store our RV.

Your first 3 are the basis of our plan. We've researched the other facilities in the area and we will be more than competitively priced. Our goal here is to have plenty of room. 50' pull thru's. Some 50's are divided to make 2 - 25's that will be back in's. 35' spots that are all back in's but the aisles are 40 wide. All the parking spaces are at a 60° angle to make maneuvering as easy as we can. Plenty of staging area off the main road before the 20' wide gate that is keypad and bluetooth accessible. Security fencing around the entire facility with monitored security cameras and plenty of lighting.

Convenience and ease of use are our selling points. A place that your wife won't be mad at you after you get parked.

The facility was once a working farm and there is an existing 18' x 50' red clay tile silo that we will highlight, landscape with seating and picnic tables. Someplace for the kids to hang out wile the adults are tending to what they need to do. The silo will become the sign. Will hopefully have approval from the county to go forward in the next 30 days. Really hoping to make a nice facility that will serve the RV community well.

 

[Tony_in_AZ]

We have our 5th whl in a large storage place , covered, with electric, dump station on site.

Electric: I found the timer only provides power 3 times a week for near 2 hrs. When I visit the rv, I turn the power on to my section via the timer. The place is packed with large RV units and some junk I can not believe ppl pay storage fees on. Many of them have solar panels on the ground to maintain battery

Wash bays were changed to storage bays a few months back. No reason given. We were also notified that NO water was provided. Yet the water hoses are still there. ALso NO water is to be added during tank dumps, like black tank flushing.

I miss the wash bays. The air hoses have never worked there.

In the last 6 months the place removed one whole outer wall section of single space parking , about 500 feet long.. It is now all storage container units 10x20, 10x25 and looks full with customers.

So , yeah , we like the place. Its 14 miles from my winter home park model we own. This is a storage place near Luke Air Force Base if you have ever heard of Luke.

Its $245.00 a month for our 2 units: the covered RV storage with power (?) and we store my dual axle 24 foot car trailer in open uncovered storage there too.

We also have a 10x20 storage unit, ground entry, (1000 feet from us) full of my tools , equip and misc crap from when we downsized.. That is $215.00 a month. That storage place is near full. RV storage too

Seems to be good money in the storage business, at least in central AZ.

In 2024 , we are going to buy a larger place to live and consolidate everything again.

EDIT: The 10x20 storage place charges us a fee for insurance. No option, you pay it. It was just doubled in price and coverage. 5k coverage at $18.00 a month. Not happy about that.

 

[TerryH]

We have our 5th whl in a large storage place , covered, with electric, dump station on site.

Electric: I found the timer only provides power 3 times a week for near 2 hrs. When I visit the rv, I turn the power on to my section via the timer. The place is packed with large RV units and some junk I can not believe ppl pay storage fees on. Many of them have solar panels on the ground to maintain battery

Wash bays were changed to storage bays a few months back. No reason given. We were also notified that NO water was provided. Yet the water hoses are still there. ALso NO water is to be added during tank dumps, like black tank flushing.

I miss the wash bays. The air hoses have never worked there.

In the last 6 months the place removed one whole outer wall section of single space parking , about 500 feet long.. It is now all storage container units 10x20, 10x25 and looks full with customers.

So , yeah , we like the place. Its 14 miles from my winter home park model we own. This is a storage place near Luke Air Force Base if you have ever heard of Luke.

Its $245.00 a month for our 2 units: the covered RV storage with power (?) and we store my dual axle 24 foot car trailer in open uncovered storage there too.

We also have a 10x20 storage unit, ground entry, (1000 feet from us) full of my tools , equip and misc crap from when we downsized.. That is $215.00 a month. That storage place is near full. RV storage too

Seems to be good money in the storage business, at least in central AZ.

In 2024 , we are going to buy a larger place to live and consolidate everything again.

EDIT: The 10x20 storage place charges us a fee for insurance. No option, you pay it. It was just doubled in price and coverage. 5k coverage at $18.00 a month. Not happy about that.

Thanks for the response. Bummer that the facility you are in does stuff like you described.

Outdoor RV storage is about the best return on investment currently in the US. Hoping this will support us in our retirement without touching our retirement money and leave something with some significant value for our kids and grand kids when we are gone.

 

[trailrydr]

We have our 5th whl in a large storage place , covered, with electric, dump station on site.

Electric: I found the timer only provides power 3 times a week for near 2 hrs. When I visit the rv, I turn the power on to my section via the timer. The place is packed with large RV units and some junk I can not believe ppl pay storage fees on. Many of them have solar panels on the ground to maintain battery

Wash bays were changed to storage bays a few months back. No reason given. We were also notified that NO water was provided. Yet the water hoses are still there. ALso NO water is to be added during tank dumps, like black tank flushing.

I miss the wash bays. The air hoses have never worked there.

In the last 6 months the place removed one whole outer wall section of single space parking , about 500 feet long.. It is now all storage container units 10x20, 10x25 and looks full with customers.

So , yeah , we like the place. Its 14 miles from my winter home park model we own. This is a storage place near Luke Air Force Base if you have ever heard of Luke.

Its $245.00 a month for our 2 units: the covered RV storage with power (?) and we store my dual axle 24 foot car trailer in open uncovered storage there too.

We also have a 10x20 storage unit, ground entry, (1000 feet from us) full of my tools , equip and misc crap from when we downsized.. That is $215.00 a month. That storage place is near full. RV storage too

Seems to be good money in the storage business, at least in central AZ.

In 2024 , we are going to buy a larger place to live and consolidate everything again.

EDIT: The 10x20 storage place charges us a fee for insurance. No option, you pay it. It was just doubled in price and coverage. 5k coverage at $18.00 a month. Not happy about that.

Yup... getting ready to relocate to New Mexico in the Albuquerque area. Found that the best reasonable priced covered 3 sided RV storage facility was $200 a month... so yeah, good money in RV storage for sure in the southwest. Probably worse in Florida.

 

[reubenray]

The one I’ve used a few times near me has a sani-dump, never used it but a usefull amenity.

The one I use also has this. My travel trailer is stored outside where it can get the solar power working. In the past I had a 41' motorhome in a covered site with power at another facility. My motorhome after only a few weeks was dirtier than it has every been with bird poop all over it.

 

[COGrandDes]

Good data on this post. It quickly reaffirms why I built my own RV carport on my property and am in complete control of the surroundings. Mine is a year old now and has three full sides. The front I did as a curtain for easy access. I have installed LED lights in there and can work on the camper and wash/wax it when desired. It's large enough that the slides can be nearly fully extended. After years of leaving my campers out in the harsh CO sun---this is a nice relief to store the new camper from day-one in the carport.

BTW----I keep my hanging owl on guard to keep any birds from flying inside and pooping on the camper. Works great!

 

[Keebler]

I live in a townhome, so, off site storage has been a fact of life for me for years. My thoughts:
> Must have items:
- Security: Lighting, fence, gate, cameras
- Room to maneuver; big rig friendly
- Well marked spaces. It's a real pain to have a neighbor encroach on your space. My current lot has rebar covered with a PVC pipe between every space. Really forces folks to stay in their space.
> Nice to have items
- At least have a space where there is a place to hook to power. Even if not at each space, would be nice to have a place to be able to plug an air compressor or power tool to do work.
- Porta Potty on-site. Really nice after a long drive!
- A pay per use wash bay would be very welcome

I am paying $85 per month for out door, non-covered spaces that have all of the above with the EXCEPTION of no power and no wash bay.

 

[TerryH]

I live in a townhome, so, off site storage has been a fact of life for me for years. My thoughts:
> Must have items:
- Security: Lighting, fence, gate, cameras
- Room to maneuver; big rig friendly
- Well marked spaces. It's a real pain to have a neighbor encroach on your space. My current lot has rebar covered with a PVC pipe between every space. Really forces folks to stay in their space.
> Nice to have items
- At least have a space where there is a place to hook to power. Even if not at each space, would be nice to have a place to be able to plug an air compressor or power tool to do work.
- Porta Potty on-site. Really nice after a long drive!
- A pay per use wash bay would be very welcome

I am paying $85 per month for out door, non-covered spaces that have all of the above with the EXCEPTION of no power and no wash bay.

Thanks for the response. Fence, lighting, key pad and blue tooth accessible gate and monitored cameras are all part of the plan. Ample room to maneuver is one of our top priorities. I'll be out there with my crew cab Ram long bed dually and my 36' bumper pull to verify that. Electricity will be available at garage inside the fence along with a Porta-potty that's on a maintenance schedule so it stays clean and good. Also a landscaped picnic area. Unsure at this point how we will divide the spaces but there will be no doubt where one stops and another begins when we are done. Our pricing is right in line with what you are paying now. Thanks for including that.

 

[trailrydr]

One thing I forgot to mention, we (and other renters) have added some reflectors (4) in the back and front of the bay to use as guides when backing in our trailers into the storage facility. The comment that folks sometimes crowd other neighbor renters is very true. Have seen that several times in covered facilities we rented from in the past. After doing so with ours, we no longer get crowded. Would recommend some form of bay area markers as well.

 

[BadDogPSD]

Sounds like you are on the right track with your plans. Here in Nevada, many are willing to pay a premium for covered storage for protection from the intense UV's.
Having g a dump station available is very nice.

 

[kb0zke]

We had our Foretravel at a storage place for the two years we were "stuck" in WY. They only had two choices: individual covered storage at $250/month, electricity included, or outside, no electricity for $25/month. We chose the cheaper option. During the time we were there the outside spaces went from "pick a spot" to designated sites, but no change in price for us. We heard that new people were paying $35/month for what we got for $25. They also added another 15 or so covered sites.

When I say "designated" sites above, it doesn't mean that we got a particular spot as ours, but that it was easy to tell where one site ended and the next one started. When we first went there you picked a spot on the ground that you liked and the next guy had to deal with your choice.

Sounds like you have a good plan going.

 

[Dopperud]

I can only dream of having a storage spot like that close to us. We pay $150/mo for uncovered spot. It is undated, but in a relatively safe area and the lot has no amenities whatsoever. The kicker is, I am very fortunate t have it, the next closest area would be 50+ miles away.

 

[lorend]

we used to have our rig at a small outside lot that was so tight that I would have to jockey a 24' ft trailer several times to get it into the site and so with you planning to make sure there is space to maneuver is great thinking and should attract business. Sounds like you are planning a nice set up. I have never been in a storage facility that had pull thru sites. Most places figure if you have a trailer that big you know how to back it up and so they just put in more sites. Good luck with the project and the retirement.

 

[Tommyp228]

Here in our town in Louisiana we have a 15x50 enclosed storage with electric that was $390 a month but went to $420. This excludes $10 a month electrical fee. We had covered storage and a inside storage unit that they kept going up on that was almost as much combined as where we are now. We just moved everything in to one that is 4 blocks from our house but it has no water available. The cameras really give a false sense of security unless they are monitored 24/7. You might get a look at vehicle, but the person is usually just someone with a hoody on. We have 10 foot doors and not quite enough room between buildings to easily back our 21G in without some effort. Room between buildings, door size, and no water is our problem.