Facts on Portable Buildings

Implementation

• Portable buildings are mostly used as extra office space, multi-storey offices, school classrooms or nursery space or for homes. These buildings are preferred due to the many benefits they offer as well as the opportunity for lower income earners to live at a level of comfort they could not previously afford in permanent homes. In some areas of the world, portable buildings are utilized for other purposes, including hospitals, construction site cabins, barns, garages, playhouses and even greenhouses.

Benefits

• The main advantage of a portable building is the fact that no foundation is usually required. This cuts down the construction time as the owner does not have to wait for months on end for it to be built and also cuts down on the setup cost as constructing it is cheaper than constructing permanent buildings. Maintenance cost and repair is also not as much of a hassle once it has been constructed, since the materials used to make the structure, such as wood or plastics, are readily available. Being portable, the buildings can also be moved from location to location without compromising the construction.

Material Issues

• Although there are many benefits, portable buildings also have shortcomings, usually depending on the materials used. Cheaply constructed plastic and metal sheds are known for moisture condensation, leaks and corrosion. Alongside with using cheap wood, these problems makes portable buildings delicate and difficult to maintain. Thin metal sheds also heat up very fast in high summer temperatures. They are therefore limited in usage as they cannot store gasoline or other volatile liquids and fertilizers.

Limits and Considerations

• Although portable buildings do not require a foundation, they may move when the ground they are on freezes and thaws, which means that the base of the building could change, leading to doors not closing properly. In worst cases, the building itself might tilt a little, making its floors uneven. Another point that can be considered when opting for portable buildings is that most of them cannot be modified after leaving the factory, which means that upgrades, such as an addition of a second story, may not be possible because these buildings are built on very specific designs, ensuring portability.