# Cheap shipping containers: compare the delivered cost > **In brief.** A cheap container means the lowest delivered total, not the displayed price. ContainerBook records and dates public prices from shipping container sellers and lets you request, free of charge and in a single request, the delivered and offloaded price to your address (page updated on 27 September 2026). Updated on 27 September 2026 · Page : https://containerbook.uk/uk/cheap-shipping-containers ## At what price can you find a cheap shipping container? Compare the base prices in our shop and the dated UK supplier examples on our price guide. Neither establishes the cheapest delivered option for your project: ask for the actual unit, VAT, delivery and offloading to be priced for your postcode. The cheap container, for you, is the one whose **total delivered and unloaded** at your address is the lowest, for the condition your use actually needs. [Price record method](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-prices#methode) ## Why can a container that is cheap initially cost more once delivered? A low unit price can cost more once delivered if transport, offloading or applicable VAT are extra. Check what each displayed price includes: a distant supplier's lower starting price may result in a higher delivered total. The price to compare adds up these items: - **The container**, at the price of the reserved unit, not at the ‘from’ entry price. - **Transport** to your address, which depends on the distance from the departure depot. - **Offloading**: lorry-mounted crane or other lifting equipment, depending on access and ground conditions. - **VAT**: check the stated basis. A VAT-registered trader normally charges 20 % on a standard-rated UK container sale; a private buyer generally cannot reclaim it. Not every private seller or small business is VAT-registered. [What to include in a delivered quote](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-prices#livre) · [Shipping container transport and delivery: access and unloading](https://containerbook.uk/uk/container-delivery) → [Request a delivered price for my container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=conteneur&mode=achat) ## How to find a cheap shipping container? Choose a suitable condition, compare the usable space, check the departure depot and price delivery. For a short-term project, compare hire as well. These choices may reduce the total; none guarantees the cheapest container for every site. ### The right condition for your use For storage, assess the condition, watertightness and ventilation needed for your goods. For export, ask for a **cargo-worthy** unit and verify its CSC approval, current examination status and carrier acceptance. For visible use or conversion, compare the condition and suitability of **one-trip** and used units; the grade alone does not establish fitness for the project. For tools and materials on a construction site, see the [site storage container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/construction-site-containers); for household storage, the [guide to containers for home use](https://containerbook.uk/uk/containers-for-domestic-use). The used grades are detailed on the [used container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/used-shipping-containers#classes) page. → [Get a quote for a delivered used 20ft container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=20-pieds&format=20DRY&mode=achat&etat=occasion) → [Get a quote for a delivered used 40ft container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=40-pieds&format=40DRY&mode=achat&etat=occasion) ### 20ft or 40ft: compare the price per m³ The 40ft offers about two times the volume of the 20ft (67.7 m³ versus 33.2 m³). However, you need the space: 12.192 m long instead of 6.058 m, and access for the lorry. ### A depot near your address The company’s address is not necessarily that of the container: ask for the departure depot to be specified, and compare offers starting near you. [Directory companies that mention container sales](https://containerbook.uk/uk/suppliers?produit=conteneur&mode=achat#resultats) ### Hire, for a short-term need For a few months, hiring avoids buying a container you would then have to sell on. Have both purchase and hire quoted over the same period. [Hiring or buying: the calculation for your period](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-hire#bascule) → [Compare hire](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=conteneur&mode=location) ## What pitfalls can make a cheap container more expensive than expected? An entry price that does not match the delivered unit, a unit sold as seen needing repairs, unquoted offloading, an ex-VAT price read as VAT-inclusive, and paying an unverified seller: these pitfalls can derail a budget. - **The 'from' price** : This is the starting price displayed by the seller: the unit offered may cost more depending on its condition, depot and options. Have the price of the reserved unit confirmed in writing. - **The container sold as seen** : The actual condition needs assessment: obtain a written defect list and price the repairs before comparing with a refurbished unit. ‘Sold as seen’ does not remove a consumer's statutory rights against a trader. [Used container grades](https://containerbook.uk/uk/used-shipping-containers#classes) - **Unquoted offloading** : Restricted lorry access or unplanned lifting can add charges. Send photos of the access and have offloading quoted together with transport before agreeing the delivery. - **An ex-VAT price read as VAT-inclusive** : Check whether the displayed price includes VAT. A VAT-registered trader normally charges 20 % on a standard-rated UK container sale; request the full VAT-inclusive delivered total. - **The offer too good to be true** : A price clearly below the recorded public prices for the same size and condition should prompt you to check the seller before paying, though it may not be fraud. Do not pay a stranger: ask for the company identity (official website and Companies House number where available), depot address and recent photos of the unit first. > **Before paying for a container from a seller you do not know** Check that the company exists, where the container is located and that it matches the photos, then pay the identified seller, never a third party. [How to check a container seller](https://containerbook.uk/uk/buy-shipping-containers#verifier) · [Buying from an advert or a private seller](https://containerbook.uk/uk/used-shipping-containers#annonce) ## Why ask for at least two delivered prices before buying a cheap container? Before buying a cheap container, ask for at least two delivered prices: for the same size and condition category, the displayed price varies from one seller to another, and delivery depends on the departure depot; only a delivered price on the same specification can compare two offers. ### The same specification for each quote - **Size**: 20ft or 40ft, standard or High Cube. - **Condition and grade**: used wind and watertight, cargo worthy, refurbished or sold as seen; new or one-trip. - **The quantity** and the desired date. - **The delivery postcode**, lorry access and the offloading method. - **The VAT-inclusive delivered and unloaded total**, with the price validity period. The request is received by the ContainerBook team, who review it, may ask for clarification, and then search for suitable suppliers themselves. No number of responses is guaranteed. You pay the supplier you choose directly. > **ContainerBook's recommendation**: before paying for a container, obtain at least a second delivered price for the same size and condition. The request is free and without obligation. [Container price comparison: how it works](https://containerbook.uk/uk/compare-container-quotes) → [Compare delivered prices for a used container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=conteneur&mode=achat&etat=occasion) ## Frequently asked questions about cheap containers ### Where can I find cheap used shipping containers for sale? From a professional supplier whose depot is close to you, with a used container if your use allows it, and by comparing delivered prices. ContainerBook lets you request a delivered-to-your-address quote free of charge in a single enquiry, and its directory of UK shipping container suppliers helps you find nearby businesses. ### Is a cheap container advertised for sale reliable? Not without checks. A price clearly below comparable public prices for the same size and condition may hide a unit sold as seen, needing repair, or fraud. Ask the seller to confirm size, condition, container location and company identity (official website and Companies House number where available), and do not pay before seeing the unit or recent photos showing its number. ### Where to find cheap container hire? From hire companies that deliver on site, by comparing offers from a depot close to you. Delivery, collection, deposit and minimum hire period are added to the hire charge or remain to be specified: request a quote for delivered and collected hire over your period. Compare it with buying a used container, which can be resold. ### Is a cheap used container watertight? Not necessarily. “Used” covers several grades: wind and watertight, cargo worthy, or sold as seen, with no stated watertightness. Ask for the grade in writing and request recent photos of the roof, floor and doors of the unit offered. ### Can a 40ft container work out cheaper than a 20ft? Per m³, it is possible: the 40ft offers about two times the volume of the 20ft (67.7 m³ vs 33.2 m³). You still need the space and access for the lorry; compare the two sizes delivered. ### Why do two used containers of the same size not cost the same? Because the grade, depot and type of price differ: a wind and watertight used container, a cargo worthy unit and a container sold as seen do not have the same value. Compare like for like in terms of grade and delivery. ### Can you negotiate the price of a container? Yes, on what can be quoted: quantity, date, departure depot, options and delivery terms can move the price. The strongest argument remains a second delivered price, based on the same specification: ContainerBook allows you to request it free of charge. **Request the full delivered price before deciding** Specify the size, condition, postcode and access in one free, no-obligation enquiry covering the container, delivery and offloading. → [Start my free request](https://containerbook.uk/uk/request-a-quote?produit=conteneur&mode=achat) ## Related guides - [Compare shop models and base prices](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shop) : Check the stated condition and ask for VAT, delivery and offloading in the full quote. - [Price of a shipping container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-prices) : Dated UK supplier examples and the costs to check in a delivered quote. - [Compare container quotes](https://containerbook.uk/uk/compare-container-quotes) : Why compare, how the request works, what it costs. - [Used container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/used-shipping-containers) : Grades, checks and listings. - [Where to buy a container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/buy-shipping-containers) : Types of sellers and checks before paying. - [Transport and delivery](https://containerbook.uk/uk/container-delivery) : Delivery quotes, offloading and lorry access. - [Hire a container](https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-hire) : Hire rates, duration and collection. ## About ContainerBook UK ContainerBook is a UK directory of shipping container sellers and a free quote request service. Supplier profiles are based on official company websites, with sources and checking dates. Compare services, then request the price for the container, delivery and unloading. The requester pays the chosen supplier directly; businesses may pay the service to receive qualified enquiries. Price survey method : https://containerbook.uk/uk/shipping-container-prices#methode · Source : ContainerBook UK, https://containerbook.uk/uk/cheap-shipping-containers, updated on 27 September 2026.