Shipping Containers for Sale and Rent in Ames, IA
New and used 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high cube containers delivered across the Ames area. Your container ships from the yard nearest to you, with one delivered price and one point of contact.
Buying a container in the Ames area
Delivery is the first decision. A tilt-bed trailer tilts and slides the container onto the ground at your site. A flatbed keeps the container on the trailer, and it is lifted off with a forklift or crane. Either way, you send a ZIP code and what you need, and a real person checks stock at the yard nearest that ZIP and sets up the truck. You deal with one person from quote to drop-off, and the price arrives as one delivered number. Customers in Nevada and Boone can request a delivered price the same way: send the ZIP code and what you need.
Our containers come in 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high cube sizes, new (one-trip) or used. When you ask for a price, we match the size and grade you want to the yard closest to your ZIP code, so your container travels the shortest distance, and send you one delivered price. You deal with one person from quote to drop-off.
Tilt-bed or flatbed delivery
Most people choose tilt-bed delivery: the truck tilts its bed and slides the container straight onto your pad, so you need no equipment. If you have a forklift or crane on site, we can send the container on a flatbed instead and you unload it. How delivery works.
Buy or rent: containers in Ames
Containers are for sale and for rent in the Ames area. Buying suits long-term or permanent storage, where the box stays on your property. Renting suits a project, a move or a season. Rental details come with your quote.
Three grades are available. All three keep things dry; they differ in looks, structure and price.
New one-trip containers were shipped once and look close to new.
Cargo-worthy containers are used but were judged structurally fit to carry cargo when inspected.
Weigh them side by side on the new vs used guide or the container grades explained page, and see the full container range.
How people use shipping containers in Ames
Ames has about 2,300 residents per square mile of land, a mostly suburban pattern, and many homes have room beside a driveway. That shapes what the box is for.
Home storage during a move or renovation, with the box parked beside the house.
Garage overflow and seasonal storage, keeping the garage clear for vehicles.
Jobsite storage for builders, with tools and material locked up on site.
Local conditions to plan for
Freeze-thaw and snow
Frozen ground heaves and settles. A compacted, well-drained gravel pad keeps the container level so the doors keep closing properly. Avoid scheduling delivery on soft spring-thaw ground.
Humidity and condensation
Warm, humid air condenses on cool steel. Roof or wall vents, a few moisture absorbers and keeping stored things off the floor on pallets protect what is inside.
Placement rules
Rules for containers on private property are set by your city or county, and sometimes your HOA or deed restrictions. Some places treat a container like a shed; others have rules on size, placement, screening or how long it can stay. Check with your local planning or zoning office before delivery. See container rules in Iowa for what we found on official state sites.
Sizes we deliver around Ames
- 20ft standard container: 20' L x 8' W x 8'6" H
- 40ft standard container: 40' L x 8' W x 8'6" H
- 40ft high cube container: 40' L x 8' W x 9'6" H
- 10ft container: 10' L x 8' W x 8'6" H (availability varies, ask us)
Your price in the Ames area
Container prices move with the size and grade you pick, what is in stock at the yard nearest to you and the distance to your site. Tell us your ZIP code and how to reach you, and you'll see the delivered price for your exact address. We usually reply within 1-2 business hours.
- Container and delivery in one price
- Tilt-bed (set on the ground) or flatbed (you unload)
- Nothing is ordered until you approve it
Delivery checklist
- A straight, clear approach: roughly 60 to 100 ft for a 20ft, 100 to 150 ft for a 40ft
- About 12 ft of width, and no low wires or branches overhead
- Firm, level ground at the drop spot, ideally gravel or blocks
How delivery works · Site prep
Renting instead of buying
Need storage for a few months, a move or a job in the Ames area? We also rent containers by the month, delivered by tilt-bed and picked up when you're done. Rentals are quote-based: ask for a rental quote with your ZIP code and we'll confirm availability with it.
Tell us your ZIP code and what you need, and you'll get the delivered price for your address.
Get your priceQuestions people ask
Can I buy or rent a shipping container in Ames?
Yes. Containers are for sale and for rent in the Ames area. Send your ZIP code with the size and grade you want, and a real person checks stock at the yard nearest that ZIP. Rental details come with your quote.
How is a shipping container delivered in Ames?
By tilt-bed or flatbed truck. A tilt-bed slides the container onto the ground, so it needs a long, straight, clear approach with nothing low in the way. A flatbed keeps the container on the trailer and it is lifted off with a forklift or crane you provide.
How should I prepare the ground before delivery in Ames?
Set out a firm, level pad where the container will sit, with the doors facing the side you want to load from. Keep the spot off low ground and drainage paths, and clear the approach of loose debris and branches. The site prep guide has the detail.
Get your price in the Ames area
Start with your ZIP code. A real person checks stock at the yard nearest to you and sends the price for your container delivered to your site. We usually reply within 1-2 business hours.