Want to go modular? 10 things you need to know
By Lauren Grenz
Modular construction can offer many benefits, including enhanced quality control, less material waste, and increased job-site safety. With the right team and an experienced fabricator involved early in the project, modular construction also can be significantly faster and equivalent to or slightly less expensive than traditional stick-built construction.
IMEG has provided design and services for many factory-built structures across the country. While suitable and beneficial for many projects, modular construction does require a different type of workflow and approach. If you’re considering modular design and construction for the first time, here are 10 things to keep in mind.
- Modular construction is best suited to projects involving repetitive building units. This includes residential buildings, healthcare facilities, and hotels. In addition, the deliverables can be different from a traditional design-bid-build project, as early packages are required for coordination with the modular supplier. The scope of items built on site or in the factory also must be clearly delineated in the drawings, and portions of the design and drawings may be split between consultants and the modular supplier.
- Building permits for the project go through the local jurisdiction but module approvals go through the state, with separate processes and requirements for each.
- Up to 60 percent of the capital for materials and labor may be required up front to begin module fabrication early in the process and be ready to ship when site-built items are in place.
- Module manufacturers are located across the country, including Idaho, New Mexico, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Most of these companies will ship within a 500-mile radius of the factory.
- Factory-built modules include structural framing such as walls and openings, windows and doors, plumbing, wiring, and HVAC (all inspected at the factory), drywall, finishes, and cabinets. Counters, appliances, plumbing and lighting fixtures also are included, and sometimes even beds and furniture.
- Modules are limited in size due to shipping requirements. Ceiling heights within the modules are commonly limited to 10 feet in height, while the length can be up to 75 feet. The taller and the wider the module, the more costly the shipping.
- Modules are shipped to arrive for immediate erection. This significantly reduces the need for on-site material storage and handling—particularly beneficial in urban environments with tight sites and remote locations where traditional construction methods would cause workforce accessibility issues or negative environmental impacts.
- Upon arrival, modules are placed on a site-built foundation or podium and connected at the base. Each module is connected on three sides where possible, in a sequence laid out by the structural engineer and the erector.
- Site-built items also include connections between modules, exterior finishes, roof framing and roofing, and add-on items such as porches or overhangs.
- Changing to modular in the middle of design, and adding site-built components such as complex roofs, awnings, or other features, reduces the efficiency of the modular process.
If you believe your project is a good candidate for modular construction, the most important consideration is to assemble an innovative, collaborative, and knowledgeable team of consultants, modular supplier, erector, and architect. The results can be of the utmost quality and efficiency—and easily replicable.
