Most people compare warehouses by floor area and rent per square foot. But if you store on racking, you are really paying for volume. Two units with the same floor area can hold very different amounts of stock, and the difference is clear height.
What clear height means
Clear height is the usable height from the finished floor to the lowest obstruction above it: a roof beam, a light fitting, a duct or a sprinkler line. It is not the height of the roof peak, and it is not the height of the walls on a drawing. Always ask how it was measured, and measure it yourself on the site visit.
How height turns into racking levels
A typical pallet with goods is around 1.2 to 1.5 m tall. Each racking level also needs space for the steel beam and a gap to lift the pallet in and out, so each level takes roughly 1.6 to 1.8 m. You also need to keep the top of your stock a safe distance below sprinklers and lights, as required by fire safety rules.
As a rough illustration:
- A 6 m building usually fits about 3 pallet levels.
- A 10 m building can usually fit about 5 pallet levels.
That is around 60 to 70 percent more pallet positions on exactly the same floor. Your racking supplier will confirm the exact design for your pallets, loads and fire rules.
What this means for your cost
If the rent per square foot is similar, a taller unit lowers your cost per pallet stored. Or, looking at it the other way, you can lease a smaller floor area for the same stock. Height also gives you room to add a mezzanine for offices or light storage without giving up ground floor.
Check before you rack
- Forklift reach. Your forklift or reach truck must lift safely to the top level you plan.
- Floor strength. Tall racking puts heavy point loads on the floor. Ask about the slab and check for cracks.
- Fire safety. High storage may need specific fire protection and civil defence approval.
- Lighting. Aisles between tall racks need good lighting at every level.
- Door height. A tall building is only useful if the shutter door suits your trucks and loads.
Al Maha warehouses in Sajaa offer 10 m clear height with 125 kVA power per unit. Book a site visit and bring your racking plan, and we will walk through it with you.