You’ve heard it before, location matters. After all, you’re not building a facility so it can sit there and collect dust. It’s the number one thing your clients will consider when deciding to rent with you.
Major implications might include: how far a renter will travel to get to your site, the accessibility of it, surrounding establishments; these are all important considerations.
Locating land for a Class A boat and RV facility isn’t always a breeze, however. The variances are actually quite different from finding a self-storage site and you should always consider hiring a consultant to move forward with your project before anything else.
Let’s get into 10 major components you have to know (and check off your list) before hiring any contractor
10 Major Location Considerations
Acres: 10-25 acres will allow room for storage, amenities, larger turn radius, traffic flow, is the required detention and allows for potential expansion in the future.
Max site cross slopes of 3%: Without careful examination of slope percentage you could be risking huge work costs.
Land basis below $4/sq.ft: Because rental rate are typically lower for RV&Boat Storage than traditional self-storage, land basis is key for a successful project.
Multiple site access points: Without easy access can potential renters will out weigh the headache of entering over any other amenities you can provide. Entering and exiting the location must be free of tight corner, other renters, and without confusion.
Located between multiple cities and/or towns: Locations between cities can increase exposure hugely. In addition, city ordinates will effect capacity limits and so on.
Located out of the city and away from congested traffic: While the magic formula is still being tweaked by industry experts, it’s suggested that you look for a location with population + density of a minimum of 80k residents in the 10 mile radius. Note that 10-20 mile radius could also be ideal.
Median income above $80k in the 5 mile radius: Knowing the median income in any given area will also determine potential clients and the types of toys they own.
Visibility and street frontage: The location should be easy to find and provide exposure to local and out of town traffic. That’s what we call drive-by advertising.
Zoned Properly, SUP, CUP: Zoning can be tricky. Re-zoning can take months in some instances. Typically, if the location is zoned properly, it still may require a special use permit or conditional use permit.
Site utilities nearby or extended to site: Access to utilities can play a major role in expenses. Knowing where water and sewer and electric taps are is critical.