Getting your property ready for a shipping container is straightforward. Here is what to have in place before the delivery truck arrives.
Surface Requirements
Containers can sit on gravel, concrete, asphalt, compacted earth, or bare ground. No foundation is required. A level gravel pad is recommended for best drainage — it keeps water from pooling under the container.
How Level Does It Need to Be?
The placement area should be reasonably level. Minor slopes are usually fine — the container’s steel frame is rigid enough to bridge small dips. For significantly sloped sites, railroad ties, concrete blocks, or a leveled gravel pad can be used to create a flat base.
Clearance for the Delivery Truck
The tilt-bed trailer needs a straight run to back the container off the rear of the truck:
- 40ft container: 10 feet wide × 125 feet long
- 20ft container: 10 feet wide × 100 feet long
- Tight sites (20ft only): A roll-back wrecker-style delivery needs only 75 feet of straight run
Things to Check
- Overhead clearance: Make sure there are no low-hanging power lines, tree branches, or awnings in the delivery path.
- Gate width: If driving through a gate, it needs to be at least 10 feet wide.
- Soft ground: After heavy rain, a loaded delivery truck can sink into soft or muddy ground. Wait for the site to dry if needed.
- Utilities: Know where your water, sewer, gas, and electrical lines run. Do not place a container over buried utilities.
Placement Tips
Think about how you will access the container doors. Leave enough room in front of the doors to swing them fully open — about 8 feet of clear space. If you are storing items you will access regularly, orient the doors toward your driveway or work area.
Need help planning your delivery? Call (214) 399-9272 — our team can walk you through the logistics for your specific site. We deliver to 90+ Texas cities from our Houston, Dallas, and El Paso depots.