Making Modular Dormitory Buildings A Part of Your Student Housing Plans

A lot of us have been on college and university campuses and experienced the chaos that ensues from large scale traditional construction projects. They take a long time to complete, slow vehicle traffic, reroute student walking pathways, and pose significant risk to the environment and passersby. 

We’re here to let you know that university administrators no longer need to subject their guests to this less than ideal experience. Thanks to the prefab and modular construction industry, building student housing is significantly more convenient, affordable, and it’s quick to build. According to estimates, modular construction is 30% to 50% faster than stick built construction methods.

We’ve laid out this post detailing why educational leaders should consider modular dorm buildings for their next purchases.

What is a modular dorm?

They are student housing produced using prefabricated construction methods. A modular dorm is made up of volumetric units that are efficiently assembled in a factory-like setting. It’s easiest to think of a building module as a single lego piece that will be used in the final building.

They are then shipped to your campus utilizing the most convenient method of transportation. Typically, that means using trucks and trailers. But using rail and freighters, we can deliver a building in any remote location you want! 

It’s important to note to anyone interested in exploring prefabricated student housing, that you have an infinite number of customizations. Choose your interior and exterior material options, custom designs and floor plan layouts, as well as fixtures and amenities. 

The terms modular, prefabricated, portable, and mobile do not mean bland, repetitive, fixed, or “cookie-cutter”.

Temporary housing for students

If your school or educational institution needs a temporary space solution to house your students, choosing modular dorms can accommodate you with flexible leasing options. The beauty of standardized modules is that they can be connected, stacked, combined with restrooms, offices, and lobbies to form any type of portable dormitory space you need. Like we said above, it’s like assembling legos.

Contact your modular supply company on the number of students you will need to accommodate. They’ll be able to help you with the layout, number of units, and recommended site on your school grounds.

Custom, permanent modular halls for university living

More and more postsecondary institutions across the United States and internationally have come to love permanent modular construction. These residence halls provide your institution with the ability to affordably shelter your entire student body.

University construction often must be able to integrate with the mood and feel of its old campus. Thanks to customization in roofing and siding materials, your new dorm can match any existing structures.

Modular Dorms: Hall and Bedroom Layouts

Dormitory Building Dimensions Include:

• 6 foot wide hallways
• 12 foot x 18 foot dorm rooms for two students
• 42 ft. by 156 ft. Residence hall
• 3 exits and entrances

Residence Halls Are Not Just Places to Sleep

College is way more than classrooms and dormitories. It’s a place for communities to form and recreational activities to be enjoyed with new people. And let’s be honest, we all need spaces designed for functionality and a much needed study break.

Our modular dorms can be equipped with pool and gaming rooms for students. We also can include handicap accessible bathrooms, workout gym facilities, lounges, kitchenettes, IT closets, janitorial closets, and dining halls so that students and staff can enjoy all the best amenities on their own campus.

Why are prefab dorms quicker to install?

One reason is that the off-site construction process allows for the site to be prepped while your dorm is being constructed elsewhere. This also expedites the permitting process, and final installation process.

There are a multitude of reasons why modular construction projects are quicker to install. For a more detailed explanation of this, check out our post on traditional vs modular construction.

The other reason is that thousands of temporary buildings and complexes are already assembled and housed across the country. We, at VESTA, for example can utilize our fleet of thousands of buildings that are ready to be transported to your college campus immediately.

Is a modular dorm greener or a more environmental solution for our school?

First, we’ll add that modular buildings can be constructed to meet all your leed certified criteria to keep energy usage and costs down. They can also be built using environmentally friendly materials.

But perhaps the biggest argument for environmental friendliness of modular construction is in the process. 

Since your building’s modules will be constructed in a factory environment, technicians and staff are less likely to lose or misplace materials. Everything is in one location so there aren’t multiple trips to gather building supplies. It also encourages the recycling and use of valuable leftover materials across projects. 

The transported modules can then be assembled quickly once they are on site since the majority of the time consuming construction happened in the warehouse. That means that site disturbance and environmental toles from continuous heavy machinery usage repeatedly is kept to a minimum.

Get A Quote On A Modular Dorm

We know the school year is approaching rapidly, but it’s not too late to lease or buy your modular student housing solution for the 2020 – 2021 calendar year. To get an estimate on pricing and explore all your options, contact us by clicking “request a quote” below. One of our experts will contact you shortly!

If you’re looking for any other facilities such as classrooms, restrooms, dining halls, offices, and more, check out our education buildings page.