What Is the Difference Between Portable and Modular Buildings?

Flexibility

• A portable building is highly flexible and adaptable to your changing needs. It can be disassembled with relative ease and transported to a new location. From a small 8-foot-by-10-foot storage shed in the backyard, to a custom designed, 60-foot garage and office on the job site, the options are virtually unlimited.

  A modular building is less flexible because changes and movement are more challenging. Modular buildings are designed with some intention of permanency in mind. While perfectly customizable prior to fabrication, once its sections are assembled, it becomes quite a task to implement structural changes or move it to a different location.

Uses

• Modular buildings are generally much larger than portable buildings. Since modular building structures are prefabricated in a factory in units then connected and assembled on site, like toy building blocks, they can be added to and built up to any size imaginable. Residential homes, schools and commercial buildings can be fully assembled and functional in a fraction of the time of on-site framing construction.

  Portable buildings are usually small enough to fit on the bed of a tractor trailer, either as a whole or disassembled. They can be used for storage, temporary office space, ticket booths, toll booths and garages. A portable building is ideal where a temporary structure is needed.

Design

• Portable buildings are less customizable due to the nature of their intended purpose: to be temporary and to be easily moved from place to place. Commercial portable buildings tend to focus less on ornamental appeal and more on functionality.

  Modular building design has no limitations. They are intended to appear as ordinary stick-built structures. External charm and visual aspects conceal the fact it was factory-built. A modular single-family home can be designed to resemble an historic Victorian bed and breakfast or a modern ranch house.

Longevity and Value

• Modular buildings are fabricated to last as long, if not longer, than traditionally constructed buildings. Remodeling and improvements can be made to further increase their longevity and value. They are susceptible to normal wear and tear, as with any permanent or semi-permanent building.

  Portable buildings are built to last. They are intended to be disassembled, transported and erected numerous times over many years. For this reason, portable buildings are made from sturdy, stress-bearing materials, such as galvanized steel and high-gauge aluminum. Disaster relief structures, such as temporary shelters and bathrooms, are constructed to be cargo shipped and can withstand extreme winds and weather.