New, cargo-worthy or as-is — which grade the job actually needs
What the three grades mean, what they cost, and how to work out which one your job needs without paying for condition you will never see.
Type · High Cube
High Cube Shipping Containers
The same footprint with an extra 300mm of headroom. It sounds trivial written down and it changes the use of the box entirely once you are working inside it all day.
What you are getting
- 2.69m internal height against 2.39m in a standard unit
- The usual choice for workshop, crib room and accommodation conversions
- Clears tall gear that fouls the door header on a standard box
- Available new single-trip and used, in 20ft and 40ft
- Same external footprint, so it needs no extra ground
When the extra height is worth paying for
If a person is going to work inside it, buy the high cube. The difference between a space you reach into and a space you can stand up in, fit a light to and still have clearance is exactly that 300mm. Nearly every conversion we supply is a high cube for this reason alone.
It also matters for tall freight. A pallet of stacked bins, a bulk bag on a forklift, a mast — the constraint is almost never the internal height, it is the door opening, and the high cube door opening is 2.58m instead of 2.28m. Measure the tallest thing going in and measure it including the pallet.
Where it is not worth it: flat storage. If the container is holding fertiliser bags, fencing wire, feed or tooling stacked no higher than a person can reach, you are paying for air. Put the difference into a better grade instead.
Sizes it comes in
| Unit | External L×W×H | Internal L×W×H | Door W×H | Capacity | Pallets | Used from | New from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft Containers | 2.99m × 2.44m × 2.59m | 2.83m × 2.35m × 2.39m | 2.34m × 2.28m | 16m³ | 4 standard pallets | $4,350 | $6,400 |
| 20ft Containers | 6.06m × 2.44m × 2.59m | 5.90m × 2.35m × 2.39m | 2.34m × 2.28m | 33m³ | 10 standard pallets | $2,200 | $3,300 |
| 40ft Containers | 12.19m × 2.44m × 2.59m | 12.03m × 2.35m × 2.39m | 2.34m × 2.28m | 67m³ | 20 standard pallets | $2,600 | $5,500 |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.19m × 2.44m × 2.90m | 12.03m × 2.35m × 2.69m | 2.34m × 2.58m | 76m³ | 20 standard pallets | on request | on request |
Guide pricing only, ex GST. The figure you actually pay moves with the grade, with what is available that week, and with the run out to your address. Ring (07) 4141 7699 for a real number rather than a range.
As-is units are the cheap end and they are not sold watertight. They are sold on condition, described plainly, and we will tell you what is wrong with one before you buy it rather than after. If the contents have to stay dry, buy cargo-worthy.
High cube conversions: what to settle before you order
Most high cubes in this district end up as workshops, crib rooms, studios or site offices, and the conversion goes far more smoothly if the big decisions are made before the unit arrives. Where the personnel door goes, where the windows go, and which wall carries the power and lighting all affect where the container should sit and which way it should face. Cutting openings weakens the walls, so any conversion that removes much steel needs framing put back, and that is a job for a fabricator.
Insulation matters more in a high cube used as a workspace than in a store. Summer sun on bare steel makes an unlined box hot inside, and cool nights bring condensation. A lined and insulated high cube with ventilation is comfortable; an unlined one used as an office is not.
Delivery and placement
A high cube is the same length and width as the standard unit, so it needs no more ground and the same truck. The only difference on the day is overhead clearance: check power lines, tree limbs and carport roofs near the drop spot, because the extra height on the truck deck is where a marginal clearance becomes a problem. Photographs of the approach and the spot let us confirm the vehicle before we quote.
High Cube — common questions
Is a high cube watertight?
In cargo-worthy or new grade, yes — those grades are wind and watertight, checked before loading. As-is units, in any height, are not sold watertight.
Does a high cube come in 10ft?
High cubes are overwhelmingly built as 20ft and 40ft units, and those are what we supply. If you need a smaller high unit, ring and we will tell you what is realistic.
Can I hire a high cube?
Ask when you ring. Hire stock moves, and whether a high cube is available for hire depends on what is in the fleet at the time. We will give you a straight answer and a buy price to compare.
Worth reading first
Red soil, gateways and drop spots — a South Burnett access checklist
A tape at the gateway, paces down the drive and a look up at the wires — plus what basalt, black soil and granite do to a loaded truck. The South Burnett checklist.
No-obligation quote
Get a high cube quote
Stock turns over, so a call gets you a current answer rather than an old price list.
(07) 4141 7699Mon–Fri 7:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–12pm. If we are out on a run, leave a message or send the form and you will get a call back.