Shipping Container Placement in Somerset, Wiltshire & Dorset: When Kerbside Isn't Good Enough
Most container suppliers will deliver to kerbside. Drop it on the road, tilt it off the back, and leave.
That's fine if your site is right next to a hard road with clear access and a forklift waiting. For the rest of Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset — the farm at the end of a track, the builder's yard with the awkward corner, the smallholding with the soft field — kerbside isn't much use at all.
That's where we come in.
We're C.P. Duck Haulage, based in Evercreech, Somerset. We use crane-mounted lorries to lift and place shipping containers exactly where they need to go — on farms, building sites, commercial yards, and rural properties across the South West. We've been doing it for over 25 years.
If your container supplier has told you they can't get onto your site, give us a call before you give up on the location.
Why Shipping Container Placement Is a Specialist Job
A 20ft shipping container empty weighs around 2,200kg. A 40ft unit pushes 3,800kg. That's before any contents, shelving, lining, or modification.
Standard flatbed delivery trucks can tilt a container off their bed — but only if the ground is level, hard, and directly accessible from a firm road. The moment you introduce soft ground, a slope, a gateway that's too tight, overhead obstacles, or a final position that's more than a few metres from where the lorry can park — you need a crane.
Our FASSI 66 tm crane can lift over 3 tonnes at up to 16 metres reach. That covers most standard container placements, including lifts over walls, fences, and access obstacles, and positioning on sites where the lorry itself can't drive.
Who We Do This Work For
The majority of our container placement jobs fall into a few clear categories:
Farmers and rural landowners On-farm storage is one of the most common requests we handle. A 20ft container on a Somerset farm makes practical sense — until you realise the field gateway is 2.8 metres wide, the ground is soft from October to April, and the container needs to sit 15 metres off the track. A crane-mounted lorry solves all three problems in one visit.
Builders and contractors Site storage containers need to go where the work is — not where a flatbed lorry can conveniently park. We place containers on live building sites across Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset, working around other trades and tight site access. We carry full RAMS documentation and LOLER-certified kit as standard, so we fit straight into any site's safety paperwork.
Businesses and commercial yards Whether it's extra storage for a busy trading estate, a workshop conversion, or a welfare unit on a remote site — if the container needs placing precisely and the standard delivery driver has said no, we're the next call.
Smallholdings and lifestyle properties A growing number of our container jobs are for smaller rural properties — people converting containers into home offices, workshops, or additional storage. The access challenges on a Somerset smallholding are often trickier than a proper farm, and the ground is rarely forgiving.
The Access Problems We Solve
Here are the most common reasons a standard container delivery can't complete the job — and how we handle each one:
Soft or uneven ground Most flatbed delivery vehicles won't leave hard standing. Our crane lorry uses outrigger legs to spread the load, and we can advise on groundmats or trackway where needed. We assess ground conditions before the job, not on the day.
Narrow gateways and farm entrances Our smaller crane lorry has a tighter turning circle and narrower profile than an articulated flatbed — useful on rural lanes and tight farm entrances. We always check access before committing to a vehicle choice.
Containers that need lifting over obstacles Walls, fences, hedges, parked machinery — a crane lift places the container cleanly over whatever's in the way, without dismantling anything. Provided the lorry can set up within reach and there are no overhead power lines directly in the lift path, this is a standard job for us.
Sites with no room to manoeuvre a long vehicle Articulated container lorries need a lot of room to swing. Our crane lorry is a rigid vehicle — significantly shorter and more manoeuvrable on confined sites.
Multiple containers, precise positioning If you're laying out a container yard, stacking units, or need several placed in sequence on a building site, that requires a methodical approach and the right lifting capacity. We plan the sequence before we arrive.
Stacking and Multi-Container Sites
Stacking shipping containers — two high or more — is not a job for a tilt-and-tip delivery lorry. It requires a crane with the capacity and control to lift a loaded or heavy container and lower it accurately onto the one below.
We handle stacked container placements for storage yards and larger commercial sites. If you're planning a stacked layout, get us involved early — the ground bearing capacity and the approach need planning before the first container goes down, not after.
Container Sales — We Come Across Good Units
We're primarily a lifting and placement specialist, not a container retailer. But in the course of our work across Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset, we do occasionally come across good used shipping containers for sale — 20ft and 40ft units, generally wind and watertight, suitable for farm storage, site use, or conversion projects.
If you're looking for a container and want to avoid the middleman, it's worth asking when you call. No promises — but if something suitable is available, we'll let you know.
Areas We Cover for Shipping Container Placement
Based in Evercreech, Somerset, with direct A303 access. Core coverage:
Somerset: Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells, Glastonbury, Bruton, Castle Cary, Yeovil, Taunton, Bridgwater, Street, Somerton, Wincanton, Chard, Ilminster
Wiltshire: Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Salisbury, Amesbury, Devizes, Marlborough, Chippenham, Tisbury, Mere
Dorset: Sherborne, Dorchester, Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton, Gillingham, Beaminster, Wareham
We also take larger commercial jobs and specialist placements further afield. Worth a call regardless of location.
Frequently Asked Questions — Shipping Container Placement
-
We can get closer to a solution than most. Our crane lorry uses outrigger legs rather than driving over the ground, which significantly reduces the footprint needed. We assess every site in advance — if the ground is borderline, we'll discuss options including groundmats or trackway before committing.
-
Yes, provided the lorry can set up within crane reach and there are no overhead obstructions (power lines, tree branches) directly above the lift path. Lifting over a standard garden wall, farm fence, or low obstacle is a routine job for us.
-
Quite possibly. Container suppliers use articulated flatbed or tilt-bed lorries, which need good access and level hard standing. Our rigid crane lorry is shorter, more manoeuvrable, and doesn't need to drive over the final placement area. Call us with the details and we'll give you an honest answer.
-
Yes, for anything with restricted access, soft ground, stacking requirements, or tight placement tolerances. It's not an add-on charge — it's how we avoid problems on the day.
-
Yes. Stacking requires a crane with sufficient capacity and control, proper ground assessment, and clear planning of the stacking sequence. We handle stacked container jobs on commercial and storage sites.
-
Yes. We carry full RAMS documentation, LOLER-certified lifting equipment, and public liability insurance as standard. We're used to fitting around other trades and working within a site's safety management system.
-
Our FASSI 66 tm crane handles standard 20ft containers comfortably. 40ft units are assessed case by case depending on weight, access, and required reach. Call us with the specifics.
-
We occasionally come across good used containers in the course of our work. It's worth asking when you call — if something suitable is available, we'll let you know.
-
It depends on location, access complexity, number of units, and whether a site visit is needed. Call us with the basics and we'll give you a straight quote.
-
Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset as our core area — see the town list above. We also take jobs beyond that for larger or more complex placements.
Container to Place? Let's Talk.
Tell us what you've got, where it's going, and what the access looks like. We'll tell you straight whether we can do it — and what it'll cost.
📞 07977 060487
Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and beyond.
C.P. Duck Haulage Ltd — Crane-Assisted Lifting & Logistics, Evercreech, Somerset. Est. 1999.
Also useful: Shepherd Hut & Garden Pod Delivery | Hot Tub Crane Delivery
