Frequently Asked Questions

The Fab Collective is a US-incorporated modular manufacturer with production operations in Vietnam. We design, produce, and deliver accommodation buildings as a single integrated system — one contract, one fixed price, one confirmed delivery date. Our roots go back 20 years to The Fab Factory, a BIM and modular design firm with deep expertise across Southeast Asia.

Modular construction means your building is manufactured in a factory rather than built on-site. Components are designed to be produced under controlled conditions, then assembled at your location. The difference in practice is significant: factory production eliminates weather delays, skilled-trade shortages, and the cost unpredictability that come with site-built construction. Our buildings are not prefab panels adapted to a factory — they are designed from the ground up to be manufactured as a complete system.

We build modular accommodation for four primary sectors: resort and hospitality staff housing, industrial and factory worker dormitories, student and educational housing, and custom mixed-use developments. If your project requires fast, fixed-cost workforce accommodation — whether that's 50 beds or 500 — we want to hear from it.

Our system is designed to scale. We start at 50 beds and can deliver up to 500 beds per development using the same platform. The production line runs at 150 units per month, so timelines stay compressed even at the upper end. Projects that need to grow in phases can do so using the exact same system — no redesign required.

Our three quality tiers start at approximately $300 per square metre for Economy, $400 for Standard, and $500 for Premium — all at ±12% variance. The configurator on our main page will give you an immediate indicative cost range based on your bed count, floor count, building type, and quality tier. Every formal proposal comes with a fixed price that is your ceiling, not a starting point for negotiation.

It means exactly what it says. When we issue a formal proposal, the price we quote is the price you pay — full stop. There are no cost-plus clauses, no exposure to material market fluctuations, and no renegotiation. Your price is locked before a single component goes into production. The only items not included in the base price are optional add-ons (common areas, specific facility upgrades), which are quoted separately and transparently.

The configurator gives you an indicative cost range and estimated timeline based on your inputs. It covers the full base build: the modular accommodation units, factory production, shipping, and on-site assembly. Add-on facilities like common areas, laundry blocks, or hospitality upgrades are quoted separately in your formal proposal. The configurator is a planning tool — your formal proposal is the binding document.

The configurator shows you a live timeline based on your inputs. As a guide: a 100-bed resort development typically delivers in 16 to 20 weeks from contract. The design phase takes around 4 weeks, factory production runs at 50 beds per week, and shipping and assembly add a further 3 weeks. Factory production runs in parallel with site preparation, so you're not waiting for one to finish before the other starts.

On a traditional site build, trades work sequentially. The next crew cannot start until the previous one finishes, and any delay cascades. In our system, the factory produces your modules at a consistent rate of 50 beds per week while your site is being prepared simultaneously. When modules arrive, they are already complete — floors, walls, fit-out, MEP — and go up in days rather than months. The result is typically 50% faster delivery than an equivalent site-built project.

Your confirmed delivery date is part of the formal proposal. We do not issue a fixed date until we have completed the design phase, confirmed the production slot, and agreed the contract. Once that date is in the proposal, it is guaranteed. We do not issue estimates that become negotiations later.

Yes. Modular construction is actually better suited to remote or constrained sites than traditional construction. There is no need to house a large skilled workforce on-site for months. Modules ship as complete units and require a smaller, shorter-duration assembly team. We have delivered to remote industrial sites and island resorts across Southeast Asia.

Both options are available. We offer permanent structures designed to the same standards as conventional buildings, as well as relocatable configurations for projects where future site flexibility matters. Relocation capability is discussed during the design phase and engineered in from the start — it is not an afterthought.

Within a defined range — yes. Our system offers real flexibility, but it works within boundaries that exist for good reason. You can configure the layout using our modular unit combinations, choose from a range of cladding materials (cedar, Corten steel, fibre cement, rendered systems), and select interior finishes within each quality tier. What you cannot do is redesign the underlying module geometry, structural system, or production logic. Those are fixed — and that is exactly what makes the cost predictable and the timeline reliable. The moment a project steps outside the modular framework, you lose the cost differential that makes modular worth doing in the first place. Think of it like specifying a car: you choose the colour, the trim, and the options — but you are not re-engineering the chassis.

DfMA stands for Design for Manufacture and Assembly. It means every component of your building is specifically engineered to be built in a factory, not improvised on-site. In practice, this means tighter tolerances, fewer defects, and no last-minute design changes that blow the budget. Every component is modeled and clash-checked in BIM before production begins, so what gets built is exactly what was designed.

All components are manufactured under strict quality control protocols in our partner factories in Vietnam. Every module is inspected before it leaves the factory floor. We do not ship anything that has not passed inspection. Because production happens in a controlled environment, the variables that cause quality inconsistency on traditional sites — weather, subcontractor variation, material handling — simply do not apply.

We handle full BIM design and engineering coordinated with your site conditions and local code requirements. Every project goes through an authority submission process as part of the design phase. We have experience navigating local authority requirements across Vietnam and can work with client-appointed local consultants in other markets. This is covered in the scope of every formal proposal.

Yes. Our buildings are engineered to the same structural standards as conventional construction — and in many respects are more consistent, because factory production removes the variability of site conditions. Structural loads, wind ratings, and seismic considerations are all addressed in the BIM design phase and certified before production begins.

Our standard palette includes structural steel frames, concrete floors, and a range of cladding options across the three tiers — from functional industrial finishes at Economy level through to high-specification hospitality finishes at Premium. Cladding materials include fibre cement, cedar timber, Corten steel, and rendered systems. All materials are rated for the environments they are deployed in, including tropical climates, coastal conditions, and demanding industrial settings.

Our production operations are based in Vietnam, covering the full Southeast Asian market. We are US-incorporated and can engage with international developers, institutional clients, and resort operators globally. Delivery logistics to other markets — including Australia, the Pacific Islands, and broader Southeast Asia — are handled on a project basis. Reach out and we will tell you what is feasible for your location.

Use the configurator on the main page to build an indicative cost and timeline. Then send us your details using the quote request form or contact form. We respond within 36 hours with either a follow-up call or, where the project brief is clear enough, a preliminary proposal. From there, the formal design phase begins once we have signed heads of terms.

The design phase begins immediately. Our BIM team coordinates with your site conditions and local code requirements over approximately four weeks. Once the design is signed off, your production slot is locked and manufacturing begins. You receive regular production updates. Modules ship to your site and are assembled by our installation team. We hand over on the exact date agreed — no exceptions.