Modular Student Housing Plans: Townhomes with a Great ROI

Townhomes and living units designed for modular student housing are helping to fill a critical need today for campus housing. With campus populations soaring in recent years and projected to climb even faster in the near future, there has been a widening gap between available student housing and the number of students requiring it.

Modular student housing design is helping to close the shortage gap because modular units can be pre-fabricated to some extent, and that saves on skyrocketing construction costs. It also requires less time to install modular townhomes and living units as opposed to those which are built from scratch by full construction crews. There are already waiting lists at many universities around the country for on-campus housing, simply because the demand is outstripping the ability to construct all necessary accommodations.

Why Modular Design is so Advantageous

With more and more constraints being imposed on the construction industry, and with labor for construction projects at a premium, the desirability of pre-fabricated and modular student housing is increasing by the month. There are a surprising number of benefits to modular designed homes built in the factory and assembled on site:

• Quality control – there is much more stringent quality control imposed on pre-fabricated homes, with many more inspections during the pre-fab process. Since they are not touched by weather elements in the factory, where the environment is entirely climate-controlled, a higher level of quality can be maintained.
• Added strength – since modules must be transported to a construction site, they are made extra secure against the vibration and shock of moving, whereas on-site homes are merely nailed together on-site for the most part.
• Green construction – in a factory setting, there is much less waste associated with the construction process, and excess materials can be used on the next project.
• Design flexibility – modules can be combined in a number of different configurations, depending on the needs of the developer or project manager.
• Increased energy efficiency – because of the attention to detail, extra inspections, and added strength requirements, each modular home is better insulated against weathering, and that provides greater energy efficiency to occupants.
• Cost savings – since there is less waste, and construction can be accomplished much faster, there is a significant cost savings associated with modular units, and that amounts to greater profitability for developers and builders.

Baylor College Student Housing Solution

Outside Waco, TX, at Baylor University, at least some of the demand for housing is expected to be met by a project which is currently nearing the completion of its planning phase, with construction set to begin in early spring. These modular units should be available for the fall semester at school, thereby relieving some of the student housing pressure faced by the university. Most of these modular townhomes will be compact and highly functional.

Most of the 100 modular living units will accommodate four sleeping areas in each structure, with individual units sized between 100 sq. ft. and 200 sq. ft. Each is also equipped with a living area, dining area, kitchen, and a covered patio for outdoor relaxation. While they may not provide the luxury of a 4-star hotel, their French Provincial styling adds charm and an exotic flavor to the student lifestyle, and they are fully adequate to supply all the basic shelter and living space needs for students focusing on their academics and college life.

There is also the potential to have this modular student housing community grow considerably in the future since there is an abundance of property nearby on which additional units might be situated. Other developers might well decide to invest in this same housing strategy to help satisfy the huge demand in the area, while making a reliable return on their investment.

Convert Architectural Plans into Housing

If you are a developer interested in becoming involved in this booming market for student housing with modular design, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Builders, commercial real estate professionals, and universities are also very welcome to inquire about converting modular architectural plans into traditional, stick-built designs, very easily.

While modular construction offers a variety of very real benefits, modular plans can also be used to build from the ground up using your local construction crews. This is a particular benefit if no factories are available to fit the project into their schedule. By utilizing pre-designed modular townhome plans, less time is needed for planning and construction, and your return on investment may be realized much faster than by designing a student townhome complex from scratch.