The Speed and Safety of Roof and Floor Cassettes Greg Watson In the quest for site speed and safety, panelized systems for components, such as roof trusses and floor joists, are the natural progression from installing single frames. In the United Kingdom, these panelized systems are becoming increasingly popular for volume house builders and Social... Read More December 2020 Issue #12257 Page 104
The Next Evolution in Modular Has Started Gary Fleisher When the first automobiles began showing up on the streets more than 100 years ago, most were built in barns and warehouses one at a time. There were no car dealers as the two or three person shop that built them also sold them. Car builders began popping up in every small town in the... Read More November 2020 Issue #12256 Page 108
Polls Done 13 Months Apart Show Covid Is Nudging Builders Toward Off-Site Construction Craig Webb Like scientists tracking a slow-moving glacier, a leading pollster of America’s builders is seeing signs that contractors’ views are warming when it comes to off-site construction. The research by Ed Hudson, director of market research at the Home Innovation Research Labs,... Read More November 2020 Issue #12256 Page 114
Have You Become “Marketing” Poverty Stricken? Gary Fleisher When we think of poverty, we think homelessness, food banks, and welfare. Chronic poverty was once compared to catching a grasshopper in a jar when we were kids. The jar had a lid with holes poked in it. For a while, the grasshopper jumped up and kept hitting his head against the lid. Then he... Read More October 2020 Issue #12255 Page 104
The Future of Modular Construction in (Post-)COVID-19 Gary Fleisher Shortly after COVID-19 became the most debilitating thing that has happened to the US economy in recent history, modular construction stepped up to fill the demand for temporary medical facilities. Many modules were built to meet that need, but here we are just 5 months later and that market... Read More September 2020 Issue #12254 Page 100
Is the Dream of Owning a Single Family Home Just a Dream for Many Buyers? Gary Fleisher A little over 30 years ago along Rt 15 in Selinsgrove, PA, a modular home builder had two model homes on his lot. They were both ranch style homes, 2 or 3 bedrooms, 1 bath models. One was 28’ x 44’ and the other was 28’ x 48’ if memory serves me. The sign said he would... Read More August 2020 Issue #12253 Page 94
Better Tools for Optimizing Your Wall Panel Production Tracy Roe Our industry is continuously changing—there is no denying this fact. There is always a hot topic that gives birth to new buzzwords which gain popularity and begin trending. One of the latest examples is “Off Site Construction.” Everyone has heard it and, like many things in our... Read More July 2020 Issue #12252 Page 58
Are You Prepared to Build a Modular Factory? Gary Fleisher Over the last couple of years, a lot of new modular home factories have either opened their doors and are taking orders or are in the process of opening. It’s inevitable that many businesses fail in the first 3–5 years for a myriad of reasons, mostly from being under-financed... Read More July 2020 Issue #12252 Page 92
Integrated Closed Wall Panel Systems Greg Watson For many years, wood frame wall panels have been constructed on site by contractors, and, in more recent times, by component manufacturers too. The wall panels assembled by component manufacturers primarily are open panels. These consist of lumber studs at predefined centers sheathed externally... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 70
Modular Industry in Best Position to Take Over Mid-Rise Housing Gary Fleisher Since 2010, the number of households that rent has grown from 32% to 36% with the addition of 4,000,000 new renters. Mid and high-income renters saw the biggest increase. With construction slowing down due to COVID-19 and lawmakers debating the pros and cons of rent forgiveness for those who... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 94