Modular homes and portable cabins: how to buy with delivery and installation
What exactly are you looking for
Prefabricated buildings include modular and frame houses, portable cabins, container units, sauna cabins, gazebos, guard rooms, and office and storage modules. They are made at a factory, brought to your plot and set up on a prepared base.
First decide the purpose. For occasional summer stays a simple garden cabin is enough; for living in all year you need thicker insulation, good windows and heating. The cost and what the package includes depend on it.
What to put in your request
- Type of structure — modular house, portable cabin, container, frame building.
- Dimensions — length, width, height, for example 6×2.4 m.
- Purpose — seasonal, year-round living, office, storage.
- Material and insulation — the frame, thickness of insulation (for example 100 or 150 mm).
- Specification — finished, with electrics and plumbing, or a bare shell.
- New or used — and what condition is acceptable.
- Delivery and installation — by crane or hydra, and whether it needs setting on blocks or piles.
- Location and budget.
Example: “Near Sha Tin. I need a used portable cabin of 6×2.4 m for occasional stays, with electrics and no damage to the floor. Delivery by crane, set on blocks. Budget up to HK$47,000.”
What to look at in the offers
First compare the same dimensions and insulation. Then ask:
- what the frame is made of and how the metal or wood is protected from rust and rot;
- the thickness and type of insulation, and the windows and doors;
- what is already installed: wiring, sockets, distribution board, lighting;
- the delivery cost: it depends on distance and size, and whether a crane is needed;
- what base it is installed on: blocks, piles or a slab.
For a used unit, ask for photos of the floor, roof and corners and a story of how it was used. Look for signs of damp, rust and sagging.
Ask about paperwork separately: whether the seller offers a contract, a warranty and a product passport. If you plan to register it as a dwelling, find out from the local authorities what rules apply to such structures on your plot, because a module is not always treated as a permanent building.
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You write one request on the home page, and makers and sellers of modules reply in chat with prices and terms. Each sees where their offer stands and can change the price or the specification. Reviews appear next to the offers, and your contacts stay hidden until you choose. More on the “How it works” page.
Common mistakes
People often buy a unit without checking that a truck can get onto the plot, and delivery falls through. The second mistake is not preparing the base in advance. The third is forgetting about electricity and water: you may need electrical installation and plumbing. If you want to build something bigger, see turnkey construction.
