Questions To Ask When Choosing A Pop-Up Warehouse

Pop-up warehouses are incredibly useful for businesses, as they provide temporary space when something unexpected happens. For instance, companies might have to deal with unknown quantities of products or unplanned deliveries at the last minute, and find somewhere to store a large number of goods. 

When things like this happen, they can hire a temporary storage shelter, which will give them somewhere to put their goods while they sort out their logistics problems. 

Choosing a pop-up warehouse company, however, can be tricky, so here are some questions worth asking to make sure you pick the right one for your business. 

1. How long will it take?

The chances are if you are trying to arrange extra storage in an emergency, you do not have a lot of notice. Therefore, you need to make sure you can get the keys to the pop-up shelter as soon as possible. 

If they say it will be a few months before you can use the shelter, you should move on to another company that can do it more quickly for you. 

1. Will it come from abroad?

It is a good idea to ask where the building will come from - the UK or abroad. If it has to be flown in, it could become delayed due to supply chain problems. 

Instead, you might prefer to opt for a company that provides units in the UK, as you can be more confident you will get it as soon as possible without it being stuck in the supply chain. 

1. Does it need planning permission?

You should ask the shelter provider what the deal is with planning permission. Find out whether you need to seek approval before using the pop-up warehouse and ask if they know what will increase your chances of having a successful application. 

If they are not knowledgeable in this area, it could be worth looking around for another company that has a better understanding of planning legalities, as you do not want to risk doing something illegal. 

1. Where can they put the shelter?

Knowing whether to book a temporary warehouse company might come down to where they are able to erect the unit and what space you have available. 

Some providers will be able to set up the shelters on most ground types, including tarmac, concrete and hard-standing, but it is worth checking with them first. 

1. Does the company use subcontractors to install the building?

Some companies use their own installation team to erect the pop-up structures, while others sub-contract the work out. 

Those that employ their own staff will take responsibility for them while work is being carried out. However, if they use sub-contractors, it is worth noting that the responsibility for any risk will lie on you. 

Therefore, you might prefer to only use temporary shelter companies that have their own installers, so you do not have to be responsible for their safety during the set-up. 

1. Where do they supply to?

Lastly, there is no point doing lots of research into a portable canopy shelter company only to find out later on down the line that they do not cover the area you need. 

Therefore, it is essential to find out if they will transport the unit to your location and what the delivery costs will be.