Pros: I was able to get a 40 foot container with LIGHTS and POWER for a great price, and they advertise that YOU CAN USE IT FOR A PROJECT SPACE! I don't know of another local vendor offering such a thing, only more expensive small industrial spaces such as Activespace. One of my neighbors has a small robot manufacturing shop in his container. My container stayed dry inside throughout the El Niño rains of 2016. The on-site handyman, Jose, is excellent and CSI had better be nice to him or I'm hiring him away from them! What a hard worker, you can see him busy all over the facility all of the time. I had to use his services when one of my own locks jammed shut inside of one of those armor boxes, locking me out of the container. I got instant service! He had to cut the lock with an oxy-acetylene torch, and I got the standard charge of only $10 for that. Once I left off one of the required locks during a short break and the facility caught it in an inspection and put their own lock on. I called them, and Jose came around to take it off right away. You must have a lock in the lock box, and a lock on the bars of the right side. I looked pretty carefully, and didn't see any theft reports. It is a sad reality that many storage thefts are inside jobs of the facility employees. But the CSI folks all seem very nice, and not at all like the skanky folks I've met on the staff at some other storage facilities. CSI seems to have the budget and management necessary to avoid staff problems. Cons: In an attempt to cover their risk, their contract says you're not to store more than $5000 worth of items in their units without written authorization. That's not realistic. They offer some sort of storage insurance, but in my case it would cost as much per month as the storage unit itself. I do see some security problems at the facility: other vehicles often blow through the security gate without entering their own code when I am entering or exiting. Sometimes people are walking around the facility who might work there, but are not wearing any obvious identification. And once I saw two high school kids wearing backpacks who appeared to be walking through the supposedly-secure storage lot, past my unit, on their way home from school. The disk locks they sell in the front office are probably adequate, but they seem to be in packages that have been opened previously. Perhaps CSI has copied the keys for their own convenience. I replaced mine with Abus Diskus locks with the "Plus" cylinder, and was able to buy 5 keyed the same. These are more difficult to pick than the conventional lock, requiring a tool specific to the brand. Nothing is going tor resist that oxy-acetylene torch or something that can saw the door bars, so ultimately we depend on the facility security. There are a few porta-potties available for customers on the lot. That's a little skimpy, they have enough space in their buildings on the site to offer customers a real toilet. Especially when they are marketing project spaces. I did not use the move-in service. From the commentary of other customers it's clear that it is just a truck and perhaps two guys who won't enter your home. You'd better be ready with everything packed and on the curb when it arrives. And of course they have no incentive to help you move out, so don't expect their truck then. For most people, hiring cheap local movers would be a better idea. read more

this is not so much a storage facility, as a place where people run businesses out of the storage lockers that are electrified. I did not realize that and stored my belongings there. I am still cleaning up the mess, after two years. grrrrrrr PICK A DIFFERENT PLACE FOR STORING YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS !!! The only upside is that some of the yard employees are very nice and helpful. read more

For as many businesses as I possibly can, I use a virtual credit card that is unique to a given business. Yesterday, the card I generated for my rental at CSI Mini Storage had a (rejected) charge from "Anthem Blue Med Supp". My card issuer closed that card shortly after. If you rent here, be on the lookout for fraudulent charges. Who knows if their payment system was hacked (it happens) or if this was a worker who had access to card #s, or something else (could even be someone guessing #s I assume.) Beware, and always use a virtual CC# when you can. read more

I want to start by saying the staff member who helped me was very friendly and helpful, and they let me cancel my reservation without any issues. That said, I feel it's important to warn other potential customers about the company's misleading advertising. I reserved a 10x13.5 unit online, specifically because I needed the 10-foot width for my furniture. When I arrived, they tried to give me an 8.5x16 unit instead. When I pointed out that these were two different sizes, they insisted that it was the "same unit" because they just "added the extra feet to the length." This is simply false. A 10x13.5 unit is not the same as an 8.5x16 unit. This kind of "bait and switch" advertising, where you're shown one thing online and offered something different in person, is not right. The dimensions of a storage unit are more important than its total square footage. If you need to store items that are wider than 8.5 feet, a unit with similar square footage but a different width will not work. While I appreciate the staff's professionalism in handling the cancellation, the fact that the company tried to convince me to accept a unit with completely different dimensions is a form of false advertising. It shows a lack of transparency that other customers should be aware of. read more

If i could give this place no stars I would. My stuff was here less than 6 months and all my belongings were ruined by rats. All of my stuff was covered in rat droppings and urine and they ate everything else that wasn't. The facility refused to reimburse me for anything and they are not "liable" per the contract you sign, they even admitted they were aware of the rats on site. Save yourself the heart ache. read more

Marco in the office was excellent and courteous at helping me set up storage. I felt immediately at ease thanks to his professionalism and experience. His colleague Jose was also excellent at helping me figure out what size storage unit I would need. They have several options available. Today was the day I moved in, the process was smooth. So far it seems like a secure location. They even have units where they give you your lock. read more

Website was a nightmare finally took a payment just to drive there to be told ii cannot store electrical wire was not on the cannot store list of having issues for a refund waste of time read more

Over a decade... I've remained a loyal customer! They provide reliable helpful team...security and best value storage!

My last review was 2017. Yup. Longtime customer. These guys are pros. Years ago, I told them I had some water getting in. They acted immediately and never a drop since. That was so fast. Efficient office and staff, clean storage yard, many types of storage units to choose from at a range of affordable costs. Accessible for long hours. The patrol regularly when open and more at night, also surveillance equipment. I have used them for years and never have a question about quality. I always get respect and help. Just today Marco helped me with checking my billing for tax reasons. He's a star for me. He nailed it. Thanks team CSI. read more

Excellent service. Need not say more. Renting, moving in, workers on site, all deserve five stars. Sweet and helpful office manager! She is responsive to customer needs. I hope she stays with the company for a long time to come! read more

I like CSI. The staff is really friendly. Mike the manager is a good guy. I even like my storage units neighbors. I would recoment CSI as a storage facility. All you have to do is follow the rules pay your bill and there will be no problem read more

Got a huge storage unit - a shipping container for a great price after Shopping around for a long time. Unit is clean and place is very secure. They are very far up in Richmond but I think that adds to the security of the place. Staff was nice during rental. Pro tip, they need 30 to 69 minutes to sign you up for a unit so plan accordingly read more

After having spoken with Mike my recent comments, I've decided to adjust my rating of this facility. Mike thanked me for the feedback and was sorry for the recent events that provoked my departure. My stay at CSI STORAGE is reflected in my initial rating. Thank you Mike for taking the time to converse with concerning my recent comments read more

Pros: - most bang for your buck. We rent a 10 x 40 overseas container with lighting and two plugs for less than smaller units elsewhere. - secure facility - Friendly staff Cons: - Moisture is a bitch to deal with in winter. Even a ton of damp rid won't keep our unot from getting mold in our stuff. It's a constant battle and the mold is winning. - sliw return of phone calls. I've met an owner here who was very nice. He stands by his staff when it comes to returning calls. However, it takes them over a week to do so, and sometimes they don't even bother to call back! Bottom line - don't plan on renting here lomg term. You might as well save your money for taking your stuff to the dump. The mold will eat everything! read more

(Updated: 29 June, 2007) I came here because I am leaving the country for a long time and they were the cheapest place I could find. It really did look too good to be true when I read that they come to get your stuff for free and then also give you the first month free once you pay the second. But as I student I am poor and, even if it was shady, I thought, who really wants to steal 60 boxes of books anyway? Well, they came today and carted my stuff away. I had a 9 am appointment at they were there are exactly 9. Three strong, nice, polite men came in and literally had all my stuff in a 8.5 x 12 foot container by 11:30. Did I mention I lived on the third floor?* They then brought me with them (since I do not have a car) and showed me my options. They said that they could fit all my stuff in an 8 X 8 container but that it would be completely full then and hard to get to. So I chose the 8.5 x 12 and there is room to get at everything. *(Read my review of Starving Students Movers to see why I am still in awe of this). The place seems very secure and all the people were super nice. I was afraid that the containers would be hot inside but they were not really any warmer than most un-airconditioned rooms. The place looks immaculately maintained and there is 24 hour security onsite. While I was checking in, a very bubbly woman who was originally from Norway came into the office to take her stuff out of storage after 5 years. She had finally bought a house in the city. She said, unprompted, "Oh! you will be very happy here! This is a great place! Oh, and when all the paperwork was done, one of the men drove me to the BART station (since I don't have a car) so I could get home! I can't quite figure out how they can give such good deals (my 8.5 x 12 is 115 a month, the 8 x 8 would have been 89) plus the moving, plus the free month, but maybe it is because they are really out of the way in Richmond (and Alameda). (They say it is worth it to come move you in because most people never realize that their stuff will be in storage much longer than they think it will...that makes sense). I am very happy with my decision and so am passing the word along. read more

Just rented my unit at CSI Storage. Excellent customer service and everyone was so nice!!

Newly married, we decided to consolidate our two households worth of stored stuff at CSI Mini-Storage in Richmond. There, we'll sort out, merge and cull with enough space, no time crush -- in a clean, secure location. CSI came and moved FREE our smaller pile of stuff, exactly at advertised, from our former, Public Storage bin. Our other stuff (a HUGE pile) was moved TO CSI by our prior moving & storage company. Our entire experience with CSI has been EXCELLENT. They are polite, together, clear, fair ~ and keep their commitments. They follow up with phone calls. Their moving crew (for our one lot, formerly at Public Storage) was great. The office staff is polite, knows their operation and totally helpful. For now (while we're sorting) we're renting TWO 8'x40' containers. Both are obviously recently renovated (repainted, re-caulked -- AND CSI has added florescent lighting and AC power. (Hard to sort stuff in the dark!) Everything is clean and in great working order. And as promised, they gave us a 50% discount for the first 60 days. Wow. The owner (Michael) practically "lives" on the site -- this is one storage company that's family-owned and operated, not just another money-grubbing cog for a huge greedy corporation (like Public Storage, which raised our rates over 20% a year, three years running.) I'm not interested in subsidizing the "1%" -- and the on-site staff at Public Storage is a bunch of VERY unhappy (and "give-a-crap") campers. So -- check out CSI Mini Storage in Richmond. They're terrific, affordable, fair and great to work with. Thanks Michael, Harvey et.al. read more

I needed to put everything into storage for a couple of years, and chose CSI. I just moved out, and wanted to share my experience over that time. I first spoke to Harvey at the front desk a couple of years ago, and found him really on the ball. He helped to arrange my move, and a couple of guys showed up and move my 2 bedroom house into storage for free. I had everything in boxes and ready to go, and they were able to do it in the allotted 3 hours. I chose a 30' ? space, which was only 190/month. This allowed me to have an aisle to access everything since it was for long-term storage. It was clean and never leaked. I visited the unit dozens and dozens of times, but never found the interior temperature too high. This unit had some of the metal painted right before I rented it, and the fabric picked up this odor. It aired out after a few days or washed out right away. The yard is open until 9 at night, so could access the unit after work. A bit surreal-spooky in the winter dark, but never saw anything dangerous or shady. My only complaint is that on holidays the yard is closed. Billing was by email, automatically charged to my credit account. When my credit card was cancelled, they called me to update. When I vacated, I was hoping that the same movers could help me, but they were too busy and I had to make other arrangements. Incredibly, I was returned a prorated portion of the last month's rent. Overall, highly recommended, and I would gladly use CSI again. Very professional outfit. It is industrial part of Richmond, but never felt unsafe in two years. I felt that my stuff was totally safe from theft and the elements. Office staff very courteous. Billing was impeccable. Five stars. read more

I wanted to take the time to write this review because I am very happy with CSI Mini Storage. I just moved my stuff in today. I chose CSI after hours of searching for a storage company online. I was attracted by their "move you in free" service. I will go into detail about that. I had emailed the company a few weeks ago and immediately received an informative reply in regards the questions I had with pricing and the move in service. I called to schedule an appointment for 9 am. I live in Berkeley but I also made a trip to CSI to check out the units and the facility. It seemed very safe with gates requiring a code to enter, cameras, and clean hardwood floor units. I take reviews pretty seriously, and having read the reviews, I was sure to follow the advice of other members as well as the information provided on their website. I made sure EVERYTHING was ready to go before the movers came. All my furniture was padded with styrofoam, mattress was placed in a plastic cover, all items placed in boxes, and flat items saran wrapped together to make it easier to move. I also parked my car on the street in a spot closest to my apartment as soon as it became available so when I saw the truck, I moved my car and the truck pulled up. It states that the entrance to the door of the house/apt and the truck must be within 200 feet. The two men who came to move my belongings were 30 minutes late. I was on the verge of giving them a call to make sure they were still coming. The gentlemen apologized for being late and said there was a lot of traffic. Fortunately, this wasn't a problem for me because I was free all day. But to others, it might be. So this is the ONLY reason I took away 1 star. They were very efficient, friendly, and considerate. I am 33 weeks pregnant, and when I pushed my boxes closer to them to make things more convenient for them, they insisted I didn't do anything. When the men were done loading my things, I followed them to the facility to take care of paperwork. Everyone in the office was very friendly and nice. I felt like I could get away with a smaller unit than I was quoted for. And the moving men seemed to agree. I never felt pressured to take a bigger unit. They seemed determined to make it fit into the 8.5x8 unit which I wanted. The movers efficiently placed all my belongings into my unit. I did bring old blankets to lay down on the hardwood floor so my furniture didn't get scratched up. My unit had a lock, but you can also add your own lock. When all is said and done, my move went smoothly. The "move you in for free" really is free. PLEASE tip the men. I gave them $17 each which was less than they deserved but all I had on me. The first 2 months 50% off really was true. I only paid $40 for my first month. I anticipate leaving my things in storage for 2-3 months until I return to the bay area. With the service and pricing of CSI, I don't mind leaving my things there longer if need be. read more

I've had my stuff there for about six months now. It's all been pretty convenient. I went with them because they came to my apartment and picked up my stuff with THEIR OWN TRUCK and moved it into my storage FOR FREE (Except for the tip for the great service)! Was sooo easy and perfect for me. You also get the first month free if you pay for the second month. SO, basically they came, took my stuff, and I didn't have to worry about anything for three months. I will give them five stars when they can take monthly payments automatically from my bank account. This day and age, I don't like writing checks every month. read more

If you for some twisted reason dreamed of storage, then you would dream of CSI. The facility is clean, the staff are efficient, they have online bill pay and the move-in service is incredibly valuable. My movers showed up on time despite rush hour traffic, loaded up in 20 minutes and tetrised my disastrous explosion of belongings into my tiny locker with room to spare. Further, my lock didn't fit so one of the staff members took the time to file down the bolt hole until it did. I love this place. read more

Everyone who works here is helpful and concerned and the price is great make sure to ask about their special where they move your stuff in for free which I unfortunately could not take advantage of these folks are fair highly recommend read more

They sounded really, really great. We were pretty excited about their free moving as we'd checked out their website, so we went up to take a look. It looked like a nice facility, they were super nice, they said the movers would be there at 9 on Monday, "Just have everything ready to go." We were sold. We spent the weekend packing so everything would be all set for their arrival. They said they'd be sending three guys. We had all the boxes stacked up in our living room, tables and console-type stuff shrink-wrapped, mirrors padded, couch/chair in big plastic bags. We were up until 3 am getting everything totally ready. I went out and got donuts for them because moving is hard work and I'm a good hostess. At 9 (they were very prompt, I'll give them that) the two, not three, guys they sent arrived and were shocked -- SHOCKED -- that we didn't have all of our stuff sitting out on the curb for them to load into the truck. Uh, what?! No one told us to do that! When we called the office, they pretty much told us we were full of shit, and to have the head mover call them back. My husband overheard the office guy telling the mover that we were full of shit as well. Since it wasn't the movers' fault and they showed no inclination to do much besides shrug, we told them to go, no point in pretending to discuss it with the office. And now we will spend another day in a maze of boxes waiting for a proper moving company to come tomorrow. But here's what their website says -- nothing about putting your stuff out on the sidewalk: ____ Free Move In Service Yes, Free! Let us move it for you. Take advantage of our free move in service. Just call our toll free number to schedule your move today Our friendly moving Specialists will come to your home with a 16' box truck. We load onto truck and unload at storage (we do two pickups a day at either 9 am or 1 pm, Seven days a week). Please have all items boxed and ready to go. ----- Unfortunately, we're storing everything including a car, and this place is great for storing cars, so we'll probably use them anyway instead of telling CSI and their shifty manager to suck it. I'm certain there will be no discount for their miscommunication/our moving costs either. read more

we've been with CSI storage for over several years now. It's interesting to read these other reviews. We've not had problems in the past. We moved our own stuff in. We make our monthly payment every time. Well, a few months ago my check failed to reach them. I was unaware until it was time to make the next payment. So, I made it over the phone, for the sum of two months rent. No prob. happy to take the money and charge a late fee. Also I had to cancel my check and pay that fee. more than 20 days after, we came to pick up some camping equipment from our unit and found we were locked out... wait, were current, right? Yup, went to the office and had a gentleman meet us at the unit to let us in. We said thanks and got our gear and headed out. So glad we were there before the office closed because otherwise we couldn't have gotten our gear to go backpacking with our son. The next week I find CSI has helped themselves to our BANK ACCOUNT for another payment, WITHOUT PERMISSION. I spoke with three people in the office over the phone. They said I had agreed to have automatic payment from our bank account.... I do not pay ANY of our bills that way! Nor did I give them the okay to do so. They offered to credit our bank account for what they took. The head guy seemed more than annoyed and was confrontational, wanting to prove a point that when people are late in payment they are locked out of their unit, and argued in circles regarding the dates. He said, "I'm sorry, what else do you want me to do!" I expect u run a reputable business, with integrity, I want u to say: here's what we'll do for u. U should not have been inconvenienced. We want to make this right..... They treated me like shit. They were in the wrong. What happened to customer service? Treating other people as u want to be treated? Nope, In this business they are prompt to take payment and will weasel it from u, but when it's time to take care of u, they've thrown u "under the train" and say, " don't know how that happened", when u gonna make ur next payment? They are located in a downscale area, they're attitude matches it beautifully. read more

I seldom take the time to write reviews, but my experience with CSI Richmond was so great that I just had to. This is the place for your storage needs and their pricing and their free pick up service is unmatched. I had to move out of a large condo in San Francisco and did not know where I would be moving to and checked out local storage places. With CSI, from the onset, dealing with Harvey was one of the best customer service experiences I have ever had, in almost any business. He absolutely did everything he could to ensure that i would be satisfied with their service and storage business. When the truck they sent was not big enough, they scheduled another to come and pick up the remainder of my place and then took the time to empty the already stored unit to add the final materials and to make it so I was able to access the most needed in the best way. The pick up guys, under Harvey's management, Robinson, Samuel Antonio and Gerardo ALL had the attitude that they would do whatever it takes to please the customer; virtually no questions asked. Just an incredible team of guys who wanted to please. You just cannot ask for a better experience than what I had, and the company should be proud to have these individuals working for them. You cannot do better! read more

CSI has nice, safe facilities, reasonable prices and really excellent people working there. They patrol regularly and on the couple of occasions when I left a padlock off the door, they locked it for me. I recommend this business. read more

Access your storage from 7am-9am, easy accessibility. The front desk guy explains all your questions you want to know and they move your belonging from your house into storage. read more

Honestly- this company was great until I had to deal with the office staff. I have never been treated so rudely than I have by a woman named Joanna who works there. The general manager sat there and watched her be completely rude to me. I had just paid them $535 the day before and they treated me like a was a nuisance and they didn't want my business in the least. She was LESS than professional or helpful. When I called the following day to get the owners name, Jaonna answered the phone and when I asked her name, she hung up on me. I will NEVER give my hard earned money to a company that thinks it's ok to treat customers this way. I'm sure there are other storage companies out there that would be happy to be kind to me and I would much rather spend my money in places where I won't get hassled unneccessarily when I'm trying to conduct my business or talked down to by the staff. read more

I am really pleased by my experience with CSI Mini Storage thus far. Last week, we visited the facility to check out the storage units. The office was staffed by a friendly woman named Darling, who answered all of our questions patiently and explained everything to us in an honest and straightforward manner without any pressure to upgrade to a bigger unit, etc. When the time came to view the spaces, a quiet older gentleman named Jose took us around in a golf cart. He patiently showed us a couple of units, and when he overheard me express some concerns to my partner about some ants I saw marching through the first unit, he immediately broke in to reassure us that he'd get that addressed right away. Indeed, as he drove us to view the second unit, he paused by one of the workers who was up on the roof of one of the storage containers and sent him to the first unit to take care of the ants issue asap. My favorite thing about CSI, though, is the free moving service. The day we needed to move our stuff, three workers showed up in a large box truck. They called ahead to let us know they were on their way and showed up promptly at 9am. The three men, Robinson, Chuy, and Jose, were super friendly (not only to us but to each other, laughing and joking as they worked, which reflects positively on CSI--the staff are all really NICE, which is so refreshing), and they worked VERY quickly and efficiently (as in they blocked three hours in the morning for us and finished everything in less than 90 minutes, from the moment I opened my apartment door to the moment we slid the storage unit door shut). They handled all of our furniture very carefully and used large furniture blankets and straps to keep our furniture secure in the truck so that nothing would get damaged. When they moved heavy items, they called each other for help and slowed down when going up/down stairs and through tight spaces. I saw the review that Renee D. wrote below, and I can understand how frustrated she must have felt. However, I think she had an unlucky experience with one worker who was dishonest and ruined the company for everyone. I spoke with the movers after they were finished and asked if they did moving work on the side, because I wanted to get their contact information so that I could hire them for my move out of the storage unit next year. They thanked me for the positive feedback but politely declined because they said that after the Renee review was posted, all of the CSI movers were asked not to take side jobs anymore. I understand why CSI would ask that of their movers, but I think it kind of sucks. I doubt these workers are able to make a ton of money doing free moves on behalf of CSI Mini Storage, so it seems harsh to forbid them from taking on side jobs during their free time, especially when they're so nice and do such a good job! Plus, I WANT to hire these three guys for future moves, and because of Renee's experience, I will need to keep hunting for good movers. Boo... Anyway, tl;dr: CSI Mini Storage in Richmond has friendly, honest, hard-working staff and their facilities are generally clean, secure, and well-priced. read more

They as a facility are just fine......but....their employee, told me, early July, that he would get a crew together and move my things (entire household) out of my storage unit from Richmond to my new home in Monterey on August 30 for $1000 because I had told him I had someone who would do it for $1500. I have it in writing. I called him today to confirm the move and he said he was busy on Saturday. I reminded him of the agreement he said he would call me back. He called back and said he would do it for $1300. He knew I was in a bind and was now trying to take advantage of that. I told him NO! What a jerk! Some people's word is worthless. Now I'll be in an empty house. I bet his boss doesn't know he does that on the side. Well, pay attention because he is hurting your business. Be sure to read the not recommended reviews. read more

Incredibly inexpensive (literally half the price of Extra Space Storage in Berkeley which also has a mandatory extra charge for insurance). They arrived on time to pick up my stuff for free. The first 2 months are half price. Great, clean unit. What else could you want? The only small con is that they are about a 15 minute drive from my house; I'm in their area frequently so it's no big deal at all. read more

We're thoroughly impressed with CSI Mini Storage. Three nice movers came and packed our belongings into the truck in about 30 minutes (for a 1 bedroom apt) and unpacked it into the storage unit in another 30 minutes - incredibly fast. And it's a bargain, given the 50% off two months, the low monthly fee, the move in assistance, and lack of additional hidden fees. read more

CSI MIni Storage is great. I had to move from a house to a much smaller place, so put my things in storage for what I thought would be two months--ended up being two years. They came and moved my items in for free (and the movers were fast). The first two months were 50% off. My storage unit was a smaller 8x8 and wasn't climate controlled, but it was clean, affordable and served my needs. The office staff is very pleasant--I've had nothing but a great experience with CSI Mini Storage. I've finally been able to move my belongings out of storage and back into a house, but I would use CSI Mini Storage again if I needed a storage facility. read more