Why Portable Buildings Need Portable Foundations   

Portable buildings are not new, but the innovations in design, features and foundations have seen these structures go from cold and short-solution builds to facilitating, versatile and long-lasting spaces. 

Portable buildings are now used across a huge range of sectors, providing different applications that can be relocated, refurbished and reused, making them extremely sustainable compared to builds that use traditional construction methods. Portable building foundations have also shifted from standard concrete solutions to more flexible alternatives.

These portable foundations include the Jackpad® system, which are foundation pads that can be reused, repositioned and recycled, just like the portable buildings they’re designed for. Here’s why your project should use our permanent and temporary foundation solutions, including the benefits over traditional concrete.  

What Makes a Portable Building Different?

Portable buildings are designed with flexibility in mind. Unlike permanent modular structures, they can be relocated and reused across different sites throughout their lifespan, making them particularly useful when space requirements are temporary or likely to change. 

This flexibility makes portable buildings suitable for a wide range of applications, including schools, healthcare facilities, construction sites, offices and event spaces. 

Because much of the building is manufactured off-site, installation can also be completed quickly with less work required at the final location. This can help shorten project timescales and minimise disruption to the surrounding site compared with more extensive traditional construction. 

The key difference between portable and modular buildings is not how they’re manufactured, but how each is intended to be used. Portable buildings prioritise relocation and repeat use, while permanent modular buildings are generally designed to remain in place long term. So, surely the foundations should accommodate this need too, right? 

Why Traditional Concrete Foundations Aren’t Always Suitable

Concrete has been and still is the main foundation for various types of structures, and while concrete has exceptional strength and long-lasting durability, it’s not the best choice for portable or modular buildings. Developers and project leads often face various challenges when using concrete for foundations, including:

• Long installation times: Concrete can take up to 28 days to fully cure, ultimately increasing project timelines.
• Excavation required: Concrete foundations require extensive excavation and disruption to sites. 
• Limited relocation flexibility: Concrete foundations remain fixed to the original site. If a portable building is moved, new foundations may be required at the next location. 
• Soil and Settlement: Some soils will swell when wet and shrink when dry, causing concrete to shift or crack, and ultimately become structurally unstable. 
• Costly mistakes and removal: Once concrete is installed, correcting or removing it can involve demolition, excavation and management of demolition waste. 

These challenges can be overcome with frequent checks and inspections, as well as proper soil stabilisation. But even spotting issues early can still result in costly rework, which further extends project timelines. Plus, it’s a big waste of resources and money to lay permanent foundations for a portable building. Therefore, portable foundations are perfect for these applications. 

What Are Portable Foundations?

Portable foundations are surface-mounted foundation pads created for modular and portable buildings. Jackpad® portable foundations sit directly on stable surfaces, and can be installed with little to no ground preparation, provided certain ground-bearing capacity is achieved. Even if the ground is uneven, the pads can be adjusted quickly to support challenging terrain. 

Made up of an incremental packer, support block and steel adjuster, the Jackpad® system has been engineered to evenly distribute the load of portable and modular buildings of up to 295kN. Being portable, they can easily be removed and transported to a new location, rather than having to remain in place like concrete. 

Benefits of Matching Portable Buildings with Portable Foundations

Being portable presents huge advantages for portable building applications and projects. 

Faster Installation

No need to wait 28 days, or longer, for concrete to cure. With portable foundations, once safe ground-bearing capacity has been confirmed and any necessary groundworks have been completed, the foundation pads can be delivered and installed in any weather. This speeds up projects and also benefits projects requiring temporary accommodation at very short notice. 

Easier Relocation

The foundations can be removed alongside the portable building, which means sites can remain free from permanent alterations. This suits temporary projects for retail, offices and storage.  

Greater Sustainability

Jackpad® units are made of 100% recycled plastic and can be restored and reused on future projects. At the end of life, the plastic can be recycled again, helping new projects avoid concrete footings and the associated site waste. They help promote sustainability and a far more green temporary foundation solution to concrete. 

Lower Lifetime Costs

Because they can be reused, benefit from an investment that pays off. Purchased units can be taken to the next project, while hired units are recovered and prepared for reuse. There’s also less need for plant hire for any required groundworks, and you won’t have to worry about remediation costs for damaged or poorly mixed concrete. 

Adaptability

Portable foundations sit above ground and the height of each pad can be adjusted to accommodate uneven levels and falls in the ground. Provided adequate ground-bearing capacity is achieved, the pads can be positioned on most surfaces and configured for different building layouts. Jackpad® even supports multi-storey modular construction, and while the foundations are perfect for portable buildings, they’re more than capable of supporting long-term modular structures too. 

Industries That Benefit Most

A wide range of sectors utilise portable buildings for certain applications, and are benefiting from the portable foundations that come with the structures. 

• Education: Portable classrooms and teaching spaces can provide additional capacity during refurbishments, expansion projects or changing pupil numbers. Portable foundations complement this flexibility because the entire installation can later be removed or relocated. 
• Healthcare: Modular healthcare buildings can provide additional clinical, administrative or support space where requirements change over time. A removable foundation system makes these installations easier to adapt without committing the site to permanent concrete foundations. 
• Construction: Site offices, welfare facilities and storage buildings are typically only required for the duration of a project. Portable foundations can be installed for this temporary period and removed alongside the compound when work is complete. 
• Retail: Modular buildings can provide temporary shops, sales offices and other commercial spaces where speed and flexibility are key, particularly when the intended use of a site may change. 

Want to see the Jackpad® portable foundations in action? Explore our case studies to see real-life examples of the projects we work on. 

Why Jackpad® Is Built for Portable Buildings

Providing non-invasive and portable foundations since 2000, Jackpad® foundations are specifically designed for modular and portable buildings. Made from recycled plastic and featuring a steel adjuster, they are adaptable and cost-effective foundation pads that require minimal to no groundworks. Our pads have been independently tested at a UKAS-approved facility and are compliant with ISO9001 to ensure compliance and proven structural safety. 

Able to deliver and install the pads UK-wide, benefit from non-invasive foundations for short-term and long-term projects, whether you want to hire or purchase. 

Choose Foundations That Move With Your Project

Portable buildings are designed for reuse and flexibility, so their foundations should be too. Choosing a reusable, portable foundation system helps reduce costs, adhere to sustainability and speed up projects thanks to fast installation and efficient relocation. 

Starting a portable building installation? Speak to the Jackpad® team about our temporary foundation solutions and book a discussion or site survey. Call us on 0116 286 6966 or send your details to enquiries@jackpad.co.uk.