Decide whether modular suits this project before you design it twice.
Development planning tests whether a project works before the money is committed: whether modular is the right delivery method, what the site will support, what it will cost as the design develops, and what sequence gets you to a construction start. Feasibility takes about three weeks. Full planning takes eight to twelve.
Most projects that convert to modular do it late — after the drawings are done, the pro forma is set and the site plan is fixed. The savings are real, but they are much smaller than they would have been, and some of them get spent on redesign.
Is this you?
- You have a site and a pro forma, and modular has been suggested but nobody has actually tested it.
- Your architect has designed for site-built and you are wondering what converting would cost you.
- The numbers you have seen for modular came from a manufacturer, and you would like a second opinion from someone not selling modules.
- You need a rezoning, and you are trying to work out whether the density you want is achievable.
- Your funding programme has requirements the design has to satisfy, and you are not certain the current scheme does.
- You have been told modular is faster and cheaper, and you would like to know under what conditions that is true.
We have taken developments through this, not just advised on them.
Multi-family projects through rezoning, design and construction — including one that converted from conventional framing to volumetric modular partway through the programme. That experience is the reason we can tell you early and honestly whether modular suits a project, rather than finding out at tender.
The feasibility question
Whether modular actually pencils here. Site access and crane positioning. Transportation constraints and module dimension limits on the route. Lot geometry against module geometry. Local code and jurisdictional compliance. And an honest comparison against site-built delivery for this specific project, not for modular in general.
The entitlement question
What the site will actually support, and what it will take to get there. Rezoning strategy where density needs to change. Stakeholder and community engagement planning. Permit sequencing and the approvals path.
The cost question
Progressive cost estimating that tightens as the design develops — an early order-of-magnitude view when there is little more than a concept, refined through design development, ending in a fully tendered estimate you can take to a lender. Not a single number produced once and then defended.
What you actually receive.
- Modular feasibility assessment — site, access, transportation, code, and a suitability finding with the reasoning
- Comparative delivery analysis — modular against site-built for this project, on cost and schedule
- Early-stage conceptual design and massing options
- Entitlement and rezoning strategy with an approvals path and timeline
- Progressive cost estimates, refined at each design stage through to a tendered estimate
- Development programme — milestones, sequencing, durations and dependencies
- Consultant selection support — identifying and evaluating the design and engineering team
- Risk register with mitigation strategies and contingency planning
- Stakeholder engagement plan where community consultation is required
- Funding programme compliance review where the project is chasing a specific capital programme
Feasibility in three weeks. Full planning in eight to twelve.
Feasibility — 3 weeks
Site, access, transportation, code, geometry. A go, no-go or conditional finding with the reasoning shown. Many projects stop here, and that is a good outcome — a clear no in week three is worth considerably more than a slow yes in month six.
Concept and cost — 3 to 4 weeks
Massing and conceptual design options, tested against an early cost model and the pro forma you are working to.
Entitlement strategy — 2 to 3 weeks
The approvals path, the rezoning case if one is needed, the stakeholder position, and a realistic timeline.
Programme and team — 2 weeks
The development programme, the consultant team, and the sequence that gets from here to a construction start.
How we work.
Building information modeling from concept through design development, so the model carries the project rather than being rebuilt at each stage. Progressive cost estimating disciplines. Design for manufacture and assembly review where the project is heading modular — testing standardization, transportation, site assembly sequence and lot flexibility while changes are still cheap.
Architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering are delivered through the J2 network, coordinated by us.
Frequently asked questions
At what stage should we be asking whether modular suits the project?
Before schematic design is complete, and ideally before the site plan is fixed. Modular imposes constraints on module dimensions, structural grid, transportation routes and crane access that are inexpensive to design around early and expensive to retrofit later. A project that converts after construction documents will still see benefit, but a meaningful share of it goes into redesign.
Will you tell us not to use modular?
Frequently. Modular suits repetitive unit layouts, constrained sites, compressed schedules and markets with tight skilled labor. It suits highly bespoke buildings, difficult transportation routes and projects with unresolved design far less well. The feasibility phase exists to give you that answer in three weeks rather than at tender.
How is this different from what our architect does?
Your architect designs the building. Development planning determines whether the project works — delivery method, entitlement path, cost trajectory, programme and team. We frequently work alongside the design team rather than instead of it, and we help select it where it is not yet appointed.
Can you work with our existing consultants?
Yes, and that is the usual arrangement. Where the design team is already appointed we coordinate with them. Where it is not, we can run the selection.
Do you handle rezoning applications?
We develop the strategy, the approvals path and the stakeholder plan, and coordinate the consultant team through the process. The application itself is prepared by the appropriate licensed professionals in that jurisdiction.
How accurate is an early cost estimate?
An early estimate on concept-level information is directionally useful and should be treated as a range, not a number. It tightens as the design develops. The value is not precision at week three — it is knowing early whether the project is anywhere near the pro forma, and watching the trajectory as decisions get made.
Have a site and a question?
Run the Feasibility Snapshot for an indicative answer in a few minutes, or book thirty minutes and we will tell you what we would check first.