
QUICK ANSWERS
Frequently Asked Questions
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General
FBS can factory-install a variety of exterior cladding and façade systems to meet project requirements. This can include weather barriers, EIFS, thin brick veneer, cultured stone veneer, and siding products such as James Hardie® panels and Nichiha fiber-cement board.
Factory-installed exterior finishes can help improve quality control, reduce on-site labor, and accelerate project schedules.
One of the biggest differences between prefabricated construction and traditional stick-built construction is that prefabricated buildings are designed, engineered, and manufactured with efficiency in mind from the very beginning. Instead of constructing the building entirely on-site, major building components are produced in a controlled facility and then assembled at the job site.
During the design phase, Fullerton's team of designers and construction managers works closely with the architect and project team to identify and resolve potential issues before production begins. This early coordination often uncovers design and constructability challenges that might otherwise not be discovered until construction is already underway.
For owners, developers, and general contractors, the benefit is a more predictable project with fewer delays, less rework, and a faster path to completion. By shifting a significant portion of the construction process off-site and addressing challenges early, projects can stay on schedule and often reach occupancy sooner. In fact, Fullerton customers open their doors an average of 60 days sooner, allowing businesses to begin serving customers, generating revenue, and realizing a return on investment faster.
Yes. Fullerton designs prefabricated buildings to align with your brand’s standards, from layout and functionality to exterior finishes and interior details. We work closely with your team, architects, and brand guidelines to ensure the final building reflects your intended look, feel, and customer experience.
Prefabrication allows us to deliver that consistency across locations while maintaining speed, quality, and efficiency.
Yes. Fullerton Building Systems provides a one-year craftsmanship warranty on every building package.
In addition, exterior finish materials such as EIFS, thin brick, siding, and other cladding products are covered by their respective manufacturer's warranties.
To make warranty information easy to access, FBS provides a complete warranty package with every project, giving owners and operators all the documentation they need for future reference.
Yes. Some engineers and industry professionals would argue that prefabricated buildings can be even more durable than traditional stick-frame construction due to the quality of materials used, including dimensional lumber and structural CDX plywood sheathing, as well as the controlled manufacturing environment in which they are built.
At Fullerton Building Systems, every building is manufactured by the same experienced workforce using the same proven process, regardless of whether the project is in Minnesota, Utah, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, or anywhere in between. This level of consistency helps ensure a repeatable, high-quality building package from project to project, giving owners, developers, and contractors confidence in what will be delivered every time.
Most prefabricated restaurant buildings are installed in just 3–7 days, with many projects completed in as little as 4 days.
Because the building shell is manufactured off-site while site work is happening, installation moves quickly once the foundation is ready. In many cases, the building can be erected and dried-in within two weeks, helping keep your project on schedule and your restaurant on a faster path to opening.
Want to see the process in action? Check out our time-lapse videos to see how quickly a restaurant building comes together.
Project timelines vary based on building size, complexity, and coordination speed, but FBS is structured to move efficiently from the design kickoff through engineering to final stamped structural plans.
In most cases, the process takes approximately 3–5 weeks and includes completed structural drawings, engineering calculations, and final stamped documents ready for permitting and construction coordination.
Yes. Your prefabricated construction project will still require a general contractor. While prefab shifts a large portion of the work off-site, a GC is responsible for managing everything that happens on-site, including site preparation, foundations, utility connections, installation coordination, and final build-out.
We work with several preferred general contractors who are familiar with the Fullerton prefab process and can help ensure a smooth, efficient project from start to finish. We’re happy to provide recommendations based on your location and project needs.
Our primary focus is the building shell. FBS exterior wall panels will be open-stud, allowing other subcontractors to seamlessly complete their scope of work.
If requested, FBS can include wood-framed interior walls within our scope of work.
No. Our system is panelized, not modular.
Traditional modular construction typically involves transporting large, fully finished building sections or “boxes” to the jobsite. In contrast, FBS manufactures prefabricated structural wall panels and roof components that are built off-site and assembled into a permanent building structure on-site.
This panelized prefabrication approach provides many of the speed, quality, and schedule advantages associated with modular construction while allowing for greater architectural flexibility, easier transportation, and a more traditional site-built appearance and construction process.
FBS primarily provides the prefabricated structural building shell and select factory-installed exterior finishes. Certain specialized finishes, trade scopes, or site-specific elements are typically supplied and installed by others.
Items commonly excluded from the FBS scope include:
Roof membrane systems
Canopies
Signage
Gutters and downspouts
Freezer/cooler packages
Tenant improvement (TI) work
Storefront and glazing packages
While glazing packages are not included in the FBS scope, general contractors can order storefront and glazing systems in advance by coordinating with the FBS Rough Openings Schedule provided within the structural design drawings.
All project scopes and responsibilities are clearly defined early in the design and coordination process to help avoid surprises during construction.
Architect & Design Team
To begin structural design and engineering coordination, FBS requires the architectural drawing set, including floor plans, building elevations, key wall sections, and any relevant project specifications or design criteria. The more defined the architectural design intent, the faster our team can align the prefabricated structural system and move into engineering.
CAD files are preferred, but we also accept Revit.
The earlier, the better. Engaging FBS during schematic design or early design development allows us to help optimize layouts, structural efficiency, and prefabrication strategies before details are locked in. Early involvement also creates opportunities for value engineering to help identify cost savings, material efficiencies, and smarter design solutions without compromising the overall vision.
FBS provides a structural building shell package that includes sealed structural drawings and engineering calculations. These documents are coordinated with the architect’s construction drawing set and can be referenced or incorporated based on your documentation standards, permitting requirements, and jurisdictional preferences.
Architects can continue producing their architectural plans, details, and specifications as normal, while identifying specific prefabricated structural components or delegated design elements as “provided by FBS.” This approach helps streamline coordination between the architectural, structural, and prefabrication teams while maintaining design intent.
FBS works as an extension of your team. Our process is highly collaborative and includes early alignment, ongoing coordination during design, and clear communication through manufacturing and installation to ensure everything integrates seamlessly.
FBS provides detailed structural drawings covering panel design, connections, load paths, and integration points. Our goal is to remove ambiguity and ensure everything required for panelized fabrication and installation is clearly defined.
FBS delivers a complete prefabricated building shell package that typically includes:
Structural wall panels
Exterior sheathing
Continuous insulation
Integrated framing components
Roof truss system with roof and parapet sheathing (as required by the project)
Additionally, if the structural design requires structural steel (columns, beams, moment frames, etc.), FBS will include the supply and installation of those components.
Yes. FBS can supply required structural steel components as part of the prefabricated building shell package when the structural design calls for it. Structural steel scope and coordination requirements are reviewed early in the design process to ensure alignment with the architectural and engineering plans.
Yes. We can incorporate blocking for a wide range of exterior elements. These must be identified early, allowing us to build them directly into the panels for faster, cleaner on-site installation.
FBS panelized prefabricated building systems are highly flexible, but like any construction method, there are design parameters that help maximize efficiency and constructability.
FBS systems are primarily designed for wood-framed construction and are generally best suited for single-story commercial buildings with wall heights under 30 feet. Typical project sizes range from approximately 1,000 to 20,000 square feet.
Our team works closely with architects and design teams early in the process to align on structural requirements, optimize panelization opportunities, and support the overall architectural vision without limiting design flexibility.
General Contractor & Installation
Our Construction Management team will review all site requirements during the GC kickoff meeting to ensure everything is ready before installation begins.
At a minimum, the following items must be completed prior to installation:
Foundation installed
Concrete slab completed
Utility stub-ups in place
Hard-packed binder course installed for truck access and material staging
These requirements allow our team to safely unload trucks, stage prefabricated wall panels, and complete the installation process efficiently and on schedule.
Fullerton Building Systems coordinates and provides the equipment required to install the building package. This typically includes:
Lull (telehandler) lift
Scissor lifts
Crane services (when required by site conditions or project scope)
The General Contractor is responsible for providing standard jobsite support items, including:
Dumpsters
Portable restroom facilities
Temporary power
All equipment and job site requirements will be reviewed and coordinated during the GC kickoff meeting to ensure the site is ready for a smooth installation.
While Fullerton provides the prefabricated building shell, the General Contractor remains responsible for several key project scopes, including:
Site work and earthwork
Foundation and concrete slab
Utility installation and connections
Window frames and glazing
Service doors
Roofing membrane and parapet cap
Curbs, gutters, and final lift of asphalt
Interior fit-out and finishes
Landscaping
Our team works closely with the General Contractor throughout the project to coordinate responsibilities and ensure a smooth installation process.
FBS performs the factory concealed fastener (nailing) inspection on every building package during the manufacturing process before it leaves our facility.
Once onsite, inspections generally follow the same process as traditional construction and may include:
Hold-down inspections
Rough carpentry inspections
Mechanical inspections
Electrical inspections
Plumbing inspections
Any additional inspections required by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)
Our team works closely with the General Contractor and local inspectors throughout the project to help ensure all required inspections are completed successfully.
