Offsite construction is the way of the future, and for a good reason. Modular and prefabricated construction is increasing in popularity, and there’s a boost in demand for prefabricated products worldwide.
But what makes offsite construction so attractive? And how can partnering with a specialized logistics team ensure you maximize all the benefits of this advanced type of construction?
Read this article to learn the benefits of offsite construction and how, with a logistics partner that specializes in High Stakes Freight, you can rest assured your offsite construction project will be an absolute success.
There are many benefits of offsite construction, including:
If you’ve selected offsite construction for your next project—whether modular, prefabricated, or some combination of the two—you likely did so because of the benefits listed above. And, if you’re an offsite manufacturer, you know that these benefits are the key drivers attracting customers to your product.
However, the question remains: How do you mitigate risk by identifying the right logistics partner to ensure deliveries that are consistently on time, in sequence, and intact?
To maximize the benefits of offsite construction, you need to mitigate risk. By planning and preparing the transportation of your offsite construction products early, you ensure everything runs smoothly down the line. The best way to do this is by partnering with a quality logistics partner specializing in High Stakes Freight early on in the project.
To reap the benefits of offsite construction, your freight must get to the job site on time, in sequence, and intact. Otherwise, the time, money, and resources you thought you’d save will be impacted quickly by delays, damages, and other hurdles.
The truth is that offsite construction logistics require the management of complex shipments and careful consideration of unique constraints. In addition, the project management behind these projects requires strategic planning that can lead to a disastrous domino effect if not executed properly. This is precisely why offsite construction products are considered High Stakes Freight because they:
At Stream Logistics, we do things unlike anyone else in the industry – even before the project begins. First, we understand all the elements at play, including time and access restraints. Other companies optimized for routine freight don’t consider these important project management details. Instead, they treat your high-stakes project like any other routine job and leave it up to you to face the risks.
We know how difficult it is to get the timing right, and we also know how expensive and detrimental to a construction timeline it can be when there are mistakes. Because we are as invested in the project as you are, we look at the whole picture from beginning to end in order to eliminate unforeseen shipping issues resulting from improper estimates, budget ranges, and sizing.
Many contractors do not think about shipping during the planning stage of a project. Then, when it comes time to ship, the shipping budget is typically not enough.
To avoid any budgeting surprises, we come in and ensure dimensions are in line with what can be shipped, as well as the most cost-effective sizes for shipping. This can be done immediately after the design phase. Check out our Modular Dimensions Optimizer to quickly gauge the number of trailer options available to transport your module based on your dimensions.
This also allows us to get the proper oversized/over-dimensional permits based on the dimensions of your freight, as permits and escorts vary state to state and must be secured in advance. If you don’t have the proper permitting for each state your freight will pass through, a whole host of other issues arise—all impacting your project’s budget and timeline, not to mention the safe transportation of the product itself!
We take the time to get the details right – before sending you a Digital Proposal.
Digital Proposals are exactly what they sound like: Proposals done digitally! Our clients rave about how easy, organized, and impressive our proposals are, and how they help keep their construction logistics projects organized and on track. Instead of clunky emailed documents or PDFs, our proposals come in the form of a live, well-designed website that clearly defines the scope of work, expectations, and logistics plan for your supply chain.
While the Digital Proposal is updated in real-time, we still regularly update our clients and send photos of their successfully delivered freight because we know that frequent, transparent communication is key to the success of our clients’ projects.
We get boots on the ground when we conduct a Site Survey to spot challenges before they occur and become real problems.
The Site Survey is a standard process for every large-scale supply chain project we manage. And the best part is that, at Stream Logistics, this is an added value service for our clients. When the project requires it, we will fly our team to the job site to conduct these surveys, knowing the investment helps us avoid much more costly scenarios in the future.
This is just one part of our unique logistics management process. Learn more about our 6-step process here.
Our Site Survey paired with our Transit Buffer allows for smooth, stress-free freight shipping every time. With a Transit Buffer, we can guarantee on-time delivery—even when unexpected delays occur—without impacting your project’s timeline and supply chain.
The Transit Buffer also gives us the flexibility to speed up deliveries, which would never occur with a routine freight company that delivers just in time, if that. So, if your construction crew gets ahead of schedule, we will have trucks in the area that can deliver more material early, which helps you gain control of your supply chain and over-deliver to your clients.
We also heavily vet our partner carriers, as we know without them, we don’t exist. Our carriers have extensive experience hauling High Stakes Freight, which makes all the difference to ensure your load is shipped on time and safely. They always have the right equipment for the job, triple-check the tie-down points, and send photos of the deliveries at the job site so you’ve always got eyes on your goods.
Always ensure you have the right carriers for the job, as not having the right carrier can have a negative impact on your bottom line. Things like re-brokering—which happens a lot in California—occur when the broker books the shipment before it has a driver. This is risky, because the broker can’t control what happens to the freight if they are using a third party. With a quality logistics partner, you can rest assured your freight is moved with a trusted carrier.
When the stakes are high and your reputation is at risk, we’ve learned that you can never be too prepared. Still, construction projects don’t always go as planned. That’s why we remain flexible, respond quickly, and can make adjustments at the drop of a hat.
Alternatively, if you don’t use the right logistics partner for your offsite construction needs, you risk late pickup and deliveries, causing a domino effect of postponed deliveries and rescheduled equipment such as cranes, forklifts, and crew. Pair this with the lack of communication that is (unfortunately) typical in the industry, and it can be next to impossible to get back on track.
We can see the value in the transit buffer by doing some simple math.
For example, some costs that get accrued due to delays include detention fees, TONU (Truck Ordered Not Used), and layovers.
There’s a lot on the line when moving High Stakes Freight—your brand, your reputation, your resources—and we don’t take that lightly. We win when you do, so we’ve made it our business to make you the hero to your clients.
If your current logistics partner is not invested in your success, and if you’re ready to maximize the benefits of offsite construction with a High Stakes Freight logistics partner, reach out!
Stream Modular is a transportation logistics company specializing exclusively in modular construction. We help modular manufacturers and builders transport mods, pods and panels so they arrive on time and safely to the build site.
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