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• What is a portable building or cabin?
  A portable building is a self-contained freestanding cabin that is delivered to the site in one piece and once craned into position and connected to electricity is ready immediately. You can unlock the door and you can have an office up and running as all lights, heaters and electrical connections are already installed. You can still double stack portable buildings or cabins but usually using an external staircase to access the upper floors is the norm so you won’t be protected from the wind and rain as you go from cabin to cabin. The individual cabins can also be linked in a line by constructing a covered walkway between them by utilizing the doorways but this does take quite a lot of space internally as you will need to allow in effect for a corridor for people to walk through to access the next cabin thus you will lose valuable desk space.

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  What is a modular building?
  A modular building is constructed from two or more individual modules or bays. Each module is basically a portable cabin with only two end walls that are then connected. This gives a larger building without having lots of internal walls thus giving a larger and more efficient open-plan space internally. Each module can still be craned in by a lorry and then when each module or bay is sited they will have the electrical bay-to-bay and weather sealing joints completed. All the individual modules will need to be completed before you can use the building. A modular building can be double or triple stacked and as it has more open plan internal space than e.g. double stacked portable cabins, internal staircases and lifts can be fitted to give a more effective working environment.

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  What different types of portable cabins are there?
  Jackleg cabins: This is a very common type of portable cabin that has extendable legs visible on the exterior of the cabin. This is the type of cabin we mainly supply in both new build and second-hand or used. Modern jackleg cabins are normally externally clad in plastisol steel on the exterior, which will give many years of virtually maintenance-free ownership rather unlike the older style timber textured cabins which would need repainting periodically. Anti-Vandal Cabins: Constructed from either corrugated or flat steel these cabins are a more secure option for a site where it may be more at risk from vandalism or theft. They still have all the normal heating, lighting, etc. internally but the opening windows benefit from steel shutters that can be opened but then locked securely when the cabin is not being used. We offer both new and used anti-vandal cabins.

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  How are Portable buildings delivered?
  Modular and portable buildings are designed to be transported by road on a lorry to the site, they are then normally craned into position using the same lorry with a hi-ab or lorry-mounted crane depending on site access and conditions. Good site access for a lorry is required up to and around where the building is to be sited otherwise a standalone crane will have to be hired separately. Standard portable cabin width is up to 10ft wide and requires no more than the lorry it sits on to deliver it but wider buildings can still be transported, in this case, they will require a wide load escort vehicle. This should be taken into consideration when fixing your cabin budget as it will add to the overall costs.

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  How do you connect a portable cabin to services?
  If you require your portable cabin to be connected to services that is easily done as the units come with an inlet box ready to be connected by your qualified electrician once it has been delivered to the site. The same applies to portable buildings with toilets, sinks, etc. fitted. The cabin will come complete with connections for your qualified plumber to connect to water and suitable drainage up to the cabin. If you are on a site with no services we do sometimes have second-hand cabins that come complete with water tanks, septic tanks and generators fitted, call the team on 9773308583 for more details on what we have in stock.

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  What foundations do portable cabins and modular buildings need?
  Normally portable cabin foundations are required to be supported on the jack legs and modular buildings are designed to be supported on the four corners. If going straight onto a flat concrete pad the buildings may just need to level. We can supply a pad foundation drawing on request and we will also supply the leg center measurements so that the pads can be pre-prepared by others prior to the delivery date of the cabin. Double-stacked units will need stronger foundations but requirements may vary significantly between sites, products, and uses, so a site visit may be required.

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• Can I sell my portable building?
  Here at Maxim Prefab, we are always looking to buy quality used portable buildings and cabins to add to our stock. If you are looking to sell your portable building we may offer to buy it directly for a trade valuation or you could advertise on our website to reach a wider audience. In the first instance please email some photographs of the portable cabins or modular buildings you would like to sell to maximprefab@gmail.com along with the area of the country they are situated in and your contact details and we will be in touch. If you would like any further information regarding our service, please contact the team direct on 9773308583