Self Storage Hub

Overview

Search, compare, book and pay for storage units online, with optional movers, video tours and reviews. UK-first, architected for multi-country and multi-currency from day one.

The problem

Self-storage is still sold over the phone. Operators list units on brochure sites with no availability, no online booking and no way to compare price against a competitor two streets away. Customers ring round; operators lose the ones who don't.

The approach

1. Modelled the full domain in PostgreSQL via Prisma up front — facilities, units, pricing, availability, bookings, invoices and moderation — so later phases extend the schema instead of rewriting it.
2. Built authentication properly from the start: JWT access and refresh tokens, Google OAuth, and four distinct roles covering customers, operators, movers and admins.
3. Implemented geo-distance search with genuine ranking strategies — closest, cheapest, best-value and top-rated — rather than a single unsorted list.
4. Wired Stripe Connect so operators are paid directly, with invoicing, and shipped a Next.js storefront over the top.