Buy a Portable Classroom the Smart Way

Portable classrooms on a school site.

Tips for buying a Portable Classroom

I enjoy helping public and private schools across the nation make smart decisions and save money renting or buying portable classrooms - that's why this web site and blog exists. So whenever I get a new phone call or email with a question about using a portable I usually write a post and share my advice with as many readers as possible.

My latest call came from a private school owner who was trying to find a portable classroom big enough to accommodate two classrooms each for twenty students. During the call we discovered some cost saving ideas - here are the questions, answers and my comments from the conversation:

Q: Do you need all of this classroom space under one roof or can you utilize two portables?
A: Actually, we prefer under one roof but the area we have to install the portable is an odd shape.
COMMENTS: Sometimes using two smaller portables makes more sense particularly if the amount of space available for installation is not compatible with the outline of the portable. For example an "L" shaped lot compared to a perfectly square lot would require two units with a connecting ramp and deck.

Commercial Modular Building is Changing for the Better

News about Commercial Modular Buildings

This is a helpful article from REED Construction Data...particularly if you are considering modular construction but are hung up on the "trailer" look that many commercial modular buildings have. Prefab structures have come a long way and the commercial modular builders are moving in a direction that combines the best attributes of modular manufacturing with green building and modern architecture to produce intelligent and aesthetically pleasing single and multi-story structures.

Pre-fab builders need to look outside the box – Journal of Commerce

College ROTC Program Turns to Modular Building

Here's a helpful example of how modular buildings and portable classrooms were used on a California college campus to accommodate ROTC students and staff members. Two great benefits - serving our country and getting an education!

We are starting a daycare in Oregon - Should we rent a modular?

Using a Modular Building for daycare in Oregon

This is the most common question I answer for schools, daycare centers and churches across the U.S.... and Oregon is no exception! First of all, a "Modular Classroom" is the same thing as a "Portable Classroom" in the U.S. While the sizes and configurations may change from supplier to supplier the names refer to the same type of structure. People in Oregon have called me using words like portable, modular, temporary, even classroom trailer to describe their needs.

Modular Building Oregon

Pricing Facts and Figures
The three most common methods of obtaining a modular classroom are:

• Lease / Rent
• Lease purchase 
• Outright purchase