Why Modular Building is Smart for Medical Facility Construction

If you are a hospital administrator or medical facility manager and are in a crunch for more space but don’t have time for a long-winded construction project, what do you do? How about considering prefabricated modular construction, like many hospitals, medical clinics, and outpatient care facilities have been doing in the U.S and abroad for the last two decades?

The modern-day Modular Building
Like every other aspect of architecture and construction, modular building techniques and materials have progressed at an incredible pace. The technology used to manufacture modular buildings is more precise than ever, and the people responsible for designing, building, and installing any type of commercial modular building are incredibly well-trained and skilled in their trade. Today a modular structure can be made faster and better than most conventional buildings, and nearly every type of building material known to man can be utilized to create whatever type of facility is required and do so in half the time as conventional construction. The modern-day modular building can be as technical or simple as specified by the owner—especially when it comes to healthcare facilities.

Why choose Modular Building?
Modular construction has become a very popular option in many sectors of the U.S. healthcare industry—especially in cases where an existing medical facility, such as a hospital or clinic, needs to expand its capacity quickly, but cannot afford to spend the time that a traditional construction project requires. Modular building is typically fifty percent faster than conventional construction, primarily because the site work can be completed concurrently with the manufacturing of the actual structure—saving months of valuable time. This style of simultaneous construction also minimizes patient disruption on site, which can play a significant role in keeping a medical facility open and comfortable for occupants.

Furthermore, with any medical facility renovation, expansion, or construction project, you need a team of experts to complete the scope of work on time and budget. Using modular construction is far less cumbersome than traditional construction because most modular building providers offer turnkey professional design and construction services to streamline the construction process. When you combine turnkey services with a dramatically reduced schedule, the end result provides the perfect remedy for any immediate need for medical space.

Typical uses of Modular Buildings in the healthcare industry
The most common applications of modular buildings in the healthcare industry are:

· ➥ Administrative offices

· ➥ Outpatient health clinics

· ➥ Acute care facilities

· ➥ Diagnostic imaging centers

· ➥ Relocatable emergency health clinics

Needless to say, almost any type of facility can be built using the prefabrication process, and hospital architects are consistently using modular for more than the usual applications depending upon the urgency of the space need, schedule, and budget. For the sake of this article, I will stick to the most common uses and leave the large technical projects for another day.

Finding the most capable Modular BuilderIf modular construction seems like a good solution for your medical facility requirement—I agree. The next step is finding, interviewing, and requesting pricing details from qualified suppliers. This step can be time-consuming—mainly if this is your first experience selecting a modular contractor. Here are a few tips that I believe will help you make the most educated decision possible:

1.) Request project references from each modular builder you are considering. Call the references and ask detailed questions about the firm’s performance.

2.) Keep in mind that in some states you can work directly with a modular building manufacturer or you can work with a supplier. Both scenarios have benefits, and in most cases, the pricing you will receive will be competitive no matter which style of company you work with. Sometimes working with a manufacturer will reduce your delivery time—and that may be a big plus.

3.) Unless you have a construction management team in place, look for a supplier with turnkey resources in house. This will make your project much easier to oversee and complete.

4.) If you would like to speak directly an expert about selecting a capable modular medical facility supplier or just to get some general questions answered, you can call the nationwide iModular.com Help Line (800) 806-7485.