Office Trailers For Sale: New & Used Prices
A new office trailer costs roughly $8,000 to $16,000 for an 8×20, $25,000 to $55,000 for a 12×60, and $55,000 to $100,000 for a double wide. Used units run 40% to 60% less. Buying makes sense past about three years of continuous use — below that, renting almost always wins once you account for how hard these depreciate.
This guide covers new and used office trailer prices by size, where to actually buy them, what to inspect before you hand over money, what transport and setup add, and how resale value affects the real cost of ownership.
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Office Trailer Prices By Size, New And Used
| Size | Sq Ft | New | Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8×20 | 160 | $8,000 – $16,000 | $3,500 – $9,000 |
| 8×36 | 288 | $20,000 – $32,000 | $7,000 – $22,000 |
| 10×40 | 400 | $20,000 – $45,000 | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| 10×50 | 460 | $30,000 – $48,000 | $15,000 – $30,000 |
| 12×60 | 672 | $25,000 – $55,000 | $12,000 – $30,000 |
| 24×44 double wide | ~1,050 | $35,000 – $75,000 | $19,000 – $45,000 |
| 24×60 double wide | 1,344 | $55,000 – $75,000+ | $25,000 – $50,000 |
| 28×74 double wide | ~2,000 | $65,000 – $100,000 | $35,000 – $65,000 |
Whole-market figures cluster around $12,000 to $48,000 for a typical single wide unit. The spread within each size comes down to age, finish level, whether a restroom is plumbed in, and how much the interior has been reconfigured.
Listings for the same unit appear under several names depending on who is selling it. A mobile office trailer for sale, a portable office for sale, a construction office trailer for sale and a job site trailer for sale are all the same category of building — worth searching each term, because dealers index their stock differently and a unit listed as a portable office building for sale may not surface when you search for office trailers.
Remember the hitch. Trailers are named by towing length including the hitch, not usable floor. A “12×60” has a 56-foot box and gives 672 square feet, not the 720 the name implies. Same on every size — about 7% less than the number suggests. Check the box dimension, not the model name, when comparing two units at the same price.
Job Trailers And Job Site Trailers
If you work in construction, you probably call these job trailers or job site trailers rather than office trailers. Same product, same yards, same pricing — the term just varies by trade.
A job site trailer for sale is typically a single wide 8×20 through 12×60 configured for site use: a plan table, a hardwired phone or data line, heavier flooring, and often a separate lockable storage end for tools and drawings. Contractors buying rather than renting usually do so because the trailer moves between jobs several times a year, at which point three or four rentals in a row cost more than owning one unit outright.
What to specify differently on a job trailer than a general office unit:
- Heavier floor covering — site traffic destroys standard VCT quickly
- A plan table or wide worksurface, which most stock office layouts do not include
- Security — steel door, window bars or shutters, and a decent lockset if the unit sits unattended
- Tow rating and axle condition, if you intend to move it yourself between sites
New Or Used?
| New | Used | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Baseline | 40% – 60% less |
| Warranty | Typically 1 year | Usually none |
| Availability | Order lead time | Immediate, if the right unit is in a yard |
| Configuration | Specified to your layout | Take what exists |
| Condition risk | None | Carried entirely by you |
| Depreciation exposure | Steepest in the first years | Already absorbed by the first owner |
Used is the default answer for most buyers, because office trailers take their heaviest depreciation early and a well-maintained ten-year-old unit does the same job as a new one. Buy new when you need a specific layout, when the unit will be client-facing, or when a warranty matters because there is nobody on staff to fix a failed HVAC unit.
Where To Buy An Office Trailer
National Lessors Selling Off Fleet
The big rental companies continually cycle units out of their fleets. These are the best-documented used trailers available, often refurbished before sale, and occasionally carry a limited warranty. They are also the most expensive used option, and inventory is regional — what is available near you may be limited.
Regional Dealers
Independent dealers hold mixed new and used inventory and are usually more flexible on price and on modifications. Quality varies more than with the national lessors, so inspection matters more.
Auctions And Liquidations
Contractor bankruptcies, project closeouts and government surplus put trailers on the market well below dealer pricing. Sold as-is, often with no documentation, and you arrange transport yourself. Cheapest route and the highest risk.
By Owner
Used office trailers for sale by owner is a real and active search — contractors selling a unit at the end of a project. Prices are usually the lowest available from a motivated seller, but there is no recourse whatsoever, and you should assume nothing about condition until you have seen it.
Whichever route, price the move before you commit. Transport runs from about $15 per mile, and setup at the far end is another $1,000 or more. On a $9,000 used 8×20 sitting 300 miles away, delivery and set can add a third to the total cost — and it is not included in the sale price.
What To Inspect On A Used Office Trailer
- Roof. The single most expensive thing to get wrong. Look for ponding, patched seams and staining at the ceiling perimeter inside. Ask when it was last recoated.
- Floor. Walk every square foot. Soft spots and springiness between joists mean long-term moisture, and floor replacement is rarely economic.
- Frame and axles. Rust, bends and prior weld repair at the rails and outriggers. If you plan to tow it yourself, check axle and tyre condition specifically.
- HVAC. Age, capacity and whether it actually runs on both heat and cool. Usually the first significant replacement after purchase.
- Electrical panel. Confirm the amperage matches what you can supply — 60 amp on 8-wides, 100 amp on 10 and 12-wides — and look for amateur modifications.
- Windows and doors. Seals, operation, and whether locks are functional. Cheap to fix but a good indicator of how the unit was treated.
- Plumbing, if fitted. Check for freeze damage in units that have wintered unheated. Split supply lines are common and not always visible.
- Documentation. Title, manufacturer records, and any state insignia. Matters more than buyers expect if you later need a permit.
On anything above about $15,000, an independent inspection is worth the cost. You are buying a structure that has to be transported, and problems found afterward are problems you paid to move.
What Ownership Actually Costs
The purchase price is the start of it.
- Transport — from about $15 per mile, each time it moves
- Setup — from $1,000 for blocking, leveling and tie-downs
- Steps, ramps and skirting — not included, and ADA access is a real cost if the public will enter
- Maintenance — roof, HVAC and flooring are the recurring items
- Insurance
- Storage between projects, if you do not have a yard
- Eventual resale or disposal
Resale Value: The Number That Decides It
Office trailers depreciate hard. Industry figures put retained value after five years at roughly 20% to 30% of purchase price. For comparison, container-based ground level offices retain 50% to 60% over the same period, because a steel container has a floor under its value that a wood-framed trailer does not.
That gap is worth modelling before you buy. On a $40,000 12×60 held five years, you are likely writing off $28,000 to $32,000 of it — which changes the rent-versus-buy arithmetic considerably, and is the main argument for buying used and letting the first owner absorb the steep part of the curve.
Should You Buy Or Rent?
| Situation | Better Option |
|---|---|
| Single project under 2 years | Rent |
| Uncertain project duration | Rent, month to month |
| 2 – 3 years continuous | Break-even — model both |
| 3+ years continuous | Buy, probably used |
| Recurring use across multiple job sites | Buy |
| You have a yard and can move it yourself | Buy |
| No storage between projects | Rent |
The common break-even is 24 to 36 months: multiply the monthly rental by 36 and compare against purchase price plus transport, setup, maintenance and expected depreciation. Buying typically needs 30% to 50% down.
Where owning wins clearly is repeat use. A contractor moving one trailer between four job sites a year is comparing a single purchase against four separate rental setups, and the delivery and removal charges alone often settle it. See our office trailer rental guide for current monthly rates to run the comparison against.
Buying Near You
Office trailers are heavy, awkward loads, and transport is priced by the mile in both directions. That makes this an unusually local purchase — a unit 400 miles away at $3,000 less is not actually cheaper once it is on your site.
Search radius is worth setting deliberately: roughly 150 miles keeps transport proportionate on a mid-price unit. Beyond that, the freight starts eating the discount that made the distant unit attractive.
This is why searches for office trailers for sale near me tend to be the productive ones. Rather than hunting nationally for the lowest sticker price, work out what is available within a sensible haul of your site and compare those units on condition. A dealer 60 miles away with a fair price will usually beat a bargain three states over once the transport invoice arrives.
Office Trailers For Sale FAQ
How much does an office trailer cost to buy?
A new 8×20 runs $8,000 to $16,000, a 12×60 $25,000 to $55,000, and a 24×60 double wide $55,000 to $75,000 or more. Used units cost 40% to 60% less — roughly $3,500 to $9,000 for an 8×20 and $12,000 to $30,000 for a 12×60. Whole-market pricing for a typical single wide clusters around $12,000 to $48,000. Transport from about $15 per mile and setup from $1,000 are additional.
How much is a used office trailer?
Typically 40% to 60% below new. An 8×20 runs $3,500 to $9,000, a 10×40 $10,000 to $25,000, a 12×60 $12,000 to $30,000, and a 24×60 double wide $25,000 to $50,000. Price within each range depends on age, roof and floor condition, HVAC age, and whether a restroom is plumbed in. Used units rarely carry a warranty.
What is a job site trailer?
The same product as an office trailer — the term varies by trade rather than by building. A job trailer or job site trailer is typically a single wide unit from 8×20 to 12×60 configured for construction site use, often with a plan table, heavier flooring and a lockable storage end. Contractors usually buy rather than rent when the trailer moves between several jobs a year.
Should I buy new or used?
Used suits most buyers. Office trailers depreciate steeply in their early years, so a well-maintained older unit does the same job for far less while the first owner absorbs the loss. Buy new when you need a specific layout, when the trailer will be client-facing, or when a warranty matters because you have nobody to repair a failed HVAC unit.
Where can I buy a used office trailer?
Four routes. National lessors sell units off their rental fleets — best documented, often refurbished, most expensive. Regional dealers hold mixed new and used stock with more price flexibility. Auctions and liquidations from contractor bankruptcies or government surplus are cheapest and riskiest, sold as-is. And by owner, typically a contractor selling at the end of a project, which offers the lowest prices and no recourse at all.
How much does it cost to move an office trailer?
From about $15 per mile, plus setup at the destination from $1,000 for blocking, leveling and tie-downs. On a cheap used unit bought at distance this can add a third to the total cost, and it applies every time the trailer moves. Delivery is almost never included in a sale price, so price the move before committing to a unit that is not local.
Do office trailers hold their value?
Not particularly. Retained value after five years runs roughly 20% to 30% of purchase price. Container-based ground level offices hold 50% to 60% over the same period, because the steel structure has residual value a wood-framed trailer does not. On a $40,000 trailer held five years you should expect to write off $28,000 to $32,000 — which is the strongest argument for buying used.
Is it cheaper to buy or rent an office trailer?
Renting is cheaper under about two years, buying past three, with 24 to 36 months as the usual break-even. Multiply the monthly rental by 36 and compare against purchase price plus transport, setup, maintenance and expected depreciation. Buying typically needs 30% to 50% down. Ownership wins clearly for repeat use across multiple job sites, where a single purchase replaces several rental deliveries and removals.
What should I check before buying a used office trailer?
Roof first — ponding, patched seams, ceiling staining — then the floor for soft spots indicating moisture, the frame and axles for rust or prior repair, HVAC age and whether it runs on both heat and cool, electrical panel amperage against what you can supply, window and door seals, plumbing for freeze damage, and documentation including title and any state insignia. Above roughly $15,000, get an independent inspection.
Compare Office Trailer Sale Prices
Used inventory is not centrally listed, dealers do not publish prices, and what is available near you changes weekly. Putting your requirement in front of several suppliers at once is the fastest way to see the real market and find out who actually has your size within transport range.
Tell us the size you need, your location and whether you want new or used, and we will connect you with suppliers serving your area. It is free, there is no obligation, and your price is the same whether you come through us or contact the supplier directly.
Related Guides: Office Trailer Rentals · 8×20 Office Trailers · Commercial Modular Structures · Modular Offices · Portable Classrooms