How do I decide on the right mix of 5×10, 10×10, and 10×20 units when I’m designing my first mini storage facility?
For a first-phase self-storage building unit mix, start with demand: about 40% 10×10 units, 20% 5×10 units, and 40% 10×20 units. Pour slabs and frame so partitions can shift later and so that you have enough room to adjust your ratios as you expand and grow. Also check with your local competition and see which size units have a waiting list.
Steel mini storage building kits from TruSteel let you set the self-storage building unit mix you need, but here’s an example of some common unit distributions:
1. Market math. Research the five-mile population, apartment share, and median income, then run demand at 50-70 sq ft per capita (standard in the Southeast). Compare this to the existing supply to find your net rentable gap.
2. Convert footage to doors. Convert footage to doors. A balanced first phase usually distributes units with the following ratios: 40% 10×10, 20% 5×10, and 40% 10×20. The 10×10 unit is the workhorse for movers and micro-businesses; 5×10 units wins price-sensitive renters; 10×20 units draws toy storage, vehicle, and whole-house customers. You can always adjust these ratios as you expand to meet demand.
3. Lay out the building. Lay out the building. A 30×100 mini storage building holds 20 plus drive-up units with 5×10s, back-to-back 10×10/ 10×20 units. A 40×100 or 50×100 kit stripes one side with 10×20 doors and leaves a center corridor for 5×10 lockers. TruSteel pre-cuts walls so you can slide partitions and turn two 10×10s into a 10×20 later.
4. Plan for growth. Plan for growth. Use bolt-up red iron steel building kits from IAS-accredited manufacturers, county-specific stamped building and foundation plans, and our installer network so every new 80×100 or climate-controlled storage building kit phase drops on the same column grid.
Ask for a free steel building estimate and you’ll have a quote and sketch in 24–72 hours that pin down door counts, lease-up curves, and future-phase tie-ins.