Whether you’re planning on building a storage unit facility from the ground up (or considering investing in a pre-existing self storage facility), size is important. More specifically, knowing how many units you can fit in a certain amount of space.
After all, the area of land determines how many self-storage units per acre you’ll be able to fit and ultimately how much revenue the property will generate.
So, how many storage units can you fit in a single acre of land?
In this article, we’ll discuss how land should factor into your self storage business. As a bonus, we’ll offer tips and tricks for maximizing coverage and making the most out of your investment.
How to Calculate Storage Units Per Acre
Before we dive into the calculations, I wanted to mention there are several factors that will influence the number of self storage units you’d be able to fit in a single acre of land, including: the unit sizes you plan to carry, your desired configuration/layout, and city regulatory requirements.
Unit Size and Layout
The size of your storage units dictates how densely they can be arranged on your land. Smaller units can be arranged closely together, allowing you to fit more units within a limited space. On the flip side, to cast a wide net and meet the market demand, your storage business should offer a range of different unit sizes (5’x10’, 10’x10’, 10’x15’, and even 10’x30’).
When evaluating what sizes of units to construct, you should consider your target customer base. What objects will they likely be storing? Are your customers looking for long-term storage or short-term storage? Do they need to store vehicles or heavy equipment? Or is it typically household items? From there, you can estimate how many units of each size you’ll need in your facility.
If the local demographic typically stores standard household items in their rented storage units, plan to build more 5’x10′ and 10’x10′ storage units, two of the most popular storage unit sizes.
Once you’ve solidified the types (and the sizes) of units you plan to incorporate in your storage facility, you’ll need to experiment with various configurations to determine the most space-efficient design.
Note that if you’re investing in an existing self storage facility, you won’t have the same flexibility to mix unit layouts and sizes.
Measuring Your Available Space: How Many Units Can You Fit in an Acre
An acre of land is equal to 43,560 square feet. If the average size of a storage unit is 10’x10’ feet (100 square feet), you could fit 435.6 storage units in an acre of land. Rounding down to the nearest whole number, you could fit approximately 435 storage units on an acre.
That was easy, right?
Not so fast…
That would be assuming:
- All units are 10’x10’
- The storage facility is made up entirely of storage square footage (there is no need for other space besides the units.
In reality, it’s not that simple.
For a more accurate representation of how many storage units can fit comfortably in a strip of land, you’ll have to factor in a variety of size options (rather than assuming every unit will be perfectly symmetrical 10×10 storage space).
Remember, you’ll also need to consider space between units, aisles, walkways, and other infrastructure-related spaces.
The average storage facility only dedicates around 30-50% of its usable space to the actual storage units. The rest of the square footage is non-rentable space that keeps the business operable to both staff members and customers alike.
Returning to the earlier example of 43,560 square feet, if only 50% of the acre of land can be dedicated to storage units, you would be able to fit approximately half the number of units. Therefore, in this scenario, you’d be able to fit around 217 storage units on an acre of land.
Again, this is assuming only 10’x10’ units, where larger sizes would take up more space.
Other Space Requirements
If it’s not directly associated with revenue, it’s easy to forget—which is why access pathways within your storage facility may have fallen off your radar. While it’s not space you can directly monetize, these paths enable the flow of foot traffic (and car traffic) for customers, emergency services, and maintenance employees who need to navigate the storage facility.
Remember: Just because you can’t rent the space out for profit, doesn’t mean this space isn’t a valuable component of your storage business.
When scoping out the number of storage spaces you can comfortably fit, make sure to leave room for the following in your blueprint.
- Aisles between units, making sure there is enough clearance for someone to safely load and unload their things.
- Access roads, that will be used by emergency service vehicles and maintenance staff.
- Sensibly sized walkways between units, which will allow renters to freely come and go without encroaching on other tenants’ spaces.
- Ample parking space for large fleet vehicles, moving trucks, and employee vehicles.
- Space that will be dedicated to a rental office, storage closets, restrooms, maintenance rooms, and employee break spaces.
- Entrances and exits. How will people come and go? Will your self storage business need to be set back further to make room for walkways, landscape designs, etc.?
Regulatory Requirements
Local zoning laws and building codes dictate the required distances between units. These and other restrictions can affect unit density.
So the question isn’t so much, “How many units can I fit in an acre”, but rather, “How many units am I permitted to build within a given square footage?”
Zoning laws and building codes will not only stipulate the minimum distances required between storage units, but will also set standards surrounding height clearances, the thickness of walls, and maximum capacity.
Make sure to check with your city planning office. For example, here are zoning laws for Phoenix, AZ
Multi-Level Storage Facilities
The beauty of multilevel storage facilities is that you’re not constrained as much by the acreage of your land. Theoretically, you have as much space as you need as long–as you continue to build upwards.
However, multi-level comes with more risk and cost. You’ll want to evaluate if it makes sense for your storage facility.
Here are some considerations:
Elevators and Staircases
To access upper levels, you’ll need elevators and staircases for both customers and staff. These need to be factored into the design and construction.
Structural Integrity
The building needs to be engineered to support the added weight of multiple levels of storage units. This involves strong foundations, support columns, and load-bearing walls.
Accessibility and Safety
Ensure easy access and safety for customers and staff. Adequate lighting, fire safety measures, and security are essential.
Zoning and Regulations
Check local zoning regulations and building codes. Some areas may have restrictions on building height, usage, and parking requirements.
Accessibility for Moving Vehicles
Ensure there’s enough space for moving trucks to access different levels and loading/unloading areas.
Customer Experience
Focus on providing a positive customer experience, from booking units online to accessing their items securely.
Square Footage Vs. Unit Count
Instead of focusing on unit count alone, consider focusing on usable square footage for your storage business. Then, you can base your net operating income potential on price per square foot—rather than trying to fit as many units as possible.
Rentable square footage helps you understand the total space available for rent within your self storage facility. More square footage typically implies more potential income. However, keep in mind that not all square footage may be equally profitable; some units might fetch higher rental rates than others.
A self storage business plan should consider both rentable square footage and unit count, as they provide different insights into the potential of an investment.
To make an informed investment decision, account for both of these factors while also considering factors like market demand, location, and local competition.
Maximize Your Available Space with Neighbor
Operating a storage facility at its peak potential is about making the most out of your available space. If you’re looking for an easy way to fill vacancies, you can list with Neighbor. By posting listings on peer-to-peer storage marketplaces like these, you can expand your customer base and turn formally unused space into extra income. Just list your space and connect with qualified renters.
