For many builders and developers, the days are feeling more and more like the Wild West. Post-COVID, many thought that building would get easier, that supply chain issues would subside and material costs would go back to some level of predictability. Well, that’s not what’s happened for most. Throw in some weather issues and even worse labor issues, and you have a recipe for working harder and harder just to maintain the same level of production.
If you’re one of these people, let me introduce you to offsite construction. Of course, the word “introduce” seems odd given that offsite methods have been gaining ground for over a hundred years. We stopped making windows and doors on-site in the 1850s. We started using roof trusses in the 1950s, then followed up with floor trusses. Yet while builders have been using these and many other products for years with great success, many still resist using more factory-built components.
That’s always been surprising to me, because the switch to offsite is analogous to the swapping out of horses for cars. At first, people wondered what those new machines were, but they rapidly adopted the new mode of transportation, which offered an easier, faster way to travel (and you didn’t have to clean up after the car).
That’s offsite construction now. It doesn’t just make your life easier; it makes your projects smarter, faster, prettier and less stressful. Success comes faster, with fewer headaches.
For instance, weather becomes much less of an issue. With site building, schedules are routinely missed because of rain, wind, snow, or excessive heat. That’s not the case with offsite. Modules or components are built in a climate-controlled facility, where it’s always sunny and 70 degrees.
Translation: You stay on schedule.
Better translation: You stay on budget.
Best translation: You stay sane.
Offsite can also make labor shortages a thing of the past. You still need workers on site, just not as many of them and for not as long. Most of the work is done by specialized teams in factories where process, precision and efficiency are the name of the game.
In fact, the manufacturing environment reduces the need for traditional trades — the factory can hire unskilled workers and train them in the skills needed for each job. For example, you don’t see plumbers doing plumbing on a modular assembly line; instead, you see workers connecting pipes and fittings per an engineered plan and assembling them into modules. The thinking has been done ahead of time, and the finished product is inspected for code compliance and quality assurance.
Offsite construction helps put a lid on cost overruns. With so much work done in the factory, you lock in labor and material costs earlier. Fewer weather delays and fewer mid-project material price hikes mean fewer change order conversations. Predictable costs equals happier clients, happier lenders and happier investors.
Speed is offsite construction’s superpower. That’s especially true for modular, where site work (foundation prep) happens while the factory is building modules. This means that modular projects can be completed 30% to 50% faster than traditional construction. You can close deals faster, hit targeted completion dates with confidence and get to your next project sooner.
The monetary value of speed is easy to quantify. What if you didn’t have to pay interest carry for 12 months on a big project because you finished it in six? If it’s a rental project, what would an extra six months of operating revenue do to the project pro forma?
Do you think offsite construction means boring boxes? Think again. You can design just about anything with modules or panels. You can customize floor plans, finishes and design elements like never before. You can build anything from a chic urban loft to a sprawling log cabin with wraparound porches, to a 148-unit apartment building, or even a luxury hotel.
Work smarter, not harder. Offsite isn’t just a trend — it’s the future for smart builders and savvy project owners who want better projects, faster, with higher quality and less stress. If success to you looks like fewer weather delays, faster build times, happier clients and predictable margins, then offsite construction isn’t just a good idea… it’s your secret weapon!
If you liked this article, you can follow Ken Semler on LinkedIn, where he offers daily insights and commentary about offsite construction.
