"The company that makes them, Reframe, is the latest outfit chasing the construction sector's forever dream, in which buildings are assembled in factories like computers or cars, saving time and money in a field that everyone agrees requires too much of both. The technical name for this practice is modular construction, which has at times seemed as if it is the undisputed technology of the future."
"Traditional construction costs are through the roof, fabrication technology is better than ever, and housing prices are a national crisis. The planets are aligned for modular construction. Today, Enti explains, it takes about 150 minutes of human labor to build each square foot of a small multifamily building. He claims that his company can do it in 64. One day, Reframe wants to build at a rate of six minutes per square foot."
Triple-deckers built around the turn of the 20th century remain essential affordable housing in Greater Boston. A Somerville example was assembled in four days from a kit of 24 boxes that arrived with fixtures included. Reframe is producing factory-built modular multifamily buildings to reduce time and cost. Modular construction assembles units in factories, promising savings and greater efficiency. Reframe's founder reports current on-site labor at 150 minutes per square foot, claims the company can reach 64, and envisions a future rate of six minutes per square foot.
Read at Slate Magazine
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