Shipping containers for sale in Australia: who’s buying and why
Drive through regional Australia and you’ll see them dotted across paddocks. Head into the suburbs and there’s probably one in a backyard down the road. Visit a building site and there might be half a dozen. Shipping containers have moved well beyond the wharf, and plenty of Australians now buy them outright.
So who’s actually looking at shipping containers for sale, and what are they doing with them?
Farmers and rural landholders
On the land, a container is about as practical as it gets. It’s steel, it locks, and it doesn’t mind the weather. Farmers use them to store feed, tools and machinery parts, and to keep valuable gear out of sight.
Because a container can be moved, it also suits properties where needs change from season to season. Need a storage shed near the back paddock this year and closer to the house next year? A truck with a Hiab crane can shift it.
Builders and tradies
On a building site, security is a constant worry. Tools and materials left out overnight have a habit of walking off. A shipping container gives tradies a lockable store that can be dropped on site, then moved to the next job when this one wraps up.
Many builders also buy containers that have been modified into site offices, lunch rooms or ablution blocks. Because the modifications can be done before delivery, the unit can arrive ready to use.
Small businesses
For a small business, a shipping container can be the storeroom, the workshop or even the shop itself. Pop-up cafes, bars and market stalls built from containers are a common sight these days, and many of them started life as a standard 20ft box.
Buying rather than renting makes sense when a business knows it’ll need the space for years. The container becomes an asset, and if the business moves, the box can go with it.
Homeowners
Plenty of everyday Australians buy a container for the backyard. It might hold the garden gear, the camping kit, the surfboards or the overflow that no longer fits in the garage. Some go a step further and turn theirs into a home office, studio or workshop.
Second-hand containers are popular here. A used box with a few dents and scrapes is often perfectly fine for storing your bits and bobs at the end of the garden (the lawnmower won’t mind the dents), and it costs a good deal less than a new one.
People building something bigger
At the ambitious end of the scale, containers are being turned into homes, studios, swimming pools and holiday cabins. These projects usually start with a new, or “one-trip”, container, because good structural condition matters once you start cutting into the steel to add windows, doors and plumbing.
Bigger builds like these generally need council approval and an experienced modification team, so it pays to plan ahead and ask plenty of questions early.
Why buy instead of hire?
Container hire is a great fit for short-term jobs. Buying tends to win when:
- you’ll need the container for several years
- you’re planning to modify it
- you want an asset you can move or resell later
- the monthly hire fees would add up to more than the purchase price over time
If you only need a box for a few months, shipping container hire is usually the smarter option, and you won’t be left working out what to do with it afterwards.
What buyers look for
Whatever the use, most buyers weigh up the same basics. Size comes first (10ft, 20ft or 40ft), then type, whether that’s general purpose, high cube, side opening or refrigerated. Condition matters, so decide early whether new or used suits the job. And always compare the total delivered price, not just the sticker price.
Access is easy to forget. The delivery truck needs enough room to drop the container where you want it, so check gates, power lines and overhanging trees before the big day.
Where to buy
Tiger Shipping Containers has been selling, hiring and modifying containers in Australia for more than 30 years. It stocks new and 2nd hand containers in 10ft, 20ft and 40ft sizes, has local depots around the country and offers a price-match guarantee. You can browse its range of shipping containers for sale online and get a quote for the size and type you need.
Whatever you plan to use it for, it’s hard to beat a big steel box that does exactly what you need it to.