In this episode of Built Different, we examine counterparty risk concentration in modular construction. Katerra's 2021 collapse left developers scrambling. Other factories have failed more quietly. Size and institutional backing aren't protection against failure—but structural deal protections can reduce exposure.

Topics covered:

• How modular concentrates counterparty risk vs. traditional construction
• Lessons from Katerra and other high-profile modular factory failures
• Limits of financial due diligence on factory health
• Structural protections: payment terms, performance bonds, letters of credit
• Contract terms for work-in-progress ownership if factory defaults

Who this episode is for: Developers structuring modular contracts, construction attorneys negotiating factory agreements, lenders assessing counterparty exposure, and investors conducting factory due diligence.

Key takeaway: The question isn't whether your factory could fail. It's whether you've structured the deal to survive if they do. Payment terms, bonds, and WIP ownership provisions reduce the severity of a factory failure.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction risk, off-site building contracts, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we examine schedule risk transformation in modular construction. Traditional construction distributes schedule risk across many activities. Modular concentrates it at critical convergence points with zero slack—and the post-set completion phase is consistently underestimated.

Topics covered:

• Concentrated vs. distributed schedule risk in modular construction
• Factory delays: the most common source of late modular projects
• Why site delays matter more in modular than traditional construction
• The post-set completion trap: connections, punchlist, inspections
• Building contingency into factory and site schedules

Who this episode is for: Project managers scheduling modular construction, developers modeling delivery timelines, general contractors coordinating factory and site work, and lenders underwriting modular construction schedules.

Key takeaway: Model realistic factory production timelines—not the optimistic ones in the sales pitch. Build foundation schedules with buffer. Budget adequate time for post-set completion. The schedule advantage is real, but only if you don't give it back.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction schedules, off-site building timelines, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we examine design liability fragmentation in modular construction. Traditional construction has relatively clear responsibility chains. Modular fragments design across multiple parties with contracts that often fail to clarify who owns what—and insurance policies that may not respond when claims arise.

Topics covered:

• How design responsibility fragments across architects, factory engineers, and consultants
• Contract ambiguity that enables finger-pointing after defects emerge
• Professional liability vs. product liability coverage gaps
• Insurance policy triggers, exclusions, and limits for design defects
• Questions to answer before signing modular construction contracts

Who this episode is for: Developers negotiating modular contracts, architects working on modular projects, factory engineering teams, construction attorneys, and insurance professionals covering modular construction.

Key takeaway: Before you sign contracts, map design responsibility explicitly. Who owns connection details? Who certifies structural adequacy? Who is responsible for code compliance? Ambiguity is cheap until there's a claim.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction liability, off-site building contracts, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we examine factory labor risk in modular construction. Factory labor markets compete with manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution for workers. When a factory loses experienced workers, production slows and defect rates rise—and you're exposed to that risk even though you never see the factory floor.

Topics covered:

• Factory labor markets vs. construction labor markets
• How high turnover affects module quality and production schedules
• Strike risk: what happens when factory production halts completely
• Due diligence on workforce stability, tenure, and labor relations
• Why the labor risk you avoided on site moved to the factory

Who this episode is for: Developers conducting factory due diligence, HR leaders at modular factories, general contractors managing factory relationships, and investors evaluating modular factory operations.

Key takeaway: Visit the factory and observe the workforce. Are workers engaged and experienced, or does it look like a revolving door? The answers tell you something about production reliability.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction labor, off-site building workforce, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we examine how modular concentrates supply chain risk at the factory. The COVID years exposed this vulnerability when factories couldn't get steel, appliances, windows, or MEP components. Lead times stretched from weeks to months while developers watched helplessly.

Topics covered:

• How modular concentrates vs. distributes supply chain exposure
• Factory visibility gaps: supplier relationships and inventory levels
• Lessons from COVID-era supply chain disruptions in modular
• Due diligence questions on factory supply chain management
• Why contract protections have limits when factories can't deliver

Who this episode is for: Developers evaluating factory partnerships, procurement managers at modular factories, general contractors managing modular schedules, and risk managers assessing supply chain exposure.

Key takeaway: The real protection is selecting factories with supply chain resilience—sophisticated procurement, buffer inventory, multiple suppliers—and building schedule contingency into your project plan.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction risk, off-site building supply chain, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we examine how modular construction affects disposition and refinance. Appraisal comparable challenges in markets with limited modular inventory, buyer perception variations by sophistication level, and the documentation that makes exits easier.

Topics covered:

• Appraisal challenges: finding comparable sales for modular buildings
• Institutional vs. unsophisticated buyer perception of modular assets
• How refinance lenders have evolved on modular construction
• Documentation that supports clean exits: QC records, certifications, warranties
• Why operating performance matters more than construction method

Who this episode is for: Developers planning modular project exits, investment sales brokers marketing modular assets, permanent lenders evaluating modular refinance requests, and appraisers valuing modular buildings.

Key takeaway: The best exit strategy is building quality. A modular building that performs well operationally will find buyers and lenders. Construction method becomes a footnote, not a headline.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction exits, off-site building disposition, and volumetric construction investment drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we break down the tax implications of modular construction. Sales tax treatment of modules as tangible goods vs. construction services, property tax assessment timing, and depreciation opportunities through cost segregation studies.

Topics covered:

• Sales tax risk: modules as manufactured goods vs. real property improvements
• How contract structure affects tax treatment across jurisdictions
• State-by-state variation in modular construction tax exemptions
• Property tax assessment timing differences for modular buildings
• Cost segregation opportunities and accelerated depreciation strategies

Who this episode is for: Real estate developers structuring modular deals, tax advisors serving construction clients, CFOs modeling project economics, and accountants specializing in real estate development.

Key takeaway: Get tax advice early. The structuring decisions you make at contract signing affect tax outcomes at project completion. Retrofitting tax efficiency into documented deals is expensive if possible at all.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction tax implications, off-site building economics, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.

In this episode of Built Different, we map the insurance gaps in modular construction projects. From builder's risk exclusions for off-site fabrication to transit coverage holes and installation handoff disputes, the fragmented nature of modular creates exposure that traditional construction doesn't have.

Topics covered:

• Builder's risk policy exclusions for off-site factory fabrication
• Transit coverage gaps: collision, weather, vibration, and theft exposure
• Installation coverage handoffs: factory gate vs. site delivery vs. module set
• Professional liability fragmentation across architects and factory engineers
• Working with brokers who understand modular construction insurance

Who this episode is for: Developers managing construction risk, insurance brokers serving the construction industry, risk managers at modular factories, and general contractors coordinating modular projects.

Key takeaway: Map every phase of production, transport, and installation. Verify coverage exists for each phase with no gaps. It's tedious work, but it beats discovering a hole when you have a claim.

Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction risk, off-site building insurance, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.