If you need an office and you don’t want to go through a traditional construction project, you’ve probably come across two options: shipping container offices and modular offices. Both promise a faster path to getting your space. But they’re actually pretty different in terms of what you end up with.
In this article, we’ll go through how the two compare so you can figure out which one actually fits what you’re trying to do.
What Is a Shipping Container Office?
It’s pretty much what it sounds like. You take a steel shipping container, the same kind that gets loaded onto cargo ships, and you convert it into office space. After cutting in some windows, adding insulation, and wiring it for electricity, you’ve got the end result.
Container offices are almost always placed outdoors, on a flat surface or gravel pad. You often see them on construction sites, though their use is not limited to them.
Their main appeal is that they’re tough and relatively cheap, and can also be dropped on-site fast.
What Is a Modular Office?
A modular office is built from prefabricated wall panels that are manufactured in a factory and then put together on location. Unlike a container, it’s not repurposed from anything; it was designed from the start to be an office.
Modular offices can sometimes be standalone outdoor structures, but often they are built inside existing buildings, and this is actually one of the most common uses for them. Warehouses, factories, and logistics centers use them to create office space right on the floor, without you having to add to the building’s overall footprint.
They can come with HVAC, electrical, lighting, data, doors, and windows, and they can be multi-story or single-story, small or large. The range of options is a lot wider than what a container gives you.
How Do They Compare?
The biggest difference is probably in terms of flexibility.
A typical shipping container is 8 feet wide and either 20 or 40 feet long, and that’s it.
Technically, you can connect multiple containers, but you’re always working within those fixed dimensions. Whereas modular offices can be built to whatever size and layout you need.
Generally speaking, a shipping container is also going to be less comfortable than a modular office. A steel container gets hot in summer and cold in winter, and it takes real effort to insulate and cool/heat it up properly. Modular offices can have insulated panels and integrated HVAC from the start. They feel more or less like a normal office because that’s what they were built to be.
Furthermore, if you run a warehouse or factory and need office space on the production floor, a modular office goes right there without you having to expand anything. You can even save on space if you build with a mezzanine, which is something that’s impossible with a container.
One thing also worth knowing is that modular offices typically qualify for accelerated depreciation, Section 179, and bonus depreciation, which can make a real difference in total cost of ownership. (We wrote a full breakdown of the tax benefits of modular construction, if you want the details.)
And if your needs change down the line, modular offices can be taken apart, rearranged, expanded, or moved. With a container, what you’ve got is what you’ve got.
The Bottom Line
If you need something small, outdoor, rugged, and cheap for a construction site or remote location, a container is hard to argue with. The same goes for short-term or temporary setups where you don’t want to invest in a permanent or semi-permanent working area.
For pretty much everything else, modular is the better fit. Especially if the office is going to be used long-term, if it needs to go inside an existing building, or if things might change down the road.
Allied Modular builds modular offices for warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings. If you’re weighing your options and want help figuring out which direction makes sense, get in contact with us today.
