Is a Modular SCIF Permanent or Temporary? Understanding Deployment Options
Modular SCIFs can stay put for decades or be relocated as client needs change. But moving these facilities isn’t always simple.
Modular SCIFs can technically be temporary or permanent, but moving them depends on their installation and what they were built for.
One of the main benefits of modular buildings is that they don’t have to stay in one place forever. Most modular buildings—including modular SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities)—can last decades so long as they are properly maintained.
But the question of location permanence is more complicated.
In short, anything is possible with enough time and resources. It’s the ease of moving a modular SCIF that depends on two things: the difficulty level of the facility’s initial installation and what it was built for.
What You Need to Figure Out First
One of the first questions you’ll be asked when you contact Universal Modular, Inc. (UMI) is: How long do you intend to use your modular building?
It is important for this detail to be ironed out during the initial planning stages. This is because the type of foundation used for your building will dictate how easy—or how difficult—it will be to move it later.
If you only plan to use your modular building for a couple of years, a more basic foundation option will likely meet your needs. But if you’re looking for longevity, the site prep may be more complex—and that means the process of moving the building in the future will be more involved.
Why a Modular SCIF May Need to Move
The top two reasons why a modular SCIF may need to be relocated are:
Property ownership
Classified program length
Commercial companies that lease the property where their modular SCIF is first deployed may need to move it when their lease ends. As an example, one UMI client bought a modular SCIF knowing that their program was going to be moving. When the time came, UMI dismantled the SCIF, transported it to the client’s new location, and reinstalled it.
Some companies have lengthy leases with renewal options that make it less likely their modular SCIF will need to relocate. But in other cases, a company may install a modular SCIF without knowing whether they’ll be in the same location a couple of years down the line.
The amount of time a modular SCIF is needed also factors into the question of permanence. If the program a modular SCIF is designed to support has a specified end date, there may not be a need for that modular SCIF to stick around beyond that point.
If you no longer need your modular SCIF, it can be dismantled entirely or bought back by UMI to be repurposed and resold to another client. But if you do still need it—just in a different spot—UMI will work with you to handle the relocation process.
What Modular Building Relocation Requires
The level of difficulty involved in moving a modular building largely depends on how it was first installed.
Some of the more basic modular buildings can be moved quite easily. For example, a single-wide modular building with a block set foundation just needs to have axles attached if it is moving from one parking lot to another.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is a modular building with a pit-set foundation. (This is where the initial site prep team dug a few feet into the ground before placement, giving the building a more permanent appearance.) That modular building can only move to a site that also has a pit-set foundation. In order to relocate the building, it must be cut apart and craned offsite. From there, it’ll need to be placed on a lowboy trailer or have axles attached for transport.
| Building Type | Foundation Type | Effort Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-wide Basic Modular Building |
Block set | Attach axles, tow to new location | 1-3 weeks |
| Modular Building | Pit-set | Building cut apart and craned, placed on lowboy trailer or attach axles for transport to new pit-set foundation | 1-2 months |
| Modular SCIF/SAPF | Block set, Pit-set | Same as above, but requires AO approval | 3+ months, depending on approval |
Like non-SCIF modular buildings, modular SCIFs can be relocated. But RF shielding plays a role in the task’s complexity. Even more care is needed to move a modular SCIF to ensure that its RF shielding layers remain in pristine condition.
UMI Can Do It All
Though moving a facility is more difficult for some modular buildings than others, having enough time and resources makes it all possible.
With UMI, clients get flexibility and thoughtful proposals. Every client’s needs are different, and UMI creates solutions that address those needs. Contact UMI today to get a quote for your modular SCIF.