There are a lot of things modular homes can do, but one of the most exciting ways modular construction is used is as urban infill housing. Put simply, infill housing is the creation of a home in an unoccupied space. In urban infill applications, that unused space is often a narrow lot sandwiched between two existing buildings.

Modular urban infill housing can be used to fill spaces as narrow as 12 feet wide (think townhouses). The benefit of filling this space via modular methods is that occupants of the units on either side of the space won’t be bothered by a lengthy traditional construction process. After all, it’s bad enough when something is being built across the street from your house – imagine construction happening on the other side of your living room wall for six months.

Modular urban infill is also advantageous because, as we all know, it’s not easy to set up a construction site, complete with trucks and cranes, for months at a time in a crowded city environment. We’re sure commuters on that route would have a few choice words for that contractor each morning.

Of course, that’s not the case with modular construction. The modules are built in a factory, without noise or interruption to the area where the home will finally rest. The modules arrive, the crane sets up, and it’s all done by the end of the day. True, there will be some post-delivery work to be done by a building crew, but compared to stick-built urban construction, it’s like a walk in the park.

For a good example of modular urban infill construction at work (at least in design), check out our Excel Drawing Board blog entry on the topic.