Buyer guides · Procurement and contracts · 13 min
Modular accommodation units: procure the whole camp, not a stack of rooms
A camp succeeds as an operating system of rooms, services and logistics. Unit price matters, but capacity, shared buildings, infrastructure and mobilisation decide whether it works.
Published by AeroPodHomes · Updated 30 August 2026
Start with operational capacity
Define peak and average headcount, occupancy per room, shift pattern, privacy, accessible rooms, supervisors, visitors and the dates at which each group must be housed. Then add the functions that do not appear in the bed count: ablutions, kitchen and dining, laundry, welfare, medical, administration, storage, security and plant.
Translate that schedule into commissioned capacity by phase. A sleeping unit is not an available bed until access, supports, utilities, fire and life-safety provisions, testing and operating items are complete. This distinction prevents procurement dashboards from showing one hundred percent delivery while the site is still waiting for drainage or hot water.
Select a unit mix, not one universal module
Folding 14 m² rooms provide 14 m² and load twelve ordinary units per 40HQ. AP-E20S rooms provide 27.5 m² and load six. AP-E20 provides 37 m² and loads two. 40FT expandable provides 74 m², loads one and includes a bathroom and kitchen in the standard reference. Each format solves a different part of the accommodation plan.
A high-density camp may use folding sleeping rooms with shared service blocks, larger expandable units for supervisors or medical and administration, and self-contained units where privacy or isolation matters. Standardise within each role, but do not force every function into the format that happens to produce the lowest unit price.
Design shared services before ordering bedrooms
For dry rooms, calculate toilets, showers, basins, hot water, kitchen, laundry and cleaning capacity against occupancy and shift peaks. Place blocks to keep walking distances, accessibility and drainage practical. Establish the utility spine, isolation zones, waste levels and maintenance routes before freezing room rows.
For self-contained units, calculate repeated water, waste, electrical and HVAC connections and the resulting distribution load. Private facilities can improve independence and longer-stay conditions; central facilities can reduce duplicated equipment and maintenance. Compare lifecycle and operating consequences, not only construction quantities.
Build shipment waves around the mobilisation curve
Map each container to units, room roles, beds and site release dates. Twelve 14 m² folding rooms deliver 168 m² per 40HQ; six AP-E20S units deliver 165 m². 10FT expandable, AP-E20 and 40FT expandable each deliver 74 m² per container, while 30FT expandable delivers 57 m². These figures expose which mix moves the required capacity with the fewest container events.
Sequence service buildings, early rooms, permanent stock and spares so the first shipment can create a usable phase rather than an incomplete collection. Include factory approval, production, inspection, booking, transit, clearance, final haulage, offloading and installation. Hold the shipment when the receiving gate is not supported by evidence.
Write one interface matrix for the whole programme
Assign design, approvals, surveys, supports, roads, drainage, power generation or supply, water, wastewater, cranes, labour, installation, testing, communications, fire systems, external works and operation. For every interface, name the information needed, responsible party, due date and acceptance record.
AeroPodHomes supplies agreed engineering, manufacture, inspection, packing and documents. Foundations, offloading and lifting, utility connections, installation labour and local permits sit with the buyer unless the contract changes that split. Publish the matrix to the local designer, civil contractor, MEP team, carrier and installation lead; hidden scope gaps do not stay inside procurement.
Inspect by batch and close out by unit
Use factory hold points for approved design, incoming materials, concealed work, first completed room, functional tests, final condition and packing. Keep batch and unit identity through container loading. Record deviations and substitutions against the approved reference rather than allowing each inspection report to become a new standard.
At the site, record receiving condition, support verification, installation steps, seals, utility connections, tests, defects and completion. Handover by usable phase and unit, with open items and owners. This creates a clean link between a room in operation and the records needed for maintenance or a warranty claim.
Procure demobilisation while leverage still exists
If the accommodation is temporary, define its next destination, storage condition or disposal route during procurement. Include service isolation, cleaning, contents, closure or packing, lifting, transport, repair, seal replacement, documentation and site restoration. The support and utility strategy should be selected with that end state in mind.
If the units may move between projects, retain drawings, electrical and plumbing records, model and batch identity, maintenance history and a condition assessment. Portability creates an option, not guaranteed residual value. The second site still needs suitable climate, services, approvals and receiving infrastructure.
Decision table
| Programme layer | Decision | Control record |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Beds and functions by ready date | Phased accommodation schedule |
| Unit mix | Room role, size and wet-area strategy | Approved room and unit schedule |
| Infrastructure | Shared and private service demand | Site utility and interface plan |
| Logistics | Capacity and roles in each shipment | Loading and mobilisation schedule |
| Quality | Factory and site hold points | Batch and unit inspection records |
| Handover | Commissioned capacity by phase | Unit close-out and open-item register |
| Demobilisation | Next use and restoration | End-of-use method and budget |
Common questions
What are modular accommodation units?
They are factory-built rooms or serviced units transported to a site and installed as part of an accommodation project. The programme can combine sleeping rooms, offices and shared or private service units.
Which modular unit is best for workforce accommodation?
Folding units suit high counts of compact rooms with shared amenities. Expandable units provide larger rooms, and 40FT expandable provides a self-contained bathroom and kitchen. Compare completed cost per commissioned bed.
How many accommodation units fit in a 40HQ?
AeroPodHomes loads twelve ordinary 14 m² folding units, six AP-E20S, four 10FT expandable, two AP-E20 or one 30FT expandable or 40FT expandable per 40HQ.
What should be included in an accommodation tender?
Include phased capacity, room roles, wet areas, climate and services, unit and shipment schedules, site interfaces, documents, inspections, commissioning, warranty and demobilisation.
Who installs modular accommodation units?
The contract should state the split. AeroPodHomes' standard matrix places local supports, lifting, utility connections, installation labour and permits with the buyer, while manufacture, inspection, packing and agreed documents sit with AeroPodHomes.
Can modular accommodation be moved to another project?
Yes in principle, but the second move needs disconnection, inspection, closing or packing, lifting, transport, repairs, resealing, new site works and approvals in the budget.
Technical references
External references support the process and standards context. Project-specific design and approval remain subject to the appointed destination professionals.