Ninety percent of delivery problems are access problems, and all of them are avoidable with five minutes of prep. Here's what to check before you order.
Tilt-tray truck — the standard for 10ft and 20ft containers. The tray tilts, and the container slides off the back onto your site. The truck needs to reverse in a straight line to the drop spot, and the container comes off in line with the truck, doors facing the cab or the rear (tell us which when you order).
Sidelifter — a trailer with its own cranes that lifts the container off sideways. Standard for 40ft units and useful when the drop spot is beside the access path rather than at the end of it.
Crane truck (HIAB) — for tricky drops: over fences, behind buildings, tight courtyards. Costs more, solves problems nothing else can.
Width: at least 3.5m of clear path — gates, trees, eaves included. Height: 4.5m clearance along the route; watch powerlines, branches and carport awnings. Straight run: a 20ft tilt-tray delivery needs roughly 15m of straight approach to the drop point; a 40ft sidelifter wants closer to 30m of room to work. Turning: the truck has to get in from the street — tight corners on rural driveways catch people out. Overhead at the drop: the tilt-tray raises the container as it unloads, so no verandas or wires directly above.
Firm and roughly level is the brief. Containers don't need a slab — railway sleepers or concrete blocks under the four corner castings is the classic setup, keeping steel off wet ground and air moving underneath. Avoid soft grass after rain: a loaded truck will sink, and so will your delivery window.
Someone should be on site (or reachable by phone) to confirm the exact position and door direction. Drivers will work with you, but they can't guess. If your site is genuinely tight, send us photos or a video with your quote request — we assess access from photos every week and we'd far rather solve it before the truck leaves the depot.
Delivery costs and zones are on our delivery page, or call 1300 235 972 and describe your site — we'll tell you straight away if it's a standard drop or needs the crane.
Real-world price ranges for new and used containers, what moves the market, and how to make sure you're comparing quotes properly.
The honest breakdown of when a used container is the smart money — and the situations where new is worth every dollar.
Hire runs $25–45/week; buying a used 20ft is ~$3,000. The crossover maths, plus the factors that shift it either way.
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a straight price — container plus delivery to your site, no surprises.
*During business hours. After hours, first thing next morning.