How to Save Money while Renting or Leasing a Mobile Office
Renting any kind of space—from a car to an apartment—means you’ll have to return it at some point. If it’s not in good condition, there may be repair or service charges coming out of your wallet.
Although mobile offices make for fantastic, efficient workspaces, they still require your care throughout their use.
How Avoid Damage and Cut Costs While Renting a Mobile Office
Renting or leasing a mobile office doesn’t have to come with surprise fees or repair costs. With a few proactive choices and some simple precautions, you can keep your unit in top condition and avoid unnecessary expenses. Below are practical ways to help you protect your investment, minimize wear and tear, and make the most of your mobile office building.
Use a Pushpin Board Instead of Tape
Using tape to hang messages, announcements, or posters may cause damage and incur extra fees. Using push pins will cause significantly less damage and is the preferred method for posting special messages on the walls inside Satellite’s mobile offices and temporary modular buildings.
Use a Plastic Floor Covering
Rolling chairs are frequently used at desks inside a mobile office. Unfortunately, these chairs can inflict extensive damage to tiled floors, often causing deep scratches or even grinding them into the floorboards. When you place your order, ask the company to provide you with a floor protector. This practice can save you money throughout your project. You may even be able to purchase the floor protector outright. That way, it’s yours to keep and use on your next job site.
Purchase Used Steps Instead of Renting Them
If properly cared for, a set of used steps can last a long time and even be used for many future projects on various job sites. While it may still be more economical for your company to rent a mobile office, purchasing your own may make more sense in the long run.
Request Help Moving the Portable Office
Ask the company from which you’re renting or leasing for assistance with on-site moves. You can avoid hitch damage or accidental damage to the mobile office units by enlisting the company’s services to move an office to another location on your job site. Hitch damage and replacement can cost thousands of dollars, but damage to the mobile office itself can be much more costly.
Return All Keys When Returning to the Office
Most likely, the company will send all available sets of keys with your mobile office. You might wonder: Why don’t office providers keep an extra set of keys just in case? Well, imagine the logistics of making (and paying for) hundreds of sets of keys in a year and then keeping track of them. This would end up costing you, the customer, more (as evidenced by rental rates) than simply replacing the locks whenever necessary.
Check with your provider for their requirements and return at least one set of keys per door to the office. Otherwise, a new lock will need to be installed, which could cost your company upwards of $100.
Avoid Using Aftermarket Parts and Products
Rent or purchase any additional job site products—other than your building—through your mobile office provider. Some of these items include:
- Security systems
- Portable toilets
- Hand-washing stations
- Holding tanks
- Storage containers
- Ramps
- Skirting
- Furniture
- Security window screens
- Vending machines
- Door and window bars
If you order each item from a different provider, you could be signing and approving up to a dozen purchase orders and invoices at the end of the month. Instead, make one phone call to place your order, generate one order, and enjoy having only one invoice to approve each month.
Purchase a Used Mobile Office
Rather than renting a mobile office for a long-term or long-distance project, consider buying a used one. If you have a long-term or long-distance work site, ask your mobile office provider what is available for sale from their fleet. Investing your money toward a used office helps you avoid paying the company more freight to haul the trailer back and forth to and from their yard. Once you’re done, you can either keep the office for future projects or the company may be able to help you re-market it by providing names of companies or individuals looking to purchase their own used mobile office.
Satellite Shelters Is Here to Help Your Business
As a company, you’re always looking for ways to maximize resources—not only for the sake of your bottom line but also for the well-being of your hardworking staff. Lean on your local Satellite Shelters experts to provide mobile offices as well as all the products you need for your job site, and we will look for ways to save you money in the long run.
No matter if you’re seeking a temporary or long-term solution for your workspace or looking for a new or used mobile office for sale, reach out to a Satellite Shelters branch today.