JULY 2024CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM8IN MYOPINIONBy Jake Snyder, Director of Preconstruction, Hoar ConstructionTHE TOP THREE BENEFITS OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTIONNew advancements in construction technology, safety, materials, and methods are not a rare sight in our industry, but finding the next new thing that's actually beneficial to our clients and their goals can take a little more time. Nowhere is this more evident than in modular construction.The modular method, essentially taking elements of a building and prefabricating them in mass quantities off site, then installing them onsite, has been around since the post-war construction boom of the 1940s and 50s. But today's modular construction is about more than convenience and speed-to-market. Construction elements ranging from mechanical/electrical/plumbing fittings, headwalls, exterior skin panels, and even full bathrooms are now being manufactured in modular facilities, shipped to jobsites, and installed as a whole for a variety of reasons. However, modular construction isn't right for every project. Cost and scale have a lot to do with making modular make sense. So, to determine if this fast-growing technique is right for your project, first take a look at the top three benefits modular construction can offer.Overcoming Labor ShortagesIt's no secret the biggest ongoing challenge the construction industry faces is finding labor. Associated Builders and Contractors reported last year that the industry would need to recruit 650,000 new workers to keep up with demand. That's a problem big enough that rampant hiring alone cannot solve. Enter modular construction. Especially in saturated markets, where more projects require more laborers and competition is fierce, modular gives you the ability to move your workforce demand away from the epicenter and build materials elsewhere while also reducing the manpower requirements at your jobsite. This reduction in labor requirements can be up to 80%, depending on the types and amount of modular element your project uses. Increased Quality and SafetyOne of the most readily understandable aspects of modular construction is how these elements come with a built-in quality assurance. When headwalls or bathroom pods are built in a controlled environment, with quality checks at each step of the way, and each trade worker focused on their specific components, the finished
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