What Is The Cost Of A Self-Storage Unit In Australia?

Storage unit prices vary depending on the size category the customer requires – small, medium, large or extra-large.  Furthermore, factors such as geographical, rental period, extra add-on services and supply can also affect the cost of storage.

How much does storage cost in major capital cities?

City	Average self-storage unit prices for medium size unit per month*
Sydney	$317.00
Melbourne	$310.00
Brisbane	$284.00
Canberra	$244.00
Perth	$189.00
*Prices are an average for each capital city and based on ground floor 3.0m x 3.0m units with no promotions or add-on service fees and to be used as a guide.

Our Average Storage Unit Prices by Size.

Our sites	Small	Medium	Large	Extra Large
Castle Hill	$105-$190	$200-$280	$260-$570	$480-$690
Rouse Hill	$90-$160	$190-$250	$255-$495	$450-$900
Galston	$45-150	$175-$280	$330-475	$500-$740

Factors impacting self-storage costs.

We’ve covered some of the factors that determine the price of storage in our previous blog.  Adding to that list is the consideration of whether you require a unit to have an electrical power supply, climate control, insurance, or forklift service for loading and unloading of pallets. 

Typically, residential customers don’t have a need for a powered unit but the storage industry also accommodates for commercial customers.  Be mindful that the convenience of a powered unit will drive up the cost of the unit depending on the amount of consumption.  As an extension to powered units, some storage facilities also offer climate-controlled units – temperature and humidity – if you’re storing products such electronics, wine or artworks that can be damaged if exposed to extreme temperatures.

Although many storage facilities have 24-hour camera surveillance, controlled customer access via personalised PIN codes and alarmed units, your contents are not automatically insured when they are placed into storage.  Customer Storage Insurance is an add-on option that all storage facilities offer from as little as $1.00 per month for every $1,000.00 worth of goods.

If your business storage needs only requires a forklift service on the odd occasion there’s a good chance you may not be charged for the service.  If, however, you have multiple deliveries on a monthly basis be expected to pay a nominal fee for the service.

Price for different renting periods.

Most storage facilities require customers to rent their units for a minimum of one month.  The rental will continue on a month to month basis until either party provides a notice to vacate.  This is usually 7-14 days in advance.  Storage facilities also offer customers a discount for rent paid in advance.  For example, Hills Self Storage will offer its customers a 5% discount when paying 6 months’ rent in advance.  So, if you rent a medium size unit at out Galston facility for $260.00 per month and take up the discount offer your monthly rental fee will average out to be $247.00.

Hills Self Storage also offers customers a Long-Term discount rate of 7% (on selected sizes) when they stay for 12 months or more.  If you need to de-clutter the home with items you rarely use but can’t bear to part with, then a small storage unit may be a great option for you.  For example, a 3.0m x 1.5m storage unit facility will cost $135.00 per month.  The Long-Term rate is $125.00 with the added bonus of paying month to month. 

What are some additional fees in a storage facility?

Some storage facilities charge a one-off administration fee to complete the sign-up process.  The fees can be over $20.00 for each new agreement and are non-refundable.  Other facilities also charge a cleaning fee and this varies between storages facilities and averages out to be $15.00.  At Hill Self Storage will do not impose such fees on our customers.

A vast majority of customers pay their rental fees by the due date but some are not as diligent.  For those that are not, late fees and possible auctions fees will be payable on top of their monthly rental fees.  These fees vary from facility to facility ($15.00 to $65.00) so be sure to ask the staff when these delinquent fees are applied and the amount to be charged.

Rental increases are reviewed after a fixed term.  Some facilities automatically impose an increase of up to 12% bi-annually.  Others, on the other hand, review their prices after 12 months and consider supply, competitor’s rates and/or previous discount plans offered when making a determination of rental increases.  At Hills Self Storage, we review rental increases annually and in accordance with the CPI.

Some other fees you may be expected to pay for are rubbish removal of general waste or abandoned goods.  With CCTV cameras monitoring the storage facility be sure you don’t get a surprise fee to pay because you left your unwanted goods behind when you vacated your unit and thought nobody was watching.

Benefits of self-storage.

• Cost-effective for businesses.
• De-cluttering when selling your home.
• Store seasonal items and free up garage space.
• Keeping large items after downsizing your home.
• The base for online retailers or other small businesses.
• Business archiving for compliance obligations.

How to choose a self-storage facility.

• Location and convenience – parking options, proximity to your home or place of business, knowledgeable staff.
• Match your storage needs with the facility’s offerings – car storage options, specialist units for artwork, antique furniture or wine.
• Security of the facility – PIN code access, CCTV cameras and regular lock checks.
• Accessibility – inclines and uneven surfaces, hours for customer access, goods lift for upper-level units.