In life, there are a lot of things that you might have to compare and contrast. Is the hybrid car better because of the gas mileage, or is the luxury car better because of its features? Even that can be difficult to figure out.
Things can get even more difficult when you’re thinking about what amenities will make your property easier to rent to tenants. You definitely have no shortage of options on this topic, and there are a million companies that would be willing to take your money in return for getting these things set up.
So, which is actually better? Parking space storage or storage bins? This can be something of a complex topic to try and figure out, especially because we’re looking at two powerhouses as far as amenities in apartment complexes are concerned. How does one even choose?
This problem is one that many landlords and property managers all over the world face, so that’s what we’ve decided to tackle in today’s article. With a bit of luck, by the time you’re done here, you’ll have a strong understanding of which one is better than the other one.
As an added bonus, we’ll even be covering some other amenities that you can add to your property to make it even more appealing to potential future tenants while also adding a few dollars to your bottom line year after year. This should be a very exciting report so stay tuned!
Table of Contents
What is Parking Storage?
Before we get into which one is better, it’s good to make sure that everyone reading this article knows exactly what we’re talking about. Having a basic understanding is important so we can be sure that we’re being as clear as we possibly can be.
So, what exactly is parking storage? It’s pretty simple but it’s easy to get mixed up, especially if you would put the storage units in your parking area regardless of what type you would be using on your property. If that were the case, there’s probably a good chance you could have gotten them mixed up.
Parking storage is specifically storage that goes over parking spots. It has a lot of different names people usually call it, for example:
- Parking space storage.
- Parking spot storage.
- Overhead parking storage.
- Ceiling parking storage.
- Over the parking space storage.
- Over car storage units.
This kind of storage is specifically installed over parking spots, rather than somewhere else in the parking area. It hangs over the car and can be accessed through a door at the end of the parking spot, sometimes with help from a ladder, depending on the height of the person seeking the storage unit.
What Are Storage Bins?
Let’s take a closer look at storage bins as well so that you can be completely sure that these are what you think they are as well. Many people get them mixed up, and it’s pretty easy to do so because there are a lot of different words used.
Storage bins have a few other names that people call them, but they don’t have as many names as parking space storage does by a mile, but they do still have a few names that they’re known by:
- Storage lockers.
- Storage units.
- On-site storage lockers.
- Tenant storage.
These are probably a lot closer to what you think of when you hear the word “storage” than parking space storage, but they do come in a variety of styles that make a big difference in the quality of the units as well as how they look in your apartment complex.
Some united are made out of hard metals and concrete, making them hard to get into. This kind of on-site storage is probably what you think of when you think of U-Hauls facilities, oftentimes a lot smaller though. This kind is pretty high-quality and can even be good for a budget.
There are other types of storage lockers that aren’t as great for tenants. These are usually just made using wire mesh, which first off isn’t very aesthetically pleasing at all. They just look like metal bags, which isn’t great for aesthetic purposes on your property.
They’re also very insecure as far as breaking into them goes. The most common kind of burglary is known as a smash and grab, and these wire mesh storage units are easy targets for that kind of burglary. All someone needs are bolt cutters and they can get into the lockers.
Once they’re in, they can grab whatever is in the storage locker and run away before anyone can do anything about it. That’s why this kind of crime is so easy, you can be done with it and gone before anyone has the time to notice that anything is amiss.
Which is Better and Why?
Now that we’re all sure that we’re on the same page, we’re going to be looking at which one is better. It can be hard with this topic because both the parking spot storage and on-site storage lockers are great, but we’re going to be looking at which is one better overall.
Now, if you go for the lower quality storage lockers, the parking space storage is always going to be the better option. Wire mesh storage doesn’t have a lot of pros, especially when you compare it to something like parking spot storage.
In fact, parking space storage has to be high-quality because if it is not, you run the risk of it falling on top of your tenant’s cars. Regardless of how much liability your property has, that’s going to be a big hassle for everyone involved, so companies that install this kind of storage make sure that it’s good.
Some people might cite the price of the lower quality, wire mesh storage lockers as being a plus for them, but if you do a bit more research you’ll find that you can find something a lot nicer for the same price, if not lower.
So, that means that we have to compare the parking spot storage directly to on-site storage lockers to be fair to both kinds of storage. As far as price goes, you can usually get either for the same price so it’s neck and neck on that particular front.
There’s actually a pretty slim margin between the two, so the choice is kind of a hard one to make. Really, the only one that’s able to come up ahead is parking spot storage simply because it’s able to take up less space than the on-site storage lockers do.
If you go with on-site storage lockers, you’ll have to set aside space for them. If you don’t have a lot of space to spare, that’s not ideal. On the other hand, if you install the storage lockers over where the cars park, you’re just getting even more use out of that space.
Other Ideas for Amenities
Now, having some kind of storage on your property is a great idea and it can make you a bit more money every year. That being said, you can do other things to further these profits even more so your property can be even more profitable.
In fact, a lot of tenants are willing to pay extra for certain amenities, and sometimes people are even willing to pay more in rent to live somewhere that has certain amenities available to the tenants, which means that choosing wisely can help you a lot.
As time goes on, there are new services and amenities available that are also good ideas. Whether you need a lot of new amenities or just a few, this list should be able to help:
- A pool.
- On-site or in-unit washers and dryers.
- Amazon delivery boxes.
- On-site gym.
- On-site sauna.
- Keyless entry, at least to common areas.
- A nearby e-bike hub.
- Vending machines.
- This one needed a bit more explanation. Vending machines are old, but we live in a world where you can put a new spin on them by offering items like:
- Towels.
- Bathing suits (especially if you have a pool.)
- Gaming controllers.
- Small meals.
With just a bit of creativity, you can bring your property solidly into the present. The technology is out there to make your property somewhere that people would truly be proud to live while also increasing your property’s yearly income, even if only by a little bit.
Making Your Property the Best it Can Be
You have a lot of options for improving your property, and a million companies would be more than happy to take your money to make any project that you want happen. That means that it takes a bit of research to make sure that you’re doing the right things.
Not every single upgrade is worth the money that you sink into it, so being sure that you know about what you’re talking about can make a whole world of difference both for you and for all of your tenants, both current and future.