FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Whitley Manufacturing?
Whitley Manufacturing Co., Inc. is one of the nation's premier builders of modular buildings. Founded in the 1940s, Whitley is an independent corporation based in South Whitley, Indiana, with factories in the states of Washington and Indiana. Whitley has produced over 35,000 modular units for customers in Europe and the Americas.

What is Modular?
It is just a different method of building offices, health care centers, schools and almost any other type of building you can imagine. Modular construction employs factory techniques to improve quality, shorten manufacturing time, and reduce cost. While it is not quite an assembly line approach to manufacturing buildings, the economies of scale, increased worker efficiencies, and reduction of delays from weather or vandalism add up to greater speed at less cost.

Are there other significant differences?
There is one other difference worth noting: flexibility. A modular building is constructed to be quickly assembled and easily disassembled. You can reconfigure a modular school to meet changing student numbers. That is unlikely with a standard brick and mortar facility. In fact, with modular, you can disassemble and move the entire building to another location and be back in business within a relatively short period of time.

So how does it look?
You drive by modular buildings every day. They can look just like any other building around. Exteriors can be as wide ranging as any other style of construction. Interiors can have brand name cabinets, plush carpets and all of the other hardware associated with any other building. Because of the efficiencies of modular construction you may be able to upgrade the exterior look and interior décor. View the Building Gallery.

What is the construction process like?
Whitley works through a network of independent distributors. The distributor helps you arrive at a floor plan, helps with material selections, works closely with us to create drawings, to obtain the necessary government approvals and to make sure the finished building is delivered, assembled and finished the way you expect. Tour the Factory.

Can we buy direct?
In short, no.  The distributor has the experience to represent you at every step of the process. They save you considerable time, money and headaches. Anyone who has built a home knows the complexity of the process, so distributors get more done faster for less. It is simply the most efficient way to go. We can help you find distributors near you.

Do I need an architect?
We have an experienced in-house design and engineering staff which alleviates the need for architects. We do, however, work with architects and value their services.

How long does construction take?
Two months, maybe three, perhaps longer for more complicated buildings. For example, your distributor may have a small Whitley Building that is ready to lease on 24-hours notice; a temporary office. If your needs are more elaborate it takes a month to two months to design the building, choose colors and obtain approvals. After that, construction takes a week or two and on-site assembly a few days more. It is a relatively rapid process. In fact, we can begin construction of your building while you are preparing its site. You can't do that with old-style construction. That advantage, called concurrent construction, alone saves weeks or more.

What size buildings can be manufactured?
They range from small "in-plant" offices to over 100,000 square foot multi-story office complexes. We have built schools, office centers, child care facilities, health care centers, MRI labs, airport terminals, and more. In fact, we have thousands of floor plans already on file.

Do your buildings meet code?
Yes. In many cases they exceed today's codes by offering greater energy efficiencies and weather resistance. They are designed to meet ADA requirements and fire safety rules as well.

Does transportation of the finished building eat up other savings?
No. The cost of transporting the building to your site is quoted with the initial price.
Old-style builders also transport materials and supplies to the site. The difference is that their materials are vulnerable to theft and vandalism while they await use. Our buildings arrive secure and ready to finish.

Can you move or rearrange our building?
Yes. Each module is a unit. There are points where electrical, plumbing, ventilation and other systems meet. They can be quickly disconnected, mate lines cut and the building lifted from its foundation. Then a truck hauls it to the next site where the process can be reversed, quickly. Adding another section to an existing building can also be finished faster than by conventional builders.