The process of transporting and delivering modular buildings comes with its own set of crucial considerations.
When it comes to international transportation of modular structures, the widely adopted method is FOB, which stands for "Free On Board" in English. FOB is an Incoterm, a term used in international trade to specify delivery conditions and decide which party in the contract handles transportation costs and when the responsibility for the cargo shifts from the seller to the buyer.
In the modular home industry, FOB is associated with the place of shipment, indicating the precise point where modules move from the seller's control to the buyer's.
While this may seem straightforward, those three letters, FOB, can present significant challenges in certain scenarios. It's crucial to understand where potential issues may arise and determine who holds responsibility for the "gray area" between the factory door and project acceptance.
Let's dive into the starting point: the factory.
A module is carefully loaded onto rollers and placed in the factory's storage area, patiently awaiting transportation to the construction site. Despite being a relatively short leg of the journey, this phase can lay the groundwork for substantial issues.
As you pass by a modular home factory, you might notice 10-50 neatly packed modules in the parking lot, eagerly anticipating delivery. During the summer months, this number could be even higher. One might wonder, how long can a module stay outdoors with top-notch thermal packaging?
However, an extended stay in the parking lot exposes modules to diverse and sometimes harsh weather conditions. Rain and strong winds can lead to tears in the packaging, allowing water to seep in. This, in turn, can result in damages that remain unnoticed for months, eventually surfacing as black mold or, in some cases, damage to drywall. Identifying and addressing these issues promptly is crucial once discovered.
When it comes to international transportation of modular structures, the widely adopted method is FOB, which stands for "Free On Board" in English. FOB is an Incoterm, a term used in international trade to specify delivery conditions and decide which party in the contract handles transportation costs and when the responsibility for the cargo shifts from the seller to the buyer.
In the modular home industry, FOB is associated with the place of shipment, indicating the precise point where modules move from the seller's control to the buyer's.
While this may seem straightforward, those three letters, FOB, can present significant challenges in certain scenarios. It's crucial to understand where potential issues may arise and determine who holds responsibility for the "gray area" between the factory door and project acceptance.
Let's dive into the starting point: the factory.
A module is carefully loaded onto rollers and placed in the factory's storage area, patiently awaiting transportation to the construction site. Despite being a relatively short leg of the journey, this phase can lay the groundwork for substantial issues.
As you pass by a modular home factory, you might notice 10-50 neatly packed modules in the parking lot, eagerly anticipating delivery. During the summer months, this number could be even higher. One might wonder, how long can a module stay outdoors with top-notch thermal packaging?
However, an extended stay in the parking lot exposes modules to diverse and sometimes harsh weather conditions. Rain and strong winds can lead to tears in the packaging, allowing water to seep in. This, in turn, can result in damages that remain unnoticed for months, eventually surfacing as black mold or, in some cases, damage to drywall. Identifying and addressing these issues promptly is crucial once discovered.