Mobile Office Trailers for Jobsites

On most projects the office trailer is the first thing that has to be there and the last thing anyone thinks about. Somebody needs a dry place for the plans, the sign-in sheet and the phone. Here is what to sort out before you call.

Sizes and types

A jobsite office trailer starts at about 8 by 20 feet, which fits a desk, a plan table and a couple of chairs, and runs up to 12 by 60 feet for a full project team. Between those sit the common single-wides. Double-wides join two units into one open floor for a bigger crew or a training room.

Not every trailer is an office with a desk in it. Sales offices sit at the entrance of a development. Guard shacks hold one person and a monitor. Storage-and-office combos give you a locked room for tools or records next to a small workspace. Pick by headcount, and by what has to be locked up at night.

Lease or buy

Most people lease. A monthly lease runs for the life of the project, you pay for delivery and pickup, and the trailer leaves when you do. Buying makes sense when you will use the same unit for years, or when the work moves from site to site and you can truck it yourself.

Ask what happens when the job runs long. Extensions are normal, and the quote should say how they are billed. Ask who fixes the air conditioner, the door and the floor, because repairs are where a lease and a purchase differ most.

Delivery, set-up and hookups

The trailer arrives on a truck and is set on blocks or piers. In wind zones it gets tie-downs. A crew levels it, and some jobs add skirting around the base. It needs a firm, reasonably flat spot with room for the truck to back in and turn, so mention overhead lines, soft ground and tight gates before delivery day.

Power, water and data are usually your job unless you arrange them. Plan on an electrician for the panel connection, a plan for water and sewer if the unit has a restroom, and a data line or a wireless setup for internet. Placement on a commercial lot can need a permit, so check with the city before you schedule.

Steps, ramps, furniture and restrooms

Steps come with most units. If the public walks in, add an ADA ramp, and settle that early because it changes where the trailer can sit. A furniture package with desks, chairs, file cabinets and a conference table saves a trip to the store. Most trailers have heating and air conditioning, and some include a restroom.

A restroom inside the trailer is convenient, but it needs water and a way to drain. If you do not have that, a separate portable unit nearby may be the simpler answer.

Trailer or modular building, and who uses them

A mobile office trailer is temporary space that sits on a jobsite and leaves when the work is done. A modular building is permanent construction, built in sections and joined on a foundation, with its own permits and a much longer timeline. If you need a place to work by next week, you want a trailer.

General contractors and developers use them for site offices. Schools rent them while a building is under construction. Utilities, disaster recovery crews and mining and oil and gas sites rely on them, and car dealers and retailers put one on the lot while the showroom is being rebuilt.

Information that gets you a quote

A provider needs the site address and any access problems, such as gate hours, low wires or soft ground. Give your start date and how long you expect to keep the unit. Say what the job is and how many people will use the space, and if you plan to lease or buy. Mention furniture, a restroom or a ramp if you want them, and say whether power and water are already on site. Call with those answers and providers can quote the same job, so you compare like with like.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sizes do mobile office trailers come in?

Single-wide trailers start at about 8 by 20 feet and go up to 12 by 60. The small ones fit a desk, a plan table and a couple of chairs. Larger units hold a full project team, with private offices and a meeting area. Double-wides join two units into one open space.

You can also get sales offices, guard shacks and storage-and-office combos. Start with how many people will use the space at once, add room for plans and files, then decide between one long unit and two joined ones.

How long can I lease a mobile office?

Most leases run for the life of the project, whether that is a few weeks or a couple of years. Many are month to month after an initial term, so you can keep the unit as long as the job runs.

Ask how extensions are billed and how much notice the provider needs for pickup. A short lease with a clumsy extension process can cost more than a longer lease you control, so get the terms in writing before delivery.

What does my site need for a trailer?

You need a firm, fairly level spot with room for the delivery truck to back in and turn. Clear overhead wires and low branches. Tell the provider about narrow gates, slopes and soft ground.

The crew sets the unit on blocks or piers and adds steps, and in windy areas tie-downs. Placement on a commercial lot can need a permit, so check with the city or county. If the public will enter, plan for an ADA ramp from the start.

Who handles power, water and data hookups?

Usually you do, unless you arrange it with the provider. Plan an electrician to connect the panel, and a data line or wireless setup for internet. If the unit has a restroom, it needs water and a way to drain.

Get the electrical and plumbing work scheduled before delivery so the trailer is usable the day it is set. Ask the provider what the unit needs for power so your electrician can size the connection correctly.

Do mobile offices come with restrooms?

Some do, but most do not. A unit with a restroom needs a water supply and a drain or holding tank, which many jobsites lack. If yours does, rent a separate portable toilet and handwash station instead. That is often simpler and keeps plumbing work off the trailer.

If you want a restroom in the unit, say so when you call, because it narrows the units available and affects where the trailer can sit.

How fast can a mobile office be delivered?

It depends on the size, how much stock is nearby and how ready your site is. A standard unit that is on hand can sometimes arrive within days. A larger or customized unit, or one that needs furniture, a ramp or a restroom, takes longer. A permit requirement can add time too.

Call early, share your start date and have your power plan ready. If the schedule is tight, say so, because providers can tell you what they can get to your site and when.