We did it. We launched the first magazine dedicated to offsite construction in the past decade. Why did we do it? Because somebody had to and it was time. I have been a huge proponent of offsite construction, exclusively using it in my business for almost 20 years. And there were dozens of industry pioneers that pre-dated me.
During the past two decades, our industry has weathered the great recession and some minor recessions. Each time we think offsite construction is about to make serious inroads, along comes another downturn and lops the top off of our growth curve. Well, this time it’s different.
This time we have a momentum the likes of which we have never seen. As a nation we are behind on home building. Demand far exceeds supply. We have a shortage of construction labor. The current workforce is aging out and there are no replacements. America’s guidance counselors aren’t steering today’s high schoolers to trade schools. Housing material costs have skyrocketed. Efficiency is the name of the game. Speed is money for build-to-rent developers.
Not long ago I was in Dallas for a building science training class and was discussing what I do with a builder that was also in attendance. He had NEVER heard of offsite construction. It was completely foreign to him.
I was as shocked to discover that someone in the home construction industry didn’t have a clue what I have been doing for almost 20 years, that he was just finding out that offsite construction existed and has been growing!
If you’re a builder or developer who is new to offsite construction, you probably also have some questions.
- What building system do I choose? (There are several.)
- Which factory should I use?
- How much does this way of building cost?
- How will my processes change?
- What expertise do I need to have on staff?
- How do I even get started?
If you’re a supplier, you will want to know how to get your products in front of factories and builders.
These are all fair questions. They’re why Offsite Builder was created. As a “rubber meets the road” publication we want to provide you with real, hands-on answers and we want you to learn from the experience of our contributors, many of whom have many years of experience.
Our goal is to make Offsite Builder THE information clearinghouse that builders, developers, suppliers and manufacturers use to share and communicate information. We are here to make a difference and to promote the inevitable growth of the burgeoning offsite construction industry going forward!
