For Offsite Manufacturers
Work Done Early, Paid Late
- Offsite manufacturers typically carry most of a project's cost in the factory, before anything is visible on site
- Payment models built around visible progress on site don't fit that, so cash can end up waiting on a delivery truck
- Customers, understandably, are cautious about paying for work they can't see
The result: capital tied up, cautious customers and, too often, late payment. Offsite ends up treated as an afterthought, when it should be invited to the table.
How BuildROI Would Help
BuildROI would move quality verification into the factory. An independent, ex-builder Project Manager verifies production milestones and captures the evidence, so payment can follow verified work, not just visible work.
Modern construction is hybrid. Most projects combine factory-built components, supplier-manufactured materials and traditional site work. BuildROI verifies progress wherever the work actually happens, with offsite as the starting point because the cashflow pain is greatest there.
Longer term, the evidence BuildROI collects should show which method works best for each type of job, so offsite is chosen when the evidence supports it, not by habit and not by default.
An Example Milestone Schedule
For an offsite-heavy project, factory verification could support a payment schedule like this one. It is an example for the pilot to test, not a fixed offer:
| Milestone | PM verification | Payment released | Cumulative paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract and specs finalised | PM reviews manufacturing specs, factory certification and delivery timeline | 10% | 10% |
| Production 50% complete | PM visits the factory and verifies components, materials and mid-production quality | 40% | 50% |
| Factory completion and QA pass | PM inspects the finished module before transport, with full photo documentation | 30% | 80% |
| Delivery to site | PM verifies the module arrives undamaged and installation-ready | 10% | 90% |
| Installation complete | PM verifies installation, integration and weatherproofing, and signs off | 10% | 100% |
Protecting the homeowner's money: paying before delivery puts that money at risk if a manufacturer fails. Protections such as ownership of the modules and insurance would need to be settled first, with legal advice, before any payment is made ahead of delivery.
For hybrid projects, offsite components follow factory milestones and traditional elements follow site milestones, all tracked in one system.
What the Pilot Would Tell Manufacturers
Payments
Do payment cycles become more stable when payment follows verified factory milestones?
Disputes
Do disputes fall when the evidence is captured at the time, in the factory?
Trust
Is the evidence good enough for customers, insurers and compliance bodies to rely on?
Confidence
Does independent evidence help customers say yes sooner?
An independent evaluator, chosen by government, would assess the answers. BuildROI wouldn't.
Working With BuildROI
BuildROI is looking for one delivery partner: an MMC manufacturer, ideally one that also delivers traditional construction and retrofit. The partner would contribute a senior person to work alongside the founder for the pilot, at the partner's own cost, and would give access to its factory, installation sites, builders and manufacturers.
If you're an offsite manufacturer interested in:
- Finding out whether verified escrow release steadies your payments
- Independent evidence of quality that customers and insurers can rely on
- Helping to build the evidence for offsite, so it is judged on data
Get in touch: contact jim@buildroi.co.uk to discuss how BuildROI's factory verification could work for your operation.