You’ve organised the container, confirmed the delivery time, and cleared your schedule. But there’s one critical step that catches most people off guard, preparing the actual site where that 10ft or 20ft steel box will land. A shipping container weighs anywhere from 2.3 to 4 tonnes when empty.

Add cargo, and you’re looking at up to 30 tonnes of concentrated weight being lowered onto your property by a tilt tray truck. Without proper site preparation, that delivery can turn into a costly headache involving stuck trucks, damaged driveways, or containers placed in the wrong spot with no easy way to move them.

We’ve delivered hundreds of containers across Perth, from residential backyards in Joondalup to construction sites in Baldivis. The difference between a smooth 15-minute drop-off and a multi-hour recovery operation? Site prep. It’s not complicated, but it is absolutely essential.

Understanding What Your Delivery Driver Actually Needs

Access, Ground Stability, and Drop-Zone Assessment

Think of a container delivery like landing a small aircraft. The pilot (in this case, our driver) needs a clear approach path, stable ground, and enough space to manoeuvre safely. Miss any of those elements, and the whole operation stalls.

Tilt tray trucks are the industry standard for container transport because they can lower containers gently to ground level without cranes or forklifts. But these trucks are big, typically 10-12 metres long with the tray extended. They need room to position, tilt, and reverse clear once the container’s off your property.

Here’s what the driver is assessing the moment they arrive at your site:

  • Access width: Can the truck physically enter your property or street without scraping?
  • Overhead clearance: Are there powerlines, tree branches, or eaves in the way of passage?
  • Ground stability: Will the truck’s weight (up to 15 tonnes loaded) crack pavement or sink into soil?
  • Container placement zone: Is the drop-off spot level, clear, and accessible for future use?

If any of these fail the visual check, the driver can’t proceed. The container stays on the truck, you’re charged a failed delivery fee, and you’re back to square one.

Measuring and Clearing Your Access Path

Tape Measure Verification and Physical Clearance

Most failed deliveries happen before the truck even reaches the drop-off point. Narrow driveways, low-hanging branches, and parked cars are the usual culprits that prevent safe delivery.

Measure your access route from the street to the final container position. You’ll need:

  • Minimum 3.5 metres width for the truck to pass comfortably (4 metres is ideal for safety)
  • 4.5 metres vertical clearance to account for the truck’s cab height and tray when tilted
  • A straight or gently curved path , tight turns require significantly more space than expected

Walk the route yourself with a tape measure and check for:

  • Gates that need to be opened or removed temporarily for truck passage
  • Letterboxes, garden lights, or retaining walls that jut into the path dangerously
  • Soft ground, gravel, or pavers that might shift under truck weight during delivery
  • Powerlines running lower than 5 metres (if the container’s being tilted near them during placement)

One client in Ellenbrook learned this the hard way. They’d measured the driveway width but forgot about the brick letterbox pillar at the entrance. The truck couldn’t clear it. We ended up using specialist equipment to reposition the container from the street, an extra cost and delay that 10 minutes with a sledgehammer could’ve prevented entirely.

Clear the path 24 hours before delivery. Move cars, bins, pot plants, and anything else that narrows the route. If you’ve got overhanging branches, trim them back. If your gate only opens 3 metres wide, prop it fully open or take it off the hinges for the day.

Preparing the Ground Where the Container Will Sit

Foundation Engineering for Heavy Loads

Here’s where most DIY deliveries go wrong. People assume any flat-looking patch of ground will work. It won’t. A 20ft container spreads its weight across eight corner castings, small steel feet about 20cm square. That’s roughly 30 tonnes concentrated on less than half a square metre of total contact area.

If the ground isn’t stable and level, you’ll get sinking, cracking, or tipping issues that compromise the container and your property. Level ground is non-negotiable for safe placement.

Use a spirit level and check the area in multiple directions. If there’s more than a 5cm slope across the container’s footprint, you’ll need to level it out with compacted roadbase, sleepers, or concrete pads before delivery day arrives.

For grass or dirt sites, the container will sink unless you create a stable base. The simplest method uses heavy machinery and compaction to prepare the foundation properly:

  • Mark out the container’s footprint (6.1m x 2.4m for a 20ft, 3m x 2.4m for a 10ft container)
  • Excavate 10-15cm of topsoil to reach firmer base layer
  • Lay weed mat or geotextile fabric to prevent mixing with substrate
  • Fill with compacted roadbase or crushed limestone for stability
  • Tamp it down hard , walk over it, drive over it, compact it properly with equipment

Some clients use railway sleepers or treated timber beams positioned under the four corners and centre points. That works if the ground beneath the sleepers is firm and stable. But if you’re on sand or clay, the sleepers will just sink with the container over time.

Concrete or paved driveways usually handle the weight fine, if they’re in good condition. Hairline cracks will spread. Thin pavers (less than 50mm) can shatter under concentrated load. If your driveway’s already showing wear, consider placing steel spreader plates or thick plywood sheets under the container’s corners to distribute the load safely.

Positioning: Why ‘Close to the Fence’ Isn’t Specific Enough

Exact Placement Specification and Future Planning

When we ask clients where they want the container, the most common answer is some version of “just over there, near the back fence.” That’s not enough detail for a driver manoeuvring a 12-metre truck into tight spaces.

You need to specify the container’s position to the nearest half-metre. Mark it out physically before delivery day:

  • Use spray paint, stakes, or chalk to outline the exact footprint precisely
  • Measure distances from fixed landmarks (e.g., “2 metres from the back fence, 1.5 metres from the shed”)
  • Check that doors will open fully in the intended direction (standard containers have double doors on one end)

Door orientation matters significantly. If you’re using the container for storage, you’ll want easy access without climbing over obstacles or maneuvering. If it’s a site office or workshop conversion, you might need the doors facing a specific direction for privacy or workflow efficiency.

Think about future access too. Will you need to move the container later? Can a truck get back in to pick it up, or are you planning landscaping that’ll block access? We’ve had clients who planted gardens around containers, then called us two years later needing our specialist equipment to extract them. It’s doable, but expensive and complicated.

Boundary setbacks are another consideration. Most councils require containers to sit at least 1 metre from side and rear boundaries if they’re staying longer than 30 days. Check your local regulations, some areas class containers as temporary structures, others as outbuildings requiring formal permits.

Common Site Prep Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Prevention Strategies and Best Practices

After hundreds of deliveries, we’ve seen the same errors repeated across Perth. Here’s the shortlist of what to avoid:

Underestimating truck size: Clients measure their driveway and assume the container’s dimensions are what matter. The truck carrying it is what needs clearance. Always plan for the truck, not the cargo alone.

Ignoring underground services: Placing a 30-tonne container over a septic tank, stormwater pipe, or irrigation line is a recipe for structural disaster and potential accident recovery costs. Check your property plans or call Dial Before You Dig (1100) if you’re unsure what’s beneath the surface of your property.

Choosing the cheapest ground prep: Skipping on roadbase or compaction saves $200 now and costs $2,000 later when the container’s sunk and needs repositioning with specialist tilt tray services and earthmoving equipment.

Forgetting about drainage: Containers aren’t waterproof at the base. If you place one in a low spot where water pools, you’ll have a rust problem within months. Ensure the site drains away from the container or install drainage channels for protection.

Not communicating with the driver: If there’s a tricky access issue, say, a tight turn or a low branch you’ve trimmed but not removed, tell the driver when they call. Surprises slow everything down and increase the risk of damage to your property.

When to Call for Help Before Delivery Day

Specialist Assessment and Alternative Solutions

Some sites just aren’t suited for standard container delivery. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a container, it means you need specialist help and consultation.

If your property has:

  • No vehicle access (e.g., rear lot behind other houses)
  • Extremely soft ground (e.g., beachfront sand, swampy clay with poor drainage)
  • Severe slopes requiring extensive earthworks to level
  • Overhead powerlines that can’t be avoided without specialist coordination

Contact us before booking the container formally. We can arrange crane deliveries, HIAB placements, or staged deliveries where we position the container using alternative equipment. It costs more, but it’s often the only viable option, and it’s far cheaper than a failed delivery or significant property damage.

For commercial or construction sites, we also coordinate with site managers to schedule deliveries around other trades and equipment. A 12-metre truck and a concrete pour don’t mix well in the same space. If your project timeline is tight or you need 24-hour emergency support for urgent delivery, we can accommodate those schedules too.

The Payoff: A Smooth Delivery That Stays Put

Long-Term Site Stability and Property Protection

Proper site prep isn’t glamorous. It’s measuring, digging, compacting, and double-checking details that seem minor until they’re not. But when the truck arrives and the container lands exactly where you need it, level and stable, you’ll know the effort was worth it.

We’ve seen clients turn shipping containers into everything from secure tool storage and farm workshops to off-grid studios and emergency accommodation. The common thread? Every successful project started with a properly prepared site and clear planning.

Whether you’re setting up for a container transport delivery next week or planning a long-term installation, the same rules apply. Give the truck room to work, give the container stable ground to sit on, and communicate clearly with your delivery team.

Do that, and you’ll avoid the stress, cost, and delays that come from cutting corners on site preparation. Our team at All Out Towing is here to support your success from initial planning through final placement contact us at 0418 959 216.