Temporary classrooms
A temporary classroom is a modular unit put on site for a fixed period: a bulge year, a decant while a block is rebuilt, or space while a permanent scheme is funded. Most schools hire them; some buy a used unit and sell it on. Published hire rates start at £275 a week for a 64 m² single classroom, and one supplier's minimum hire is 26 weeks.
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
- Hire, single classroom
- From £275 a week64 m², about £14,300 a year before extras
- Minimum hire
- 26 weeksOne supplier’s stated minimum
- Buy refurbished single
- From £82,000Building only, excluding VAT
- Planning
- Usually neededOften a time-limited permission
What temporary classrooms cost
Hire rate from Elite Systems GB; purchase prices from Midlands Portable Buildings’ April 2026 price guide. Contract values as published on the Liverpool and Stockton-on-Tees notices: they include installation and groundworks and vary widely with toilets, ground and term. Read 28 October 2026. A guide, not a quote, excluding VAT.
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Hire, single 64 m² classroom Published weekly rate, one supplier | From £275/wk |
| Two classrooms, four years’ hire Further education college contract, 2025, with installation and groundworks | £53,118 |
| Three classrooms and a toilet block, about 13 months Council contract, 2024, with groundworks and installation | £347,128 |
| Buy refurbished single Published starting price, building only | From £82,000 |
| Buy refurbished double Published starting price, building only | From £136,800 |
What schools use temporary classrooms for
- A bulge class for one cohort, moving up the school year by year.
- Decant space while a block is refurbished, rebuilt or made safe.
- Extra rooms while a permanent extension goes through design and funding.
- Exam halls, intervention rooms or a sixth form base for a set period.
- Replacing a room lost to a fire, flood or failed roof at short notice.
- Testing demand for a new provision before committing capital.
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.
- Hire terms
- The weekly rate, the minimum term, delivery and collection charges, what happens at the end, and whether part of the hire can go towards buying.
- 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.
- Regulations and fire
- Who applies for building control, the fire strategy and escape distances, accessible toilet provision and what the building is rated for.
- Programme
- Dates for survey, design sign-off, planning, manufacture, delivery and handover, and what happens if a date slips.
- Removal and reinstatement
- Who disconnects services, cranes the units out and makes good the ground, and what that costs at the end of the term.
Need classrooms for a set period? Tell us how many rooms and for how long, and we will find a supplier who covers your area.
Ask for a free quoteHow a temporary classroom gets on site
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.
Planning
8 to 12 weeksMost temporary classrooms need a planning application, often granted for a limited number of years. Allow time for it in the programme.
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.
Removal
end of termServices are disconnected, the units are lifted out and the ground is reinstated, usually in a holiday.
Questions people ask
Do temporary classrooms need planning permission?
Usually, yes. The Part 4 permitted development right for temporary buildings covers buildings needed while construction work is going on, and they must be removed when that work ends. A classroom for a bulge year or a longer stay normally needs an application, often granted for a fixed number of years.
Do they need building regulations approval?
Yes, in almost every case. The building regulations exemption for temporary buildings applies only to buildings that will stay for no more than 28 days. A classroom that stays a term or more needs approval like any other building.
Is it cheaper to hire or buy?
For a short stay, hire. At £275 a week, a single classroom costs about £14,300 a year before delivery, installation and removal, against £82,000 to buy refurbished. Over several years buying can win, especially if you can sell the unit on. See classroom hire for the sums.
How quickly can a temporary classroom be in place?
The craning and fit-out take days: one supplier allows 1 to 2 working days to install and 5 to 7 working days to fit out. Survey, building control and any planning application take longer, so allow several months for a September start.
Can a temporary classroom have toilets?
Yes. Units with toilets, or a separate toilet block, are common. They need drainage and water connections, which add to the groundworks and the price. Ask for them as separate lines.
Ask for prices for temporary classrooms
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.