Car Storage: Would it work?

[TRB]

I'm looking at taking on a 4000 square foot unit, of which I would need half immediately and possibly the other half in a year or so.

I was wondering if there was demand for car storage on the Bucks/Herts boundary (between Chesham & Bovingdon). It has a large roller shutter each side (had a double-decker bus through).

It's dry and secluded, but otherwise nothing fancy. Bit of a bumpy (scalpings) access road (seen a Noble do it (slowly!)), but concrete floor and 'yard'. Not something I've looked into in any depth, so sure there are questions re: insurance/security etc, but would be a nice way to help with the rent while I only need half (possibly half will be large enough long-term).

Any mileage in such an idea?

[SBDJ]

There are always people looking for somewhere to store cars - I'm usually in need of somewhere myself and am only about 10 miles from Chesham and Bovingdon. I've got my bare RX7 tucked up in a poky garage in a dodgy estate in Dunstable at the moment!

[mickk]

If you keep your prices cheap enough you should be okay, owners of the more exotic cars may want better facillities and secutity though.

It all depends on who you're aiming for.

[London GT3]

It doesn't sound like a runner to me. If you want to provide a top storage facility then it will need to be exclusively storage (what are you going to be doing in the other 2,000 sq ft?). I wouldn't want any car of value stored alongside an operational business with people coming and going. If you want to store cars then they need to be accessible without moving others around - if you only have 2,000 sq ft for car storage then you wont get more than 5 or 6 cars in max. For good quality car storage you would need a secure, dry, clean environment (possibly dehumidified). You also need to address issues of insurance etc.

If you are offering to store a few older classics in an industrial shed with a cover over each of them then you might get £20 to £25 per month per car but you should make sure people know what they are getting and for that kind of money you will get the poorer end of the market and no doubt there will be claims that their pristine classic has deteriorated in your care etc. It could end up being a lot of grief for not much return.