Asking poll questions of my readers is always enlightening and September’s responses were no exception. Two of the poll questions were especially surprising.
I want to thank the hundreds of readers who take the time to respond to these unique offsite construction reader polls!
My response to each poll is included.
Which of the following are the biggest challenges you’re tackling in your business?
labor – 42.3%
supply chain – 11.5%
quality control – 0%
process optimization/efficiency – 15.4%
productivity/throughput – 11.5%
innovation, automation – 7.7%
technology (software & hardware) – 3.8%
BD/marketing – 7.7%
I expected Labor to be the top answer and supply chain to be second but you fooled me by answering production optimization and throughput second and third.
Will you be looking for a new job in 2023?
YES – 20.0%
NO – 51.4%
It all depends on the economy – 28.6%
Another surprise. Only 20% of you said you would be looking for a new job in 2023. With all the new factories opening, one would suspect much more than one in five changing jobs.
Are New and Excessive Regulatory Building Codes Killing the Offsite and Modular Industries?
YES – 50%
NO – 50%
I would really like to know why half of you think all the new codes already in place and the new ones on the horizon won’t harm modular housing. Maybe that’s another poll question.
Are communities of Affordable single-family homes becoming extinct?
YES – 60%
NO – 40%
I think the answer says it all. If I ask this question next year, I’ll bet the 60% will continue to climb.
Do you think there should be only a Federal Building Code?
YES – 19.2%
NO – 73.1%
I’d like to hear more – 7.7%
Another surprise. If you look at the numbers of manufactured homes being built to the HUD code, which must be accepted in every state as is, wouldn’t it make sense to have a nationally regulated and simplified code for onsite and modular housing?
How Many Modular Factories Are Operating in the US?
Less than 25 – 0%
26 – 50 – 28.9%
51 – 100 – 39.5%
More than 100 – 31.6%
This was my biggest surprise but it comes with a twist. Did the people answering it include manufactured homes, ADU, Tiny House and other types of construction calling themselves modular or was it strictly modular?
The next time I ask this question, I will specify volumetric IRC module factories only. Then I’ll do a poll for each of the other types of construction.
Gary Fleisher is the Editor in Chief of Modular Home Source and Offsite Builder. Email at [email protected]
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