The Modular Industry’s Great Gridiron Battle: Offense vs. Defense

 

The Kickoff

If modular construction were a football game, we’d all be watching a nail-biter. The offense—factory owners, general managers, sales reps, advisors, designers, and innovators—line up with ambition and a clear playbook: move the industry forward, score more projects, and prove modular is not a gimmick but a winning strategy.

But across the line of scrimmage stands a stubborn, well-organized defense—code officials, inspectors, zoning boards, NIMBY groups, and slow-moving government programs—each determined to hold the offense to short gains and long waits. And just like on any football field, the outcome of the game isn’t always about who has the most talent. It’s about who can adapt, improvise, and outthink the opposition.

The Offense: Builders, Innovators, and True Believers

On offense, the factory GM is the quarterback—calling plays, managing the clock, reading the defense. They’re trying to keep the team moving despite constant pressure: labor shortages, material delays, software integration challenges, and that ever-present referee known as “cash flow.”

The sales reps are the wide receivers—running patterns, finding openings in the market, and hoping the quarterback sees them before it’s too late. They’re the ones diving for those last-second deals that keep production lines moving.

Then you’ve got the advisors and consultants, the offensive coordinators up in the booth—seeing the field from above, analyzing data, and yelling into the headset, “Run the 3D BIM route!” or “Try the cross-laminated timber sweep!” They may not be on the ground, but when the offense listens, the plays start to click.

And let’s not forget the factory workers, the offensive line of this whole enterprise. They take the hits—tight deadlines, unexpected change orders, unrealistic delivery schedules—and somehow hold the line so the rest of the team can shine. Without them, nobody scores.

The Defense: Codes, Delays, and Doubters

Every great offense needs an opposing defense, and modular construction’s is one of the toughest in the league.

The building code officials are like linebackers—they hit hard and demand perfection. One missed bolt or unapproved fastening system, and you’re pushed back ten yards. They’re not the enemy, but they sure make you earn every advance.

Then there are the inspectors and zoning boards, the defensive backs of bureaucracy. They’re everywhere, watching your every move, often with a rulebook thicker than a playbook. They may not mean to, but sometimes their coverage is so tight that even the best innovation gets intercepted before it reaches the market.

And of course, the NIMBY crowd—the vocal fans in the cheap seats, booing every modular housing project that tries to enter their neighborhood. They yell “We support affordable housing—just not here!” loud enough to rattle the confidence of even the best offensive team.

The Coaching Staff: Owners, Investors, and Advisors

Behind every great team is a coaching staff with its own challenges. The owners and investors often see themselves as head coaches—but half of them are new to the sport. They’ve watched highlight reels of successful factories but haven’t experienced what it takes to actually win on muddy ground.

The industry veterans, the ones who’ve played this game since before modular had its own stadium, know the playbook by heart. They remember when the crowd was smaller, the uniforms weren’t shiny, and you had to explain what “offsite” even meant before anyone let you on the field.

And sometimes, the toughest part of coaching isn’t the opposition—it’s getting your own team to play as one. Factories, developers, and on-site crews often operate like separate squads running their own plays. Until that changes, the industry will keep punting opportunities it should be scoring on.

The Final Drive

Here’s the truth: the defense doesn’t win games. It prevents others from winning them. The offense—the people building, innovating, and believing—has to keep pushing the ball downfield, one yard at a time.

Yes, the referees (regulations), the weather (market cycles), and the crowd noise (public perception) can make the game feel impossible. But the modular industry has the most important thing on its side—momentum.

Every new factory opening, every successful project, every young engineer joining the team is another first down. And one day soon, when the scoreboard finally shows that modular construction is more than just a niche player—it’ll be because the offense refused to quit, even when the defense stacked the box.

My Final Thought:
Modular construction isn’t just building homes—it’s playing the long game. And the only way to win is to keep running plays, learning from every setback, and believing that the next drive might just be the one that changes the game forever.

Breaking the Rules That Hold Offsite Back: A Call to Courageous Growth

 

There’s a quiet truth echoing through today’s offsite and modular construction industry: the only things slowing your company’s growth are the personal rules you refuse to break.

Your path forward is full of obstacles, yes—but none are insurmountable. The roadblocks to growth aren’t just about funding, codes, or workforce—they’re often the limits we’ve drawn for ourselves.

So ask yourself: what’s really stopping your company from increasing its innovation budget, taking bold risks, encouraging experimentation, marketing more assertively, hiring AI and robotics talent, or investing in new production technologies?

When these ideas arise in meetings, the same responses often surface:

“We’re too small to take that on.”

“We’re too big to change course.”

“We tried automation once—it didn’t work.”

“We build houses, not software.”

“That’s not in our department.”

“Our investors won’t approve the cost.”

“Let’s wait for someone else to prove it first.”

Each statement sounds reasonable. Each is wrapped in experience. But together, they form the walls that keep innovation locked out.

These may be valid excuses for other factories—but not yours. Because you don’t work for “the industry.” You work for your company, your team, your legacy.

Walter Cronkite once said, “In seeking truth, you have to get both sides of a story.” The truth here is that playing it safe has never built the future.

Look around. The companies leading offsite forward aren’t the biggest or oldest—they’re the ones willing to rewrite their rulebooks. They’re experimenting with robotics and AI for scheduling and layout. They’re training crews in digital fabrication. They’re forming partnerships across design, finance, and manufacturing. They’re telling their story in the marketplace, not waiting for someone else to do it.

Growth doesn’t begin with new machinery or software. It begins with a decision—to question long-held assumptions and lead with courage, not caution.

So take another look at the rules that govern your company’s choices. Which ones protect your bottom line—and which ones just protect your comfort zone?

The industry is changing fast. Housing needs are urgent. The future will be built by those willing to break their old rules and invest in new thinking.

Stop the excuses. Start building the path forward. Because that’s the way it is—and the way it must be.

When Modular Factories Fail to See the Future Standing Right in Front of Them

 

A few years ago, I spoke with a young man who owned a small but growing framing business. He had six employees, steady contracts, and a hunger to learn how modular construction could help him expand.

He wasn’t asking for handouts or shortcuts. He wanted a chance — to tour a plant, meet people who knew what they were doing, and figure out how to transition from framing houses one at a time to selling and setting modular homes with efficiency and scale.

But what he got instead was a masterclass in how to lose the next generation of builders.

The Cold Shoulder from the Factory Floor

He lived in the Northeastern U.S., where modular factories are plentiful. He called six of them, asking to tour their plants and talk to someone who could explain how to get started.

To their credit, all six responded quickly. But what happened next shows just how broken the “builder onboarding” process can be in too many factories.

Three of the factories gave him the grand tour — introductions to managers, handshakes, and promises of follow-up meetings. Then… silence. No calls. No visits. No guidance.

When he finally reached one of the reps again, the excuse was almost laughable: “Sorry, we’ve just been so busy.”

Two others didn’t even bother pretending to help. Their reps told him to “send over plans” for quoting — even after he explained he didn’t have any yet and was only in the early planning stages. Both admitted they didn’t know how to help him start his business, only how to price a plan.

And then came the kicker. The last factory told him they already had a builder in his area — and couldn’t “possibly” add another.

I knew that builder personally. He was about to retire… and had only built three houses with that factory in the past two years.

That’s not a protected territory — that’s a missed opportunity.

What the Factory Could Have Done (But Didn’t)

Let’s be honest: this story isn’t about one young man. It’s about a mindset that’s too common in modular manufacturing.

Factories complain about the lack of good builders, yet when a new one knocks on the door, they make it nearly impossible to get in.

Here’s what should have happened instead — and what every factory should be doing today if they want to secure the future of their sales pipelines.

Example 1: Create a Builder Mentorship Pathway

Instead of brushing him off, one of those factories could have turned his enthusiasm into a relationship. A simple program — a one-day “Modular Builder 101” workshop or mentorship pairing with a veteran builder — could have guided him through the learning curve.

Imagine if he had left that tour with a short, structured roadmap:

1. How modular homes differ from site-built framing.
2. Steps to becoming an approved builder-partner.
3. Marketing support and lead-sharing once he’s certified.

That’s all it would have taken to earn his loyalty. Instead, the factory lost not just one builder — but the five to ten homes a year he could have delivered within two years.

Example 2: Build a “Pipeline Incubator”

Factories should start viewing eager entrepreneurs like this man as future assets, not interruptions.

An incubator approach could include:

• A follow-up meeting with a sales rep and engineer to review basic designs and modular constraints.
• Access to online resources explaining logistics, financing, and code approvals.
• A factory “coach” who checks in quarterly to track progress and offer guidance.

That young man was ready to invest time, money, and reputation into modular. Instead, six factories invested nothing — and ensured he wouldn’t invest with them.

The Industry-Wide Lesson

If modular factories want to grow, they can’t just think in terms of production capacity — they need to think in terms of builder capacity.

Every new builder who shows interest is a potential multiplier for the factory’s output. Ignoring them because “we’re too busy” or “we already have someone in that area” is shortsighted at best and self-sabotage at worst.

The modular industry doesn’t suffer from a shortage of opportunity. It suffers from a shortage of follow-through.

The young man I met still builds homes today — just not modular ones. And somewhere out there, six factories are still wondering why their builder base isn’t growing.

My Takeaway

Factories, if someone calls you eager to learn, don’t make them regret it.

Invite them in. Teach them. Show them how your system works. Because today’s curious framer might just be tomorrow’s top builder.

And losing that kind of talent doesn’t just hurt your bottom line — it hurts the entire industry.

If your factory would like to learn how to begin a program to work with 'new to modular' builders, contact me at modcoach@gmail.com

I’m Not Negative. I’m Just Not Lying to You - 10 Questions for Gary

 

People sometimes tell me I sound negative when I write about the modular and offsite industry—like I’m the guy who keeps bringing up the storm clouds during the picnic. But here’s the truth: I’ve seen too many good people and great ideas get buried under the industry’s own silence. I don’t write to tear anyone down; I write to wake the industry up. If that makes me the pessimist in the room, fine—I’d rather be accused of honesty than hide behind polite applause.

Here are 10 questions about why I write what I do:

1. Why do I write so many articles about failure?

Because failure is the most honest teacher this business has. Every “overnight success” factory has a backroom full of mistakes, and ignoring that history just guarantees a sequel. I write about failure so the next person doesn’t have to relive it.

2. Why not just focus on success stories?

Because success without context is a bedtime story. I’ve been inside those factories, met the people who pulled off the miracles, and seen what it cost them. The wins mean more when you understand what almost broke them.

3. Am I trying to stir things up?

If the truth shakes people awake, then yes. I’m not here to make everyone comfortable. I’m here to make the industry think. We’ve got enough cheerleaders; what we need are more people willing to point out the potholes before we drive into them.

4. Do I enjoy criticizing people?

Not even a little. I enjoy helping good ideas survive bad decisions. When I write about weak leadership, toxic managers, or clueless investors, it’s not out of spite—it’s out of experience. I’ve watched too many companies collapse because no one had the guts to say what everyone already knew.

5. Why do I focus more on business than technology?

Because the smartest robot or AI system won’t save a company that can’t manage cash flow or communication. This industry keeps chasing shiny tools when the real innovation we need is better management and accountability.

6. Why don’t I sugarcoat things?

Because sugarcoating is for donuts, not construction. People deserve the truth, even when it stings. If my words make someone uncomfortable, good—that means they hit close enough to fix something.

7. Have I been called a pessimist?

All the time. But I’m not pessimistic—I’m seasoned. I’ve seen factories rise, fall, and rise again. I write with the memory of every missed opportunity and every hard-won victory. That’s not negativity—it’s clarity.

8. What keeps me writing after all these years?

Curiosity and love for the people in this business. Every week, someone does something brilliant or boneheaded—and both are worth writing about. I keep typing because the story keeps unfolding.

9. What do I want readers to take away?

That hope and honesty can live in the same paragraph. You can believe in the future of offsite construction without pretending everything’s fine. My goal isn’t to scold; it’s to push us toward doing better.

10. What’s my writing philosophy in one sentence?

Tell the truth, make it readable, and never sound like a press release.

My Final Thoughts:

I don’t write because it’s easy—I write because somebody has to. The offsite and modular world is full of incredible people trying to change how we build. My job is to remind us not to lose our way while we’re doing it. If that means sounding like the grumpy old realist in the back of the room, so be it. At least I’m still in the room—and still writing.

The Day LEGO Discovered Modular Construction

 

When LEGO released its City Construction Site (Set #7633) in 2009, most people saw it as just another fun addition to the toy aisles—a crane, a few workers, and a couple of half-built structures. But for anyone looking closely, LEGO had built more than a toy. They had built a philosophy—a miniature tribute to what the modular construction industry would become.

Each section of the LEGO building was designed to snap together quickly, transported easily, and reconfigured in endless ways. A crane lifted pre-made components into place. Workers didn’t pour concrete or frame walls stick by stick—they assembled something that had already been carefully planned and built elsewhere.

Sound familiar? It should. LEGO’s design mirrored what modular and offsite builders have been championing for decades: a construction model where precision, repeatability, and imagination come together to replace chaos with control.

While kids were stacking plastic walls and swapping out roof panels, they were unknowingly learning the same principles engineers and architects use in today’s DfMA (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly) approach. In a way, LEGO became the first “factory” most of us ever worked in—teaching us that creativity and efficiency don’t have to be opposites.

Today, as modular builders wrestle with automation, robotics, and AI-driven design, it’s worth remembering that LEGO showed us the way years ago. Every set is proof that modular thinking can make construction smarter, cleaner, and even a little more fun.

Maybe the next generation of factory designers won’t start their careers in trade school or college—but on the living room floor, with LEGO Set #7633, unknowingly rehearsing the future of construction.

The Wake-Up Calls Keep Ringing — But is Modular and Offsite Construction Answering?

 

Every industry gets its wake-up calls. Retail had to face e-commerce. Auto manufacturers had to reinvent themselves with electric vehicles and automation. Even publishing had to learn how to survive in a digital world.

Now it’s construction’s turn. And make no mistake — the alarm is ringing loud and clear.

Artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and software integration are rewriting how projects are designed, built, and managed. Onsite construction companies are adapting, experimenting, and integrating new tools faster than ever. Drone-based inspections, AI-driven scheduling, digital jobsite twins — they’re all becoming part of everyday work.

But walk into many offsite and modular factories today, and you’d think the clock stopped somewhere around 2005.

Despite being built on the promise of modernization and efficiency, the offsite world seems oddly resistant to the very tools that could make it thrive.

Déjà Vu on the Factory Floor

I’ve toured dozens of factories over the past few years, from new startups trying to disrupt the market to 40-year-old stalwarts with reputations built on consistency. The contrast is striking.

The newer operations — like BotBuilt in Durham, NC, hum with experimentation. Their teams are small, hungry, and eager to push boundaries. Robots build wall panels. AI models analyze production data. Software links design directly to fabrication with minimal human input.

Then there are the established factories — the ones that have been around for decades. They’re busy. Profitable. But they look and feel eerily similar to what I saw 20 years ago. Workstations haven’t moved. Processes haven’t evolved. And in many cases, neither have the people in charge.

It’s not that these factories don’t care. It’s that they don’t have to care — at least not yet.

The Profit Paradox

Here’s the real reason behind the stagnation: profit.

If you’re an older, established modular or panelized factory making steady margins, why risk rocking the boat? The prevailing logic goes something like this: “We’re making money now, so why gamble on something untested?”

It’s a short-term mindset dressed in long-term denial.

The truth is, factories aren’t avoiding innovation because they’re afraid of failure — they’re avoiding it because they’re afraid of spending. They’ve found a way to stay comfortable in an industry that was supposed to be all about discomfort, disruption, and doing things differently.

But comfort kills innovation. Every year an offsite factory delays adopting automation, robotics, or even modest AI-based workflow software, it widens the gap between what’s possible and what’s sustainable.

Companies like 4Ward Solutions and Moducore have built affordable, scalable management and production systems that can track materials, time, efficiency, and labor across every line in a factory. Yet many factory owners I talk to still manage with Excel sheets, whiteboards, and gut instinct.

That might work today. But tomorrow’s projects — especially large commercial, multifamily, or government-funded modular builds — will demand precision, documentation, and digital accountability that manual systems can’t provide.

Startups: The Other Side of the Coin

Ironically, startups face the exact opposite problem.

Visit a brand-new factory and you’ll see gleaming equipment, custom software dashboards, and digital displays showing production metrics in real time. Investors love the look of innovation — but not the cost of it.

Too often, new factories burn through millions trying to build a futuristic production line before they’ve even produced enough modules to prove their concept. I’ve seen more than one founder run out of money, patience, or both, long before the first unit was delivered to a jobsite.

Being innovative isn’t the same as being profitable.

The smartest startups find balance. They adopt technology in layers, aligning each phase of growth with measurable ROI. They focus on solving one real-world problem at a time: material waste, bottlenecks, rework, or communication breakdowns between sales, design, and production.

That’s where digital tools, automation, and AI prove their worth — not as shiny toys, but as quiet problem-solvers.

Lessons from the Onsite Side

Here’s the irony: the “onsite construction boys and girls,” as I like to call them, are often adopting and adapting to technology faster than their offsite counterparts.

Concrete crews use robotic layout systems. Roofers use AI to map out cuts and slopes. Home builders use 3D scanning for as-builts. The field, traditionally seen as slow to change, is moving faster than the factories that were supposed to lead the revolution.

How did that happen?

Simple — they didn’t wait for perfection. They tried, failed, adjusted, and tried again.

That’s the difference between a company that views technology as a lifeline and one that views it as a luxury.

The Path Forward

The offsite industry doesn’t need an innovation miracle. It needs a mindset shift.

Factories must move from “Why change?” to “Why not change?” The cost of staying the same is rising — labor shortages, material volatility, and increasing regulatory complexity are already squeezing margins. The only way to stay ahead is to build smarter, not just bigger.

And that doesn’t always mean a seven-figure robotics system. It can start small:

• Software integration: Connect estimating, scheduling, and production systems.
• Digital training: Use AI-based tutorials to onboard workers faster and cut errors.
• Automation in stages: Start with cutting, fastening, or labeling systems before moving to full robotics.
• Predictive maintenance: Use sensors to prevent machine downtime instead of reacting to it.

Small steps create big results when done consistently.

Wake-Up Call: Round Two

The next few years will define which offsite companies survive the next cycle of disruption. When interest rates fall and affordable housing initiatives ramp up again, demand will surge — but so will expectations.

Developers, cities, and government agencies will want proof that factories can deliver faster, cheaper, and smarter. They’ll want traceability, digital documentation, and performance data. The factories that ignored technology will be scrambling to catch up, while the ones that listened — even a little — will be ready.

I’ve written for years about the potential of AI, automation, and robotics in this industry. Not as gimmicks, but as tools that make every part of the process — from design to delivery — better. What’s missing isn’t opportunity; it’s action.

My Warning to the Offsite Industry

The offsite construction industry was founded on innovation. It was supposed to be the wake-up call for traditional construction. But now, the tables have turned — and it’s offsite’s turn to wake up.

Technology isn’t waiting. Investors aren’t waiting. The market certainly isn’t waiting.

So the question isn’t if this industry will finally hear the alarm — it’s who will still be around to answer it.

100 Managers, 100 Excuses: Why Marketing Still Scares Modular

 

Ask 100 managers in offsite and modular construction how they use marketing — and whether it’s working — and you’ll hear 100 different answers. Most of them sound like excuses disguised as strategy.

Marketing in our industry is like that old forklift sitting in the corner — everyone swears it still works, but nobody remembers the last time they turned it on.

Let’s break down what you’d hear from our very own “marketing masterminds” across the modular world.

Group One: “We Don’t Really Do Marketing” (30%)

“We rely on word of mouth.”
“Our reputation speaks for itself.”
“Marketing? We don’t need it — we’re busy building.”

These folks think good work markets itself — like houses magically advertise themselves on Zillow. They’ve been in business 40 years and believe that’s proof they don’t need marketing.

They’re not wrong about reputation — but if nobody new hears about you, reputation becomes nostalgia.

Group Two: “We Post on LinkedIn Sometimes” (25%)

“We post pictures of walls and trucks.”
“We got three likes, one was my cousin.”

This group equates a random LinkedIn post with a campaign. They confuse activity with strategy and think hashtags equal leads.
Ask how it’s going and you’ll hear:

“It’s working… we think?”

They’re like fishermen who throw one line a month and wonder why they’re hungry.

Group Three: “Marketing Supports Sales” (20%)

“We have a brochure.”
“We send emails when we have something to sell.”

These are the folks who use marketing as a megaphone — loud, sporadic, and aimed directly at buyers. They see it as sales support, not storytelling.

Their biggest challenge? No one’s listening. Because marketing that doesn’t connect emotionally is just more noise.

Group Four: The Storytellers (15%)

“Marketing tells our story, positions our brand, and builds trust.”
“We track engagement and align our message with growth.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. These teams post consistently, track performance, and educate their audience. They’re remembered because they show up — and show value — even when they’re not selling.

These are the factories people think of first when opportunity knocks.

Group Five: The Innovators (10%)

“We use AI analytics.”
“We run video campaigns and measure ROI.”
“Marketing is part of our R&D.”

They’re not asking if marketing works — they already know. These companies use data, storytelling, and consistency to lead the conversation. They’re attracting builders, partners, and investors because they act like a brand, not a brochure.

The “Effectiveness” Poll

Here’s how your 100 answers would break down:

• 30%: “No idea — we don’t track it.”

• 25%: “Maybe? We think so.”

• 20%: “It works sometimes.”

• 15%: “Yes — when we do it right.”

• 10%: “Absolutely — it drives our growth.”

That’s 70% of our industry saying, essentially,

“We don’t know if it works, but we hope so.”

Imagine running a production line with that logic.

The Real Takeaway

The companies growing the fastest are not always building better boxes — they’re building better brands.

Marketing isn’t magic. It’s not optional. It’s the bridge between your great work and the world that doesn’t know you exist yet.

If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. And they’ll probably do it better — and get the business you wanted.

What Happens When Innovation Simply Becomes Noise

 The Noise We Mistake for Progress

If you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn lately or walked the aisles at an offsite construction conference, you’ve probably noticed a familiar trend — every booth, every post, and every speaker is promising “the next big innovation” that will change everything.

AI-driven robotics. 3D-printed housing. Pop-up modular factories. Digital twins. Carbon-neutral panels. Blockchain supply chains.

They all sound impressive. They all sound urgent. And they all blend into one loud, echoing chorus of “innovation.”

But here’s the question I’ve learned to ask after 40+ years in this business: Are we really moving forward — or just getting louder?

Innovation vs. Noise

Real innovation doesn’t shout. It solves. It’s tested, adopted, and proven — a solution that fixes a real problem and makes your factory faster, safer, or more profitable.

Noise, on the other hand, is all surface and no structure — buzzwords on a slide deck, untested tech, or promises without proof.

A flashy robotics arm that never makes it past the pilot stage is noise. A new fastening system that quietly reduces install time by 30% is innovation.

The challenge today isn’t that innovation has stopped. It’s that the noise has gotten deafening.

Why Noise Happens

The offsite construction world is filled with smart, passionate people — but even good intentions can create static. Investor pressure often leads startups to oversell before results exist. Conference culture rewards big talk and catchy slogans over measured execution. Social media acts like a megaphone, amplifying every claim of “disruption” whether or not there’s substance behind it. And the fear of missing out drives many factory owners to chase trends rather than test whether they fit their operations.

The result is a marketplace where everyone’s innovating — but few are implementing.

The Cost of Too Much Noise

Noise isn’t harmless. It confuses owners and investors who don’t know which technologies to trust. It distracts teams from focusing on fundamentals like throughput, quality, and training. It wastes budgets on pilots that never scale and erodes credibility when too many hyped solutions fall flat.

When innovation becomes background noise, real progress gets tuned out.

Spotting the Signal in the Static

You don’t need to chase everything — just learn to listen carefully. Ask yourself if the innovation solves a real, current problem in your operation. Look for proof through measurable ROI, working pilots, and active customers. Consider whether your team can adopt it quickly or if it will require months of retraining. And think critically about the timeline — is the ROI realistic, or is it just wishful thinking?

Innovation that matters is simple to explain, easy to measure, and aligned with your business goals — not someone else’s pitch.

When to Say “No”

The best leaders aren’t anti-innovation; they’re strategic innovators. They know when to pass. If a solution doesn’t align with your people or workflow, it’s not worth the disruption. If the payback period stretches beyond three to five years without clear milestones, it’s too risky. If it replaces rather than empowers your workforce, it creates more problems than it solves. And if it exists more for ego than execution, it belongs in a marketing deck, not on your factory floor.

Saying no to noise creates the space to say yes to what matters.

Leading Through the Noise

The most successful factories I’ve visited share one mindset: they practice measured curiosity. They test small, prove fast, and scale slowly. They celebrate quiet wins — process improvements, workforce training, better scheduling systems — rather than chasing whatever is trending online.

They understand that progress doesn’t need a press release; it needs results.

My Thoughts

Innovation isn’t broken. It’s just buried under too much marketing.

Your job as a leader isn’t to follow the loudest idea. It’s to find the one that hums — quietly improving your margins, your quality, and your future.

Progress doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it hums. Tune out the noise. Listen for the hum. That’s where the real innovation lives.

Where Did All the Builders Go?

 

For many years before the COVID-19 pandemic, I hosted Builder Breakfasts and Builder Roundtables across New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest. These weren’t fancy conferences with laser lights and LinkedIn hashtags. They were good, honest gatherings—30 to 40 people, mostly builders, factory managers, and owners who came to talk shop, share war stories, and swap business cards.

The food was great (if I may say so myself), and the networking was even better. You could feel the industry heartbeat in the room—builders learning from factory leaders, factory leaders connecting with peers, and everyone walking away with something valuable.

And then came my heart surgery, when I had to step back from hosting, and I thought someone would want to continue these events in that spirit. But after attending several conferences lately, I’ve noticed a shift—and not the kind you’d fix with a torque wrench.

The New Event Mix: Consultants, Vendors, and the Vanishing Builder

Walk into most events today, and it feels like the builders and factory folks are outnumbered.

In their place? A growing crowd of consultants desperately looking for work, vendors trying to sell without helping to sponsor the event, and Sales reps “just there to network.”

It’s not that they don’t belong. But the ratio’s flipped. What used to be 80% industry, 20% support has now become a 50/50 mashup. And when everyone’s selling something, the conversations change.

I’m not sure if it’s because event invites now flood LinkedIn every week or if there are just that many events competing for attention. Either way, the result’s the same—more events, fewer builders, and a lot of pitch decks disguised as conversations.

Maybe It’s Time to Lean Into It

So here’s my semi-sarcastic proposal for today’s reality:

Let’s stop pretending these are builder conferences. Let’s call them what they are—Networking Markets. Charge a premium to Consultants, Vendors, and other non-factory/builder people to attend and give everyone what they really came for:

• A kick-off two-hour morning networking session with snacks, coffee, and business cards flying like confetti.
• Followed by a one-hour panel on affordable housing for background noise.
• Lunch (still the best part).
• Another two-hour afternoon session of mingling, where every conversation begins with, “Have you heard about our new AI system?”
• Finish the day’s event with a one-hour panel on How to improve factory efficiency to make us all feel productive.

Everyone wins. The consultant might land a client. The vendor might find a lead. The AI rep in the bright purple skirt might just sign a pilot deal with a factory in Guam.

And maybe, just maybe, one lonely builder will find someone who actually swings a hammer.

My Final Thought

I’m not bitter—just observant. The industry’s evolving, and so are its events. But maybe it’s worth asking: Are we gathering to build relationships or pipelines? To share insight or invoices?

I’ll take the former any day—especially if breakfast is included.

Would you attend this kind of “Builder Market” event—or do you miss the old days when builders ruled the room? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s see who’s still out there building.

Life Doesn’t Play by Your Rules

 

What the Offsite Construction Industry Keeps Teaching Us — Again and Again

You can have the best plan in the world — a perfect budget, a polished factory schedule, and a product you swear the market will love — but life never promised to follow your blueprint.

In fact, it seems to delight in redlining your plans.

Just ask anyone in the offsite construction industry.

Factories open with fanfare, then face sudden material price spikes. A brilliant innovation sits on the shelf because one key investor backs out. Or a software update meant to streamline operations throws production into chaos for a week.

Sound familiar? Because here’s the truth: life doesn’t play by your rules — and neither does this industry.

The Illusion of Control

Most factory owners start with rules: “I’ll only build when the demand is guaranteed.” “I’ll only innovate once I’m profitable.” “I’ll only hire when I can find the perfect team.”

Then the market shifts, interest rates climb, or your lead carpenter retires mid-project. Life smirks — and you’re forced to improvise.

In offsite construction, control is a comforting illusion. What matters more is how fast you adapt when your plans crumble.

When the Wind Changes, Build Better

Hurricanes, tariffs, pandemics — none were in your five-year plan. Yet the companies still standing didn’t survive by digging in; they adjusted. They downsized product lines, found new partnerships, tried new automation, and leaned into resilience.

Because it’s not about predicting the storm — it’s about being built to bend.

Flexibility Is the Real Foundation

Think of your business plan as scaffolding, not structure. The best offsite leaders treat every process as a prototype — they test, measure, and pivot.

They know the path to success is paved with course corrections, not rigid adherence to a playbook written in calmer times.

The Gift Hidden in Chaos

Every delay, every failed launch, every “no” from an investor hides a lesson. That setback you curse today may be the spark that leads to your next big innovation.

Resilience, creativity, and grit are built in the space between your rules and life’s reality.

My Final Thought

You can’t force life to follow your plan — but you can design your offsite business to adapt faster, learn smarter, and recover stronger.

Because at the end of the day: "You don’t control the storm, you only control how you build for it."

Trade Schools Growing, But Teachers Are Now the Missing Component

 

Everywhere you look, people are talking about the trades making a comeback. Enrollment in vocational programs is climbing, classrooms are packed, and students are lining up to learn carpentry, electrical, plumbing, welding, and construction technology. For offsite and modular construction, it sounds like the cavalry is finally on the way. With more students chasing hands-on careers instead of four-year degrees, you’d think our labor shortages might finally get some relief.

But look a little closer and you’ll see a growing problem hiding behind the good news. The very schools tasked with training the next generation of skilled workers are themselves running short on labor. Trade programs are expanding, but they can’t find enough teachers to keep up with demand. And if trade schools can’t staff their own ranks, then offsite construction may find its much-needed labor pipeline squeezed shut before it ever starts flowing.

Enrollment Boom

Trade school enrollment is on the rise nationwide. Students are realizing that skilled trades can offer good pay, job security, and a career path that doesn’t require mountains of student debt. Many states and local school districts are reinvesting in shop programs, updating equipment, and working to make these programs more visible. For offsite construction—an industry desperate for skilled talent—this is encouraging news. Every uptick in enrollment means more potential workers who understand the tools, the technology, and the mindset of building efficiently.

The momentum is real, and it represents one of the few bright spots in an industry often defined by labor shortages. But momentum only matters if the system has the capacity to deliver. And that’s where the cracks are beginning to show.

Teacher Shortage

As classrooms fill up, many trade schools are hitting the same wall: not enough instructors. It’s not that the talent doesn’t exist—it’s that the best tradespeople can make far more money working in the field than teaching in a classroom. Schools simply can’t compete with industry wages.

Take Wisconsin, where one high school went through three shop teachers in four years before a social studies teacher retrained to fill the role—at a significant pay cut compared to what a welder or carpenter would make in the field. This is the reality across the country. For every enthusiastic student ready to learn, there may not be a qualified teacher there to guide them.

The Offsite Paradox

This situation creates an ironic twist for offsite construction. The industry cheers the growth of trade school enrollment, but without instructors, that enthusiasm never translates into actual skilled workers on factory floors or job sites. Schools can buy new tools, renovate labs, and announce partnerships with industry, but if they can’t hire enough teachers, students end up waiting—or worse, walking away.

For an industry like ours, already strained by a lack of skilled labor, this paradox should hit close to home. Even our best solutions—expanding trade training and promoting the trades as a career path—are themselves vulnerable to labor shortages. It’s a reminder that every part of the pipeline, from the classroom to the factory floor, has to be staffed if we’re serious about solving this problem.

Solutions We Need

There are ways forward, but they require creativity and cooperation. One option is to encourage part-time or adjunct teaching roles, where tradespeople split their time between the field and the classroom. Another is to build stronger partnerships between industry and schools, with companies co-funding instructor positions or rotating employees into teaching roles. Incentives like signing bonuses, continuing education opportunities, or recognition programs could also make teaching more attractive.

Most importantly, schools and industries alike must recognize that training the next generation isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a survival strategy. Without enough instructors today, offsite factories may find themselves facing even worse labor shortages tomorrow. The pipeline is only as strong as the teachers who keep it flowing.

The Quoting Conundrum: Why Offsite Construction Pricing Is Still a Maze

 

Even after decades in this industry, I still find myself shaking my head at the quoting process most offsite factories use. Recently, my business partner and I were involved in trying to get three factories to quote on a project. It should’ve been simple: we handed over the same complete specs to each. What we got back was anything but clear — and that’s being polite.

One factory replied within a day, one took a week, and one landed somewhere in between. All three sent us quotes. Only one of them actually addressed the specifications we provided. The others seemed to rely almost entirely on their preloaded standard templates, with minimal effort to adapt them to our project.

It was like asking three bakers for a wedding cake and getting back one wedding cake, one birthday cake, and one loaf of bread with frosting on it.

Then came the real time drain: trying to compare them.

Apples, Oranges, and Mystery Meat

Hours upon hours went into lining up each quote side by side, translating vague line items and deciphering what was included, excluded, or just assumed. Freight? One included it. One didn’t. One bundled it under “miscellaneous.” Taxes? Same mess. Set and installation? Two mentioned it but only one priced it. And nobody seemed to define their post-production charges the same way.

The kicker? One quote came in almost 20% higher than the other two, and even after decades in this business, we couldn’t figure out why. If my partner and I can’t untangle this, how in the world is a developer or builder supposed to?

So what do they do? Most likely, they stick with the one factory they’ve worked with before—the one that at least confuses them the least. That might feel safe, but it can easily cost them money and flexibility down the road.

The Missing Link: Architects Who Don’t Speak “Factory”

Adding to the chaos is what I call the elephant in the room: the Architect. Most architects hired to design these projects have little to no knowledge of what the factory can actually produce. Their drawings often ignore the limits of the production line, leaving factories to either over-engineer the quote or omit critical pieces entirely. Both options lead to incomplete or misleading pricing.

This misalignment between design intent and manufacturing capability is one of the biggest reasons factory quotes come back as vague jigsaw puzzles instead of clear offers.

Why This Matters: Trust and Transparency

In an industry trying to win over developers, municipalities, and financiers, this is more than an annoyance—it’s a credibility problem. If factories can’t clearly show what they’re quoting, how can they expect anyone to trust their numbers?

Developers want to know two things:

1.    What am I getting?

2.    What will it cost me, soup to nuts?

Right now, too many quotes only answer half of those questions, and usually in fine print.

Fixing the System: Five Ideas

Here’s how the industry could start pulling itself out of this mess:

1. Create a Universal Quote Template Imagine if every factory used a common framework that broke down every project into the same categories—structure, finishes, MEP systems, site setup, freight, taxes, and contingencies. Each factory could still plug in its own numbers, but at least the structure would be consistent.

2. Require Clear Inclusions and Exclusions Quotes should have a mandatory section that spells out what is not included. If freight isn’t included, say it. If sales tax varies by state, note it. If installation is only “assisted set,” explain that.

3. Build Customer-Facing Configurators Factories should invest in customer-friendly quoting software that pulls in their standard options but allows for project-specific specs. It shouldn’t take a trained engineer to figure out what a wall costs or whether it comes pre-wired.

4. Get the Architect and Factory Talking Early Too many projects treat design and production as separate silos. Get the factory involved in the schematic design phase. Educate architects on modular design principles so their drawings are buildable and quote-friendly.

5. Add a “Quote Translator” Role Some factories are starting to assign dedicated staff to review outgoing quotes for clarity and completeness. That simple quality-control step could save hours of confusion downstream and reduce the number of change orders later.

The Bottom Line

The offsite construction industry sells itself on speed, predictability, and cost control. But when a developer gets three wildly different quotes for the same project, that promise crumbles. If veterans like us struggle to decode them, newcomers don’t stand a chance.