Guide
How to Prep the Ground for a Shipping Container
Gravel pad, railroad ties or concrete blocks — what to put under your container so it stays level and dry through New England winters.
The short answer
A container needs a firm, level, well-drained spot. For most homeowners, a compacted gravel pad or four to six solid concrete blocks under the corners is all it takes. You don't need a poured slab.
Option 1: Compacted gravel pad
Our favorite. Scrape off the topsoil, lay 4–6 inches of crushed stone a foot wider than the container on every side, and tamp it down. Gravel drains, resists frost heave and gives the driver a firm surface to slide the box onto.
Option 2: Concrete blocks or railroad ties
Solid concrete blocks (not hollow cinder blocks) or treated ties under each corner keep the steel off wet ground and let air move underneath. Set them on a little gravel so they don't sink, and check them with a level before delivery day. Add blocks at the middle of a 40' if your ground is soft.
What to avoid
Bare lawn after rain, low spots where water pools, and anywhere over a septic tank or leach field. A loaded tilt-bed truck is heavy — soft ground can stop a delivery or leave ruts.
New England frost and drainage
Frost heave can push one corner up over the winter and make the doors bind. Gravel and good drainage prevent most of it. If the doors stick in spring, a quick shim under the low corner usually fixes it.
Clearance for the truck
Plan a straight, clear path: about 60 feet for a 20' and about 100 feet for a 40', 10–12 feet wide, with about 14 feet of overhead clearance from wires and branches. Tell us about anything tight and we'll talk it through before delivery.
See your exact delivered price
Type your ZIP into our price tool and see the full total — container plus delivery — before you pay anything.
Questions first? Call us at (401) 702-4391.
Current container prices
- 20' New One-Trip Container — $3,200
- 20' Used Wind & Water Tight — $2,100
- 40' High Cube New One-Trip Container — $3,799
- 40' Used Wind & Water Tight — $2,700
- 40' High Cube Used Wind & Water Tight — $2,900
- 40' High Cube New One-Trip — 4 Side Door Container — $7,000