DHC Developments · Frequently asked questions

Modular development, answered plainly.

Cost, timeline, financing, code, and whether your parcel suits it. Straight answers for developers considering volumetric modular in Fairfield County, Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

Common questions

What developers ask before the first meeting.

These are the questions that come up on nearly every first call. If yours is not here, ask it — a straight answer costs nothing.

Is a modular building lower quality than site-built?

No. It is built to the same building code, inspected to the same standard, and carries the same warranty expectations. The difference is where it is assembled. Factory conditions remove weather exposure during framing and give a repeatable line rather than a different crew each week, which is why tolerances are often tighter than a site build, not looser.

How much time does modular actually save?

The saving is in construction, not approvals. Because the factory build and the site work run in parallel rather than in sequence, the parcel is occupied for weeks rather than the better part of a year. Entitlement is unchanged — if a town takes nine months to approve an application it takes nine months either way.

Is modular cheaper?

It is more predictable, which on a development pro forma usually matters more. Design is frozen before anything is framed, so the job absorbs change by not needing change orders. On a scheme where a share of units is deed-restricted below market, that predictability is decisive, because you cannot price your way out of an overrun on a restricted unit.

Will a lender finance a modular project?

Yes, though the draw schedule differs from a conventional build because a large share of value sits in the factory rather than on your site. Lenders familiar with modular handle this routinely. It is worth raising early with your lender rather than at closing.

Does my parcel suit modular?

It needs crane access, a road that can take a module delivery, and manageable grade. A tight urban infill site is often a better fit than people expect, because compressing the site programme is worth more where there is no laydown space. We will tell you at the first pass if a parcel is a poor fit, rather than after you have bought it.

Can the design be customised or is it a catalogue?

Both models and the apartment building are customisable — elevations, unit plans and every finish selection. What modular asks is that those decisions are made before manufacturing starts rather than during. The three models exist as a starting point, not a limit.

Where does DHC build?

Fairfield County in Connecticut — Norwalk, Stamford, Bridgeport, Danbury, Westport, Fairfield, Wilton, Ridgefield, Greenwich and New Canaan — plus Westchester, Putnam and the Hudson Valley in New York. We hold Connecticut New Home Contractor licence NHC.0017378.

Do you only supply modules, or build the whole thing?

Either. If you have a builder we manufacture, deliver and crane-set the modules with the specified finish package. If you would rather hold one point of accountability we take the parcel through to a finished building, permits included, on a single contract.

Before you decide

Is modular right for this project?

Compare modular against conventional on schedule, cost, financing and risk — with a straight account of where conventional still wins.