At a recent meeting of the VRCA Trade Contractors Division Board one of our members raised an interesting issue.  He had become aware of a new product being imported into Canada which will challenge the usual mindset of contractors.  The product was a fully, self-contained bathroom module that can be pre-ordered to demanding specifications, shipped anywhere you want and simply “plugged in” to a high rise complex.  These units come fully outfitted with toilets, sinks, showers, grab bars, tiles, ceilings and floors.  The role of the mechanical contractor will be to simply hook up the outlets.

In my opinion, this is the next logical step that needs to occur in construction, for several reasons.

First of all, notwithstanding the current downturn in construction, medium and long range projections clearly show that we will be facing skill shortages in the future as our population continues to age.   I once heard a great line:  “the first response to a skills shortage was called the Industrial Revolution”.  Clearly, the industry has to be responding to this challenge with innovative ways of doing more with fewer people.

Second of all, in an increasingly complex world, with more and more products becoming increasingly sophisticated, we will need to look at methods by which we can ensure the best quality control possible.  It makes sense that building modules in a factory setting is a far better method of assembling things rather than having thousands of parts shipped to a job site for assembly in adverse conditions.  We have already seen evidence of this as roof trusses are now assembled in tightly controlled factories to demanding specifications, rather than at the job site.

The implications for our industry are profound.  What will be the role of the contractor in this new environment?  Will the function of tomorrow’s plumbers and electricians simply be to connect pipes and wirings dangling from a module unit delivered to a job site?  Or will the industry move to a higher value role for the average tradesperson, who will be challenged with more complex issues? Will new trades and occupations be developed that reflect the skills required in a factory setting, which will probably require more knowledge of robotics than carpentry?

What are the commercial opportunities for contractors in moving to the new style of construction?  Will the first person who can neatly integrate a variety of skills and processes successfully replace the way in which things are done now?

We have seen numerous instances of increasing use of factory assembled components of building.  One thing is for sure – we will see this trend increase exponentially in the future.  All of us should be thinking about this and getting ready to embrace new concepts and methods of construction, whatever it may be.