In the world of self-storage, not many products have come along to revolutionize the way individual door-alarm security systems are installed. Quick Switch has developed a new door-switch design that has completely altered the function of door-alarm contacts. The company was started by Bill Carlson and Dan Jolley, who have more than 25 years of experience in the security and alarm market. It has grown to become a provider of all types of switches, with its own overseas manufacturing plant.

The Product

The old-style contact switch for self-storage doors was designed to detect the position of the door. The Quick Switch detects the position of the latch. Thus, it not only indicates when a door has been closed, but whether it has been locked. This added security information is just one of the product's many benefits.

Because the switch mounts on the door track, it is out of the way. This means no more overhead magnets to be broken off or floor switches to be pulled from the concrete. The switch is also protected from the elements, and its operation is temperature-resistant. Installation is quick and easy, saving significant time and labor expense. That savings can be passed on to the owner/developer. Quick Switch now offers on-site installation assistance for sizable first-time users.

Extensive testing has gone into the evolution of this product, which has undergone several changes. The switch functions with all the major self-storage alarm systems, including Sentinel Systems Corp., Digitech International, PTI Integrated Systems, QuikStor Security & Software and Wham Security Systems. Major door manufacturers have specified the proper door latch to match the product.

Informed owners are now requesting the Quick Switch for new developments. Active security dealers are experiencing the ease and convenience of using the product. The company looks forward to continued success in supplying the industry standard for self-storage door alarm systems.

The Company

Quick Switch manufactures various electronic components for security, telecommunication equipments, process-control instrumentation, electronics-test equipment and office-automation equipment. The company has a consistent record of growth and expansion, with rapidly increasing sales over the last 10 years. It has a strong team of qualified engineers to look after the production, marketing, and research and development functions of the company. Its products meet all IS/JSS specifications, and all individual components pass stringent quality-performance checks backed by the latest test facilities available.

Quick Switch enjoys the support of a wide customer network in the government, public and private sectors. The company has committed resources and engineering efforts to develop a complete line of high-quality products that would best suit a wide variety of applications. It also has a large in-house capacity to meet bulk-volume requirements. For more information, call 866.784.2511 or visit www.quick-switch.com.

How would you like to pay a flat fee of less than $10 a year and get a steady flow of self-storage prospects to your website? Using websites to promote your facility is all the rage these days but, frequently, it costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars to get your site ranked high in the search engines. This is no doubt important, but it's an elusive goal. Search engines change their criteria often, and getting and keeping your site at or near the top is difficult to do. Here is a strategy any storage operator can use to get traffic to his site for a small pittance of what he'd have to pay to get search-engine optimization folks to help him.

Let's say you own Los Angeles Self Storage. Go to the pay-per- click search engine Overture (www.overture.com) and click on the box marked "Advertiser Center." This will take you to a screen where you will see a number of options from which to choose. Click the "Tools" button. When you do so, you'll see something on the right side of the page called the "Search Suggestion Tool." Click on that next. A separate box will pop up on your screen. Type in "Los Angeles Self Storage" and see what you get. The number you see will vary from month to month, but as of this writing, the number is 122.

What does this number mean? It means that in the last month, 122 people entered the key words "Los Angeles Self Storage" into the Overture search engine. A year ago, Overture saw 5 percent of all Internet traffic. It now gets much more. I haven't seen specific figures, but let's assume that number is up to 20 percent of all web searches. This would mean approximately 600 people entered the key words "Los Angeles Self Storage" into search engines last month.

This is good information. But these days, many people use their browsers as search engines. They go to Internet Explorer or a similar browser and type in a domain name using their key words, expecting a page to exist. In this example, they would attempt to access www.losangelesselfstorage.com. So it stands to reason that if you own that domain name, it is highly likely people will find you. For less than $10--the cost of registering the domain name--you get a full year's worth of what I refer to as "type-in traffic."

Most of you already have a website for your facility. Now all you have to do is forward all traffic from the new registered domain to the original site. This can be done for free at ultracheapdomains.com or, in most cases, whichever domain registrar you choose. If you assume each customer is worth about $300, all you have to do is generate one new customer each year using this strategy to get a substantial return on your investment.

Everyone who reads this column should immediately register their city's name with the terms "self storage" or "storage" after it. If you live in Portland, for example, register www.portlandselfstorage.com or www.portlandstorage.com. For many of you, the domain names will be taken, but the concept is critical to understand so you can use it in other ways to promote your business. For example, let's say your Portland facility offers RV storage. You would check to see if you can register www.portlandrvstorage.com. If you go to Overture and look, you'll see a number of searches in which people put in the name of their city and the words "RV storage" afterward.

Do the number of searches that show up in Overture ensure you'll get a similar number of type-in traffic hits? Not necessarily. In fact, it will probably be much lower. But given that the number of units you need to rent to earn a decent payback is a mere one, it makes an investment of $10 or less well worth it.

The next question is whether it makes sense to reserve the dot-net, dot-org or other web-address designations. The answer is no. Do not reserve any web addresses other than dot-coms. If you already have a domain name with a dot-net address, that's fine; it just won't be helpful from the standpoint of type-in traffic--the reason being that most browsers default to dot-com, not any of the other addresses.

How many web addresses should you have? It depends. If they are generating traffic, keep them; otherwise, get rid of them. It's worth the less than $10 investment to test a number of different domain names for a year at a time. If you reserved 30 different domain names for a year, it would cost you less than $300, which is still only the average cost of one annual rental.

All of this assumes you have the ability to track your traffic. This is something most of you will have to talk to your webmasters about. Tracking this data will allow you to find out how many people got to your site using the type-in traffic methodology and whether it's worthwhile to continue with the various domain names you reserved. No matter what domain you use, you'll be able to have its traffic forwarded to your actual site. This online tactic is perfect for storage owners and operators looking to get the maximum bang for their marketing dollar. Where else can you spend less than $10, get just one customer in a year, and have it be worth more than $300?

Don't get me wrong--this method of driving traffic to your site should not be the only one you use; but it should be part of your overall online marketing strategy. Everything I have discussed here assumes that when people eventually get to your site, you have it designed in such a way to get the greatest number of people to call or visit your facility. Make sure you don't waste traffic by sending people to a site that doesn't accomplish your end goal.

In short, search the Overture suggestion tool for great names that relate to your city. Once you find some, reserve them and have them forwarded to your main site. Keep them for a year and track the results. If they pull good traffic, keep them; if not, you can always exchange them for others.

Fred Gleeck is a self-storage profit-maximization consultant who helps owners/operators during all phases of the business, from feasibility studies to creating an ongoing marketing plan. Mr. Gleeck is the author of Secrets of Self Storage Marketing Success--Revealed! as well as the producer of professional training videos on self-storage marketing. To receive a copy of his Seven-Day Self-Storage Marketing Course and storage marketing tips, send an e-mail to tips@self storagesuccess.com. For more information, call 800.FGLEECK; e-mail [email protected].

Daily Cleanup

	Several times a day, check the grounds for litter, including natural refuse such as leaves, stones, twigs, etc., and man-made rubbish like paper, bottles, cans and cigarette butts.
	Haul boxes, mattresses or other furniture tenants leave behind to the dumpster.
	Keep restrooms clean and stocked with paper products and hand soap.
	Sweep bare floors several times a day.
	Wash windows at least three times a week with a good commercial cleaner.
	Keep countertops free of clutter. Clean with a commercial disinfectant daily.
	Dust retail displays every day. Keep stocked.
	Keep counter or collateral display stocked with facility brochures and other useful information.
	Dust or vacuum camera equipment, equipment area, video monitors and video recorders regularly.

Security

	Keep video cameras free of dirt and dust by vacuuming regularly. Inspect equipment weekly for broken or dusty lenses, split or frayed wires, and tampering. Make sure cameras are focused and angled where you want them.
	Slide gates should be lubricated and checked for tension. Examine vertical lift gates for belt wear and tightness--the tighter, the better. Sprockets, or gears, should be inspected for wear and replaced when needed. Replace slide-gate rollers if they are wobbly.
	Check seals and gaskets on keypads for leaks. Make sure sprinklers are not directed at the keypad. Once a year, open the keypad and inspect it for worn or corroded areas. Clean with alcohol and a toothbrush.
	Keep VCRs and digital video recorders free of dust by keeping them behind glass or using a dust cover. Inspect cables regularly for damage.
	Be sure there are enough light fixtures to adequately illuminate all corridors, driveways and areas between buildings. Burned-out bulbs should be replaced immediately.
	Wired door alarms need to be inspected every time a unit becomes available. Check the sensing device. Look for damage to the door switch or magnet. Be sure wires are in good condition. Examine brackets for breakage or tampering. Batteries in wireless door alarms should be tested often and replaced as needed.

Unit Interiors

	Inspect each unit upon vacancy. Swipe corners and walls for cobwebs, bugs, dust and grime. Sweep and mop the floor.
	Check for insects or rodents. Hire an exterminator to get rid of pests.
	Look for water spots, stains or leakage on the ceiling. Run a duster or broom over the ceiling to catch dirt and cobwebs.
	Lock all vacant units with inexpensive yellow padlocks that are keyed alike.
	Check pull cords on doors for wear, especially if they are on the outside.

The Maintenance Unit

	Keep cleaning supplies well stocked and conveniently located. Replace mops, brooms, dustpans, rags, etc., as needed.
	Check tire pressure and charger for golf cart regularly. Schedule annual maintenance checks. Clean upholstery often; replace it when torn or worn out. Have a clean sign that states "Rider rides at own risk."
	Have several sizes and varieties of tools available, including hammers, screwdrivers, bolt-cutters, ladders, a ratchet and socket set, nails, screws, spackle, vise clamps, saws, tie-down straps, oils, lubricants and a cordless drill with nut drivers, bits and a jig. Other tools to consider are battery chargers, jumper packs or cables, portable floodlights, air tanks, compressors and floor polishers.
	Have a workbench with bins or shelves to keep all tools and replacement parts organized. Hand tools can be hung neatly on a piece of pegboard.

Curb Appeal

	Keep bushes, flowers, trees and lawns trimmed and neat.
	Trim tree branches that threaten power lines or are a threat to buildings during severe weather.
	Signs should be bright and easy to read. Replace bulbs and faded lettering or graphics as needed.
	If you don't have guard posts, get them. If you do have them, consider using a post sleeve rather than scraping and painting regularly.
	Get potholes fixed, but rely on professionals to do the job.
	Keep cracks clear of weeds by using a commercial weed killer.

The Management Office

	Have carpets professionally cleaned every six months.
	Once a month, remove window screens and storm windows, and wash inside and out.
	Rearrange retail items and displays monthly to attract attention and track inventory.
	Ensure phone, faxes and copy machines are free of dust and working properly. Stock ink and paper and keep the manufacturers' numbers handy for repairs.
	Keep collateral displays stocked with colorful brochures of the facility and useful pamphlets, such as "10 Things You Must Know Before You Rent a Storage Unit."

Building Exteriors

	Instead of painting faded metal doors and buildings, refinish with a high-quality, protective coating.
	When replacing door and building numbers, use the highest quality vinyl numbers possible in an easy-to-read, block style.
	Check door screws, sweep any cobwebs and dirt out of the guides on doors, and oil or lubricate springs with a very light coat of oil to reduce friction and prevent rust. Check the tension and adjust according to manufacturer's directions.
	Regularly inspect building exteriors for damage such as cracks, rust, and fading or peeling paint.
	Check built-up roofs for bubbles or cracks in the asphalt topping and loose flashing attachments.
	When inspecting metal roofs, look for loose screws, deteriorating rubber washes, separation of lap joints and exposed sealants that have cracks or bubbles.
	With standing-seam metal roofs, be on the look out for separation of panel laps, loose-flashing fasteners and exposed sealants.
	Check gutters regularly for leaves and other debris. Give gutters a thorough cleaning each spring and fall.
	Make sure down spouts are draining water away from the buildings.

For information on companies that provide information, products and services to assist in the maintenance of self-storage sites, please visit the Inside Self-Storage online Buyer's Guide at www.insideselfstorage.com and search the following categories:

	Building Components
	Cladding
	CCTV and Video Surveillance
	Coatings and Waterproofing
	Doors and Door Hardware
	Flags and Banners
	Maintenance Products/Services
	Pest Control
	Roofing and Related Products
	Signs and Numbers

Would you like to make it easier for prospective customers to find your website? Would you like to be found when people looking for businesses like yours use a tool generating 2 million to 3 million searches each day? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, natural language navigation (NLN) keywords are for you.

NLN is one of the easiest search methods available to Internet surfers, allowing them to conduct a search from the address bar of their browsers. A person can now type keywords instead of a long web address (URL). For example, once he has upgraded his browser, he can type "keyword company" instead of the long, cumbersome address, http://www.keywordcompany.com. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to tell a prospective client to simply type your company's name instead of a complete web address when he looks for more information or attempts to contact you?

How does it work?

Keywords are words and phrases a business licenses that allow consumers to connect instantly via the Internet with the products or services it provides. Keywords are intuitive, familiar words and phrases, such as "company," "product," "brand" or even a personal name. Keywords can include punctuation and spaces.

By using NLN, customers can type whatever they are searching for directly into the browser bar, in the same way they speak and think. The concept is based on the idea that we should ask for what we want and get what we ask for in return. Prospects simply type your keywords directly into the address bar of their browsers and go directly to your website. NLN eases the search for information on the Internet by means of concise words. This tool simplifies Internet navigation, enabling immediate connection between users and businesses.

What does this mean to you?

You can virtually eliminate your competition when people are looking for you or your services. While search-engine campaigns are still a must for making people aware of your website and driving traffic to it, NLN can ensure yours is the only site found when searched by a particular keyword or phrase.

For example, if you were to type the phrase "Yellow Pages advertising" into the search engine Google, your search results would exceed 900,000. But if a surfer who has upgraded his browser with NLN enters the same phrase into his address bar, only one site, www.michaelswilder.com, would be retrieved. With NLN, once you license a word or phrase, it is yours until you decide to relinquish it. None of your competitors can have the word you have licensed, and your site will be the only one found when your word or phrase is searched.

Who else is using it?

There are currently 2 million to 3 million searches a day made direct from an address bar, and more than 6.8 million users have upgraded their browses so they can use the NLN technology. More than 9,000 business and consumers have licensed words so their customers can find them easier and faster. Companies such as Pizza Hut, MasterCard, Perrier and The Home Depot have already licensed words, and more words are being licensed daily.

How do I upgrade my browser?

Just visit www.getyourkeywords.com and click on the "Download NLN Now" icon in the upper-right corner. Once the upgrade is complete, close your browser and reopen it. You will have joined the other 6.8 million people who have downloaded the software and are searching the Internet with greater efficiency.

Visit www.getyourkeywords.com and get your words before they are gone! For more information, contact The Michaels/Wilder Group at 800.423.6468.

Long before the events of 9/11, the self-storage industry faced law-enforcement officials appearing unexpectedly at rental offices for various reasons. Generally, a police officer or member of a federal law-enforcement agency walks into your office, flips open a leather badge case with what purports to be a police ID, and flips it shut before you are ever able to recognize or read the items presented. Then he starts asking you questions.

Most frequently, police are interested in storage of drugs or drug-manufacturing paraphernalia, stolen property, or property in dispute between two parties. Since 9/11, self-storage facilities have become the target of more investigations from terrorism-interception organizations. The situation tends to scare or intimidate managers or staff who have no training on how to handle these types of actions. It is exacerbated by the fact the law-enforcement officer will sometimes challenge an employee's patriotism or law-abiding emotions to get the information he needs.

The fact is law enforcement can have all the information it needs or wants, but there are proper ways to ask for or receive it--whether or not you wish to turn it over. This article addresses when you have to provide information, what type of information to give out, and what to ask for before you do so.

Warrants and Subpoenas

Sometimes law-enforcement officials are attempting to gather information to build a case against a person. They come to you to see if some of their hunches are correct. You, on the other hand, have a file in which your tenant has provided names, addresses, contact information, copies of photo IDs, and possibly bank references, credit-card numbers or credit reports. I am not suggesting you be uncooperative with law enforcement. However, providing this information without the proper documentation from the officer can result in liability to you. There is a right and wrong time and process to provide this information.

Generally, the law-enforcement officer wants to see a tenant file or open a unit. In the case of the tenant file, your first question should be, does he have a subpoena or search warrant? In the case of opening the unit, does he have a search warrant? If the officer has a subpoena or warrant, generally, you have to make the information available or give the access stated. You do, however, have the right to see the warrant and make a copy for your files; I strongly recommend you do so.

You also have the right to look at the officer's badge and identification card, although he does not have to let you make a photocopy or write information down. You can at least ask for a last name, badge number and the department with which the officer is affiliated. Before taking any action on a warrant or subpoena, or even talking to the officer, you can and should call the department to verify his identification and purpose. All good law-enforcement agencies will provide you validation if you call and ask, "Officer X is in front of me. Can you give me a description of what he is supposed to look like?"

You have to make certain the search warrant allows the officer to do what he says he wants to do. That is, if the search warrant says the officer has the right to search unit 48A, all you can do is give him access to unit 48A, even if the tenant has other units in his name. You do not have to assist the officer in lock-cutting, lock-picking or otherwise gaining access to the unit. However, it is my experience that if you do not assist, he will probably damage your door. Therefore, if you are presented with a valid search warrant--especially if you have cylinder locks--assist in the picking, drilling or removing of the lock. Once you have given the officer access to the unit, give him privacy. When the officer has completed his search, ask if it is acceptable for you to overlock or relock the premises.

If the search warrant or subpoena commands presentment of documents, you are obligated to provide copies. Never part with your originals! There is only one exception to the document rule: If you have pulled a consumer credit report on your tenant from one of the credit-reporting services--TransUnion, Experian or Equifax--and you do not have a release from the tenant that allows you to provide the report to law-enforcement agencies, you may not give a copy or even allow the officer to view it.

There are special privacy laws that apply to individual credit profiles, and you must protect them carefully. This is normally not a problem, because all police agencies have agreements with credit-reporting services to allow officers to obtain copies of an individual's reports when necessary for a criminal investigation. Therefore, you simply say, "I cannot, by law, give you the credit report; but of course, you can obtain your own copy." There are few instances in which a law-enforcement agent will give you any hassle about refusing to turn over a credit report. Most of the time, he is looking for information from the application or lease. Oftentimes, he simply needs the unit number or numbers to get a proper search warrant.

When There Is No Warrant

The more difficult situation is when a police officer does not have a search warrant or subpoena but wants to talk to you or obtain copies of information from your tenant file. This is a tough call. You have already asked the law-enforcement officer for a copy of a subpoena or search warrant and he has told you he does not have one. You cannot simply turn the file over to the officer. However, as stated above, sometimes officers have to follow hunches in criminal investigations. They may not have enough information to ask a judge for a warrant or subpoena and need more proof to show there is valid suspicion.

As a law-abiding business owner, you may not want to interfere with these types of investigations. On the other hand, turning over your tenant files without a subpoena or search warrant can expose you to potential liability for violation of privacy. Therefore, explain to the officer that while you are not able to turn over copies or allow him to examine records without a warrant or subpoena, you are happy to answer as many questions as possible, in conversation, so there is no exchanging of documents. Therefore, if the police simply want to know an emergency contact or unit number, you can open the tenant file and tell him. If the officer wants to know banking or credit-card numbers, or what Social Security number the tenant gave you, you can, if you choose, provide the information.

There is a fine line here. First, police officers do not like to be told they cannot have something they want. They may even try to coerce or cajole you into releasing records without a search warrant. But all good police officers know there are proper ways to obtain information, and there are dangers involved in giving information to anyone who flashes a badge. There are consumer-privacy laws that vary from state to state; and on the federal level, there is the consumer-privacy law that pertains to an individual's credit profile. If you give information to any governmental authority who seeks it, you may violate your tenant's privacy rights and be subject to a lawsuit.

Second, you want your tenants to be completely and accurately candid with you in the application process so you have the valid information you need to meet obligations imposed by self-storage statutes. This includes information about alternate contacts, lien holders, etc., which is required by various statutes around the country. If your tenants think you may share information without proper authority, they may withold. You need tenant's information so you can properly operate your business and conduct lien processes, if necessary.

Third, although regrettable to say, there are some police officers who use their badges for purposes of conducting their own personal business. Remember when NYPD Blue's Dennis Franz checked to see if his best friend's wife was squirreling away assets in a self-storage unit? Unfortunately, police officers do sometimes help themselves, their friends and relatives to information under the guise of an investigation. If you were to fall victim to such a ploy, you would be liable to your tenant if determined as the source of information. Additionally, there is always a question of the validity of identification and a badge until you verify it.

Build a Relationship

There are a couple of things you can do to build a relationship with local law enforcement. For one, you can ask them to drive through your facility on occasion, especially at night. Driving through and observing potential criminal activity on which the officer can act without management's involvement is a blessing. Second, you can allow police to use your facility for drug/bomb dog training; you admit police to allow their dogs to sniff the locked doors of units. If the dogs react positively for drugs, explosives or other items, the police can then obtain a search warrant.

It's understandable to desire a positive relationship with law-enforcement officials. You want your facility to be patrolled. You want to ensure police or city officials do not "hassle" you with zoning violations or other minor issues. You also want to make certain law enforcement responds quickly to your calls.

However, privacy laws dictate you cannot simply be a stool pigeon. All law enforcement agents--up to and including prosecutors--have clear standards they must follow to make a verdict stick. You, as a small business operator, face the threat of a civil lawsuit if you violate a tenant's privacy. You have to be prepared to explain this concept to law-enforcement, despite the fact they may pretend not to understand. In a relationship of mutual respect, the law should be able to obtain the information it needs without asking you to compromise your business.

Jeffrey Greenberger practices with the law firm of Katz Greenberger & Norton LLP in Cincinnati, which primarily represents owners and operators of commercial real estate, including self-storage. Mr. Greenberger is licensed to practice in the states of Ohio and Kentucky, and is the legal counsel for the Ohio Self Storage Owners Society and the Kentucky Self Storage Association. He is a regular contributor to Inside Self-Storage magazine and the tradeshows it sponsors. For more information, Mr. Greenberger can be contacted at Katz Greenberger & Norton LLP, 105 E. Fourth St., Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH 45202, or by calling 513.721.5151.

At the 2003 Inside Self-Storage Expo in Las Vegas, three U.S. self-storage veterans discussed their perspectives on the growing self-storage market in the United Kingdom and Europe. In a unique International Business Forum, Ken Nitzberg, chairman and CEO of Devon Self Storage, Jim Chiswell, president of Chiswell & Associates LLC, and Ray Wilson, president of Charles R. Wilson & Associates, provided insight to this entrepreneurial frontier. Following are excerpts from the informational exchange.

Comments From Nitzberg

Self-storage in Western Europe and the United Kingdom is a fascinating opportunity. It's like you can start over, after 30 years of business in the United States, with today's knowledge and capital.

There are some 350 million people served by approximately 500 facilities in the United Kingdom and Europe. The issues over there are different than in the United States. Probably the biggest difference is the European public doesn't know what self-storage is. They don't know how to find it or how to use it. You have to first educate your market about the self-storage product.

When we open a site in the United States, we typically budget about $3,000 a month for advertising, of which 98 percent is for Yellow Pages. In Europe, we budgeted $10,000 a month for the first two years. The first year, we tried everything--the Yellow Pages, TV, newspapers, fliers, radio and trolley cars. Our facility leased very slowly until we hit about 30 percent, then the line went vertical. And it all came from referrals. In the second year, we only advertised in the Yellow Pages and have not spent a dime more since.

In terms of leases, lien laws and insurance, the culture differences and approaches to renting a unit are huge. We have leases in five or six languages. The Dutch look at the lease for 30 seconds, sign it and move in. In Germany, customers take the lease home to read it. They highlight sections and ask you questions for three weeks before moving in. The French make several visits, drinking coffee each time, before taking the lease home. Three weeks later, they sign it.

To the best of our knowledge, in the countries where we operate, there are no lien laws. In France, Germany and Holland, there is no legal way to sell the goods of a defaulted customer and release the unit. In Holland, we use bill collectors. You have to decide how aggressive you want to be. Some operators give goods away to charity, some throw them away and some store them. But there is no legal way, so it is a problem.

The insurance issue is very similar. We don't have insurance for things like wrongful sale of a customer's goods because you're not supposed to sell them. Other than that, insurance price and coverage are very similar.

When Devon considers opening a new facility in Europe, we do conversions. Getting a piece of raw land in a desirable location for self-storage is exceptionally difficult. Then getting permits is almost impossible. Regulatory agencies have no rules for self-storage construction because they don't know the product. However, it's relatively easy to get permits to modify an existing building. All you're doing is gutting the building and putting in your units. However, agencies are strict about fire codes, and all buildings must have sprinklers.

Our sites in Europe are not climate-controlled because it doesn't get hot enough. It gets warm in Southern France, where we have a facility, but we don't cool the building. Since we don't have competition in that area, climate control isn't a marketing advantage. Our facilities in Germany and Holland are heated. The winters are very cold, and without heat, the pipes will burst.

Sites tend to lease up slower if you're the first facility in the market. If there are already five or 10 sites, you'll lease up as quickly as you would in the United States.

Comments From Chiswell

The same problems self-storage developers face in the United States exist in Europe. Just because there aren't a lot of stores in Europe doesn't mean it's any easier to develop, to get approval and to rent up. While I am not yet convinced the market will be as deep as it is in many U.S. metro areas, the number of stores could easily triple during the next five to 10 years.

Obviously, the financial institutions need to accept the industry as U.S. bankers do. The lack of access to capital has contributed significantly to the fact the majority of the established stores are in the hands of large, publicly traded companies. This is just the opposite in the United States, where entrepreneurs own the majority of the industry's stores. This trend will start to balance out as access to capital for this real estate asset type gains wider acceptance by the European and U.K. financial communities.

Right now, five or six companies serve the majority of Great Britain in addition to the U.S. ones. Because many of the storage companies are fairly large, they are publicly traded in Great Britain. It is possible to invest in self-storage in Britain and Europe by purchasing shares of stock instead of finding a local partner. If you have considerable funds to invest, you can ask an established U.S. company about its activities.

Another factor that will further enhance the self-storage industry is a growing trend for residential moves to be carried out as do-it-yourself projects, not by removalists. Removalists currently account for more than 70 percent of the residential moves in the United Kingdom. They obviously want to capture the storage side of any move.

Aggressive marketing by all operators across the United Kingdom and within selected metro areas in Europe benefits all existing and future stores. Customer awareness will further increase demand. The stores in London I visited last year are at the standards of most of the modern U.S. facilities. I am also impressed by the quality of the managers. Clearly, U.K. owners recognize quality customer service must be a hallmark for their stores.

A final factor is the development of an exit strategy. Until there are buyers willing to purchase established stores, the full return on investment cannot be realized. We will begin to quickly see this as the success of the larger companies is recognized with the real estate investment community in United Kingdom and Europe.

Comments From Wilson

About five years ago, I was hired by the Self Storage Association to explain the concept of self-storage to Europeans. We did this the same way we did in Australia--through seminars.

There is concern about oversupply of facilities in the United States. This occurred over the past 30 years when too much construction money was available too quickly and the supply surpassed the demand curve. In Europe and the United Kingdom, people are just learning about self-storage. But it's not going to take them 30 years like is has in the United States. They're going to catch on much faster. The trick is just not to build too much supply too quickly.

Ken Nitzberg is the chairman and CEO of Devon Self Storage Holdings LLC, which he co-founded in 1988. The company manages in excess of $150 million of investor capital in 20 facilities in the United States and eight in Europe. For more information, visit www.devonselfstorage.com.

Jim Chiswell is the president of Chiswell & Associates LLC, which has provided feasibility studies, acquisition due diligence and customized manager training for the self-storage industry since 1990. In addition to contributing regularly to Inside Self-Storage, Mr. Chiswell is a frequent speaker at Inside Self-Storage Expos and various national and state association meetings. For more information, visit www.selfstorageconsulting.com.

Ray Wilson is president of Charles R. Wilson & Associates Inc., an appraisal company that specializes in the valuation of self-storage facilities. He is also owner of Self Storage Data Services Inc., a research company that maintains a database of operating statistics on thousands of facilities across the United States. For more information, visit www.crwilson.com.

A high-quality roof-coating system includes a biodegradable cleaner to prepare the surface metal, industrial grade caulk for repairs at seams and protrusions, and an elastomeric coating made from 100 percent acrylic resins. The added benefit of an acrylic roof coating is it will remain permanently flexible, allowing the metal to expand and contract with fluctuations in temperature. White or light-colored coatings also reflect UV heat from the sun from the building surface, significantly reducing interior temperatures.

The following is an overview for the proper application of a liquid-applied, acrylic roof coating over metal roofing. The use of this type of acrylic coating system is tax deductible as a maintenance expense and, with proper maintenance and occasional recoating, it will last for the life of the building.

The Surface Inspection

• Roof surfaces should be clean, dry, structurally sound, stable and well-secured.
• The roof surface should be free of excessive ponding water. Roof surfaces that pond water 48 hours after a rain are considered unacceptable. All water shall be allowed positive drainage from the roof.
• Inspect the condition of flashing details adjacent to protrusions, penetrations, roof-mounted equipment, curbs, walls, parapets, drains and the roof edge to ensure they are acceptable and will maintain a weather-tight installation after being properly reinforced and coated.

Surface Preparation

• Metal surfaces to be coated should be clean, dry, sound, and free of dirt, grease, oil and any other contaminants that might interfere with the adhesion of the elastomeric acrylic coating.
• All mechanical fasteners should be checked for integrity. Retighten or replace them as necessary. "Stripped out" fasteners should be replaced using a fastener with a larger diameter.
• Unsound rust should be wire-brushed, sandblasted or mechanically abraded. Metal panels deteriorated to the point that their structural integrity is compromised should be replaced.
• Remove excessive amounts of asphaltic-based or other deteriorated patching/flashing materials, if present.
• Check all seams to ensure they are tight and flush. Excessive gaps or deflection between panels should be eliminated by installing additional screws or rivets as necessary to restrict deflection to 1/4-inch or less.
• All metal surfaces, new or existing, should be cleaned using a biodegradable cleaning product as specified by the coating manufacturer.
• All existing sound but rusted areas should be primed with the appropriate metal primer as recommended by the coating manufacturer.
• Fill gaps between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch at panel seams, joints and protrusions with the recommended caulk. Fill gaps larger than 1/2-inch, such as at the ridge cap, roof edge and/or interface of dissimilar materials, using polyethylene backer rod or spray-applied polyurethane foam.
• Reinforce all horizontal (end-lap) and vertical (side-lap) seams that have not been factory crimped or presealed; roof terminations and flashings around drains, scuppers and skylights; the base of all vents, conduits, HVAC equipment and other protrusions; and the interface of any metal with a dissimilar material using one or more of the following methods:

1. Apply acrylic coating liberally, using a brush or roller, along the area to be detailed. While the acrylic is still wet, embed a strip of reinforcement mesh centered over the seam, joint or interface. Work the mesh into the acrylic, applying additional material as necessary to totally encapsulate the reinforcing fabric.

2. Cut a length of butyl-backed, woven reinforcing tape to the desired length. Peel off the release backing, center the strip over the detail area and press it firmly into place, removing all wrinkles and bubbles. A wallpaper-seam roller is helpful in securing the tape to the metal deck.

3. Apply a butter-grade sealant, using a brush, roller or airless spray, to a thickness of 60 to 80 dry mils over the detail area. Extend the sealant a minimum of 1 inch on either side of seams, joints and interfaces.

All mechanical fastener heads should be treated using one of the following methods:

1. Apply a butter-grade sealant to completely encapsulate the screw head, and seal the base of the fastener to the metal deck.

2. Apply a butyl-backed, foil-faced reinforcing patch by centering the cap over the fastener head and pressing it firmly in place to seal the cap flush around the base.

Elastomeric Coating Application

All roof-preparation materials must be allowed to dry prior to application of the acrylic coating. Immediately prior to application of the coating, all dust, dirt and other contaminants should be blown off the roof surfaces using high-pressure, compressed air. Cover the entire roof substrate as follows:

1. Apply the basecoat at a minimum rate of 1 gallon per 100 square feet.

2. After allowing the basecoat to dry, apply the topcoat at a minimum rate of 1 gallon per 100 square feet. Apply the elastomeric coating by airless spray, using a multipass spray technique to ensure even coating application to all sides of the metal-panel corrugation. Make a conscious effort to apply coating into crimped or presealed vertical (side-lap) seams that have not been detailed.

3. The total basecoat/topcoat minimum dry-film thickness required at any location is 15 mils. This is generally considered the minimum coating thickness for a five-year product warranty. For extended coverage periods, additional coats and heavier film builds will be required.

Cleanup

Maintain work and work areas in a clean, safe condition at all times during coating installation. Remove excess materials, trash and debris from the job site daily. At the completion of the project, clean the area of any spills and containers, and clean up all roofing debris, leaving the job site in a clean, orderly condition.

Clint Whitsett works for United Coatings, a Greenacres, Wash.-based manufacturer of Roof Mate, a water-based, 100 percent acrylic elastomer designed to extend the life of existing roofs by forming a permanently flexible, reflective membrane. For more information, call 509.926.7143 or visit www.unitedcoatings.com.

90 Days and Counting: The Pre-Grand Opening--By now, you have sent out at least a dozen press releases covering everything from the ground-breaking to the hiring of your management company. Hopefully, several of them were published, and the general public knows you're on the way to your grand opening.

Before the opening, you establish contacts at the local chamber of commerce and court the local "dignitaries." You have met the mayor and all council members. You are on a first-name basis with the CEO of your bank and all of its officers. You know their golf handicaps and which scotch they drink. All brochures have been designed and are at the printer. You have ordered shirts and uniforms for staff and giveaways. Your coffee mugs have been delivered, and you are ready to order the on-site sign packages.

60 Days and Counting: Grand-Opening Jitters--Invitations to the grand opening have been sent and you have confirmed the mayor and bank CEO will be attending. The printed napkins are due to arrive next week, and the caterer has reviewed the menu with you at least twice. The bartender is on board, and you have made certain the servers are dressed in white shirts, black ties and vests.

You have ordered the on-site management software, and the computer is scheduled to be delivered in two weeks. The security folks have a set of plans and are setting up the door table, and you are making last-minute revisions to the security system. The office has been roughed out, and you can plainly see you are very short on electrical outlets. The tile you ordered has been matched to the countertops, and you are ordering the chairs and lobby furniture.

The management company has made an offer to the on-site managers and is asking you when the apartment will be ready. You have upgraded the appliance package from the builder and are having last-minute thoughts about carpet colors. The general contractor is now meeting with you twice a week to review change orders and update you on the progress of door and hallway installation. Large trucks with pallets of roll-up doors want to know where to leave their loads, and you are making sure the security company has the equipment ready to ship.

30 Days and Counting: The Tension Mounts--Your on-site manager is bugging you about having enough coffee mugs, and he needs more "hello" packages. The phone is ringing at the call center with early reservations, and you are conducting hard-hat tours with commercial customers as they select their spaces. You have placed orders with the Val-Pak or Coupon Clipper, and they are nearly ready to make a drop mailing. You have confirmed with the contractor that things are on track, and you are now meeting three times a week to go over last-minute details.

You have the job superintendent's cell-phone number memorized, and you know his kids' names and what kind of dog he has. You're nervous when he says his golf game is improving, because you think the building cannot possibly be ready in time. You have had at least three flat tires from the screws left in the driveways, and the construction dumpster is overflowing, no matter how many times it gets emptied.

You are starting to receive RSVPs from the dignitaries, and the editor at the local newspaper knows you by first name. The caterer has received his second deposit, and you are nervous about having enough food.

The feasibility consultant has called you with good news and bad news. Rates are up since the study was done a year ago, but occupancy at the other new facility in town is stuck at 70 percent. You are trying to not get nervous that he is offering his second month for free, and you are calling the software vendor to change prices for the initial set-up.

15 Days and Counting: Everyone Says You Are on Track, Yet You Are Certain There Is No Way Everything Will Be Ready--The sod and trees for the landscaping are at the nursery, which is waiting for it to stop raining so it can plant. You are certain it will rain on the day of the opening, and you are pricing a large tent for the parking lot, just in case. The driveway has received its last coat, and you cannot figure out why the parking spaces have not been striped. You are upset because the contractor has not swept the floors, and you just know the hallways will not get sealed in time.

Your managers have already started to move their things in, and the contractor says you have a temporary certificate of occupancy for part of the building. You resist temptation to start moving tenants in because the alarm guys say they will shoot you if you do. The computer is in a corner of the office waiting for the floor covering to be laid, and the security guys are starting to test individual door alarms.

You have ordered all of the office supplies, and the box and retail supplies are stacked inside units. The golf cart has its first flat tire, and there are scuff marks on the seat. You receive your first call from a direct-mail campaign and are sad because they need the space tomorrow and they will have to go to your competitor.

7 Days and Counting: You Are Ready for a Second Walk-Through With the Contractor and Cannot Understand Why Many Items From the First Remain Open--The rain has stopped, and you are so nervous sometimes you cannot remember the password to get into the computer. The manager is already starting to talk about a raise, and your certificate of occupancy has been held up by the fire department because the alarm panel did not ring through properly.

Your contractor assures you the elevator inspector will be here "tomorrow," and the 35 doors that do not open or stay open are no big deal. You want to shoot somebody when he says the sealer for the hallways will take an extra day to dry, and only half the units have numbers on the doors. Amazingly, there have been no flat tires in three days. The asphalt has been striped, and if the blinds for the office would arrive, you would be all set.

The manager's best friend has come over to see his new digs and you are furious because he smoked in the apartment. There is a stain on the carpet from move-in, and the dishwasher is leaking. The good news is you have 25 signed leases, and you are ready for the first tenant to move in. Your website goes down, and you only find out because somebody tried to reserve a unit online and had to call instead. There are only 30 alarms that do not work, but only two security guys on site. There is no way, no how, this mess will be cleaned up in time.

The radio deejay doing the live remote has come down with laryngitis, and he assures you he "will be as good as new in a week or so." Somebody has already stolen the digital VCR for the security system, and you remind the security company you have not signed off on the delivery yet. The mayor's wife is ready to deliver her baby, and the mayor has has not returned any of your 25 phone calls. His secretary assures you the assistant mayor is very photogenic, and he really has not lost that big pair of scissors they use for the ribbon cutting, he just cannot remember who used it last. (He also cannot get ahold of the mayor).

The car club that will be displaying its cars during the grand opening is sure it will have at least 20 cars on site and wants to know the size of the trophy you are presenting. You're pretty sure you told the manager to order a trophy... At least you have it in your notes that you were supposed to tell him to order a trophy...

There has never been a beer shortage in the history of Budweiser, and now they are talking about what will happen to Anhauser-Busch stock when the company is all out of beer. Of course, they co-sponsored the live remote, and you have an iron-clad contract to give away Budweiser exclusively at the opening.

Meanwhile, back at the office, the power will stay on for at least 30 minutes at a time before the circuit breaker trips. Since you elected to buy a state-of-the-art phone system that depends on continuous power (you saved $200 by not buying the extended-power back-up system), there are no messages, and the phone has not rung for days. (Did I mention the voicemail needs power to retain memory?)

The front window was broken when the neon sign for the office was delivered and, interestingly, the trucking company responsible has not answered any of your calls--but then neither has the glass company. The insurance company assures you the cost of the window will be about $5 more than your deductible. But not to worry, because at least now the mailman is actually delivering mail to your address. One of the first items you open is a notice from the city that it will be widening the street in front of your store.

Ah, life's little surprises...

RK Kliebenstein is the president of Coast-To-Coast Storage, a self-storage consultancy firm that can guide owners through the store-opening process. For more information, call 561.367.9241, ext. 81, or e-mail [email protected].

Construction Corner is a Q&A column committed to answering reader-submitted questions regarding construction and development. Inquiries may be sent to [email protected].

Q: My husband and I are thinking about purchasing some land to build our first self-storage facility. The area I live in is not very populated, and there are many open spaces for sale. What would you recommend as an economical building layout? Should we build several out buildings or one, large multistory facility that is climate-controlled? Space is not the issue; we just want to be able to offer our tenants the best possible location for their treasures.
--Christina in Lake Havasu, Ariz.

A: If you have the space, "bunker"-style buildings would probably be the preferred construction for your facility. In your climate, you don't have to worry about extreme snow and fluctuating weather conditions. Most tenants like the convenience of being able to drive up to their units. In addition, you could add breezeways at intervals in your out buildings to create low-cost interior units. The overall expense of running a facility like this is considerably less than a climate-controlled facility. Before you make a decision, though, check to see what your competition is doing, how it is working for them, and what you can do to better to grab more tenants.

Q: I am interested in installing three or four cameras on one of my buildings, but there is no easy way to get conduit from the office to this building. I do have an underground 1/2-inch conduit from the office to the building, but could not fit enough coax wiring through it. Do you know of a solution that would work other than wireless?
--Gordon in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

A: This is a common problem older facilities face when they wish to upgrade security or other portions of their site. There are products that can use a single CAT-5 cable and control up to four cameras (one camera per pair). This is made possible by using a pair of transceivers and video baluns.

A receiver is connected in the office via coax cable from your digital video recorder or multiplexer to a single CAT-5 cable. That cable is run to the detached building, where it is connected into a powered transmitter with four RJ-45 ports. Baluns are then connected between the individual cameras and the transmitter. Caveat emptor--I have seen mixed success with this solution. It is essential to keep your camera runs under 1000 feet, and the CAT-5 is inherently more susceptible to interference than coax. It would be less expensive, however, than trenching and running new conduit for coax.

Tony Gardner is a licensed contractor and installation manager for QuikStor, a provider of self-storage security and software since 1987. For more information, visit www.quikstor.com.

"Prevention is better than cure," or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Which do you believe? I suggest both are equally correct and, at the same time, incorrect. Paying for regular maintenance vs. paying for replacement is often a dilemma.

A regular program of prevention rather than cure will generally be cheaper than repair or even replacement. It will, however, mean spending money before an item actually fails. And, as a lot of self-storage facility managers could probably attest to, getting money from employers to fix something not yet broken can be like getting the proverbial blood from a stone. On the other hand, I have seen failures of an item due to overzealous maintenance.

Generally, every part of a self-storage facility requires maintenance, most by specialist contractors at prescribed times. For example, electrical equipment, including smoke-detection equipment, security systems, lifts, etc., requires regular testing and certification. Most of these systems are intelligent enough to tell you if they are experiencing a fault and require repair.

Mechanical items seem to need constant adjusting, tightening or loosening. Probably the biggest item here will be doors, and self-storage facilities more than likely have hundreds. However, facility managers don't open unit doors as frequently as customers.

Managers are only made aware of the problem when a customer complains his door is not functioning properly. This limits the opportunity of preventing a problem before it occurs. A good inspection of any unit after it is vacated could prevent doors from becoming a problem. In fact, it is a good plan to perform a general inspection of the internal condition of a unit and look for damage to partitions, floors and ceilings. It would be nice to think customers care for their self-storage units as if they were their own, but the reality is far from that.

Although there are some maintenance issues that are quickly carried out, roof maintenance can easily be forgotten—with catastrophic consequences. When operators have a problem with the roof, I can almost guarantee the end result will be water penetration. Other than fire, leaks are a self-storage manager's worst nightmare. Although there are many causes of water penetration, the most common yet often overlooked is a blocked gutter forcing water to overflow into the building. The cure is simple--regular cleaning of the gutters, especially throughout autumn. Since health and safety is always an issue, be sure to hire a competent contractor to advise a safe working method.

 A lot of potential maintenance problems can be avoided if, during design, more attention is paid to the quality of materials. During the design of any self-storage facility, a balance must be achieved between cost and the quality of resources. It is pointless to design a fabulous, state-of-the-art self-storage facility with the highest-quality longest-lasting products if the final cost prohibits its construction. At the same time, there is no point in building a cheap facility that needs rebuilding every couple of years. You will get what you pay for. As the saying goes, "If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys."

Graham Lomax is a founding director of Rabco Europe Ltd., based in Essex, England. Rabco Europe opened in August 2001 to expand The Rabco Corp.'s Orlando, Fla.-based operation into the European market. For more information, visit www.rabcoeurope.com.