Prefab classrooms are teaching rooms made off site as insulated panel units, light steel frame buildings or modular blocks, then set up on a prepared base at the school. They are used when enrolment grows, while old blocks are rebuilt, or as a permanent extra wing. Schools, creches, training centres and colleges use them for classrooms, offices, staff rooms and ablutions. Tell us how many rooms, the size and the site, and independent classroom suppliers and builders who work in your area will send free quotes, with no obligation.
Types of prefab classrooms
Prefab classrooms for sale in South Africa are built in a few ways:
- Panel units: insulated sandwich panels on a steel base, delivered as whole units or flat and bolted together.
- Light steel frame: a steel frame building clad in fibre cement boards and lined inside, closer to a permanent block.
- Modular blocks: two or more units joined into one room, or a row of rooms with a shared verandah.
- Converted containers: for small rooms, libraries and offices.
Rooms are sized for the class, the desks and the teacher's area, so ask what floor area the school or department wants per learner.
Choosing a classroom: heat, light and wear
A class of children in a thin box gets very hot, so insulation in the walls and roof, ceiling height, shade and cross ventilation matter more than anything else. Ask for:
- windows on both long sides, with burglar bars
- a hard-wearing floor and strong doors and frames
- a ramp and a wide door for wheelchair access
- enough plug points and lights, and a wall that can take a board
- gutters and a covered walkway to the next block
Plans, the base and delivery
A permanent classroom needs plans approved by the municipality, and public schools also work through the provincial education department, so check who approves it before you order. Units sit on a level concrete slab or on plinths. Delivery is by flatbed or crane truck, so plan the route across the grounds, away from overhead cables and trees, and set up during a holiday when learners are away. A common mistake is placing units with no thought for drainage, so storm water runs under the floor.
Prefab classroom prices and what to ask
Prices depend on the size, the build, the number of rooms, the finishes, the base and the distance to deliver, so classrooms are quoted per job. In one reported case a provincial department paid a little over R300,000 for a single prefab classroom. Ask each supplier:
- the wall, roof and insulation build
- whether the slab, wiring, ramp and gutters are included
- the delivery, set-up and warranty
- whether the unit can be moved later if numbers change
What to put in your request
- Number of rooms and learners per room
- Ablutions, office or staff room too
- Insulation, ceiling and windows wanted
- Ground, slope and access on the grounds
- When it must be ready for learners
Prefab Classrooms for different clients
- Homeowners: a home schooling or tutoring room set up at the bottom of the garden
- Backyard landlords and families: a classroom unit on a rental property let to a creche or tutor
- Farms and smallholdings: a farm school room or adult training room for staff and their children
- Lodges, guest farms and resorts: a training or conference room for guests and staff at a lodge
- Schools and creches: extra classrooms while enrolment grows or while an old block is rebuilt
- Contractors and mines: a training room for safety induction at a mine or a large building site
- Shops, offices and small businesses: a training centre or skills college room on a business or industrial stand
- Municipalities, churches and NGOs: emergency classrooms for schools after storm damage, set up by a department
Frequently asked questions
How much do prefab classrooms cost?
How long do prefab classrooms last?
Are prefab classrooms too hot in summer?
Who will quote me if I send a request?
Prefab Classrooms by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg