Working With a Modular Construction Company: What to Expect

Choosing the right modular construction company takes time, especially if you’re looking for an organization that meets your quality standards and expectations. However, finding the right partner ahead of your building project is well worth the search—because it means your project will end with better results.

But what does the modular construction process entail? Here, we’ll break it down step by step so you and your team know exactly what to expect.

What Is Modular Construction?

Modular construction is the process of constructing a building away from its final site, in controlled factory-like conditions. Once each module of the building is complete, they will be put together on site and ultimately end up being identical to stick-built structures.

Sometimes erroneously confused with prefab steel buildings, modular buildings use the same materials, codes, and standards as conventional buildings, but they can be completed in about half the time.

Modular construction is most conducive to buildings such as classrooms, offices, clinics, and dormitories. Steel buildings are a different type of prefabricated construction that are often used for large, clear-span facilities such as warehouses or manufacturing facilities.

Modular Construction Companies: Better Than Traditional Construction?

There are many reasons why you might choose modular construction when you’re seeking to put in a new building, rather than a more traditional-style design build. Some of these reasons include:

• Expedited timeline: Since we build and create the pieces of your modular building design beforehand, you’ll be able to start using your new modular building sooner than you would with a company that had to build it from the ground up.

• Increased affordability: Modular buildings are more cost-effective than traditional build-outs, in part because they require less labor to build and reduce waste with the same overall results.

• Ample customization: Despite not following the steps of a typical design-build, modular construction companies like ours still offer plenty of options for customizing the layout and overall look of your building.

• Minimal disruption: Instead of having to wait for site and foundation development to finish before moving forward, modular construction projects allow the project to get done faster with ready-made parts that are assembled off-site at the same time, thus further expediting the timeline of the project. Installing modular buildings does not disrupt employees or students, and education won’t be put on hold during the process.

Overall, the modular construction process allows for a faster turnaround and more economical results than traditional construction methods, making it ideal for organizations that need to complete their project quickly.

Finding a Modular Construction Company for Your Project

Shopping for a modular construction company requires careful planning and consideration. Here are some factors to consider when finding a modular construction partner.

What Is Your Estimated Timeline for the Project?

If you need to start the modular construction process immediately, it pays to have a partner who can match that level of urgency. Whether you need your modular building to be completed as soon as possible, or if you have at least 12 months before the project can begin, VESTA Modular can match your timeline accordingly.

What Is Your Budget for Modular Buildings?

While prices can vary greatly depending on your level of customization, needs, and location, modular buildings tend to be more affordable than their stick-built counterparts.

For example, excluding the costs of delivery, installation, or site work, a modular office construction from VESTA costs about $125 per square foot. By contrast, a traditionally built commercial office building costs roughly $490 per square foot.

Delivery, installation, and site work costs will vary depending on the project location, site conditions, and scope of work required. We will be happy to evaluate your existing site to provide a cost estimate for your project.

However, this is just one example—there are multiple factors that contribute to the cost of the building, and our sales team will be happy to provide you with a quote so you know exactly what to expect.

What Lease Terms Do You Need?

We’re proud to offer flexibility with the leasing terms for your modular building, including short-term, long-term, and indefinite options. Whether you need a permanent or temporary modular building solution, we’re happy to work with you on a solution that suits your needs.

Can the Modular Construction Company Deliver to Your Location?

Some modular construction companies only work within certain states or regions. However, VESTA Modular is proud to deliver modular buildings almost anywhere within the continental U.S. and beyond, including to remote locations like the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Arctic Circle, and more.

Does the Modular Construction Company Build for Your Industry?

Some modular construction firms only work within certain industries, such as exclusively focusing on residences or prefab modular offices for job sites. Others, like VESTA Modular, build for a number of different industries, running the gamut from workforce housing for disaster relief to religious buildings, government facilities, classrooms, and more.

What Types of Customization Are Available?

One of the biggest benefits of choosing a modular building is the opportunity for customization.

For example, what if your healthcare center is trying to install a new imaging building for the mammography machine you just received from a generous donation? For that, you’ll need to find a modular construction company that can help you customize your new imaging building to suit the needs of your patients.

VESTA Modular’s team can provide custom modular building plans that will suit the needs of almost every industry, including student dormitories and workforce housing.

Our Modular Construction Process

By serving clientele in industries ranging from construction to religious institutions, VESTA Modular has perfected the modular construction process from start to finish. If you’re looking for a modular building that suits your needs—including in emergency situations—here’s what you can expect when working with us.

Inquiry & Initial Discussions

Your very first step to working with our modular construction company is to reach out and tell us about the project you’re looking to complete.

When you request a quote, we’ll ask you for basic information about who you are and where your project will be located. We’ll also ask about how you plan to use your modular building, the square footage you’re interested in, when you need your project to begin, and any other important details about what’s bringing you to us.

Once we’ve received your request for a quote, an expert member of our sales team will get back to you as soon as possible to let you know how we can help you get your modular building in place. They will provide objective expertise to see if it’s possible for us to make your modular building vision a reality—most of the time, the answer is yes.

The Detailed Modular Building Design Process

After we’ve learned more about your situation and specific needs, a member of our design team will connect with you to get more details about your needs. They will provide recommendations and requirements for your modular building design, based on the information you provide to us and local building codes.

Along the way, the design team will provide consultation on where to place the building, along with an approximate turnaround and any other factors that will go into the process of constructing your modular building.

Our Streamlined Modular Construction Process

Once we’ve determined your needs, we will start the modular construction process in earnest. Like most modular construction companies, we will build your structure in sections off-site at one of our manufacturing partners, allowing us to create optimal conditions away from the elements that could damage your building before it’s complete.

Meanwhile, our construction team will also develop the site where your building needs to be placed, clearing away any obstructions and laying down the foundation on which your modular building will rest, reducing the scheduled turnaround time by up to 50 percent in the process.

Modular Building Transport You Can Rely On

In addition to a team of construction and sales experts, we also have a team that will facilitate getting the building modules to your site.

Our modular building transport team has brought projects to some of the most remote locations on earth—including within the Arctic Circle, islands in the Caribbean, and some of the farthest-flung but most beautiful places in the Southwest. No matter where you need your building to be located, our fleet of specialists will bring each module to the site.

From there, our installation and construction team can get to work.

Efficient Installation to Get You In Faster

Through the modular construction process, our building team will assemble each module together according to the design you approved. By the time they’re done connecting all the pieces like a giant puzzle, you’ll have a permanent building with the same structure and support as a stick-built project, but in up to half the time and with fewer wasted materials.

Once the team is finished and has completed any needed site restoration, you’ll be able to get into your new modular building and start using it as you intended. With Beyond the Box, you can have the building fully furnished, so you can start using it on day one.

Begin a Modular Construction Project Today

Ready to get inside your new modular building? We’re here to help you get there. Request a quote from us today to get started.