Should I buy or hire a modular building?

21st July 2025

News

Modular buildings are becoming an increasingly popular choice for organisations across a range of sectors. Their flexibility, speed of construction and lower environmental impact make them a smart alternative to traditional construction. But when you’re planning on expanding your facilities, there is one overarching question to be answered: Should you buy or hire a modular building?

At Wernick, we offer a range of modular solutions. This guide will explore these options and help you to determine which option suits your needs best.

What is a Modular Building?

A modular building is a high-quality structure built off-site in sections (called modules), then transported and assembled on location. These modules can be connected side-by-side or stacked, giving you endless layout options from a single classroom to a full office block. This method offers a faster, more efficient way to create space compared to traditional construction, with far less disruption on-site.

Modular buildings are popular for their customisable nature, range of purposes and sustainability. Built in a controlled factory environment, they stay on schedule and within budget, while reducing waste and using reusable materials. Whether you’re looking for a temporary setup or a permanent solution, modular buildings can be hired or purchased- giving you the freedom to choose what works best for your project.

What are my options?

New design & build

• Faster construction: Accelerated project delivery thanks to offsite manufacture.

• Design flexibility: Sophisticated and sustainable solutions that allow for creative architectural individuality.

• Efficient construction: Embrace the principles of customisable design for manufacture and assembly for ultimate build efficiency.

• High-quality: Harness all the properties of traditional build performance with the added benefits of market-leading offsite manufacture techniques and technologies.

• Environmentally friendly: The controlled factory environment reduces the environmental impact of the construction process.

• Permanent: Stays with you as your grow and can be adapted for you as your needs change.

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Hire solution

• Cash Flow Impact: Hiring avoids large upfront capital investment, making it easier to manage cash flow.

• Adaptable Space Solutions: Need space now but not sure about later? Hiring is perfect. Grow, shrink, or even move your building as your needs change – no long-term strings attached.

• Rapid Deployment: Hiring gets you the building you need, when you need it, with much less fuss and waiting around than building from scratch.

• Reduced Maintenance Obligations: When you hire, maintenance is often sorted for you, so you can focus on your work, not fixing things.

• Maintain Focus on Core Operations: Hiring lets you get on with what you do best. Let the experts handle the building, so you don't have to.

• No Commitment: You can try for a short-term and return them when no longer needed.

Explore Wernick Modular hire

Refurbished building

• Significant Cost Savings: Refurbished buildings offer a very budget-friendly way to expand or get new facilities.

• Sustainable Building Choice: Choosing refurbished is an eco-friendly move because it means less waste and fewer new raw materials are used, helping the planet.

• Assured Quality and Standards: The buildings are carefully inspected and brought up to high standards at a specialist facility, so you still get a great, reliable space that's tailored to what you need.

• Versatile and Customisable Solutions: Whatever you need space for, they can be tailored to your specific requirements, giving you a flexible space that works for you.

• Tailored for Specific Industry Requirements: Refurbished buildings can be expertly updated to meet these demanding, sector-specific standards, so you get a facility that’s fit for purpose, even with specialist needs.

Explore Wernick Refurbished Buildings

When should I hire a modular building?

If you only need extra space short term, then renting a modular building is a practical and flexible solution. It’s ideal for temporary needs like construction site offices, seasonal staff areas, additional hospital wards or pop-up classrooms. Renting allows you to get the space you need quickly, without the pressure of a long-term commitment. Once you’re finished with it, the building is simply removed by us- making the whole process efficient and hassle-free from beginning to end.

Hiring is the solution for you if:

You need a temporary solution, like a construction site office or pop-up classroom

Your space requirements may change in the near future

You’re working with a short-term budget

You want a fast, easy setup with minimal disruption

When is buying a modular building the right choice?

If you’re looking for a permanent or long-term solution, purchasing a modular building may offer greater value in the long run. Owning your modular space gives you the freedom to modify, expand and invest in features that match your operational requirements.

Buying makes sense when:

You need a permanent expansion of facilities

Image of Nottingham mobility annexe refurbished modular building

You want to fully customise the layout and features

You’re planning for growth or future investment in your site

You want to benefit from asset ownership and potential resale value

What are my buying options?

If buying a modular building is the route you want to take, then you have the choice of buying a new or a refurbished building from Wernick. A new building is custom-made with new materials to suit your design and practical preferences.

Refurbished buildings, on the other hand, are transformed by Wernick using reclaimed modular units, which are stripped back and upgraded with modern materials, layouts and finishes, offering a cost-effective, sustainable solution without compromising on quality.

Both options will provide you with long-term solutions, equipped with high-quality facilities and made with the industry regulations considered.

Is there a sustainable option?

One of the key advantages of a Wernick modular construction is regardless of the path you take, it is a sustainable choice. Because modular buildings are manufactured off-site in controlled environments, they produce significantly less waste, use materials more efficiently, and generate fewer emissions.

Additionally, the ability to relocate, repurpose, and refurbish these buildings extends their lifecycle and reduces the demand for new raw materials. So whether you are hiring a unit for temporary use or buying a new/refurbished building, every choice you make is a sustainable one that supports your organisation’s environment.

Modular building hire. St Katherines School

I am still struggling to make the final decision….

To summarise, renting a modular building is ideal for short-term use, offering lower upfront costs, limited customisation, included maintenance, and the use of reusable units. Buying suits long-term or permanent needs, allowing full design flexibility, long-term investment value, and the option to choose a refurbished build.

Get in touch with our specialist team today