This article was recently published by Multifamily Properties Quarterly. To read the full article, click here.
Developers today face rising costs, tight labor markets, and unpredictable approval timelines. These challenges are driving interest in off-site modular box and panelized construction—but to take full advantage, flexibility must be built into the design from the start.
KEPHART has developed a modular box-friendly approach that supports this need. The strategy allows buildings to be designed with modular box parameters—like standardized unit widths and vertical alignment—while remaining open to alternate methods such as on-site stick-built or off-site panelized construction.
This flexibility lets developers delay construction decisions until more cost or market information is available, reducing the need for time-consuming redesigns. It also makes it easier to compare methods, manage risk, and adapt to changing conditions.
While modular construction isn’t right for every project, it’s ideal for developments facing labor shortages, tight timelines, or limited site access. And contrary to common misconceptions, modular design doesn’t limit creativity or always guarantee lower costs; its cost benefits vary by region, labor market, and project type. What it does offer consistently is more certainty of timeline, sequencing, and quality control.
In recent affordable housing projects, KEPHART’s flexible design approach has allowed teams to shift construction types midstream—two to conventional framing and one to modular delivery—without added cost or delay.
Construction may be unpredictable, but design doesn’t have to be. Building in flexibility from the start creates more resilient, responsive projects.
To read the full article, click here.
