Modular Apartment Homes Let Property Owners Rent Homes Faster, Natick, MA

The housing market is improving. Many experts believe this has to do with investors buying multi-family and single family homes and using them as rentals. Additionally, there has been a massive surge in apartment construction. If you are an investor looking for rental real estate, why not build a modular multi-family home or modular apartments?

Right now in Natick, MA a 3-story modular apartment building is being constructed on North Avenue. In fact, you may have seen the large crane over Natick Center as it lifted a 20,000-pound module off the trailer and placed it on the three-story apartment building.

Those modules are 'almost-finished' sections of apartments, with heating systems, windows, and interior items, like kitchens and living rooms, already installed. This apartment building will have 12 apartments in total, and will be built in far less time than it would take to build through traditional construction.

The crews began setting the boxes Monday and was expected to last for three days. Using modular construction the traditional one year construction time is condensed into just a few months.  After the modules are set, workers will make connections between them and put on a stucco siding. The building will take shape in a few hours.

This is one of the main factors that has developers of commercial projects using modular construction.

Right now, modular construction represents about 1.5% percent of the commercial construction industry, but the Modular Building Institute "anticipates significant growth over the next five to 10 years."

The speed, achieved in part by constructing the sections in a factory while preparation work is going on at the site, means property owners can start renting apartments more quickly, saving developers money.

Less waste is produced through the factory process and modular buildings can be stronger because there is a double wall where boxes meet each other.

Innovative Design & Building Services/Excel Homes, a modular homes manufacturer used by Avalon Building Systems, is working on the Natick project. They have also used modular construction for student and military housing, among other projects.

For more information on modular apartment homes, contact Avalon Building Systems.

Metro West Daily News