Market size: How many people live and work in the area?

Market type: Is the area urban, suburban, rural or industrial? The answer will help you decide the size and number of units to build.

Market growth: What’s the expected evolution for the area?

Disposable income: How much does the average resident have?

Traffic: Will your facility serve those who live or work outside of the three- to five-mile radius? If yes, how many more people could be accommodated?

Competition: Are there existing facilities in your market? If yes, how many, and is there still an unmet need your business could fulfill?

Unit placement: Consider the frequency with which renters will need access to their units. For example, commercial renters typically visit more frequently and, therefore, appreciate having larger units near entrances. On the other hand, this is less of an issue for residential customers, who access their space less frequently.

Site layout: Door manufacturers and architects can provide you with layout options that meet your unit-mix needs.

Building protection: Kickplates, corner guards, wainscot and column wraps all help to protect your facility from the everyday wear and tear of tenants moving items in and out.

Door type: While swing doors can obstruct access and visibility for tenants and security cameras, roll-up doors eliminate these challenges and the associated dangers.

Door installation: Using qualified installers not only ensures your facility will look nice (by using the correct screw patterns, for example), they’ll ensure the doors roll correctly and the latches are properly fitted and functioning.

Hallways and wall systems: Available in flush or corrugated styles, these must be at least 8 feet high to accommodate roll-up doors. Liner panels may be added to the back of each unit, depending on building construction.

Mezzanine systems: Suitable for buildings with 18- to 20-foot clearance, these can increase your available space by half. For example, a 40,000-square-foot building can net 60,000 rentable square feet by using a mezzanine. They do require a slab that can handle the load, with concrete or composite decking used for the second level. An added benefit is the layout of the top floor can be redesigned after the bottom floor is complete.

Security: Depending on ceiling height, burglar bars or mesh panels can be used to protect unit contents from above. Additional security components to consider include cameras, keypads and gates.

ADA: Kits are available to ensure your facility complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Lockers: Smaller locker units can be double- or triple-stacked or even placed above standard storage units. These are popular in urbans areas, on military bases and with student populations.

Specialty options: Specialized wine lockers in various sizes can be included as a small portion of your unit mix and will yield high rental rates.

Improvements: It’s easy to upgrade a dated building with minimal investment. Possibilities include painting the floors with epoxy coating; repainting with bright, friendly colors; and outfitting the facility with kickplates, corner guards and soffits to cover exposed edges.

Customization: Proper branding of your facility will not only serve as a consistent advertisement that drives traffic to your business, it’ll help justify higher rental rates. Areas that can be customized to promote your brand include awnings, free-standing and digital signs, interior and exterior door displays, and anything that can be painted with your signature color.

Retail areas: Renters are more likely to do business with a facility that can conveniently meet as many of their needs as possible. Creating a bright, clean area where products such as boxes, packing supplies, locks and tenant insurance can be sold is a great way to elevate your business above the competition.