History of Modular Buildings

A modular building is a pre-fabricated unit primarily made in a factory and transferred to a building site. It can be used individually or attached to several other modular units to make a larger building. Since these structures are easy to work with, they are often used for housing, classrooms, offices and medical clinics. Their endless benefits, including quick construction and environmentally friendly designs, have led modular buildings to be the face of the future.

Modular construction may be increasing in popularity, but this pre-fabrication is nothing new. Modular construction dates back to the early 1900s when Sears Roebuck Co. sold over 75,000 pre-built modular homes from 1908 to 1940. The home-building kits were sold in the Sears catalog and contained all of the materials needed to build a home. They included 30,000 pieces and a 70-page instruction booklet.

The 44 styles of modular homes ranged in price from $700 to $4,000. Buyers were able to browse through the catalog, choose a style of their choice and send in a small fee. Their materials would then arrive off the railway and included nails, shingles, paint and varnish. Although the modular construction industry had gone off without a hitch, the Great Depression caused sales to drop by 40 percent in one year.

Sears quietly fell off the radar during the Great Depression, but by the end of World War II, modular homes began regaining their popularity. Soldiers returning from the war wanted to purchase a home and start a family, and the demand for this immediate housing was more than what was available on the market. Modular homes made the perfect solution as they could be erected quickly and efficiently.

While modular homes where popular since the early 1900’s it wasn’t until 1958 that modular buildings became a popular way to construct schools, businesses and medical facilities. Modular construction has now advanced to cover all different markets. Today, modular buildings have a distinguished style and utilize state-of-the-art technologies to be exceptionally creative and efficient. They can be built to customized specifications and used across various applications, including business, retail& hospitality, government and homes. Since the materials used in these structures are the same as on-site construction, it’s near impossible to tell a modular structure apart from another. With unprecedented functionality and beauty, we can expect to see modular buildings in all facets of construction.