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Ramtech Articles Tagged: Modular Construction
Ramtech’s Modular Buildings Now Available thru the GSA
Ramtech Building Systems is proud to announce our new contract award (GS07F0108Y) with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules program. The GSA is the primary agency of the U.S. Government that is tasked with developing best price buyer’s contracts to maximize the value and minimize the costs associated with procurement for all government agencies. The GSA Schedule has a large variety of products at pre-negotiated or “most favored customer” (MFC) pricing, available from select government-approved companies. Government contracting officers determine whether prices are fair and reasonable by completing a comparison of price and non-price factors that a company offers the government with those that are offered to commercial customers. Government buyers are then able to make purchases knowing that the GSA has managed the entire process and all the associated legal obligations that go with it. Ramtech’s modular building offerings will be listed under Schedule 56, defined as “Buildings and Building Materials, Industrial Services and Supplies.” This is a broad category that encompasses everything from complete buildings to alternative energy solutions. Read more…
Does the Term “Modular Construction” Still Fit?
Recently there has been considerable discussion within the Modular Building Institute on the use of the term “modular”. Some industry leaders believe that the term modular is confusing, and using it to describe both temporary and permanent commercial buildings is a mistake. In the residential industry, modular only refers to permanent homes, while manufactured housing refers to relocatable HUD Coded homes. In Europe, most modular companies refer to their building system as “off-site construction.”
The commercial modular industry in the United States has changed significantly over the last 30 years. When Ramtech entered the industry in 1982, the commercial modular industry concentrated on relocatable mobile offices and temporary classroom buildings. Most modular projects were built on outrigger frames set on block foundations, and if they were not moved within 5 years, they were considered permanent. Operating and finance leases dominated as these mobile buildings were considered personal property.
During the last 5-10 years, the industry has changed dramatically. While temporary buildings are still an important part of the commercial modular industry, permanent modular building systems are becoming the norm and are now thought to compete well with site framed buildings, as well as tilt-wall and steel building systems. Architects, major contractors, and owners are beginning to see “Permanent Modular Construction” (PMC) as a means of completing commercial projects faster and at a lower cost.
While there may always be some confusion when the term “Modular” is used, a lot of time and money has gone into educating architects, large contractors, and owners on the benefit of commercial modular construction and progress is being made every day. Virtually every week we see a news release or blog posting that speaks to the growing acceptance of modular construction as a viable alternative to stick-built construction. Commercial modular buildings are built in a manufacturing plant, in a controlled environment, to the same building codes as site constructed buildings. They can be Type 5 wood construction or Type 2 non-combustible construction, and in the case of Ramtech’s permanent modular building system, can utilize a concrete slab foundation.
As more hospitals, schools, office complexes, and military facilities are built using permanent modular building systems, the overall construction industry will come to better understand “Permanent Modular Construction.” Let’s not change the name of our industry or the product we produce. Let’s continue to educate the public so that 5 years from now “Permanent Modular Construction” will be viewed by everyone as a great option for commercial construction. The industry’s goal should be to grow the size of the industry from approximately 2% of commercial building construction to 20%. Staying consistent in our message to owners, architects, and large general contractors is critical to achieving this goal.
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Mike Slataper is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ramtech Building Systems, Inc.
Immanuel Lutheran Now Ready for Modular Building Project
Some projects simply take a while to happen, but patience and perseverance generally win out in the end as it has for Ramtech on many occasions. Such is the case for a new design-build contract that we just secured for the design, fabrication, and construction of a 13,440 square foot 14-classroom modular building that will be delivered and installed for Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Scheduled for completion by the end of the second semester of the 2011–2012 school year, the new modular building will be used to support Immanuel Lutheran’s new full-day preschool program which will be moving from the main church building to the new facility. The building, which includes office space, a common play area, and break room along with the individual classrooms, will be built utilizing Ramtech’s traditional modular construction approach. The interior surfaces will feature vinyl covered walls and resilient tile flooring, while heating and cooling is achieved through the use of eight wall-mounted HVAC units zoned to provide the maximum in energy efficiency. Two sides of the exterior will incorporate a NICHIHA fiber-cement brick panel wainscot together with an elastomeric paint finish applied over HardiePanel for the top portion, with the remaining sides clad in a 26-gauge R-panel metal siding. Read more…
Fort Worth’s Covenant Classical Returns to Expand Their Modular Buildings
In the modular construction business, having an opportunity to work with a client a second time requires an initial project that meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations. Most construction projects never go perfectly from start to finish, but you don’t often get a second chance if you don’t end up getting it right the first time. One of the many positive historical attributes associated with Ramtech is the fact that we have never failed to successfully complete a project. This track record has allowed us to not only win new projects but also gives us the opportunity to work with previous clients on their future building needs. This was the case with Covenant Classical School, a K-12 interdenominational classical Christian school founded in 1999 and located in far-west Fort Worth, Texas. Three years ago after Covenant relocated to their present 36 acre campus, Ramtech was tasked with providing four buildings totaling 23,598 square feet. The project consisted of three 7,236 square foot buildings for their lower, middle, and upper schools as well as an in 1,890 square foot administrative office building. The lower school building provided for nine classrooms and a teachers lounge, while the middle school facility included seven classrooms, a music room, and locker space. The upper school building features a large assembly/lunchroom, with the science lab and four classrooms. Covenant now plans to expand by adding an addition to one of the classroom buildings to accommodate another 90 students on top of their current enrollment level of 226. Ramtech will once again provide all design-build services including manufacturing and installation of the additional modules as well as all site development including the civil design. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of spring 2012.
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Sabrina Queen works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, serving the needs of the education market with temporary classroom facilities. She has been in the modular building industry for over 20 years
Glencoe Shows Off Their Permanent Modular Elementary School Building
Earlier we reported that Ramtech recently went back on the road to visit with some of our previous permanent modular building school clients in and around the northern Oklahoma area. We took along our video gear to record the thoughts and comments of our clients now that the completed projects were behind them and they have had a chance to thoroughly evaluate the facilities and reflect back on the experience of working with Ramtech. Our last stop was to meet with John Lazenby, Superintendent of Glencoe Public Schools in Glencoe, Oklahoma located 80 miles west of Tulsa where Ramtech provided the District with a new elementary school. Purchased through the Texas Buyboard cooperative purchasing network and built using Ramtech’s Accelerated Building System permanent modular construction method, the 6,272 square foot six-classroom facility is part of a rebuilding program to replace some of their original facilities. John was kind enough to give us his thoughts from inside the new building and had this to say about his experience working with Ramtech:
Mike Smith works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc. He serves primarily the Education Market where he has experience in sales, estimating, and project management of permanent school facilities. Mike has worked in the construction industry for 36 years.
Posted in Ramtech News
Tagged Education, Modular Construction, Permanent Construction
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Ramtech Initiates New Modular Buildings Education Program for Charter Schools
Ramtech announced this week the launch of a new program on the benefits of using modular construction for charter school providers. The initiative will provide an opportunity for the educators to learn about the recent innovations and practical applications in the use of temporary and permanent modular buildings when developing new schools or additions to existing campuses. The program will consist of privately scheduled meetings where teams of educators can meet with and explore Ramtech’s capabilities through ‘lunch and learn’ sessions with the company’s technical sales, engineering, and project management personnel. Tours of our manufacturing operation will also be part of the agenda, along with a demonstration facility consisting of a fully finished standard floorplan six-classroom modular wing addition with restrooms that will be available for viewing. The idea is to assist charter schools in the pre-planning stages of their facility requirements while providing them with a first-hand look at what can be done using our approach to temporary and permanent modular buildings. Ramtech plans to have the program in place and operational in January. Since the beginning of 2011, Ramtech has secured orders for seven charter school projects of various sizes and complexity, bringing the total square footage under development to over 80,000 square feet.
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Tagged Education, Modular Construction, Permanent Construction
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Modular Buildings and Federal Grants – Working Together with FQHC’s
With the federal government’s renewed emphasis on providing funding for medical building construction, Ramtech recently had the opportunity to work with several Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers in developing the required information to complete grant applications for new medical facilities using modular buildings. To start the process, Ramtech met with each of the centers to discuss their specific plans for what they needed in a new building. Following these meetings the personnel were asked to complete Ramtech’s Space Planning Summary outlining the types and number of spaces they required. These included waiting rooms and reception areas, exam rooms, behavioral health offices, dental operatories, labs, conference rooms and public meeting areas, administrative offices, as well as other support areas. Once all of the facility areas were clearly defined, a square footage was determined using a combination of the center’s layout choice and the typical design standards that would apply based on the activity and anticipated number of occupants in each area of the clinic. Read more…
Oilton Shares their Experience with Ramtech’s Permanent Modular Building System
As the Ramtech video tour of northern Oklahoma headed out of Tulsa, we next traveled west one hour to visit Timothy C. Arnold Elementary School, the site of Ramtech’s first Accelerated Building System permanent modular construction project in Oklahoma. Part of the Oilton Public School system, the District was faced with having to tear down their aging elementary school in order to replace it with a larger facility. Using the ABS method purchased through the Texas Buyboard cooperative purchasing network, Ramtech provided a 15,232 square foot 16 classroom modular building modified to incorporate a library, computer lab, nurse’s office, faculty lounge, and classrooms. We caught up with Matt Posey, Oilton’s School Superintendent, who had this to say about the project:
Mike Smith works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc. He serves primarily the Education Market where he has experience in sales, estimating, and project management of permanent school facilities. Mike has worked in the construction industry for 36 years.
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Tagged Education, Modular Construction, Permanent Construction
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Ramtech Modular Building Receives High Marks from Clary Sage College
Ramtech recently went back on the road north of the Red River with a video camera in tow to visit with some of our previous modular building school clients in and around the northern Oklahoma area. The Sooner state has been very friendly territory for Ramtech, so we wanted to check back in and get some feedback on how three of our Accelerated Building System permanent modular construction projects were performing now that the users had time to reflect back on the use of the buildings and their working relationship with us. First up was Clary Sage College in Tulsa, one of the nation’s largest vocational schools of its kind offering various degree-granting programs in cosmetology, esthetics, nail technician and massage therapy. Clary Sage owner Teresa Knox went on camera and had this to say about us:
Mike Smith works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc. He serves primarily the Education Market where he has experience in sales, estimating, and project management of permanent school facilities. Mike has worked in the construction industry for 36 years.
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Tagged Education, Modular Construction, Permanent Construction
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Speaking out on Permanent Modular Buildings
After Ramtech’s successful completion of the new middle school for the Blue Ridge Independent School District in Blue Ridge, Texas the focus has now shifted to the construction that is well underway on the District’s new two-story elementary school. Purchased through the BuyBoard purchasing co-op and constructed using Ramtech’s Accelerated Building System method, both permanent modular buildings are projected to come in on schedule and with all site development activities under budget. To highlight this development, Blue Ridge Superintendent Todd Lintzen graciously went on camera to provide some background and his perspective on what it was like to work with Ramtech.
Mike Smith works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc. He serves primarily the Education Market where he has experience in sales, estimating, and project management of permanent school facilities. Mike has worked in the construction industry for 36 years.
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Tagged Education, Modular Construction, Permanent Construction
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