PCL, Clark, DPR, Mortenson, Others Embrace Offsite Construction

Although traditional site-built construction companies are sometimes portrayed as fearing competition from modular builders, many of them have been relying on their own offsite techniques for years.

These large contractors incorporate prefabrication into their workflows whenever possible in what they say is less about turning away from traditional site building and more about having another tool in their arsenal of options to help meet clients’ demands for cost-effective, on-time construction.

In projects ranging from hotels and hospitals to data centers and warehouses, they are incorporating components that have been fabricated off site such as patient headwalls, single-trade plumbing assemblies, multi-trade MEP racks, exterior wall panels, bathroom pods and pre-assembled door units.

Some are even using or considering full-volumetric modular builds, where as much as 90% of the work is done offsite.