A site office is a ready-made office unit set down on a building site, mine, farm or business stand: usually a converted steel container or an insulated panel unit on skids, with a door, windows, lights and plug points. Prefab offices are the same idea made larger and more permanent, with a toilet, a kitchenette and several rooms. Most can be bought or hired, and moved when the job ends. Tell us the size, how long you need it and where it must go, and independent office unit suppliers who serve your area will send free quotes, with no obligation.
Site office and prefab office types
Construction site offices and prefab offices usually come as:
- Container offices: a 6 m or 12 m steel container, insulated and lined, with a door and windows cut in, see container conversions.
- Panel units on skids: insulated panels on a steel base, often 6 m or 12 m long, also sold as park home offices.
- Linked units: two or more units joined into a site camp with offices, a meeting room and ablutions.
- Permanent prefab offices: steel frame or modular buildings on a slab.
Choosing a site office
Start with how many desks, how long the job runs and how often the office will move. A short job on a dusty site needs a tough, secure unit; an office used for years needs insulation, air conditioning and a toilet. Check:
- wall and roof insulation, or a 6 m container gets very hot by midday
- security: burglar bars, steel doors and good locks
- power: a distribution board, plug points, lights and a connection for a generator
- a floor that takes boots, chairs and dust
Delivery, placing and rules
Units on skids can be dragged off a tilt-back truck; heavier ones need a crane truck. Put the office on firm, level ground or concrete blocks so the doors still close, and away from cranes, trenches and haul roads. Rules for temporary site buildings and permanent ones can differ, so ask the council before a unit stays on a business stand for good, as it may need approved plans. An electrician must issue a certificate of compliance for the wiring. A common mistake is placing the office where delivery trucks will block it in.
Site office prices and what to ask
The price depends on the length, the insulation, the fit-out, new or refurbished, delivery, and whether you buy or hire. An insulated, fitted unit costs noticeably more than a bare one, so it is quoted per job. Ask each supplier:
- the purchase price and the monthly hire price
- what is fitted: insulation, air conditioning, desks, toilet
- delivery and collection costs
- the condition of a used unit and any rust
What to put in your request
- Size: 6 m, 12 m or linked units
- Buy or hire, and for how long
- Desks, toilet, kitchenette or store
- Insulation and air conditioning
- Site access for a truck or crane
Site Offices and Prefab Offices for different clients
- Homeowners: a home office or workshop unit dropped onto a large plot or smallholding
- Backyard landlords and families: an on-site office for a caretaker managing a block of backyard rental rooms
- Farms and smallholdings: a farm office or pack store set down near the sheds and the gate
- Lodges, guest farms and resorts: a reception or booking office at the gate of a campsite or game farm
- Schools and creches: a temporary admin office while the school's main block is renovated
- Contractors and mines: the contractor's office, plan room and stores on a building or mine site
- Shops, offices and small businesses: a sales office, security office or small shop unit on a business stand
- Municipalities, churches and NGOs: a ward office, clinic office or polling station set up for a period
Frequently asked questions
How much does a site office cost?
Should I buy or rent a site office?
What size site office do I need?
Who will quote me if I send a request?
Site Offices and Prefab Offices 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