What Materials Are Common in Modular Homes?

September 6, 2025

The key to our continued success will be collaborating with our peers and striving for constant improvement in everything we do. Ultimately, it’s all about engaging with like-minded people to implement the step-change our industry so desperately requires. Legal and General, for example, have announced their own modular factory, and Berkeley Group are also getting involved in the sector.

Modular Architecture

It's a practice that was less-used a decade ago, but has become more commonplace as housing shortages have taken hold in the U.S., UK, and many other regions. In fact, Yahoo Finance predicts that modular construction will have a global worth of around $155 billion by 2031, and could play a big role in creating affordable homes over that time. Here are some of the advantages of the different construction materials used in creating modular structures. A module can be constructed from a range of different building material but, in practice, steel is the material of choice. Modular construction can generally be described as any form of construction where some form of prefabricated component or module is brought to site pre-assembled and erected into the final structural form.

Structural Steel Protection

Wood may seem weak compared to the strength of harder materials like concrete and steel, but it is one of the most versatile and durable materials used in construction.
Components and modules put together in a factory get transportation to the site and undergo assembly with tight tolerances.
The three primary types are Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Panels, Polyurethane (PUR) Panels, and Polyisocyanurate (PIR) Panels.
Steel is an inorganic and non-combustible material, which is beneficial against fire.
Structural steel produced in the US contains approximately 80% recycled material.

So whether you’re building a quick partition or outfitting an entire facility, the installation process is one less thing to worry about. Certain lightweight systems are intended for DIY installation, featuring clear instructions and not necessitating specialized skills. They can be easily installed, removed, and reconfigured without causing any damage to floors or ceilings.

Challenges of Modular Construction

As owners and designers explore the benefits of Modular Construction and look for more sustainable designs for improved environmental impact, commerical modular construction is inherently a natural fit. Building in a controlled environment reduces waste through avoidance upstream rather than diversion downstream. This, along with improved quality management throughout the construction process and significantly less on-site activity and disturbance, inherently promotes sustainability.

In summary, modular walls provide superior flexibility, faster installation, and long-term cost savings in comparison to traditional wall systems.
For those who are into fitness and want to use your pool for exercise, swim tethers can be attached to provide resistance while swimming in place against the current.
Modular formwork systems are frequently used for constructing walls, both vertical and inclined.
Whether it's helping customers build and maintain infrastructure, design and construct buildings, optimize global supply chains or map the world, Trimble is at the forefront, driving productivity and progress.
These modules are created in a factory-controlled environment, then transported to the construction site and assembled to form a complete building.

Can modular buildings be customized?

Precast concrete pools soon followed, using the same modular principles to create custom poolscapes. Our modular flat-pack container units offer a perfect prefabricated portable solution that make them ideal for use as site offices, locker room, housing, storage area and sanitary facilities. Conventional on-site construction involves a concrete mixture consisting of aggregate (small gravel of different sizes), Portland cement, sand, and water. This is the “hydration” process, which hardens (or “cures”) the concrete to its specified strength. If it’s a modular pool you want, then Endless Pools is the right place to go. These homeowners chose to have their pool installed partially inground on their deck with stone skirting to match their stacked-stone garden wall. To learn more and if you want a quote for your modular construction project, contact us here BUILD IT’s contact info. Additionally, if you are interested in opening a modular restaurant, check out our article The Advantages of Modular Restaurant Construction. Aly Bayoumi is an editor with a sharp eye for detail and a deep commitment to clarity and precision. Today, modular composite and precast pools allow homeowners and commercial property owners to create customized swimming pool environments, unlike those of the past, like building with Lego blocks. Metals are reputable for being hard, ductile, conductive, strong, and precise. As such, steel and aluminum are two other popular building components for modular construction.

The building's components are constructed in a factory before assembly on site.

These modules are built under controlled factory conditions using the same materials, codes, and standards as traditional construction. Hybrid modular construction merges modular components with traditional building elements. This method is particularly suitable for high-rise buildings or projects with complex functions. Sustainable practices have become a vital aspect of the construction industry. The controlled environment in the factory reduces waste generation, and surplus materials can be efficiently recycled. Additionally, modular buildings are designed with energy efficiency in mind, contributing to lower energy consumption and a reduced carbon footprint.

Material # Wood Framed Mobile Modular Buildings And Modules

Facilities can be extended or relocated with impressive project timescales and cost savings. As businesses grow, often, it’s not feasible to use traditional building methods for expanding existing office space. There are many benefits to modular construction, but you can’t simply “slice up a design” any design and have it built in a factory. You’ll need to work within a defined design systems and with a larger team of stakeholders. Modular architecture also allows for the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, to further enhance the sustainability of a building. With a hotel, a Build-to-Rent scheme, or student accommodation where space is rented, substantial income will be generated much earlier because of off-site methods. In addition, on the building contract side, the shorter building schedule means lower labour costs and reduced overheads. Investors get a return on their investment much more quickly, paying less interest on loans. In recent years, we have seen a rise in volumetric construction, which involves the off-site construction of as much of a building as possible before being brought to the site. Typically, a volumetric project would construct a complete room, with a bathroom inside that room, part of the corridor and, perhaps, some external finishes.

🏠 Affordable Housing Projects (UK & US)

Wood is also a popular ingredient in the creation of exterior wall panels that have additional layers. These layers help with insulation, waterproofing, vapour barrier, drywall, and siding. Wood is the most common material used in midrange homes because it’s affordable and can be easily customized. It can be categorized into several types based on its intended use, module configuration, and assembly technique. Understanding these classifications will help to more clearly identify which projects are suitable for modular construction. Modular construction involves building structures in sections (modules) off-site in factories, which are then assembled on-site into a complete building. Some modular walls are built for outdoor use, such as jobsite fencing, noise barriers, or temporary enclosures. Modular demands also have much higher amounts of complex decisions and typically utilize the front-loaded design process. stainless steel rehabilitation pools with digital depth control -loaded design forces buyers and owners to make final decisions on appliances and furnishes before construction even begins, leaving little room for changes. The financial process has also proven to be quite tricky, as the faster timeline usually generates much larger bills earlier in the construction process. More recently, “prefabrication” is the term that springs to many minds when discussing buildings that are assembled on-site. Modular construction saves 30-50% of the time compared to traditional methods, as modules are produced offsite while on-site work is concurrently executed.