Shipping Container Shops in Kenya: What you need to know

Factors to consider before investing in Shipping Container Stalls

Cost of shipping container stalls
Location
Licenses and permits
Ground preparation, Transportation and installation
Shipping Container Malls

Benefits of Shipping container stalls

Shorter time to construct container stalls
Durability and security
Container shops are cheaper
Shipping container stalls are mobile
Container stalls require limited space
Ease of modification
Aesthetics

Factors to consider before investing in Shipping Container Stalls

When planning to invest in shipping container stalls, the following are key considerations one should make;

1. Cost of shipping container stalls

Shipping container shops offer a good investment opportunity where an investor can be able to recoup their investment within a short period of time and continue earning profits for a long period of time. However, it is important to consider the price of shipping container stalls before investing. The cost of 20FT shipping container stalls in Nairobi range from Ksh340,000 to Ksh360,000. 40FT shipping container stalls on the other hand cost Ksh560,000 to Ksh600,000.

2. Location

Location is an important consideration when investing in shipping container stalls. The most preferable location for setting up shipping container stalls are areas that have high traffic such as busy towns and city centers. Land that is located on busy roads also offer a good opportunity for investment on shipping container stalls. Other favorable locations for investing in shipping container stalls in Kenya space that is within or near public institutions such as learning centers, hospitals and bus parks among others.

3. Licenses and permits

When investing in shipping container stalls, one should consider the legal requirements within the locality in when they plan to invest. Shipping container stalls, offices and houses are considered temporary structures and as such do not require building approvals as with permanent buildings. It is however important to check the city council requirements as well as necessary licenses from other regulatory bodies.

4. Ground preparation, Transportation and installation

Before the shipping container is delivered on site, the right position for placing the container should be established and prepared with the use of pillars or slab. Proper ground preparation ensures that several units can be stacked hence increasing the number of units and shops you can have on the available space.

5. Shipping Container Malls

Several units (Both 20FT and 40FTs) can be combined to create a mall which hosts many stalls hence creating a shopping complex. Such malls have become common in the Kenyan market today due to the high returns they offer at lower cost of investment compared to permanent building. We setting out a shipping container mall, it’s important to come up with the right design in order to ensure that all shops are visible. Consideration should also be made for common amenities such as washrooms.

Benefits of Shipping container stalls

The following are some of the key benefits from investing in Shipping Container Stalls in Kenya;

1. Shorter time to construct container stalls

A major advantage of shipping container shops is the short period or time that is taken to construct the container stalls. 20FT shipping container with 3 stalls and 40FT shipping container with 5 stalls can be constructed within a period of 5 days. This makes it an attractive option for investors compared to brick and mortar structures which take long time to construct.

2. Durability and security

Shipping containers converted to stalls or shops are durable and can be used for a long period of time. Containers are made of heavy Corten steel which makes them extremely strong and can withstand harsh conditions. Roller shutters are also used on the doors which are quite strong and cannot be easily broken into. This means that shipping container stalls cannot be easily damaged compared to other temporary structures made from steel.

3. Container shops are cheaper

Shipping container stalls are a cheaper investment option compared to traditional concrete shops. The containers require minimal ground preparation and also come ready to use which minimizes on the cost of labor that is required to make them usable. There is no requirement for building approvals as container shops are considered a temporary structure which helps to save costs.

4. Shipping container stalls are mobile

Another advantage of shipping container shop is the fact that they are mobile and can be shifted from one location to another. In addition, an investor can resell the shipping containers in future when there is need to make alternative investment on the land. This makes them a favorable option compared to permanent buildings that have to be demolished.

5. Container stalls require limited space

Minimal space is required for setting up shipping container stalls. For instance, the dimension of a 20FT container allows it to me placed in placed where there is limited space such as busy streets. The containers can also be stacked in order to achieve maximum utilization of the available space.

6. Ease of modification

There is also an advantage with shipping container stalls in the fact that they are flexible and can be modified based on the needs of the user. For instance, a 40FT shipping container with 5 stalls can easily be modified to 3 stalls hence allowing more space to the users. This is not the case with brick and mortar structures where it would not be easy to modify the walls.

7. Aesthetics

Shipping containers are converted to shops/stalls and painted with attractive colors which makes them visually appealing and attractive to customers. In addition, they are made with roller shutter doors which open up fully hence increasing space and increasing visibility of products on sale. Shipping container malls can also be designed with attractive designs which make them more attractive for clients.