How long can you hire a temporary building for?
Another way to ask this question could be ‘how long can temporary buildings be used for’? And, it’s a question we get asked a lot.
For the majority of time customers can hire a temporary building for the exact period they need it, creating a solution that precisely matches budgets and operational needs.
Sometimes though, hire terms can be too short or too long to prove cost effective. And, in other situations they may start at six months and run on for six years plus, or become an outright purchase. So what are all the different options and which are most suited to your business needs?
Short term temporary building hire
- Many temporary building suppliers will have a minimum hire period for their buildings, which is usually around 6–12 months. Anything under this period becomes uneconomical for the customer and potentially the provider.
- In such cases you might be advised to source a building more along the lines of a marquee or event structure, which is meant for shorter periods of use.
Long term building hire
- You can hire a temporary building for as long as want, so these long-term temporary building hire contracts – five years plus – do happen.
- You might think it would be more cost-effective to buy a building outright for this period of use, but businesses often prefer or need the flexibility a hire contract gives them. At the end of the hire contract you can easily have the building removed and terminate all associated costs.
Ongoing / unknown hire terms
Other hire periods come about when a hire contract runs on, sometimes indefinitely. This usually happens because businesses are unsure about how long they need the building for, or, they simply find it has become an essential part of their long-term operation. Choosing to extend the hire contract instead of buying the building means they retain the extra space but also the flexibility to remove or change it in the future.
If you allow your rental contract to run on though, be careful you don’t get caught out with extended rental periods that are charged as a new contract and not on a sliding scale.
Maximum hire terms
Back to the original question, how long can you hire a temporary building for? Or, how long can they be used for?
Many businesses are now using them on a semi-permanent or permanent basis and even instead of a more traditional building. They can do this because normally a temporary building will meet the required British Standard for snow and wind loadings (BS6399). This means they can withstand the maximum snow load and wind speeds the unpredictable British weather can throw at us! On a serious note though, it does make them safe; long term. And, with this ability to use long-term many people are now finding that buying the building outright is more economical than hiring.
As a side note, HTS tentiQ Industrial Buildings will always ensure your temporary building is engineered to meet the required snow and wind loads for your specific site. This offers the maximum guarantee in terms of safety and durability. For example, if your site is coastal or at altitude then the snow and wind loadings could be much higher than a site in the same ‘region’ but inland and at a lower altitude.
How long you can use a temporary building for sometimes will depend on how much you are willing to pay each month in hire fees. Short-term will elevate hire fees, whereas long-term hire will see them fall considerably.
Getting the right building for the right amount of time at the right cost is something that might need to be re-calculated a few times. Most temporary building hire companies will do this for you, providing as many quotations and proposals needed to make sure you get the right result that keeps operations running smoothly and finance directors happy.
If hire isn’t right?
If none of the hire contracts prove viable or cost-effective, there is always the option of buying the building outright. You can do this at the start of the contract and avoid hire all together. Or, you can buy the temporary building once you’ve tried it out on a hire contract. The latter option will mean you end up paying more, but you’ve had the benefit of ‘try before you buy’, something which can reduce risk and costly mistakes in the long-term.
Whether you hire a temporary building or buy one, there is no doubt that the range of financial choices and contractual options will provide a solution for many different business circumstances and requirements. Something that has to be a ‘win-win’ for many.
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