Fort builds new office for Mainland Sand & Gravel
Mainland Sand and Gravel chose Fort Modular to build their slick new custom-built modular scale/office building for their Richmond location. "This was a big job," says Mainland’s yard and operations superintendent, Pat Roman. “We wanted a brand new, modular worksite office that would be built precisely to our specifications.” The project had to be precisely built to fit the truck scale at 9 feet off the ground on top of a footing to maximize lift without tie backs. It had to be solidly-built to ensure maximum comfort in the extreme weather of this shoreline location. And it had to endure high usage, servicing more than 400 trucks a day.
The company considered selecting other modular suppliers, but chose Fort Modular because of their long-time experience and knowledge in this industry. “We knew that they had the experience to do an excellent job and that we didn’t have to babysit this project,” says Pat Roman. The result was a first-class modular building, built on time and on budget — in fact, less than budget!
“All modular buildings should be built like this! This building is as solid as a house. Instead of wiring hanging underneath the trailer, the wiring in this building is all installed internally through the walls and floors. The water lines are all heat taped and insulated to prevent any freezing. Its cozy, warm and draft free. We’ve got new furniture, a kitchenette, washroom, and an additional private office. It’s beautiful! It has, without a doubt, become our favourite modular building of all our sites.”
— Pat Roman, Yard & Operations Superintendent, Mainland Sand and Gravel
Mainland Sand & Gravel had a very short window of time to get the project done. The project had to be built in a 6 week time frame, then installed late in the afternoon on a weekend, when truck traffic slowed down. The building had to be installed on the elevated scale, with all the electrical, plumbing and skirting in place right away to ensure the scale was functional for business as soon as possible. The project required a lot of juggling between the removal of a temporary trailer and waiting for Hydro to be switched. “In fact, Fort Modular was ready and waiting for us!” says Roman. “They were on top of the project at all times. They were more than accommodating. And were very quick to get any requested changes completed right away.”
The 10 x 40 foot building features a main scale office area and a private sales office, plus a washroom and a kitchenette. But the most unique feature of this building is the sliding service window. In previous buildings, the sliding vinyl window that serviced the Mainland Sand & Gravel trucks would fall apart in a matter of months. Normal windows just were not designed for opening and closing hundreds of times a day. To address this issue, Fort Modular recommended a window-sized, 4 x 5 foot, sliding glass door. A sliding door, with heavy-duty running gear and latch system, is designed to be much more resilient and able to withstand such repetitive use. “It was a brilliant idea. The whole building just works so much better! Fort Modular really knows how to build things right. ” says Roman.
“Our new building is a first-class set-up. I would definitely go with Fort Modular again! They were on top of the project every step of the way — from measuring to installation. They provided superb follow-up, ensuring everything was up and running. I have nothing bad to say. They are really good guys. Fort Modular is top notch!”
— Pat Roman, Yard & Operations Superintendent, Mainland Sand and Gravel
CLIENT PROFILE: Mainland Sand & Gravel operates two rock quarries and 4 distribution yards, providing all sizes and grades of crushed stone, sand, gravel, river sand and rip rap for the construction industry throughout the Lower Mainland. For more information, visit mainlandsg.com
Project Details
- New — Custom-built
- Custom-Milled Kitchenette:
- 10 ft x 40 ft modular office building
- Sink, counter, cupboards, microwave and fridge
- Semi-Permanent Installation
- Washroom: attractive uni-sex washroom with low-flush toilets
- Main Scale Office Area
- Custom Window Layouts: maximizing privacy and view
- Private Sales Office
- Water/Sewer: Low-flow water system with sewage storage tank
- Heavy-Duty Service Window: 4 x 5 ft glass sliding door
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Security: Steel Entrance door with deadbolts,
bars on windows, and alarm system