How Jackpad® Enables Multi‑Storey Modular Construction

Modular construction has been growing in popularity, with its relative affordability, ease of installation and near-endless customisation options that traditional methods simply can’t match. Extending properties (or creating entirely new buildings) is helping many different sectors, such as eduction and construction, quickly get the space they need to keep their operations efficient and affordable. One of the greatest developments in modular construction is the ability to build over multiple storeys.

Building vertically makes much better use of space, especially on limited sites, while also helping reduce environmental impact and ensuring rapidsustainability project delivery. But stacking modular units safely requires exceptional foundations. In this blog post, we’ll look at the challenges of building multi-storey modular structures and explain how our Jackpad® system makes it possible.

Key Challenges for Multi-Storey Modular Construction

Designing a safe, stable multi-storey modular building requires overcoming a few challenges. Each module must align perfectly, weight loads must be transferred evenly through the construction and the foundations must remain level across the site, including on uneven ground. The traditional solution has generally been concrete footings, which help to provide stability, but they come with a list of significant drawbacks: long curing times, weather dependence, extensive excavation and zero flexibility once installed.

Our expert team has spent significant time designing and perfecting an alternative that offers structural reliability, rapid deployment and sustainability, without compromising on safety or load-bearing capacity. We named our unique solution the Jackpad® system.

Benefits of Building Up and Not Out

Multi-storey modular construction is an attractive proposition for our clients for many reasons, ranging from maximising available space, increasing overall building capacity and allowing for further expansion if required.

•       Scalability: By preparing for the possibility at the start of the project, additional floors can be added later with minimal disruption.
•       Speed: Offsite fabrication, rapid on-site assembly and an easy-to-install foundation system all drastically shorten construction timelines.
•       Sustainability: Compact footprints mean less ground disturbance and lower material waste, plus our system is made entirely from recycled and recyclable materials.

Even if space concerns are not an issue, multi-storey modular buildings make for a more efficient way of rapidly and affordably adding extra space capacity to your existing buildings. Find out more about the benefits in a recent article.

The Jackpad® System: The Starting Point for Multi-Storey Success

The Jackpad® modular foundation system is our solution for both single and multi-storey modular builds. Practical and reliable, each unit is built around a three-part design of a steel adjuster, a robust plastic support block and incremental packers which allow Jackpad® to provide stable, level support on most surfaces. 

Jackpad® requires very little ground prep and zero curing time, provided a suitable ground bearing capacity is achieved. Each pad can be installed and adjusted quickly to provide perfect levelling, and they can be removed just as easily when the project ends. Our unique system distributes load evenly across all units, maintaining alignment and structural integrity even in stacked configurations. 

Our pads are fully load tested in a range of configurations, for both single building, multiple building and multi-storey builds. You can either hire or buy your Jackpad® foundations, giving you flexibility and cost-effectiveness for any length of installation.

The Future of Multi-Storey Modular with Jackpad®

By combining strength, sustainability and speed, the Jackpad® system delivers multi-storey modular foundations that are faster to install, cleaner for your site and with long-term reliability built in. From multi-storey modular offices to stacked classroom blocks, Jackpad® provides the precision, safety, strength and flexibility needed for lasting stability.

Need to chat to our experts or ready to get hold of the units you need? Call our expert team today on 0116 286 6966 or email enquiries@jackpad.co.uk to discuss your project. You can also use our online contact form to arrange a site survey and learn more about how Jackpad® can support your multi-storey modular installations.