Mods, Kits, Sub-Assembly, Pre-fabricated, why not do it all?

It was winter of 2016. I was an Operations Manager for a Modular Manufacturing company with 2 locations, located in 2 different States. On top of that, I had upwards of 250 employees under me and we would regularly run $2 million dollars per week. Even with my title, I could not just insert my cabins on the production line. Yes, these would be fun modular projects and would give my team even more experience, however, they would have slowed my production line down drastically.

Backup.....the idea for my rental cabins was born in a hotel room as a scale model. This is the actual scale model I built. This allowed me to verify the log sizes, overall dimensions, roof pitch and scale.

My Amazing Team - I next reached out to my team members in my consulting business for their input and ideas. We decided to mix modular, sub-assemblies, pre-fabrication and kitting, all in one. With my consulting teams expertise, it was game-on. The drawings were created, parts were sourced with several vendors, tasking and goals were divided up. Our goal was to have a cabin kit completed in less than 30 days with one person doing the labor. We had an amazing plan. The floor was built exactly like a modular building, pre-plumbed, insulated, OSB held back at the mateline and bolted together on site.

Structural Assembly - Every log was cut exactly to length, we used a double closed cell foam insulation to prevent air infiltration and give a good sealant between courses. 16" spikes fastened all the logs together and were nailed at 24" o.c.. All logs were pre-drilled with heads of the spikes countersunk. Trusses were built using a jig I designed, with treated plywood gussets glued, painted and screwed.

Pre-Fabricated Assemblies - Gables were pre-assembled with siding, Towel bars and shower rods were made with black iron pipe for durability, Countertops made and pre-cut, sinks and faucets assembled, cabinets pre-drilled and squared. Interior partitions were pre-built and pre-plumbed including the shower valve. I preach sub-assemblies all over the country to my clients. These are prime examples on how to speed up an assembly line.

Cabin Assembly Process - All parts for 2 cabins could fit on one flatbed trailer I pulled with my truck. I pounded all of the spikes in with a 4lb maul. Lol. My team also created a special clamping tool to assist with compressing the rows of logs together as I was fastening. NOTHING BEATS HANDS ON EXPERIENCE!

Less than 30 Days - The plans and drawings were excellent as everything fit as expected. I worked by myself for 28 days daily assembling this kit. My goal was 4 cabins total that I could rent on AIRBNB. The cost per cabin kit materials were roughly $12,500. Two cabins were paid off the first season, the other 2 cabins were paid off the following year. We had guests coming from allover the world to our remote cabin property. The closest power is 9 miles away. I chose solar power 12 volt, 4 deep cycle batteries for storage, propane hot water, heat and cooking. Each cabin is well lit with 12 volt lighting, 12 volt ceiling fan and an inverter for two 110 volt receptacles. We became Super Hosts with a 5-star rating. Two groups of guests took professional photographs and asked permission to add pictures in their magazines. :)

This was an amazing experience. My team nailed it! This is why today I still use these team members to teach, mentor, train, design, and setup modular factories. Please review some of my past posts to see how we may be able to help you. Whether its a Panelized, Sip, Mobile, Modular, Wood or steel, Residential or commercial, I guarantee we will have the experience needed to assist you to a successful operation. You do not learn these industries in college or books. THIS IS REAL CONSULTING AND REAL EXPERIENCE