One of the first questions people ask is how much it costs to get rid of a shipping container. The honest answer is that it depends, and the result is not always a bill. There are three possible outcomes, and we tell you which one applies before anything is booked.

That way you can make a decision with the full picture in front of you. Nobody wants to find out about a charge after the lorry has left, so we set it out clearly at the start.

1. You pay for disposal

If a container is in poor condition, with holes, a failing floor or doors that no longer work, the cost of lifting, transporting and disposing of it can be more than it is worth. In that case we quote a price for the removal before anything is booked.

This is most common with containers that have stood in one place for a long time, where rust has taken hold and water has been getting in.

Part of the inside of a long empty shipping container — Inside an empty container

2. Free removal

If the container still has some value, that value can cover the cost of collecting it. Then the removal is free of charge.

A container in this middle ground might have tired paintwork or a few dents, but still be sound enough to be refurbished or sold on once we have collected it.

3. We buy it

If the container is in good enough condition, we may make you an offer, pay you for it and collect it. When we buy a container, the amount is agreed with you before we collect.

The containers we buy are usually wind and watertight, with doors that open and seal properly and a sound floor.

What decides the outcome

Condition, which is the biggest factor
Size, from 8ft up to 45ft
Location, and how we get a lorry to it

Wider view of stacked blue shipping containers beside one of our lorries — Stacked containers

Size affects which of our HIAB lorries we send. Location matters because the route to the container, the ground the lorry stands on and anything overhead all shape how the collection is done. We collect across England, Scotland and Wales from our base in Manchester.

The same applies to cabins

Portable cabins, site offices, welfare units and steel anti-vandal units follow the same three outcomes. Condition is again the main factor. You can read more on our portable cabin removal page.

Before you ask

Please check that the container is yours to dispose of. If it was left on land you have taken over, or belongs to a contractor or previous occupier, confirm ownership first.

Find out where you stand

The simplest way to find out where you stand is to send us photos of the outside, the doors, the inside and the floor, with the postcode. Our form accepts up to four photos, and asks for your name, email, phone number, a short description of the unit and the consent box.

You pay, it is free, or we buy it: how container removal pricing works