More structures are being built away from construction sites, which is a significant trend in the real estate sector. Another strategy is modular building.
Real Projectives has worked on numerous modular construction projects around the US, most notably on an apartment complex in the heart of Philadelphia.
However, a six-storey residential structure would be constructed using 75 modules that would be manufactured about 100 miles away from the construction site, trucked into the city, and then stacked on top of one another. To help your project be successfully finished.
Well, in this reading, we’ll explore modular construction, its functions, types, and construction. We’ll also explore its advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s begin!
What is Modular Construction?
Modular construction is the process by which a building (whether it be an apartment, business building, or even homes that are now starting to be built with shipping containers) is constructed off-site, under controlled conditions, in just about half the time.
Buildings are constructed in modules and assembled on site as part of the process. Using the same materials and designed to the same codes and standards as conventionally built facilities.
Furthermore, traditional building methods have involved bringing all the raw materials, such as 2x4s and flooring, to the construction site where they were cut and put together by professionals.
In off-site construction in general and modular construction in particular, significant sections of the project are manufactured off-site. Almost anywhere can host an assembly, from the next town over to a completely different country.
After being shipped, the assembled modules are subsequently set up on the construction site to complete the building.
However, some people might refer to this as a “new” or “contemporary” technique; it has been employed in numerous fields for many years. It has recently received attention for multifamily (apartment) housing, hotels, and commercial uses.
The “boxes” that leave the factory are three-dimensional constructions with a floor, walls, and ceiling, which is what makes these projects modular. The majority of the interior fittings and finishes are already present.
In their warehouses, some modular businesses utilise conventional stick-building techniques; other businesses use highly automated robotic assembly lines.
Functions of Modular Construction
One that immediately comes to mind is the fact that modular construction enables some of the work to be produced in a factory while sitework and foundations are carried out concurrently on the site.
The project stays on track thanks to this time-saving benefit, which also shortens the building period while maintaining efficiency.
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Modular Construction Companies
In general, modular construction entails constructing standardised building parts in a factory off-site before putting them together on-site. Prefabrication, modular construction, and other terms like “off-site construction” are all interchangeable.
Warren Buffett Modular Construction
By utilising the MiTek engineered building products and construction software company owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett is pushing the boundaries of modular construction.
The hybrid offsite-on-site building model is aimed at the hospitality, healthcare, educational, and multifamily construction industries.
Delta Modular Construction
We assist governments and localities in providing workforce housing, multifamily housing, and affordable housing.
Hunter Modular Construction
The largest modular construction company in the US is Hunter Modular Construction. Over 200 experts work for a business that had just two employees when it began in 1979 and today manages contracts across North America.
However, in the industry, Hunter Modular Construction is recognised as the go-to business for quality work.
What are the Types of Modular?
The two types of modular used in modular construction include relocatable buildings and permanent construction:
Relocatable Buildings
A Relocatable Building (RB) is a building that can be moved and is built in a building manufacturing facility using a modular construction method. It can be assembled fully or partially, and it must adhere to state and federal requirements.
Buildings that may be moved to various construction sites and reused or repurposed repeatedly are known as movable structures.
They are used in applications such as schools, offices for construction sites, clinics, sales centres, and anywhere else a movable building may accommodate a short-term space requirement.
These structures provide quick delivery, simple relocation, affordable reconfiguration, accelerated depreciation schedules, and a tremendous amount of flexibility.
However, relocatable structures are installed in compliance with local code standards and manufacturer installation instructions but are not permanently affixed to real land.
These structures are crucial in situations where quickness, temporary space, and flexibility are required.
Permanent Modular Construction
Permanent Modular Construction (PMC) is a cutting-edge, environmentally friendly form of building that prefabricates single- or multi-storey entire building solutions in deliverable module pieces using off-site, lean manufacturing techniques.
In comparison to projects that only use site-built construction, PMC modules can be provided with MEP, fixtures, and interior finishes in less time, with less waste, and with superior quality control.
However, they can also be integrated into site-built projects or used independently as a turn-key solution. Recent studies have proven that modular construction is an effective building method and has the potential to expand the construction sector.
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Types of Modular Construction
Below are the 3 types of modular construction:
- 4-sided.
- partially open-sided.
- Fully open-sided.
How is Modular Construction Made?
Before being brought to the appropriate place and assembled into a final building design, modular buildings are made in pieces away from construction sites.
In a factory-controlled setting, 60–90% of the work is finished, either as a whole structure or as modular subassemblies for a larger project. The prefabricated modules can be produced using lean manufacturing methods thanks to this offsite construction.
You can stack these modular units or arrange them end to end to create a variety of configurations. Inter-module connections, also known as interconnections, are used to join the modules together during the modular construction process on site.
Furthermore, prefabricated homes and other permanent modular structures are constructed to standards that are on par with or higher than those of conventional site-built structures, guaranteeing high levels of quality control.
Permanent modular construction (PMC) can be done using a range of building materials, such as concrete, steel, or wood, and can also include provisions for adding windows, power supply, water and sewage lines, telecommunications, air conditioning, and more.
Several of these extra features can be installed before being transported to the site, saving time during construction. These PMC buildings can have as many stories as permitted by building laws and are intended to stay put once constructed.
However, while making modular buildings, the design stage is especially crucial. For the assembly tolerances to be under control and for any slack or misalignment to be remedied, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) techniques must be employed.
As the components of modular construction cannot be simply realigned onsite, CAD systems, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and manufacturing control systems are crucial.
Related: What are 3D Printed Homes and 3D Printer Buildings?
Advantages of Modular Construction
Below are the advantages of modular construction:
- No Need to Store Materials.
- No Possibility of Weather Delay.
- Saves Time.
- Lower Labor Costs.
No Need to Store Materials
Material storage is another benefit of modular construction. Moving materials about and staging an event might be challenging on a small venue, such as one in a compact urban area like Philadelphia. This results in clutter, slows down productivity, and raises concerns about theft.
However, construction sites may stay cleaner, safer, and more open by manufacturing the modules in a factory, which also gives workers more room to work and move about.
No Possibility of Weather Delay
Furthermore, concerns about bad weather delaying the building of the modular units are virtually removed by manufacturing the modules inside a controlled environment.
Also, it gives employees a safer and more comfortable working environment so they can be more efficient and create goods of a higher calibre.
However, the modules typically come pre-installed on the job site with flooring, cabinets, counters, plumbing and electrical fixtures, and appliances, requiring little setup time and effort.
Saves Time
One that immediately comes to mind is the fact that modular construction enables some of the work to be produced in a factory while site work and foundations are carried out concurrently on the site.
The project stays on track thanks to this time-saving benefit, which also shortens the building period while maintaining efficiency. A modular strategy has the ability to reduce the entire timetable by 30 to 60%.
Lower Labor Costs
The economics of labour is a significant and perhaps contentious advantage. In most regions, skilled labour is hard to come by and can be quite expensive in cities for a variety of reasons.
Without delving into politics, this creates significant obstacles when attempting to construct a building within the constraints of a specific budget and schedule.
However, modular construction enables highly sought-after qualified personnel to remain in fixed sites with the aforementioned controlled and safer circumstances.
Modular factories can be positioned to draw in those highly sought-after personnel and benefit from crucial access to raw materials and logistical linkages, such as highways and rail lines, which are typical in other industries, like the production of automobiles and technological goods.
However, labour savings can vary greatly; it’s possible to reduce construction costs by up to 25%.
Disadvantages of Modular Construction
Below are the Challenges of Modular Construction:
- Higher Amount of Complex Decisions / Front Loaded Design.
- Approval Process Can Be Complicated.
- Risk is on Few Suppliers.
- Transportation Costs & Risk.
- Difficult Financing Process.
- Mass Production / Limited Variety.
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FAQs
What are the benefits of modular coordination in construction?
With the option to incorporate standardised modular components into the project, modular coordination is a beneficial design tool that offers contemporary design principles and guidelines that combine freedom in architectural planning and free choice of the construction method.
What is the negative of modular construction?
You must consider transportation expenses and the possibility of damage during delivery because modular building components are constructed a distance from the job site. One transportation accident is all it takes to have a major setback.
What are the benefits of prefabrication and modular construction?
It is less expensive to use prefab parts in construction projects. Construction takes less time, which lowers labour expenditures and production prices. Prefab buildings are mass-made and bought in large quantities, which also results in economies of scale savings. They also have standardised measurements.
What is the disadvantage of MMC?
Comparing MMCs to monolithic metals and polymer matrix composites, some of its drawbacks include: Some material systems have higher costs. A somewhat young form of technology. Fabrication techniques for fibre-reinforced systems that are complex (except for casting).
What are the benefits of modular development?
By dividing the overall code into smaller portions, or modules, that hold particular functions, modular software design is accomplished. By facilitating better workload management, reusability, and simpler debugging procedures, modular design has been demonstrated to enhance the design process.
What are three benefits of modular design?
The modular design has the benefits of reduced development time, uniformity in development, and adaptability.
What are the challenges of modular construction?
Modular building is nevertheless not without its difficulties. It requires a substantial investment because it needs to be done at a specific scale and magnitude to be lucrative. As everything is the same size, there is less flexibility, making transportation of the final goods to the sites challenging and costly.
What are the challenges in modular?
Below are 7 challenges of modular:
- Difficulty in reading and comprehension.
- Personal Teenage Problems.
- Poor Wi-Fi Connections.
- Inability of parents to assist in the modules.
- Inability to Comprehend the Lessons.
- Game addiction among students.
- Inability to submit on time.
What are the difficulties in modular construction?
Below are the challenges in modular construction:
- Higher Amount of Complex Decisions / Front Loaded Design.
- Approval Process Can Be Complicated.
- Risk is on Few Suppliers.
- Transportation Costs & Risk.
- Difficult Financing Process.
What are the advantages of MMC composite?
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have the potential to replace cast iron and other materials in engines and brakes due to their low density, high strength-to-weight ratio, high temperature strength retention, and excellent creep, fatigue, and wear resistances.