Questions, answered.

To get a container quote from ABC, request one online through the quote form or call your nearest depot. Tell us what you're storing, the size you think you need, your location, and whether you want to hire or buy. A real person gets back to you, usually within a few hours, with an actual price — not a “from”.

Shipping container hire with ABC starts at around $20 a week including GST for a standard 20ft container in south-east Queensland, rising to roughly $30 a week in northern regions like Townsville and Cairns. The exact rate depends on size, grade, hire length and location, and delivery is quoted separately. Get a free quote for your real number.

Buying a shipping container from ABC ranges widely — a used 20ft can start a few thousand dollars, while new units, high cubes, and specialised containers cost more. Price depends on size, grade, type and region. As-is “roughie” containers are the cheapest and priced case by case. Get a free quote for current pricing.

No — delivery is quoted separately from the container. The container price is one figure; delivery is quoted on your address, distance from the nearest depot, and site access. ABC doesn't bundle a flat “free delivery” rate into the container price, because honest, itemised pricing is the point.

Hire a container if you need it for a defined period — a renovation, a project, seasonal storage — or want to test whether it suits before committing. Buy one if it's a permanent fixture or works out cheaper over your timeframe. ABC is hire-first; if you hire and later decide to buy, the team will give you an agreed purchase price.

ABC's standard minimum hire period is four weeks. After that, hire runs for as long as you need it — week to week, month to month — and you return the container when you're done. There's no fixed maximum; plenty of customers hire the same container for years.

Yes. If you're hiring a container and decide you want to keep it, talk to the team — they'll give you an agreed purchase price on that specific container. Hire payments don't apply toward the purchase price; you'll receive a separate price for the buy. It's a simple conversation and a straightforward process.

Yes. ABC’s 40ft containers are available to hire on flexible terms — short-term for a project or season, or longer if you’re not sure of the end date. Return it when you’re done. If you decide later that you want to keep it, talk to the team — we’ll give you an agreed purchase price.

ABC grades every container it sells on a 1–10 condition scale. Grade 10 is the best — we count up, not down — meaning a Grade 10 is near-new with barely a mark, while lower grades are more used and cost less. Every grade is structurally sound. Full detail is on the container grading page.

Yes. Lower-grade containers have done more work and show more wear — dents, surface rust, faded paint — but they're still structurally sound and wind-and-water-tight unless sold specifically as-is. If you're storing machinery or farm gear and don't need it pretty, a lower grade does the job for less. See the grading page.

An as-is container — sometimes called a roughie — is sold exactly as it comes, without the usual clean-up, grading or photo assessment. It may have dents, patches and rust, and may not be fully wind-and-water-tight. ABC will tell you what it knows about each one. They're the cheapest option, priced case by case.

A container graded by ABC is wind-and-water-tight unless it's specifically sold as-is. Wind-and-water-tight means it keeps weather out and stays dry inside. As-is “roughie” containers are the exception — they may or may not be fully sealed, and ABC tells you what it knows about each one before you commit.

Most containers are delivered by tilt-tray truck, which tilts its tray to slide the container off and place it precisely — including down many suburban driveways. The driver positions it where you want it. Access matters: discuss driveway width, slope, overhead branches and ground conditions when you quote so the right truck is sent.

Delivery to Queensland metro areas and major towns typically takes 3–5 days from booking, because stock sits at a local depot rather than being freighted long distances. Rural and remote delivery takes longer and depends on the run. If you have a deadline, tell the team when you quote.

ABC delivers shipping containers across all of Queensland and into Northern NSW. Metro and major towns are standard delivery; rural and remote addresses, including Western Queensland, are quoted on distance and access. If you can give us the address, we can tell you the delivery. See the delivery areas page.

Access problems are best caught before the truck is booked — that's why ABC talks through driveway width, slope, gateways, overhead branches and ground conditions when you quote. If a standard tilt-tray can't reach, there are options like crane placement or a different truck. A two-minute conversation upfront avoids a failed delivery.

A 40ft container is delivered by side-loader — the truck parks alongside the placement zone and lowers the container from the side using hydraulic arms. You’ll need room for the truck to position itself parallel to where the container is going. On difficult sites, a Franna crane is the alternative.

A 20ft shipping container holds about 33 cubic metres — enough for the contents of a two to three bedroom house, or a generous amount of furniture, tools and boxes. As a rough guide, it fits a typical three-bedroom household's worth of goods. For tighter planning, the container dimensions guide has the exact internal measurements.

A 40ft shipping container holds roughly twice a 20ft — about 76 cubic metres — enough for the contents of a large three to four bedroom house, or substantial commercial stock, machinery or equipment. If you're between sizes, two 20ft containers can be more flexible than one 40ft. The dimensions guide has exact figures.

ABC stocks 10ft, 20ft and 40ft shipping containers, in both standard height and high cube (an extra foot of height). Beyond size, there are configurations — side-opening, double-door, refrigerated, flat rack and more. Not sure which size suits? The product recommendation quiz narrows it down in a few questions.

A high cube container is one foot taller than a standard-height container — about 2.9 metres external versus 2.6 metres — while the length and width stay the same. High cube suits tall items, extra stacking height, or fit-outs where headroom matters. It's a popular choice for office and accommodation modifications.

A 40ft high cube is about 30cm taller than a standard 40ft container — 2.9 metres external height versus approximately 2.6 metres. The length and width are the same. ABC’s 40ft range is predominantly high cube. High cube suits tall items, extra stacking room, and any fit-out where headroom matters.

The ABC Photo Promise is ABC's trust commitment to purchase customers: every container is photographed when it arrives at the depot, and you can request the photos of your specific unit before delivery. If it isn't what you expected for its grade, you can knock it back before it ships. It applies to containers you buy, not hire.

Not automatically — the photos are available on request. Every container is photographed at intake, so the photos exist for every unit ABC sells, but they're sent through when you ask. Many buyers are happy with the grade description and skip it. Just flag it when you book if you'd like to see them.

No — the ABC Photo Promise applies to purchases, not hire. The hire fleet rotates too fast to photograph every unit before every hand-off. Hire customers get a different commitment instead: a wind-and-water-tight, lockable container from the hire-grade pool, delivered on time.

Yes. ABC has an in-house modifications team — the Mods Crew — based at the Brisbane depot. They build site offices, accommodation, ablution blocks, crib rooms, workshops and custom fit-outs. Every unit is designed, fabricated and finished in-house, not offshore. See the container modifications page for what's possible.

ABC builds three office container tiers: Budget Barry (entry-level), Banksia (mid-range, the most popular) and Acacia (high-end). All are built on a Grade 10 20ft container with insulation, reverse-cycle air conditioning and an RCD switchboard. They differ in windows, lighting, flooring and finish. See the office containers page.

Modification timeframes depend on the build — a standard office fit-out is faster than a custom multi-room configuration. Because the Mods Crew builds in-house at the Brisbane depot, timeframes are controlled rather than at the mercy of an offshore supplier. Ask for an estimate when you enquire about your specific build.

If a container's doors won't close, it's almost always because the container isn't sitting level. Containers are designed to sit square; on uneven ground the frame twists slightly and the doors bind. The fix is levelling the container — usually packing under the low corner. Sit it on level, firm ground from the start and the doors stay true.

Prepare a reasonably level, firm area for your container — level so the doors work and the frame doesn't twist, firm so it doesn't sink. Many customers place containers on timber sleepers, concrete blocks or a compacted pad at the corners. Allow room for the delivery truck. The site preparation guide has the detail.

Council rules for placing a shipping container vary by local government area and depend on factors like how long it stays, where it sits, and whether it's modified. ABC isn't able to give planning advice — check with your local council. As a general guide, short-term hire is treated differently to a permanent installation.

Yes. One of a container's advantages over a built shed is that it can be relocated — picked up by tilt-tray and moved to a new site. This is why containers suit job sites, leased land and changing needs. If you'll need to move it, mention that when you quote so placement and access are planned for.