Porta cabin or container: which one do you need?
They look alike from the road, but one is made for people and the other for goods. Here is how they differ and how to choose.
Made for people, or made for goods.
A porta cabin is built as a room. It has a steel frame, insulated wall and roof panels, windows, a proper door, lighting and sockets. People can work, eat or sleep in it through a Qatar summer once AC is fitted.
A shipping container is built as a box for cargo. The walls are corrugated steel with no insulation and no windows. It is very hard to break into and it keeps rain and dust out, which is exactly what you want for tools, materials and equipment.
So the choice follows the use. If people will spend the day inside, take a porta cabin. If you need to lock things away, take a container. Most sites end up with both: cabins for the office, the guard and the crew, and one or two containers for storage.
A container can be converted into an office, with insulation, windows and wiring added. It then costs more than a plain container, and the result is narrower than a cabin of the same length. It makes sense when you need the strength of a container and an office in one unit.
See the floor plans and prices.
One page for new cabins, one for refurbished. Each size with its plan and its price.
The main differences.
Comfort
A cabin is insulated and has windows. A plain container is hot and dark.
Security
A container is the stronger of the two. A cabin has a normal lockable door and windows.
Width
Cabins are made in several widths. A container is always about 2.4 m wide.
Use
Cabins: offices, rooms, guard posts, toilets. Containers: tools, materials, spare parts.
Moving it
Both travel on a flatbed and are placed by crane, forklift or telehandler.
Which one for which job.
Which one for a site with fire rules?
Neither a standard porta cabin nor a standard container is fire rated. If the site specification asks for a fire rating, you need a cabin built with tested non-combustible panels and fire rated doors, with its certificate. We build those to order.
See fire rated porta cabinsQuote to installed, in four steps.
Describe the job
What the unit is for and how long you need it.
Cabin or container
We tell you which one fits, and why.
Both prices if useful
If both could work, ask for both prices and compare.
Delivered and placed
Either one is brought and set in place by our crew.
Delivered across Qatar.
Common questions
What is the difference between a porta cabin and a container?
A porta cabin is an insulated room with windows, lighting and sockets, made for people. A container is a steel box without insulation or windows, made to store and carry goods.
Which is cheaper, a porta cabin or a container?
A plain storage container usually costs less than a cabin of similar length, because it has no insulation, windows or wiring. A container converted into an office costs more than a plain one. Send your need and we quote both.
Is a container or a porta cabin better for a fire rated site?
Neither, in its standard form. The site needs a cabin built with tested non-combustible panels and fire rated doors, with its fire test certificate. We build fire rated cabins to order.
Can a container be used as an office?
Yes, after it is converted: insulation, a window, a door, wiring and lighting are added. AC is an extra charge, as on a cabin.
Is a porta cabin secure enough for storage?
For files and office items, yes. For tools, cable, fuel or anything of value on an open site, a steel container is the safer choice.
Can I rent both from you?
Yes. We rent and sell porta cabins and storage containers, and deliver them on the same trip when the site allows.
You may also need
What is a porta cabin?
A short guide: what it is, types, sizes and how it differs from a container.
What is a porta cabin?Portable office cabins
Site offices with wiring and lighting, ready to use on arrival. AC optional.
Portable office cabinsTell us what you need.
Send a few details and we reply with pricing. Prefer to talk? Call or WhatsApp +974 6660 6651.