Can Fully Built Bathroom Pods Be Installed in Hospital Rooms?

The BJC Phase III Modular Package project in St. Louis, Missouri, highlights the vital role of prefabrication in meeting the demanding needs of healthcare construction. TJ Wies Prefab demonstrates how off-site construction methods can deliver exceptional quality and efficiency, especially in the limited space of an active medical complex. Using advanced prefabrication techniques, TJ Wies integrated over 220 modular bathroom pods and headwalls, setting a new standard for efficiency and quality.

Healthcare facilities like BJC nationwide face intense pressure to expand and upgrade quickly to meet growing patient needs and technological advancements. The BJC Phase III project highlights these pressures as our teams worked within significant space constraints on a 58,000-square-foot site, accommodating a 17-story building with a 45,000-square-foot footprint. Integrating advanced medical infrastructure added to the complexity. TJ Wies Prefab faced these challenges head-on.

Planning & Designing Pods

The initial planning and design phase spanned nearly two years. It involved extensive 3D modeling and stakeholder coordination meetings,  ensuring the modular bathrooms integrated seamlessly with the existing infrastructure. Collaboration with trusted partners was essential, combining high-quality materials with cutting-edge technology. Our team employed innovative framing solutions to prevent tile cracking during hoisting, taking durability and functionality in critical areas into account from the start.

Building Pods

By moving 45,000 manhours off-site, TJ Wies Prefab reduced on-site labor demands. This approach enhances safety, as workers operate in a controlled environment, free from typical construction site hazards and environmental delays. Our workers used precut framing components and precision-cut drywall to decrease waste and increase production efficiency. Off-site framing and hanging production achieved a 40% efficiency increase compared to traditional methods. Our comprehensive QA/QC checklist and precision-cut penetrations ensured uniformity, significantly reducing the risk of human error and virtually all punch list items.

Transporting & Installing Pods

From the beginning of the project, TJ Wies meticulously planned the transportation of the fully constructed bathroom pods to the job site to adhere to a strict, just-in-time delivery schedule. This schedule was critical to avoid costly delays amidst ongoing concrete work and limited crane time. The scheduling ensured that the pods arrived on-site intact and ready for immediate installation without disrupting the ongoing work on-site.

Joe Lewandowski, Project Director at McCarthy Building Companies, emphasized the project's success: "When initially planning the BJC Campus Renewal Project, the team identified prefabrication as a key element of our project delivery method. By partnering with TJ Wies Prefab early in the design process, we were able to integrate prefabricated bathroom pods and headwalls into the project plan. The most significant benefit to the overall project has been the flexibility in taking work hours that would traditionally be worked on-site to the warehouse. There, the team has improved control over safety, quality, and schedule, improving overall project outcomes by reducing on-site labor demands."

The BJC Phase III Modular Pod project showcases the transformative potential of prefabrication in healthcare construction and beyond. By harnessing innovative prefab methods and precision engineering solutions, TJ Wies Prefab and our partners demonstrated significant time and cost savings while ensuring precision and quality. As the industry evolves, embracing prefabrication will be crucial to meeting the increasing construction demands. We are committed to continuing to lead the implementation of these solutions in the region, ensuring our clients benefit from the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and quality.

Transform your construction process with TJ Wies Prefab's industry-leading prefabrication methods. Contact a prefabrication specialist today!