The self storage industry is a lucrative one. The annual revenue from owning a storage facility in the U.S. can range from $365,000 to $800,000, and £29.13 per square foot in the UK.
With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that many operators see expansion as the natural next step.
Diversifying your self storage portfolio by opening multiple facilities doesn’t just spread risk; it can also significantly increase your yearly revenue and establish your business as a dominant local or regional player.
However, while the financial gain is attractive, scaling up has significant operational challenges. Managing one facility is demanding. Managing more requires a different approach built on systems, strategy, and scalable tools.
In this article, we’ll explore the most common challenges operators face when expanding, how to overcome them, and what to consider before investing in multiple facilities.
The Main Challenges of Managing Multiple Self Storage Facilities
Expanding from a single self storage operation to a network of locations is a significant milestone for any operator.
However, growth brings new layers of complexity that many self storage operators underestimate. Let’s explore the most common challenges you may face when scaling:
❌ Operational oversight becomes fragmented
When you run just one site, you can walk the property daily, meet customers face-to-face, and handle issues as they arise. However, with multiple facilities, maintaining that same level of oversight becomes increasingly difficult.
For example, an operator might not realize that one location is running low on packing supplies or has broken lighting in a hallway until a customer complains, by which point the issues have already impacted the customer experience.
❌ Staffing and supervision challenges
With more locations, you rely heavily on your staff to manage day-to-day operations. However, without clear oversight by the owner, operations manager, or area manager, consistency in performance and service can break down.
Imagine hiring a new facility manager for a second site who doesn’t follow your preferred sales process, doesn’t ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly, or forgets to follow up with leads.
Without structured onboarding or supervision, performance across sites can vary widely, potentially hurting occupancy and brand reputation.
❌ Time-consuming admin work
Each additional self storage company adds more administrative tasks, including bookkeeping, rent collection, reporting, and invoicing. If these tasks are handled manually, the workload can quickly become overwhelming.
Consider a situation where an operator has to reconcile payments across five separate bank accounts, each tied to a different facility. Tracking overdue accounts, issuing reminders, and compiling monthly reports becomes a full-time job and is prone to error.
❌ Security and maintenance oversight problems
With more sites to manage, it’s harder to stay on top of physical issues like gate malfunctions, security camera outages, or broken HVAC systems.
Imagine a scenario where gate access at one of your facilities malfunctions on a weekend, and no one is notified until Monday. Tenants are locked out, and they become frustrated simply because no system was in place to catch the issue in real time.
How Operators Can Overcome These Challenges and Successfully Manage Multiple Locations
Business operations for multiple self storage facilities don’t have to mean endless stress and putting out fires. With the right strategies and tools, operators can scale their business and maximise revenue without sacrificing control or customer experience. Here’s how:
✅ Centralise operations with purpose-built self storage multi-facility software
One of the most powerful ways to overcome the complexities of multi-site management is to invest in self storage management software designed to scale with your business.
A facility management platform like Stora gives operators a centralised dashboard to manage every location in one place, making it easy to oversee occupancy, pricing, revenue, and reservations without switching between systems.
Instead of juggling spreadsheets, emails, and phone calls, operators can use this comprehensive solution to automate many of their day-to-day tasks.
Stora, for instance, enables online bookings, automated payments, and digital customer communications, freeing up staff to focus on higher-value activities and improving operational efficiency.
With real-time performance data and analytics, Stora provides valuable insights and a bird's-eye view of each facility’s performance. This visibility is essential when making decisions about pricing, marketing spend, or staffing.
✅ Standardise processes to reduce variability
Consistency is critical to overcome the operational complexity involved with running more than one facility. By developing standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for common tasks, you ensure that each facility operates to the same standard.
You can develop SOPs for turnaround for storage units, customer check-ins, and maintenance routines, for example.
This not only improves the customer experience but also makes it easier to train new team members and scale your operation smoothly.
✅ Empower and support your staff
Your staff and support team are the front line of your multi-site operation. To succeed, you need to empower them with the tools and training they need and not micromanage them from afar.
With cloud-based software, staff can access the same information and workflows no matter where they’re located, reducing confusion and increasing accountability and productivity.
Stora makes it easy to give local staff the access they need while allowing owners or area managers to monitor performance and step in when needed.
This balance of autonomy and oversight creates a more resilient, agile team that can handle issues as they arise without waiting for head office approval.
✅ Automate customer interactions
Manual customer service doesn’t scale well. As you expand, the volume of enquiries, bookings, and billing issues grows, and handling them manually becomes a bottleneck.
Automating these interactions not only saves time but also improves consistency, responsiveness, and tenant satisfaction.
With a platform like Stora, tenants can reserve units, make payments, and move in entirely online. Automated responses and notifications keep customers informed and engaged without requiring a dedicated team.
This self-service approach is not only more efficient, but it’s increasingly what modern customers expect.
✅ Use data to drive growth
When you’re managing multiple sites, you need to see the bigger picture and the details simultaneously.
A robust software solution provides the data you need to identify trends, troubleshoot problems, and spot opportunities for expansion.
Whether it’s occupancy rates across locations, testing pricing strategies, or tracking revenue growth, you get access to real-time data that helps you stay proactive rather than reactive.
With Stora’s robust reporting features that are perfect for your business needs, you can make informed decisions faster and with more confidence. That’s a major advantage when you’re competing in a fast-growing, competitive market.
Key Considerations Before Expanding to Multiple Facilities
Expanding your self storage business is an exciting step, but it’s not one to take lightly. Growth without a clear plan can quickly lead to operational chaos and financial strain.
Before you scale your business, consider the following:
💡 Evaluate the current performance of your self storage business
Your first facility should be performing consistently well before you consider opening another.
Ask yourself: Is occupancy stable and growing? Are your systems running smoothly? Do you have reliable staff and processes in place?
If your first facility is struggling with low occupancy, frequent customer complaints, or high staff turnover, opening a second location could double your problems and impact your profits.
Rather than improving your cash flow, you may find yourself stretched too thin, putting money into a facility that isn’t ready to succeed.
A strong foundation means stable operations, healthy occupancy rates, positive cash flow, and good systems.
💡 Assess your systems and software
Can your current tools handle more than one site? Many operators outgrow basic systems after one location and find themselves patching together solutions as they add more.
Investing in multi-site capable software like Stora before you expand can make the transition smoother and help you avoid a costly technology overhaul later on.
💡 Plan for staffing and oversight
As mentioned earlier, running a portfolio of facilities means you can’t be everywhere at once. Think about how you’ll manage staff and site oversight.
That could mean hiring a regional manager, empowering on-site teams, or going fully remote with the right tech.
Without a plan, quality control and customer service can quickly suffer.
💡 Understand the local market
Just because your first facility is a success doesn’t mean the next location will be. Before committing to another site, it’s vital to do your homework on location competition, demand, demographics, and zoning regulations.
Expanding into a new market that’s already saturated, or one with different customer expectations, can slow your return on investment (ROI) and strain your resources.
💡 Build a financial cushion
Expansion often comes with unexpected costs, including renovations, marketing, staffing, and leasing delays.
You must make sure you have enough financial runway to absorb these costs without jeopardising your existing facility. A well-capitalised expansion gives you more breathing room and peace of mind.
For example, building a single-story storage facility costs around $50 to $65 per square foot, not including land or site improvements. Building a multi-story facility ranges from $85 to $110 per square foot, excluding estimates for land and site improvement costs.
Depending on the size of the next facility you want to develop, you need to have a financial cushion in place to cover the costs of a new facility without draining resources from your first facility.
Mistakes to Avoid When Expanding to Multiple Self Storage Facilities
Some costly missteps can slow your progress or drain your resources when you’re expanding your self storage operations. To set yourself up for long-term success, it’s crucial to avoid the common mistakes outlined below:
👎 Expanding without a clear business model
One of the biggest mistakes self storage operators make is replicating their first facility without questioning whether their business model still makes sense.
Every location will have unique demographics, demand patterns, and competition. What worked in a dense urban market may fall flat in a rural area.
For example, offering premium, climate-controlled units might be a great fit in an affluent city neighborhood. But in a small town where customers are highly price-sensitive, you may struggle to fill those same units.
Replicating your original setup without tailoring it to the local context can lead to underperformance and missed revenue.
👎 Failing to delegate effectively
Trying to manage every decision across multiple sites can lead to overwhelm. Yet many operators resist delegation out of fear that no one else can match their level of care or attention to detail.
The result is a bottlenecked cooperation in which everything from staffing decisions to supply orders requires the owner’s direct input.
This approach stifles growth. At scale, success depends on building a leadership structure and trusting others with responsibility. Avoiding delegation can limit how many facilities you can realistically manage, regardless of how strong the demand may be.
👎 Overextending financially
Expansion often requires a significant investment. Not just in the property itself, but also in marketing, staffing, and initial buildout. A common mistake is stretching your finances too thin to fund a new facility, assuming that revenue will quickly catch up.
In reality, new locations typically take time to reach stable occupancy. If you’re relying on immediate cash flow from the new site to cover costs, you put your entire business at risk. A lack of a financial buffer can turn a promising expansion into a financial crisis.
👎 Ignoring the competitive landscape
Operators who don’t thoroughly research each new market risk launching into oversaturated or poorly positioned areas.
Overlooking nearby competitors or underestimating how their pricing, amenities, or online presence compares can leave your facility struggling to operate efficiently.
Even a few miles can make a big difference in customer behavior and expectations.
Check out our comprehensive guide on how to find the perfect location for your self storage business.
👎 Underestimating the operational complexity of lease-ups
Another common oversight is assuming that a new facility will run itself after opening. The reality is that the lease-up phase is one of the most operationally intensive parts of the business.
Without a robust marketing and lead-nurturing strategy, even a well-located facility can remain half-empty for months.
Operators often delay hiring or marketing investment until after opening day, thinking they can ramp up as occupancy increases. However, lease-ups require effort, especially in competitive markets. Under-preparing for this critical period slows growth and could eat into your ROI.
Invest in the Best Self Storage Software for Multiple Facilities
Expanding your self storage business to multiple facilities is a big milestone, but it’s not without its challenges. From keeping operations consistent to maintaining staff oversight, customer service, and financial performance, the complexity increases with each new site you add.
However, with the right systems in place, managing multiple facilities doesn’t have to be so complex.
Stora is self storage software that can help operators who want to scale without sacrificing efficiency or customer experience.
Whether you’re running two sites or a much larger operation, Stora gives you one powerful platform to manage your entire business remotely and seamlessly.
Expanding your self storage portfolio shouldn’t mean losing sight of the details. With our platform, you get the control, visibility, and tools you need to run a profitable multi-facility business, all from one place.
Book a Stora demo today to see how Stora can help you scale your business with confidence.
