If you have been considering a portable office building to solve your urgent need for more space but are afraid you will be disappointed by a boring, unappealing final result, take a look at some of the most common myths about prefabricated office buildings and modular structures in general.
Myth: Modular office buildings all look the same
Today’s state-of-the-art design and construction technologies allow companies to create versatile exterior designs that equal any traditional stick-built office building. They can be customized to look exactly how you want them to look. Single and multi-story designs can be designed to suit just about any purpose, with exterior finishes such as brick, stucco and other architectural surfaces that will blend with surrounding architecture. An example of an inviting small modular office building is the Assateague Island modular ranger station created for the National Park Service by Modular Genius which was awarded an Honorable Mention by the Modular Building Institute in 2012.
Myth: Prefab modular buildings are not durable
Portable modular structures are built to the same standards as conventionally built structures and are just as strong. They adhere to the same building and occupancy codes and are inspected frequently to ensure excellent quality. In fact, because they must be transported by truck to the construction site, extra attention is paid to their ability to withstand wind and poor weather along the way. With proper care and maintenance, modular buildings can last 25 to 30 years, and may last longer when permanently installed.
Myth: I’ll have to hire a contractor anyway
It is true that some modular builders do not provide turn-key services, which means that customers must do all building site preparation, obtain building and zoning permits and install all outside utilities by hiring a licensed contractor. However, other modular building contractors offer an experienced team of designers, engineers, project managers and field superintendents, and can serve as general contractor for all aspects of the modular construction process from architectural renderings to masonry to interior and exterior finishing to paving and landscaping. It’s important to know your responsibilities as the customer.
Myth: I’ll be stuck with an old-fashioned mansard roof
The fact is that many modular builders routinely offer a variety of roof styles, including gambrel-style roofs, flat roofs with skylights, pitched roofs with asphalt shingles, steel roofs and durable synthetic EPDM roofing, depending upon the design application.
Myth: The cost of modular and conventional construction are about the same
Not only are the costs of prefabricated modular buildings about 20% less in comparison to stick-built buildings, but time is money, and modular buildings can be delivered 40% to 50% faster. This means that your new office space will be available and ready to start earning profits sooner.
Modular Genius specializes in design-to-occupancy modular construction and has delivered hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space to commercial, institutional and government customers throughout the United States.
Whether you need a portable office building to solve an urgent need for more space or are interested in exploring other possibilities of modular construction, contact the company at (888) 420-1113 for solutions that will meet your deadlines and budget constraints.