Modular construction has become not only the newest way for investors and developers to build multifamily and hospitality, it is also about to give them something rather unique that could change the construction industry in the US.
That unique idea is Total Integrated Modular, “TIM”.
Today’s developer has entire departments dedicated to designing and sourcing contractors to build out their developments. The hospitality, affordable housing, and even the low-income housing developers across the US usually have the same services in-house.
But what would happen if a developer or investor only had to be concerned with the Master Plan engineering and everything else would become the purview of say, the modular factory or another single source. Everything from structural and architectural design to approvals to manufacture, delivery, set, and finish?
For developers, after the “Net Developable Area” is determined, putting together all the design teams, contractors and manufacturers is much more time-consuming and capital depleting than most would admit.
The commercial investor/developer has all those but may have far less of a demand for unique design than the housing developer.
The biggest problem to overcome is who is this “Superman” of modular construction? Will it be the General Contractor, the people running the modular factories or maybe a new entity that oversees and directs everything.
What would have been sheer conjecture just 10 years ago is rapidly becoming reality. With new technology coming on-stream almost every day enhancing all phases of the project, the idea of one company being the ‘go-to’ source is almost and maybe already is, a reality.
BIM, A/R, CLOUD, Elasticsearch, V/R, video conferencing and almost instantaneous blending of everything from initial drawings to manufacturing, all the way to the final cleaning of the project is now possible for a single entity to control.
And so, this is the “Question of the Week”:
Would Developers and Investors turn over control of their projects to a single source?
Gary Fleisher is the Managing Director and contributor for Modcoach News and Modular Home Coach. 
Email at [email protected]
