Buyer's checklist
What to inspect before you hand over a card: security that is real, geometry that fits, access that works, and contract terms that do not surprise you in March.
Storage looks like a commodity until something goes wrong. These are the questions worth asking at any Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline or Rock Island facility — including ours — and the answers that separate a facility built for large recreational vehicles from a gravel lot with a chain across the entrance.
Ask three specifics. Which areas do cameras cover? Is footage recorded? How are access concerns or open compartments reported to tenants?
Tour the property before renting. Verify the exact bay, lock arrangement, access route and camera positions rather than relying only on a website description.
Bay length should exceed your true measured length — tongue to swim platform, or bumper to hitch — by about two feet. Clear height should clear your tower, A/C shroud or antenna, not your hull depth.
Drive aisles matter as much as the bay. Bring the tow vehicle when possible and verify the real turning angle, entry width and room needed to line up safely.
Look at the surface and drainage. Reid's uses gravel drive aisles, so consider jack pads, footwear and how your rig handles an unpaved surface.
Confirm access hours in writing and ask directly whether they change in winter. Some facilities quietly reduce or suspend off-season access, which is a problem the first warm Saturday in March.
Ask who plows and how fast. An unplowed aisle in January means your rig is technically accessible and practically not. Reid's Storage offers 24/7 access every day of the year with plowed aisles.
Ask whether power, water, air, wash areas or dumping are available before renting. If they are not confirmed in writing, plan those pre-trip stops elsewhere.
Read for term length, notice period to vacate, rate-increase language, and late-fee structure. Month-to-month with a clear notice period is the friendliest arrangement for seasonal owners; long fixed terms with automatic renewal are the ones that trap people.
Understand what the agreement covers. In nearly every case a storage agreement covers the space, not the contents — the facility is not insuring your boat. Keep your marine or RV policy active through the layup and ask your carrier about a reduced lay-up rate.
Finally, ask how they handle deposits and reservations, and whether the quoted rate holds for the season. A facility that will put the specific bay, rate and access terms in writing before you pay is the one to rent from.
Camera-monitored, plowed in winter, wide aisles, 24/7 access year-round. Come look at the site before you decide.
More reading: storage guides for the Quad Cities
