Today’s guest is Tom Hardiman, the official spokesperson for the modular construction industry. 

Key Takeaways

Tom ’s Background

MBA from Marshall University 

Had a passion for entrepreneurs and small business owners. 

Director of the Associated Builders & Contractors 

Modular Construction 

Modular Construction is a process of constructing a building or home in an off-site factory in modules, transporting to the site and then assemble. 

Shortened schedule with offsite construction. Allows you to have 2 sites going simultaneously. 

Much less material waste in modular construction. Whatever doesn’t get used is saved for later projects, not going to waste. 

Worker safety is improved by transporting the construction site into an indoor factory setting. 

Life Safety standards 

IBC

Construction has to meet the local building codes wherever the site is, regardless of modular construction. 

36 states have their own modular programs. 

Half of the total construction process occurs in the factory, the rest is site build. That is the jurisdiction of the local officials. 

Modular Building Institute

Have great relationships with local agencies. Can help with dealing with state programs and local officials regarding the modular process. 

Biggest barrier has been lack of understanding amongst code officials who are not familiar with modular. 

Perception of modular has changed. 

Modular Homebuilders Association

Single family modular industry

Been director for 10 years. 

Hardiman and Williams 

Residential and other forms of offsite construction work. 

Able to put the offsite construction umbrella under the same management team. Cost sharing, etc. 

Offsite Construction Expos. Coming up in Sacramento, DC & Denver. 

World of Modular Expo coming up in San Antonio. 

About Tom

As the official spokesperson for the modular construction industry, Tom has been involved in leadership roles in modular construction since 2004 when he was named the Executive Director for the Modular Building Institute, the international non-profit trade association for the commercial modular industry. In 2012, he took on the additional role as Executive Director for the Modular Home Builders Association, the national non-profit trade association serving the modular home industry.

Tom has extensive experience as an industry advocate on various legislative, regulatory, and building code issues at the state and federal levels. He was one of the leading forces behind the creation of the Offsite Construction Council at the National Institute of Building Science and has served on the Council’s board since its inception. He also serves on the Wells Fargo/NREL Innovation Incubator Board. In 2015, along with his business partner Steven Williams, he launched the first “Offsite Construction Expo” in North America. The Expo has since been delivered in person and virtually over a dozen times to more than a thousand attendees.

Hardiman was previously the Executive Director with Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia where he lobbied for pro-business and pro-growth legislation. Prior to association management, Hardiman assisted small businesses and entrepreneurs as Director of a Small Business Development Center. He has also worked in the economic development, banking, and insurance fields. He earned bachelor’s and M.B.A. at Marshall University in Huntington, WV, and the designation of Certified Association Executive from the American Society of...