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.
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