Advertorial - A New Storage Model Is Helping Facilities Managers Cut Costs
For facilities managers overseeing construction projects, refurbishments, and day-to-day building operations, storage is often a hidden but significant cost.
Traditional self-storage units can range from £60 to £120 per month for a small 20–50 sq ft unit, rising to £180–£300 per month for medium sizes and upwards of £360 for larger spaces.
When factored into long-term projects, these costs quickly add up. For example, the average price for a 200 sq ft storage unit works out at £88 per week, £380 per month, and more than £4,600 a year. For large or extended projects, this can add tens of thousands of pounds to a facilities budget before labour or materials are even considered.
The rise of ‘storage by the box’
In response to these rising costs, a new model is emerging: storage by the box. Instead of committing to an entire storage unit, much of which often sits half-empty, businesses now only pay for the exact number of boxes they need. Each box is collected from site or office, transported to a secure facility, and delivered back on demand.
This approach is already gaining traction with facilities managers looking for flexible, scalable solutions during office moves, refurbishments, and ongoing maintenance projects.
Cutting costs without cutting corners
By removing the burden of paying for unused square footage, facilities managers can significantly reduce overheads.
For example, instead of committing to a £300 monthly unit for just a few items of equipment or documentation, the same items can be stored for under £4 per box per month.
This cost efficiency makes the model particularly attractive in city locations, where space is at a premium and construction budgets are already under pressure.
Supporting smarter building operations
The Box Co., one of the UK’s fastest-growing storage-by-the-box providers, says the model is changing how building services teams think about storage.
“We’re seeing a real shift in how facilities managers approach storage,” said a spokesperson for The Box Co. “With construction and property budgets under constant pressure, paying for empty space in traditional units just doesn’t make sense anymore. Our model means you only ever pay for what you use, and we handle the logistics, so it’s one less thing for project teams to worry about.”
The future of storage in building and construction
As the construction industry struggles with rising material costs, labour shortages, and tighter project margins, any opportunity to trim waste is welcome.
Storage by the box gives companies a way to lower hidden costs, free up valuable on-site space, and keep projects running smoothly without the expense of traditional unit hire.
With construction and facilities budgets under increasing scrutiny, smarter storage solutions could soon become a standard part of the modern building services toolkit.
