Delivering projects on time and within budget is the hallmark of success. At the same time, contractors are under growing pressure to accelerate timelines despite labor and resource shortages, weather disruptions, supply chain uncertainty, and other factors that threaten to derail projects.
In the eyes of owners and developers, construction delays equate to lost revenue. The faster a project reaches completion, the sooner it can generate income. However, contractors are often caught in the middle, tasked with maintaining costs while working under inflexible deadlines. The “need for speed” leads to intense pressure to meet or exceed tight schedules.
As project demands increase, many contractors are rethinking traditional methods and materials. For Douglass Colony, a Colorado-based specialty contractor, the combination of offsite manufacturing and cold-formed steel (CFS) accelerates projects, allowing for high-quality work delivered ahead of schedule.
On the path to offering turnkey services that accelerate project delivery, Douglass Colony discovered Framecad, a provider of advanced end-to-end steel frame design and manufacturing equipment and solutions. Using Framecad roll-forming machines, Douglass Colony mass-produces panelized metal stud wall panels with precision and accuracy. Today, the specialty contractor fabricates, ships, and installs cold-formed steel trusses, CFS panels, and metal framing from its workshop in Denver.
SPEEDING COMPLETION
Mariposa IV, a seven-story multi-family building, illustrates how Douglass Colony uses cold-formed steel framing to deliver projects in the shortest time possible without sacrificing quality.
The result of a two-decade urban revitalization effort, Mariposa VII, consists of 45 affordable apartments and four townhomes. The project consisted of over 400 load-bearing panels erected on two levels of podium. With a short construction schedule and tight budget, panelized CFS framing helped Douglass Colony deliver the project faster than traditional methods.
Douglass Colony fabricated the pre-panelized metal stud wall framing at its headquarters and shipped them directly to the job site. The contractor erected 422 load-bearing panels in a total of 40 working days. Each level was completed in just seven working days, with two days assembling and erecting the wall panels and five days finalizing the floor system, completing the detailing on the floor deck, and pouring and curing the concrete.
Prefabricating the CFS panels saved time on-site and allowed activities to be carried out on the project simultaneously, reducing the construction duration. The panels also simplified assembly, enabling Douglass Colony to complete the work in one-quarter of the time it would have taken with timber framing and traditional methods. With the accelerated schedule and labor savings, Douglass Colony delivered Mariposa VII well within budget.
A COMPETITIVE EDGE
The combination of CFS and prefabrication offers contractors a wide range of benefits, from faster construction timelines and reduced labor costs to improved safety.
Precision—CFS frames are engineered to exact specifications, which means minimal adjustments are needed on-site. Since these components are prefabricated in a controlled environment, on-site assembly is faster, more predictable, and highly efficient. The precision also reduces the need for costly and time-consuming rework.
Lighter yet stronger—The strength-to-weight ratio of CFS compared to traditional materials, such as concrete, timber, or welded steel structures, makes it easier to transport and handle on-site.
Reduced weather-related delays—Weather-related disruptions are one of the leading causes of construction delays. With a significant portion of the work done off-site, prefabricated CFS is far less dependent on the site conditions, particularly in areas prone to unpredictable weather.
Concurrent off-site and on-site work—Unlike traditional methods, where site preparation and building happen in succession, prefabrication allows these processes to occur in parallel. While CFS is fabricated in the factory, teams in the field can begin preparing the site. Doing this work concurrently dramatically shortens the overall construction timeline.
Less waste—Steel’s consistency minimizes material waste in the factory and on-site, making the construction process more sustainable by reducing excess material use and its associated environmental impact.
Faster project completion—Prefabricated CFS can accelerate construction by up to 75 percent compared to traditional methods. Developers and contractors are seeing the tangible benefits of modular steel framing in sectors like hospitality, healthcare, and housing, where rapid project completion translates to faster return on investment. On larger projects, crane scheduling can often create bottlenecks. Modular solutions can address this by significantly reducing the number of lifts required compared to traditional construction methods, helping streamline operations and mitigate delays.
As the demand for faster, more efficient, and sustainable construction grows, prefabricated CFS framing offers contractors a path to competitive differentiation. By shifting a significant portion of the construction process off-site and leveraging the inherent advantages of CFS, contractors can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality projects faster.
about the author
Ray Bagley is the director of enterprise solutions at Framecad, a leader in steel frame building innovation. For more, visit www.framecad.com.