Tips for Choosing the Best Portable Cabin

Choosing the right portable cabin requires you to consider many factors, and strike a balance between your needs as a business, those of your workers, and any specific requirements that apply to each individual project. You can easily ensure you have the necessary accommodation and welfare facilities for workers with portable units, but knowing which are going to fit your wider needs requires some planning and research.

In our guide, we have outlined the key types of portable cabin that you may consider and explained how they vary in specification, so you can get the best facilities for your needs.

Choosing the right type of portable cabin

Depending on what your project demands, you will almost always be able to find and implement suitable portable cabins in appropriate sizes and configurations - whether for temporary worker accommodation, an on-site office or other function. Choosing the right type can be essential to ensuring your project has the necessary facilities.

The main types of portable cabins and their key features are as follows:

Sleeper cabins

One of the most common uses for portable cabins is providing beds and safe sleeping spaces for remote workers, to save on travel costs or enable a faster turnaround for a project. Portable sleeper cabins allow maximum comfort and convenience, and are often the most cost-effective type of accommodation for on-site workers.

Sleeper cabins come in different sizes, depending on the number of occupants they can accommodate and the facilities they provide. And some come with en suite toilet and shower facilities as standard. The requirements of your project will determine whether you need single sleeper units that offer a restful night’s sleep for one inhabitant, or,twin sleeper cabins with space for more than one occupant. Alternatively, Bespoke sleepers with, extra storage space and or a large workstation may benefit those who want to provide more comfort and versatility.

Shower cabins

If your workforce requires washing facilities but the site does not have enough space for sleeper cabins with en suite showers and bathrooms, dedicated shower blocks will be necessary. In cases where inhabitants are residing in temporary accommodation for the purposes of employment, they must be provided with the correct welfare facilities - this is highlighted in employment law. Neglecting this responsibility can lead to legal consequences, so these additional facilities are important to consider.

Shower blocks usually consist of multiple heated showers that can be separated by gender and come with lockable doors for privacy.

Toilet cabins

Similarly to showers, toilets are essential for those spending extended periods of time on the site and it is mandatory by law to provide them. Toilet cabins can come joined with shower blocks or provided as separate facilities, and can also be locked or divided by gender according to your needs.

Social cabins

Portable cabins are versatile and can serve many other functions, such as providing offices or social spaces on a site. For example, a portable diner cabin allows inhabitants to escape the elements to prepare and eat food, or simply take a break in a sheltered environment. This may be especially useful during the cold months, or in sustained periods of very strong sun or rain. Leaving workers with no option to escape this weather may cause health issues and will violate your health and safety responsibilities in a way that could result in legal action.

Beyond these requirements, dedicated social spaces allow site inhabitants to spend time with their companions in a public area, encouraging socialising and boosting morale.

How to choose a portable cabin

It is important that you consider what facilities you will need before planning your site and deciding on a location, because it can be much more difficult to find cabins that will fit a pre-selected area and you may be forced to compromise on certain requirements.

Sleeper cabins often come in varying sizes, but this may not be true for other types of cabins , and you should plan for the number of workers you will need to accommodate and all of the facilities they will need for the duration of their stay. From there, you can research the most appropriately sized cabins for them to occupy and plan sufficient space to accommodate them on the site as part of the planning phase of your project.

If workers will be living on the site for multiple days they will need sleeper cabins, showers, toilets and places to prepare food. Alternatively, if there are already accommodation measures in place, or inhabitants do not need to remain on the site for more than one day at a time, you may only need to provide toilet facilities and a breakroom or other shelter from the elements.

Once you know what facilities you will need, you should plan where they will be installed. You will be able to obtain specifications for the cabins you need from your cabin provider. Communal areas should be located centrally in relation to the sleeper cabins and connected with safe pathways. You should ensure you have adequate space for all your cabins so the inhabitants do not feel cramped and to avoid creating hazards - if you are planning a site, for example, ensure that you have separate paths for pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Do not sacrifice your workers’ needs for convenience or conserve space on-site, as this can lead to legal issues.

Why choose portable cabins?

A common solution that event organisers and project contractors opt for is to house their staff in long-term hotel stays. This can be very expensive and inconvenient, especially if workers will need to commute from the hotel to the site. Portable accommodation solves this problem with versatility that allows the habitation facilities to be located directly on or as near as possible to the site, with the same comfort and high-quality facilities that you would get from a hotel. Additionally, such accommodation is generally much more cost-effective than hotel stays.

Bunkabin provides high-quality cabins constructed from state-of-the-art materials that allow for maximum comfort, so those living in them can get the benefits of a hotel stay without the drawbacks to your project’s bottom line. To learn more about the accommodation and welfare solutions that Bunkabin offers, visit the Our Cabins section on our website, or get in touch with us today by calling 0345 456 7899 or filling out an online contact form.