info@agsstainless.com • 888-842-9492 • M-F, 8-4:30 PST
Para información en español haga click aquí

info@agsstainless.com • 888-842-9492 • M-F, 8-4:30 PST
Para información en español haga click aquí
info@agsstainless.com • 888-842-9492 • M-F, 8-4:30 PST
Para información en español haga click aquí
  • Home
  • CLEARVIEW® Railing
    • Rainier – Cable Railing
    • Glacier – Panel Railing
    • Olympus – Bar Railing
    • Cascadia – Railing Kit
    • Starlight – Accent Light
    • Hardware
    • Cable Prep
    • Specifications and Drawings
    • ADA Compliance
    • Sustainability
    • Warranty
  • Estimates/Ordering
  • Installation / Videos
    • Do-It-Yourself Installation
    • Installation Videos
    • Stainless Steel Cleaning and Maintenance
  • Gallery / Reviews
    • Customer Portfolios
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Before and After
    • Rainier Cable Railing Galleries
    • Olympus Rod Railing Galleries
    • Glacier Panel Railing Galleries
    • Blog
  • FAQ
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Employment
  • For PROs
    • Professionals
    • ADA Compliance
    • Case Studies
    • Press Media
    • Resources
    • Specifications and Drawings
›› Home › Blog › How Off-Site Construction is Changing the Construction Industry

How Off-Site Construction is Changing the Construction Industry

February 15, 2019 by Kevin Harris

<   Why AGS?11 Things You Can Do Right Now To Get Architectural Product Manufacturers to Spend Their Money Promoting Your Firm>

A tightening labor market is putting the squeeze on builders, making it more difficult for them to hire and retain skilled labor. This squeeze has led contractors to address the issue by utilizing architectural products that are built offsite (prefabricated). Using prefabricated architectural products in building projects allows contractors to make greater use of the workers they already have without sacrificing quality. Prefabricated architectural products also help reduce project waste and shorten product installation time.

Statistics Show Skilled Labor is in Short Supply

Over the past decade or so, laborers have left the residential construction industry in droves, mainly due to the bursting of the real estate bubble and the Great Recession. According to the Wall Street Journal, between April 2006 and January 2011, almost 2.3 million construction jobs were eliminated. The US Census Bureau reported that 60% of the construction workers displaced by the housing bust found employment in other industries or had left the labor market by 2013. Even worse, the Bureau says there is evidence of a persistent drop in the hiring of younger workers into construction jobs, exacerbating the shortage of skilled workers. A National Association of Home Builders survey of single-family homebuilders found that the number of respondents reporting a shortage of laborers in key trades rose from 21% in 2012 to 56% in 2016. This insufficiency of qualified workers makes it essential for builders to find alternative methods to complete jobs.

Prefabricated Architectural Products Reduce the Need for Skilled Laborers

Traditionally, raw materials are delivered to the construction site and onsite workers process and assemble them to complete the project. This means the majority of the work is done in an open, uncontrolled environment that is subject to the elements. Prefabricated construction, on the other hand, is completed in an offsite facility such as a factory or warehouse, offering a more controlled setting. Batches of components can be fabricated to industry standards more quickly, and then shipped to the job site for assembly, requiring less onsite labor. Offsite manufactured systems range from pre-cut components all the way up to advanced modular structures and are ideal for repetitive components of houses such as walls, floors, doors, windows, and railings.

Prefabricated Products Reduce Project Waste and Shorten Installation Time

Architectural products built offsite offer a number of advantages, such as improved product quality, lower cost, shorter installation time, and reduced project waste. In addition to reducing onsite labor time, modular construction also allows offsite and onsite work to occur simultaneously. So while prefabrication is being carried out in a controlled offsite environment, onsite work progresses at the same time, often resulting in project completion in just half the time required by traditional construction processes. And made-to-measure building components also minimize waste generation on the construction site.

AGS Stainless Manufactures Custom Prefabricated Railing Systems

When general contractors build railing systems onsite, they might choose off-the-shelf railing systems made of wood, composites, or aluminum because they are easier materials to handle. However, stainless steel railings are considerably stronger, more durable, and offer greater visual impact design than other commonly used railing materials. When contractors choose to include custom stainless steel railings on a project, they typically hire a local metal fabricator to design, manufacture, and install the railing system, often increasing the overall project cost and completion time. Having AGS Stainless fabricate the railing systems offsite can help bridge the gap. When custom railings systems are fabricated 100% offsite, there is no need for onsite cutting, welding or grinding of the components. Custom rails are shipped to the job site ready-to-be-installed with a few simple hand tools. The result is a project that benefits from customized, factory-crafted ornamental railings while reducing project waste and decreased installation time.

To find out more about the advantages of prefabricated stainless steel railing systems, contact AGS Stainless today.

<   Why AGS?11 Things You Can Do Right Now To Get Architectural Product Manufacturers to Spend Their Money Promoting Your Firm>

Filed Under: Blog, Kevin Harris

More from Kevin Harris...
• DODLA 2016 - AGS Panel #8• DODLA 2016 - AGS Panel #9• AGS Stainless Steel Rails Featured on "The New American Home"• A Great Collection of AGS Railing System Photos• Why AGS?• How Off-Site Construction is Changing the Construction Industry• 11 Things You Can Do Right Now To Get Architectural Product Manufacturers to Spend Their Money Promoting Your Firm• Financial Assistance For Tenants Who Are Past Due in Their Rent• Handrail Design: Extensions — for Ornamental Railing Systems• Why Demand Offsite Fabrication for your Custom Railing System? - 3/11/21• The Top 5 Questions to Ask a Railing Manufacturer -- Before You Purchase Their Product!All in Kevin Harris

Información del Contacto

informacion@agsstainless.com
Teléfonos: 888.842.9492 pregunta por Milena

Upcoming Events

06/04/25 - 06/07/25 AIA Conference on Architecture
View all news…
35% off hardware sale

… Cable Rail System came out great. We could not be any happier. The people at AGS Stainless are absolutely incredible. We would use them again ...   ~DG



Stair & Deck Railing Parts

Stair railing parts.

High-quality railing hardware and deck railing parts. AGS manufactures all railing components from marine-grade stainless steel.

Copyright © 2025  AGS Stainless, Inc  ·  (888) 842-9492  ·  7873 NE Day Road, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Home     Rainier – Cable Railing     Glacier – Panel Railing     Olympus – Rod Railing     Cascadia – Railing Kit     Starlight – Accent Light     Estimates/Order     ADA Compliance     Installation / Videos     FAQ     Contact     Blog     Professionals     Press Media     Press Releases     News and Reviews     Privacy Policy     Employment Opportunities     For Pros