Seeking Advice -Building New Self-Storage Facility

[Tammy Garst]

I'm looking to invest in self-storage in the smaller cities and towns surrounding the Twin Cities area and am debating between two options: buying land and building a new facility or purchasing an existing one. I'd like to get an idea of what is costs to build from scratch.

Let's say I find a 2-acre lot to purchase. Aside from zoning issues, permits, and city/county requirements, which are highly variable, I'd like to get an idea of how many units/buildings and how to lay it out for most efficient use of space for those 2 acres. Assuming the 2 acres is 100% usable, I'd like to do buildings on one acre and outdoor RV/boat storage on the other acre.

I've looked online at several companies that build storage buildings, but I don't know what size to ask for quotes on.

Does anyone have software recommendations that can assist in planning and designing the layout of the facility? Any recommendations for companies or consultants who specialize in self-storage construction?

I would greatly appreciate any advice, experiences, or resources you could share to help me plan effectively.

Thanks in advance for your help!