Portable and mobile classrooms
Portable and mobile classrooms are relocatable modular units: built to be lifted on to a site, used for a few years and moved again. Today's units are insulated, heated and built to current regulations, a long way from the old timber huts. A published price guide puts a refurbished single at £82,000 and a new single at £108,000, building only; hire starts at £275 a week.
A free matching service, not a modular building supplier. We find one who covers your area and tell you who they are before anything is shared. How it works
- Refurbished single
- From £82,000Building only, excluding VAT
- New single
- From £108,000Building only, excluding VAT
- Hire
- From £275 a week64 m² single classroom
- Typical classroom
- 55 to 62 m²BB103, primary class of 30
What portable classrooms cost
Purchase prices from Midlands Portable Buildings’ April 2026 price guide; hire from Elite Systems GB. The relocation figure is the published value of a Hampshire contract to move and reinstall a double classroom building between two schools, which shows moving a unit is a project in itself. Read 28 October 2026. A guide, not a quote, excluding VAT.
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Refurbished single classroom Published starting price, building only | From £82,000 |
| Refurbished double classroom Published starting price, building only | From £136,800 |
| New single classroom Published starting price, building only | From £108,000 |
| Hire, single classroom Published weekly rate, 64 m² | From £275/wk |
| Moving a double classroom to another school Hampshire County Council contract, May 2025 | £419,686 |
Where a portable classroom fits
- A room is needed fast and may need to move to another site in the trust later.
- The space is for a fixed number of years, then the land is wanted back.
- A used unit from another school is available at a good price.
- The trust wants a building it can resell or relocate rather than write off.
- Interventions, music or a sixth form common room need their own space.
What to put in the brief
Ask every supplier to price the same points in writing, so the returns can be compared line by line.
- Condition and history
- Year built, previous use, what has been replaced in the refurbishment, and whether it meets current building regulations as delivered.
- What the price covers
- Building, delivery, crane, foundations, drainage, power and water connections, ramps and steps, furniture and removal. Starting prices often cover the building alone.
- Rooms and sizes
- Each room's floor area against Building Bulletin 103: 55 to 62 m² for a primary class of 30, and the toilets, store and lobby counted separately.
- Specification
- Wall, roof and floor build-up, windows, heating and ventilation, lighting, data points and the finish, in a schedule every supplier fills in.
- Regulations and fire
- Who applies for building control, the fire strategy and escape distances, accessible toilet provision and what the building is rated for.
- Warranty and aftercare
- Length of the structural and the defects warranty, who maintains what, and the response time if the heating or a door fails in term.
Looking at a portable classroom? Give us the postcode and how long the room must stay; we will look for a supplier working in your region.
Ask for a free quoteHow a portable classroom is delivered
Brief and budget
2 to 4 weeksPupil numbers, rooms, toilets, where it sits and the date it must be in use. Agree the funding route and whether the spend needs three quotes, a tender or a framework.
Site visit and returns
2 to 4 weeksSuppliers check access for a lorry and crane, ground levels, drainage, power and water, then return a drawing, a specification and a price.
Approvals
8 to 12 weeksBuilding control, and planning permission unless the unit falls within permitted development. Temporary permissions are common for relocatable units.
Delivery and fit-out
1 to 2 working days on siteModules arrive by lorry and are craned on to the foundations. One supplier allows 1 to 2 working days for this and 5 to 7 working days more for fit-out.
Handover
before termBuilding control completion, fire safety information, the energy certificate, warranties and the operating manual for the estates file.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a portable and a modular classroom?
Mostly the intention. A portable or mobile classroom is designed to be moved and reused, while a permanent modular classroom is designed to stay. Both are factory-built modules craned on to foundations, and both need building regulations approval.
How much does a mobile classroom cost?
A published guide gives £82,000 for a refurbished single and £108,000 for a new single, building only and before VAT. Groundworks, crane, delivery and connections are extra. To hire, rates start at £275 a week.
Can a portable classroom be moved to another school?
Yes, but budget for it properly. Disconnecting, lifting, transporting, new foundations and reconnection add up: one council's published contract to move a double classroom building between two schools was £419,686 in 2025.
Are old mobile classrooms safe to keep using?
Many are, but check their condition. Ask a surveyor about the roof, floor, windows, electrics and fire safety. A unit at the end of its life can be a condition case for funding such as CIF, if your school is eligible.
How big is a portable classroom?
Most are built from modules about 3 m wide, joined to make a room of around 55 to 62 m², which is the Building Bulletin 103 range for a primary class of 30. Doubles share a lobby and toilets.
Ask for portable classroom prices
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.