Bay Area
Modular construction in Bay Area.
SB 9, SB 35, and Builder's Remedy projects across the nine-county region. Fixed-price contract, 8-month delivery, HCD and CBC compliant.
380 miles from our West Coast port of entry
Market Context
What is happening in Bay Area.
The Bay Area has the highest construction labor cost in California and the longest entitlement timelines, but it also has the most aggressive state-level housing reform: SB 9, SB 35, AB 2011, AB 2097, and Builder's Remedy together have unlocked thousands of parcels that were effectively unbuildable five years ago. Modular construction is the way to convert that unlocked entitlement into delivered units before the political window closes. The road-transport distance from our West Coast port adds cost (roughly $5 to $8 per SF compared to LA), but Bay Area site-built premiums are far higher than that.
Where Modular Pencils
Best-fit project types.
- SB 35 / AB 2011 streamlined multifamily
- Builder's Remedy projects (housing-element non-compliant cities)
- Workforce housing near major employers and transit
- SB 9 lot-split duplexes and small infill
Delivered Cost in Bay Area
$138 to $156 per SF (apartment, includes road transport)
Includes factory fabrication, ocean freight to our West Coast port, road transport to your Bay Area site, and crane set. 15% margin baked in. Final on-site MEPF tie-ins, foundation, and finishes punch are performed by your local GC and quoted separately.
Regulatory Context
What is specific to Bay Area.
Builder's Remedy windows
Bay Area cities that fall out of housing-element compliance lose discretionary review power over qualifying affordable projects. These windows open and close as housing elements get certified. We track Builder's Remedy status by city so factory schedule can align with the window when it is open. Modular construction's 8-month delivery is well suited to projects that need to break ground inside a narrow legal window.
Prevailing wage and skilled-and-trained workforce
SB 35 and AB 2011 projects in the Bay Area trigger prevailing-wage requirements and, in some cases, skilled-and-trained workforce requirements. Factory-built construction in Vietnam does not interact with California prevailing wage rules. On-site work (foundation, crane set, MEPF tie-ins) is performed by your local GC and follows whatever wage rules apply to that scope.
Bay Area seismic and soil conditions
Bay Area sites frequently include soft soil, fill, and high seismic risk. All modules are engineered to California seismic standards for the specific site class. Our engineering team coordinates with your geotechnical engineer and structural engineer of record before fabrication.
Cities We Serve in Bay Area
San Francisco - Oakland - San Jose - Berkeley - Fremont - Hayward - Sunnyvale
Bay Area FAQ
Questions specific to Bay Area.
Does Bay Area transport cost kill the modular math?
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No. The road-transport premium from our West Coast port to the Bay Area adds roughly $5 to $8 per SF. Bay Area site-built construction runs $400 to $550 per SF for Type V multifamily, compared to our delivered cost of roughly $145 to $155 per SF. The transport premium is a rounding error on the delivered total.
Can modular meet SB 35 and AB 2011 timelines?
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Yes. SB 35 and AB 2011 require ministerial approval within compressed timelines. Modular construction's 8-month delivery aligns well with those windows. Fabrication can begin as soon as the approved permit is issued, which is exactly when a site-built project would still be procuring trades.
How does modular interact with prevailing wage?
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Factory fabrication happens in Vietnam and is not subject to California prevailing wage. On-site work (foundation, crane set, utility tie-ins, finishes punch) is performed by your local GC and follows whatever wage rules apply to that scope. The factory portion is roughly 70% of total project value, so prevailing-wage exposure is much smaller than on a site-built project.
Start Here
Bring us your Bay Area deal.
Tell us the site, the program, and the timeline. We will tell you honestly whether modular pencils for your Bay Area project and what the numbers look like.
Typically responded to within 1 business day.