Modular School Buildings
Modular classrooms and school buildings for UK schools, trusts and councils.
A modular classroom is built as modules in a factory, craned on to prepared foundations and fitted out on site in days rather than months. Schools, trusts and councils use them for extra places, SEN bases, decant space and replacements for tired mobiles. Here are the published figures to buy new, buy refurbished or hire, the room sizes and rules that apply, and a programme that works back from September.
- New single classroom
- From £108,000Building only. Double from £180,000
- Refurbished single
- From £82,000Double from £136,800
- Hire, single classroom
- From £275 a week64 m², open plan
- Time on site
- 1 to 2 working daysThen 5 to 7 working days to fit out
Working back from September
A typical programme for a classroom that must be in use for the autumn term. The time on site is the short bar at the end; the long lead is in the brief, the quotes and any planning decision.
Typical stageOnly if a planning application is neededStart of the autumn term
Durations are typical published timetables: planning 8 to 12 weeks, 12 to 24 weeks end to end, 1 to 2 working days on site. CIF dates from the DfE application page. Illustrative, not a programme for your site.
Buy new, buy refurbished or hire
Starting prices for a single classroom, building only, before VAT and site costs. The right route depends on how long you need the room and which budget pays for it.
| Route | Single classroom | Double classroom | What you get | Lead time | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buy new | From £108,000 | From £180,000 | Built to your layout; can be permanent | Factory slot plus groundworks | Rooms needed for good |
| Buy refurbished | From £82,000 | From £136,800 | Existing stock, refurbished to order | Often shorter: no manufacture | Several years, tighter capital |
| Hire | From £275 a week | Priced per unit | Supplier owns and maintains it | Minimum terms, often 26 weeks | One to three years, revenue budget |
The buildings schools ask for
The same factory methods make every one of these. What changes is the layout, the fit-out and how long the building is meant to stay.
- Modular school buildings
Teaching blocks, halls, toilets and offices, single or two storey, permanent or relocatable.
- Temporary classrooms
For a bulge year, a decant or the gap before a permanent scheme. Usually hired, with a time-limited planning permission.
- Portable and mobile classrooms
Relocatable units built to be lifted out and used again, today insulated and heated to current standards.
- Prefab classrooms
Factory-built rooms assembled on site in days, in steel frame, timber frame or panel systems.
- SEN classrooms
Inclusion bases and resourced provision with quiet rooms, hygiene facilities and their own entrance.
- Modular nursery buildings
Self-contained early years settings sized to the EYFS space rules, with doors straight on to outdoor play.
How big each room should be
Size the brief from the DfE area guidelines, not from a supplier's standard unit. Building Bulletin 103 (June 2014) covers mainstream schools, Building Bulletin 104 covers SEND and alternative provision, and the EYFS framework sets nursery space per child.
Toilets, stores, a lobby and circulation come on top of these teaching areas.
| Room | Floor area | Note | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary classroom, 30 pupils | 55 to 62 m² | Standard class base | BB103 |
| Reception classroom, 30 pupils | 62 m² | Larger, for practical work | BB103 |
| Secondary general classroom, 30 pupils | 55 m² | Seminar room for 22: 41 m² | BB103 |
| Small group room | About 9 m² | Up to four pupils; one per 150 places | BB103 |
| Nursery, three to five-year-olds | 2.3 m² a child | Twos 2.5 m², under twos 3.5 m² | EYFS |
| SEN and alternative provision | By need | Larger per pupil, with quiet and hygiene rooms | BB104 |
What public buyers have paid
Values as published on public contract notices. Whole projects vary more than starting prices suggest, because toilets, groundworks, services and moving costs sit inside these totals. We do not name the suppliers.
Tell us the rooms, the site and the date for written prices.
Ask for pricesPlanning, regulations and funding
The four things that decide whether a September date is realistic. General guidance, not legal or procurement advice.
- Planning (England)
- Class M permitted development lets schools add buildings within limits: since 21 April 2021, the greater of 25% of the existing footprint or 250 m²; 5 m high within 10 m of the boundary, 6 m elsewhere; nothing within 5 m of homes; no lost playing field; nothing in the curtilage of a listed building. A temporary classroom for a bulge year usually needs an application. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
- Building regulations
- Needed for any classroom that stays more than 28 days. The temporary building exemption covers 28 days and nothing longer, so a hired unit needs approval too.
- Condition Improvement Fund
- The 2027 to 2028 round closes at 12 noon on 15 December 2026, with outcomes expected in May 2027. It is for condition first; only a very small share goes to expansion, and only for high-performing eligible schools. Project limits run from £20,000 (primary) or £50,000 (secondary) to £4,000,000.
- Procurement
- Follow your trust or council financial regulations. At these values most require three written quotes, a tender or a call-off from a framework. A clear written brief makes every route simpler.
Questions schools ask
How much does a modular classroom cost?
Typical UK starting prices are £108,000 and doubles at £180,000, building only and before VAT; refurbished units start at £82,000 and £136,800. Groundworks, crane hire, delivery and service connections are extra. Our cost guide and calculator builds a full budget.
How long does it take to get a modular classroom?
Allow 12 to 24 weeks from first enquiry to handover for a typical project, and longer if a planning application is needed (8 to 12 weeks for a decision). The time on site is short: 1 to 2 working days to crane the modules in, then 5 to 7 working days of fit-out.
Do modular classrooms need planning permission?
A permanent classroom on a school site in England may be permitted development under Class M, within the limits on footprint, height and distance from homes. Temporary classrooms usually need an application. Check with your planning authority before you order.
Should we buy or hire?
It turns on how long you need the room and which budget pays. Hire starts at £275 a week for a single classroom, about £14,300 a year before extras, and is usually revenue. Buying refurbished starts at £82,000 and is capital. Past about five or six years, buying usually costs less.
Can CIF pay for a new modular classroom?
Rarely. The Condition Improvement Fund puts compliance, health and safety and condition first, and only a very small share goes to expansion for high-performing eligible schools. Replacing a failing mobile classroom can be a condition case. Read our CIF guide.
How big is a modular classroom?
Building Bulletin 103 gives 55 to 62 m² for a primary class of 30 and 55 m² for a secondary general classroom. Modules are typically about 3 m wide, so a single classroom is several modules joined, with toilets and a lobby on top.
Ask for prices for your classroom project
Three short steps: where the school is, what you need, and how to reach you. About two minutes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one working day we will email or call to tell you which modular building supplier covers your area.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They look at the site and give you a fixed price. No marketing from us, ever.