While not a new phenomenon, modular structures are a growing trend in construction. Many businesses use “modulars” to save both time and money.

What exactly are modular buildings, and how are they different? Here are a few key facts about them, and how they can save your business money.

Overview of Modular Structures

The first question is: what is a modular structure?

A modular structure, sometimes called a modular, is a prefabricated building. The concept has been around for centuries in various forms.

Commercial prefabricated buildings first saw use in the 19th century. Their use skyrocketed after WW2, as the world entered a new era of manufacturing and trade.

Crews assemble modulars in factories before transporting them to their home location. At the final site, workers put the pieces together and complete any fine-tuning work. Sometimes companies finish everything but the final hookups before the building is ever brought to the site.

Modular construction involves teams of workers using specialized equipment in factories. They use strict specifications to ensure that everything is up to standards.

All regular building materials can go into constructing these buildings. There are modular steel structures, as well as concrete and wood modular buildings. Anything that goes into a normal building goes into a modular as well!

Modular structures can serve both temporary and permanent purposes. Temporary modulars often include offices and classrooms for schools or businesses. Some businesses will even rent-out these buildings until they can build permanent structures.

Businesses and homes use permanent modular structures the same way as regular buildings. Odds are, you’ve seen a modular building without even realizing it!

Benefits of Modular Structures

Modular buildings have several benefits over their “traditional” counterparts.

First, modular structures take less time than regular buildings to finish and assemble. When constructing a building onsite, a certain order of events need to take place. Crews need to prepare the area and lay the foundations first, before any construction can even take place.

In a modular building workflow, while the building is assembled in an offsite facility, ground preparations can occur simultaneously. This cuts down on the required time to complete a building. Some studies show it can reduce total construction time between 25 and 50%!

Weather also plays a significant role in building and construction choices. It is important to factor weather into your construction plans. Using modular structures can reduce your need to make your schedule weather-dependent. Since much of the construction takes place in a factory, you need fewer clear days to finish your project.

With all this saved time, modular buildings often cost significantly less money. Assembly lines streamline the manufacturing process, speeding up the timeline significantly. Fewer crew hours mean more savings for your company!

Get In Touch!

Many people buy shipping containers to use as businesses because of how modular and flexible they are.

If you’re interested in finding out more about modular structures, we’d be happy to help! We strive to provide the best knowledge when it comes to prefabricated buildings using shipping container modules.

Contact us, to learn more.