Happy Fourth of July Weekend! At SurePods, we’re proud to be founded, headquartered and operated right here in the United States of America. We have been crafting modular bathroom units for over 15 years, making us the longest producing pod company in the nation. In celebration of Independence Day, we’re highlighting interesting facts about our US-based company and American-made modular bathrooms.

Pods from Coast to Coast

Founded in Concord, MA, in 2004, SurePods is the North American leader of factory-built bathroom pods and has built prefab units for projects from the Southeast to the Northwest. In 2014, we expanded operations and moved our plant to Orlando, FL. In 2021 and beyond, our focus is on helping building teams from coast to coast accelerate construction timelines and de-risk the jobsite with our lean modular bathroom pod process. We’re passionate about supporting our nation’s commercial building growth.

All-American Innovation

SurePods’ innovative factory processes and automated systems contribute to the unmatched efficiency of manufacturing and promote worker wellbeing in our facilities and across the country. For example, handling gypsum in the field typically requires two people. SurePods’ manufacturing plant adds vacuum lifters that require only one person to operate, making it safer and easier for construction employees. By bringing operations indoors, employees also gain exposure to cutting-edge equipment as they refine their craft.

Inclusive, tech-centric construction careers

Thanks to the simplification and enhanced safety features afforded by SurePods’ controlled factory setting and automated systems, the modular construction industry offers more diverse, inclusive and rewarding career paths today than ever before. In fact, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 10.3% of America’s construction workers are women, we proudly employ more than triple the industry average – approximately 32% of the SurePods team are women.

If you’re a US-based developer, hotelier or architect interested in American-made modular bathroom pods for your next project, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

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While investors and companies alike are seeing the value of modular as they work to keep projects moving, the pain point of today’s supply chain disruptions and material shortages are also driving demand for offsite, factory-controlled prefab construction.

Modular Construction Trends Toward Growth

On the investment front, Crunchbase recently reported startups in the construction space raised more in the opening months of this year than they did over the entire span of 2020. Roughly $1.5 billion has flowed into these startups since the beginning of 2021.

As pressure surrounding the price and availability of construction commodities such as lumber and gypsum continues to build, so too do the stock prices of modular and prefab construction. With alternative materials boosting productivity and reducing waste, their climbing popularity shows no signs of slowing down. For example, Skyline Champion, a manufacturer of modular homes, has seen an increase of 102 percent over the past year. Here at SurePods, we are on track to hit record breaking sales this year. With more projects in production than ever before, 2021 has been a year like no other.

D.C. Metro Area to See a “New Era of Modular Properties”

Innovation is also ripe across the modular sector as experts seek new technology to make the traditionally slow-to-adapt construction industry more efficient. A case in point, The Washington Post reports Van Metre Homes has partnered with Joseph Wheeler, a professor of architecture at Virginia Tech, in the development of a new modular prototype aimed at producing a “new era of modular properties” in the D.C. metro area.

Having nearly seven decades of housing industry experience under their belt, this North Virginia building company recognizes the benefits of factory-controlled building. By removing the unknown variables typically found in traditional construction (delays, labor shortages, etc.) modular methods place control back in the hands of the builder. Van Metre Homes is set to unveil Wheeler’s prototype, also known as the POWERhaus, in spring 2021.

Big Names Bet Big on Modular

With today’s material shortages, skilled labor woes and supply chain disruptions causing many to rethink traditional building methods, some big names are touting modular construction in an effort to shake up the industry. As Fast Company reports, “a new venture from a company inside Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate is taking on the challenge of creating and scaling modular architecture.” The joint venture between MiTek, a construction software and building services company, and Danny Forster & Architecture, seasoned designers of high-profile modular buildings, hopes to finally make modular mainstream by answering the global demand for more innovative and sustainable buildings.

Here at SurePods, our excitement grows as we continue to see modular processes turn age-old construction methods upside down. New technologies like prefabricated bathroom pods help expedite construction cycles, simplify jobsite sequencing and improve finish quality. To learn more about how today’s innovative modular bathroom pods can help you meet your project goals, contact us at [email protected].

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Founded in New England almost 20 years ago, SurePods has become the North American leader of factory-built bathroom pods. As the demand for modular construction continues to increase, we’re excited to continue bringing speed, simplicity, superior quality and safety to East Coast construction sites and support architects and developers who understand the benefits of prefabricated bathroom pods.

With some of our earliest work stretching down the East Coast, we’re looking back at accomplishments that span from New York all the way down to Florida.

Massachusetts

Prism Apartments, Cambridge, MA

When developing Prism Apartments, Consigli Construction enlisted SurePods to prefabricate bathrooms offsite. Project architects worked collaboratively with the SurePods team to design 159 modular bathroom pods for a variety of the apartment’s layouts, ranging from studios to 2-bedroom units. The project team estimates that prefabricating bathroom pods offsite saved $2,500 per bathroom compared to built-in-place bathrooms and eliminated 10 days of on-site labor per bathroom.

New York

Prospect Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

Opened in February 2016, Prospect Plaza, is a 110-unit low-income housing facility located in Brooklyn, New York. This award-winning project leveraged the advantages of SurePods’ unique manufacturing process to achieve a 94% construction waste diversion. The SurePods team was happy to combine their environmentally conscious manufacturing process with lean design processes to provide Prospect Plaza with 114 bathrooms.

Florida

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Opened in July 2011, The Boca Raton Residence Hall at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) marked SurePods’ largest and first dormitory project. FAU enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 700-bathroom units to shorten its construction schedule amid a tight fall deadline. SurePods’ offsite manufacturing and on-time delivery helped to ensure this project’s completion just in time for students arriving in the fall.

If you’re an East Coast- based developer or designer, let’s create something together. Contact us at [email protected].

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SurePods got its start in the Northeast almost 20 years ago, our production plant expanded to the Southeast in the decade following, and completed SurePods projects can be found up and down the West Coast. As modular construction methods continue to gain momentum, we’re excited and eager to continue working with forward-thinking developers who recognize the advantages of bringing speed, superior quality, simplicity and safety to projects with prefabricated bathroom pods.

To showcase the spectacular hospitality, residential and healthcare projects we’ve already been a part of on the Western side of the United States, we’re taking a look back at SurePods’ successes in the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and Colorado.

Washington

Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA

TGB Architects and Skanska USA Building general contractors were the first to partner with SurePods on a “shell and core” building method; the team turned to SurePods early in the design and preconstruction phase to prefabricate bathrooms for Seattle’s Virginia Mason Medical Center. Opened in 2015, the non-profit hospital features 51 SurePods bathroom pods.

Embassy Suites by Hilton, Seattle, WA

The Emerald City’s construction and real estate market has been hot for quite some time, as evidenced by dozens of cranes throughout downtown and the impressive growth of tech companies headquartered on the West Coast. Seattle-based American Life, the developer of the 23-story Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 282 bathroom units to shorten its construction schedule amid a tight local skilled labor market.

California

LA Live by Marriott, Los Angeles, CA

Opened May 2014, Marriott’s dual-branded Courtyard and Residence Inn LA Live rises higher than 20 stories and is situated in the heart of Los Angeles. To decrease traffic and community disturbances during construction of the property, GBD Architects, SODO Builders and developer American Life elected to have the hotels’ 400 bathroom pods delivered at night.

Wilshire Grand Intercontinental Hotel, Los Angeles, CA

Opened February 2017, the Wilshire Grand Intercontinental Hotel engaged SurePods to prefabricate 698-bathroom pods for the 73-story upscale hotel, which is recognized as the tallest building east of the Mississippi River.

Colorado

Exempla Saint Joseph Heritage, Denver, CO

Over in the Rocky Mountains, Davis Partnership Architects & H+L Architecture enlisted SurePods to prefabricate 440 SurePods bathrooms for Exempla Saint Joseph Heritage, the very first healthcare project to feature modular bathroom pods on the Western side of the United States. The faith-based hospital opened in Colorado’s capital city of Denver in 2015.

Military Barracks, Fort Carson, CO

The Army Corp of Engineers, Mortenson Construction and TranSystems achieved a LEED Gold project certification and earned the National DBIA Award for the military barracks in Fort Carson, Colorado. SurePods was honored to prefabricate 120 bathrooms for the unique multi-unit residential project that opened in 2012.

If you’re a West Coast-based developer, designer or construction industry pro, let’s talk. Contact us at [email protected].

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Here at SurePods, we celebrated Construction Safety Week! During the first week of May, contractors and building industry professionals work together to share resources and highlight the importance of promoting a culture of safety in construction.

As modular and prefab construction continues to gain momentum as a mainstream building method, SurePods’ commitment to de-risking jobsites remains a top priority. Safety Week 2021 focuses on construction safety from a holistic perspective, so we’re taking a look at the advantages offsite prefabrication offers and how SurePods is uniquely positioned to provide safer working conditions:

Well-lit, climate-controlled work environment

All prefabrication takes place in a climate-controlled, sheltered setting free of dangerous rain-slick floors or the merciless overhead sun. Temperatures remain consistent, supporting an ideal climate for doing one’s best work. With the absence of harsh weather conditions, the factory setting offers a more comfortable and predictable work environment.

Operations take place at ground-level

Most modular building takes place at ground-level, which largely eliminates the likelihood of injury caused by overhead debris. According to OSHA’s “Construction Focus Four” training, each hour pulled off-site and done in the factory at ground-level virtually eliminates fatalities from falls and from getting caught between hazards. With 39.2% of construction deaths related to falls and 5.1% of construction fatalities related to crushing, the single-level, pre-fab factory floor is indeed a safer place to build.

Assistance with automation

Like other modular facilities, SurePods’ multitude of automated systems contribute to the unmatched efficiency of the manufacturing process. They also promote worker wellbeing. Tasks that would otherwise require heavy lifting are simplified and made safer with automation. For example, handling gypsum in the field typically requires two people. In plants like SurePods, manufacturers add vacuum lifters that require only one person to operate.

Efficient operations and spacious settings

By reducing the number of floors where construction employees work inside (compared to outside on a vertical construction site), coordinators and managers have improved visibility of employees’ movements and can be quicker to respond to a potential hazard. Modular methods also require fewer hands-on-deck than a traditional jobsite; fewer employees mean there’s less chance of an incident.

Not only do factory-based modular methods stand to protect employees from substantial injuries compared to traditional construction sites, but the de-risked option can also lessen insurance costs for general contracting firms. Want to learn more about the added value of a de-risked jobsite during Construction Safety Week? Get in touch at [email protected].

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Now more than ever, it’s important for manufacturers to support the building industry’s collective goal of using resources more efficiently and reducing material waste. While SurePods is known for its four S’s of prefab – simplicity, safety, speed and superior quality – one equally important benefit is our “silent S,” sustainability. SurePods bathroom pods help save approximately three cubic yards of waste on projects and can result in approximately $500 a month in electricity savings.

But that’s just the start. In honor of Earth Day, we’re highlighting three ways SurePods modular prefab bathroom pods can help reduce a project’s carbon footprint:

Building with recycled materials and reducing material waste: Modular bathroom pod components are largely comprised of steel and wall board – two building materials that can be produced using recycled content. SurePods relies on 100% recycled steel and 97% recycled wall board to manufacture custom bathroom pods. Thanks to precision manufacturing afforded by a factory-controlled setting, correct amounts of material are ordered and unnecessary material waste is largely eliminated. In the instance a project does yield excess material scraps, SurePods is able to repurpose it in other in-house projects.

Using durable, high-quality materials to conserve resources over the long term: In addition to reducing material waste during initial construction, high-quality prefabricated modular bathrooms help building owners conserve resources over the long-term; especially when it comes time to renovate and refresh high-use facilities. SurePods manufactures its bathroom pods using durable materials like a fully waterproof and crack-proof ceiling and USG Fiberock Aqua-Tough interior panels. Such materials provide a solid foundation for future bathroom upgrades and eliminate the need for drywall replacement. Consider the number of bathrooms in multifamily apartments, hospitals and hotel rooms, and how often they are used. By eliminating the need for unnecessary renovations in the short and long term, building materials and resources can be easily conserved.

Leaning on precision manufacturing to improve air quality and energy efficiency: One surprising green building benefit of modular prefabricated bathrooms is its role in improving air quality by reducing the potential for harmful molds. Factory-controlled environments allow for more accurate construction techniques. The Modular Building Institute explains that modular construction can improve indoor air quality because, “the modular structure is substantially completed in a factory-controlled setting using dry materials, [so] the potential for high levels of moisture being trapped in the new construction is eliminated.”

Electrical, plumbing, finishes and everything in between is constructed to exact project specifications offsite. This means that modular bathroom pods built in a factory can have tighter joints and air filtration, which, in application, allows for better wall insulation and optimized energy efficiency. Pods are also purposefully designed with energy-savings in mind. Energy efficient LEDs, low-energy consumption occupancy sensors and water-conserving fixtures, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, are just a few examples of design features that help conserve resources and energy.

If you think your project could benefit from the green building benefits SurePods offers, let’s talk. To get started, contact us at [email protected].

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