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Jan 22, 2025 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder
Government-financed housing projects are a large potential market for modular. This Minneapolis team shows us how to win the work. The city of Minneapolis, Minn. was looking for “missing middle” housing, meaning multifamily buildings of four to 10 units each. The modular team offered the right blend of experience. In addition, the accelerated project timeline meant the city could start earning revenue sooner and would qualify for tax credits.
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Jan 22, 2025 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder
The Benefits for Developers and GCsAdvantages include more predictable scheduling and budgeting for the developer, and more predictability for the lender. Contractors will also be less impacted by site variability. Some factories will have concerns about commoditization, but there are strategies to address that and maintain profit margins. One design firm is developing modular plans that can be manufactured by a wide range of companies.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder
Recent changes reflect a better understanding of this material’s unique properties. Historically, building codes equated mass timber with stick framing in terms of structural strength and fire resistance. That led to unnecessary restrictions. Structural and fire testing has helped update the code requirements. Mass timber structures can now be built taller, and most have lower encapsulation requirements.
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Dec 31, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder
Fading West has worked with the State of Colorado to make financing available for modular affordable housing. It’s an effort that manufacturers in other states could emulate. Over the past two years (2023 and 2024) Fading West, a development and offsite manufacturing firm based in Buena Vista, Colorado, was awarded a total of $3.4 million from the State of Colorado to help it provide affordable housing to state residents. How did they win these awards?
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Dec 1, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Dennis Michaud |Gary Fleisher |Reed Dillon |Zena Ryder
The top five obstacles factory owners worry about, and some advice on how to overcome them.
Our June 2024 issue asked factory owners what advanced technologies they had implemented in their plants.
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Nov 26, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Reed Dillon |Zena Ryder |Erik Cofield
By Dennis Michaud, Managing Director of CertainTeed Offsite SolutionsAs housing demand continues to increase across the United States, offsite construction has been hailed as a game-changing solution in the building industry. Building professionals operating in this space are largely familiar with the many benefits offsite offers in contrast to—or in combination with—traditional construction methods. Knowing the benefits is one thing.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Reed Dillon |Zena Ryder |Erik Cofield |Andrew Holmes
Too few offsite companies get the most from this powerful marketing tool. Here’s some advice for those who want to do better.
Social media engagement can build trust with customers and lead to more sales, but only if your posts are well planned and executed.
Make sure to involve salespeople when creating an editorial calendar, as they will have the best insight into customer needs.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder |Erik Cofield |Andrew Holmes |Gary Fleisher
These manufactured components simplify the process of making a home more energy efficient.
Many contractors upgrade existing homes by adding rigid foam and OSB sheathing to the outside. Insulated panels allow the work to be done in one step.
Air sealing is an essential part of a successful outcome. It will minimize condensation problems later on.
Retrofit panels are simple to install, once the siding and roofing have been stripped. The work usually requires just two people.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Zena Ryder |Erik Cofield |Andrew Holmes |Gary Fleisher
What’s it like to tackle a $2.5 million modular home after only three years in business managing average-sized projects?
This contractor says that making the jump from 2,500 to 8,000 sq. ft. increased the scope of the project; the bigger scope brought more opportunity for errors.
A big home may not be inherently more complex. However, this one was because the custom touches the client ordered had to be completed on-site.
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Oct 31, 2024 | 
offsitebuilder.com | Ken Semler |Andrew Holmes |Gary Fleisher |Zena Ryder
North American homes fall on a spectrum from custom single-family, to large multifamily projects, and most modular manufacturers work at either end. Some specialize in 150-box apartment buildings, while others focus solely on custom homes.
Meanwhile, all modular manufacturers are being approached by an increasing number of single-family developers. The ability to serve these developers is what will allow the modular industry to grow its market share above the current 3% of new homes.
