A typical portable classroom that has enough space for twenty students and a teacher should average $700 per month to rent and anywhere from $28,000 (used) to $100,000 (new) to purchase (average in the United States). But there are many conditions that can increase or decrease your costs, so read on and learn more about the factors that can save your school or church potentially thousands of dollars when you rent or buy a portable.
Question from a school facility manager: My school is searching for a new or good condition used portable classroom for twenty-five students, and we wanted to get the best possible price for a long-term rental or lease. Our needs are simple - one open classroom big enough for desks and some tables, two doors, and an ADA handicap wheelchair access ramp. I searched the web for modular classroom trailers and made some calls, and it seems like prices are high from company to company. Any ideas about how much a portable classroom should cost?

Response from Matt Banes at iModular: Thanks for asking and for sharing some of the details about your temporary classroom space need and pricing question. Here are a few questions and tips that have helped a lot of people in your position.

1. Are you open to renting a used portable classroom? If so, you can rest assured that suppliers have used portable classrooms in stock that are in very good condition - and the prices will be lower than using a new model that has to be manufactured. Ask about in-stock used classrooms that are available for the lowest price and always have a look at the classroom before you buy or rent. Here is a helpful modular classroom checklist to use during your search.

2. Are you open to purchasing the portable in place of a long-term rental? Purchasing a used portable classroom can sometimes be very affordable when compared to renting a new model. Purchasing a "trailer" makes the best sense when you know that it will be needed for several years. Remember, buying a portable classroom is a real estate-style purchase. If you pay rent for too long - you could have easily purchased the trailer for far less.

3. If you must have a brand new portable classroom trailer, be sure to get at least three price quotes from suppliers in your area. Try to find a manufacturer that will sell direct...in some cases. This is the best way to save thousands of dollars. Otherwise, shop smart and make sensible decisions when it comes to the exterior and interior finishes, amenities and always think about the future resale of the modular school building when, and if, you outgrow the floor plan or decide to build a permanent structure.

Remember....you can always call me directly using the Modular Building Help Line at (800) 806-7485 or use the Compare Prices for Portable Classrooms online tool.

Just a quick post today about donating your used modular classroom to a church or school in need throughout the state of Florida. There are organizations looking for classroom space across the country and many public schools have modulars waiting for a new home. If your school has 24' x 40' or 24' x 60' portable modular classrooms to donate or sell for a low price please call me today at the Modular Building Help Line (800) 806-7485 or complete our super-easy "Sell or Donate" form. 

If you are interested in knowing what your used portable modular classroom is worth read this overview.

Many of the school programs I deal with are in need of assistance and having a modular classroom donated sometimes is the difference between educational success or failure, particularly in areas that are economically challenged and lack quality school housing. A modular classroom can make a huge difference in any type of school program - but in many cases, the costs are simply out of reach.

Donating may also solve your school facility space challenges by freeing up more space for a new modular school building or a completely new school facility. Knockdown and removal of most modular classrooms is a matter of a few days of labor and transport off of your site to the new location. 

Thanks, and please share this post with anyone that may be able to help.

Here's How to Find a Discounted Modular Church Building or Portable Classroom for Sale, Rent, or Donation in the United States

Every month I receive calls from public school districts, private schools, and churches that are searching for portable classrooms for sale or rent at discounted prices. At the same time, I get calls from schools and churches that want to remove, sell or donate perfectly good used portable, classrooms from their campuses so they can either move new portable classroom trailers in, or they recently completed construction and no longer need the temporary portables. In either case, if you are searching for a solution to adding classroom space to your campus or removing a used portable, this article and the contact form located at the bottom of the page should solve your space problem fast and affordably.

For example, today I received a call from a contractor who is responsible for removing twenty-four 24' x 40' portable classrooms from a school campus in Riverside County, California and all they want is $2,000 for each structure plus the cost of removal. A few days ago, I took another call from a large church in Atlanta, Georgia, that has a 36' x 60' modular classroom with bathrooms and a private teacher's office that is no longer needed for its pre-school program.

In some cases, a school district or church will simply donate their modular buildings to another organization in need of space - this leaves only the costs for the removal, transportation, and setup. In other instances, the portables can be purchased for a very affordable price plus the one-time charges for relocation and installation at the new site. At iModular.com we are able to help customers at both ends of the spectrum.

For those of you searching for a portable, modular classroom, modular daycare building, or maybe even a modular church building, I suggest that you do one of two things:

1. Contact your local school districts and inquire about their used portable classrooms or call me (Matt Banes) directly at (800) 806-7485.

2. Complete the form below and see if your local modular building supplier has some inexpensive used classrooms for you to buy or rent - or at least compare prices and shop smart.

The best scenario for finding a used portable classroom at a discounted price or as a donation requires good timing and networking. The more connected you are to your local schools, churches, YMCA programs, private schools, and even the companies in your state that buy and sell portable classrooms, the better your chances are of finding a solution that meets your budget and schedule.

If you are in a situation where you need to remove one or multiple portables from a site be prepared to answer the following questions while speaking to a portable classroom contractor about the project:

A. How many portable classrooms will need to be removed?
B. Is the site easily accessible for trucks and work crews?
C. Is there a schedule with a date that the portables must be totally off the site?
D. What condition are the portables in?
E. Do you have the original purchase agreement, titles, and manufacturer's information?

A simple container home built in the United States or other affordable locations like Costa Rica should cost a minimum of $65.00 per square foot. The more you increase the quality of materials and difficulty of installation...the more your costs will increase so design for your budget. 

This article does a great job of explaining some of the best reasons for building a home or office using steel shipping containers:

Read Container homes — it all started with a spreadsheet | by David Hochhaus

Attention school facility managers and administrators. Watch this video at your next board meeting or with your school building and planning committee. The quality of construction, speed of build, and design flexibility make modular construction a serious option for any turnkey school project you may be considering. 

If you are planning single-story or multi-story construction of a school facility modular building manufacturers and contractors have the technology, design expertise, and skilled construction teams to design, build and install an entire school campus complete with all of the necessary attributes of a high-quality learning environment.