September 19, 2025
Updated by the Velox team
Most portable storage companies in Utah look the same on the first phone call, so pick one with the questions below, not the ad. Every company will say “fast delivery” and “great service.” The things that actually change your move or project are the space inside the box, the weight it can carry, who answers the phone, what happens when your dates slip, and whether anyone has left a review. Here is the checklist we would use if we were shopping, with how a Velox container answers each one.
1. How much space is inside, not outside?
Containers are usually sold by outside size: “8 by 16,” “10-foot,” “20-foot.” But the steel walls, floor and roof take up room, so the outside number is always bigger than the space you can fill. Ask for the inside measurements and the inside cubic feet. If a company only gives you an outside number, ask again.
Ours: 8 by 16 on the outside, about 800 cubic feet inside, enough for roughly a 1,500-square-foot home or two to three bedrooms depending on how you pack. The full math is in our guide to comparing container sizes inside vs. outside, and you can load one yourself in the 3D space calculator.
2. What is the weight limit?
This matters more than people expect. Food storage, tools, a full garage and books all get heavy fast, and a container that is “full” by space can still be over its limit by weight. Ask for the load limit in pounds, and ask what happens if you go over it.
Ours: 7,500 pounds. A typical loaded unit comes in at 3,000 to 4,000, so most moves have plenty of room. Safes, machinery, tile and concrete are worth a quick conversation first.
3. Who picks up the phone?
Call the number on the website and notice what happens. A national call center can take an order, but it can’t tell you whether the truck can make it up your driveway, and it can’t move your delivery to Thursday because the closing got pushed. Ask: is the person I’m talking to the same person who will handle my delivery, schedule changes and billing?
Ours: a small local team, and the Utah line reaches the owner. One person can answer every question about your job.
4. How long has the company been doing this, and what do customers say?
Years in business tell you the company has survived a few busy summers and a few winters. Reviews tell you what the actual experience was like. Look at the total count, the star rating and how recent the newest ones are. A handful of reviews from last year says something different from hundreds that keep arriving.
Ours: we have delivered containers in Utah since 2016. You can read every Google review on our reviews page.
5. What happens when the plan changes?
Closing dates move. Contractors run late. Ask three things: Can I keep the container longer without re-booking? Does the price go up after the first month? Can I store it loaded somewhere if I don’t know where I’m moving yet?
Ours: month to month, no deposit, and the monthly rate doesn’t jump after month one. If you need it off the driveway, we pick it up loaded and keep it at our yard, with nothing added to the monthly rate for yard storage.
6. How does it get onto the driveway?
Some companies tip the container off a truck like a dumpster. Some need a wide, flat, straight approach and will turn down a steep or tight driveway. Ask how the container is set down, and whether a sloped driveway, an RV pad or a spot under a tree is a problem.
Ours: the truck stays on the road and a small remote-controlled lift we call the Mule carries the container to the spot and sets it down flat on rubber pads. It fits anywhere a car can park. Not sure your spot works? Text us a photo, or try the Will It Fit tool.
7. What’s covered if something goes wrong?
Your belongings are not automatically insured in any company’s container. Ask whether coverage is offered, what it covers (theft, fire, water, damage in transit) and whether your homeowners or renters policy already applies.
Ours: we offer optional third-party coverage, and we’ll walk you through what it does and doesn’t cover before you decide. The details are in our FAQ.
8. Are there fees you haven’t been told about?
Ask for the full list before you book: delivery, pickup, a second move, going outside the normal service area, a difficult placement, a lock, coverage. A good company will tell you what changes the price without being asked twice.
Ours: the price depends on how many containers, how long, how many times it moves, how far out you are and how tricky the placement is. We’ll tell you all of it on the first call. We don’t post prices, because every job is a little different and a two-minute conversation gets you a real number instead of a guess.
The checklist
Copy this into your notes and ask every company the same eight questions:
- Inside measurements and inside cubic feet?
- Weight limit in pounds?
- Who answers the phone, and do they handle my whole job?
- Years in business, and how many recent reviews?
- Month to month? Deposit? Does the rate rise after month one?
- How is it placed, and can you handle my driveway?
- What coverage is offered, and what does it cover?
- Every fee, up front?
If the answers line up with what you need, you’ve found your company. If you’d like to put Velox through the same eight questions, call or text us. We’re happy to be checked. And if you’re weighing a national brand, see how we compare with PODS and U-Haul U-Box.