Build Your Next Project in Half the Time
See exactly how NCC prefabricated panels compress your schedule, cut labor, and reduce total project cost — backed by real project data.
Three Reasons GCs Choose Panels
Click any card to dive into the details.
Schedule Compression
Panels compress your framing timeline dramatically — every day saved is money in your pocket.
Total Schedule Comparison
Level-by-Level Breakdown
| Phase | Stick (days) | Panels (days) | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Level 2 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
| B1 Level 3 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
| B1 Level 4 | 11.7 | 4.4 | 7.3 |
| B1 Level 5 | 11.7 | 4.4 | 7.3 |
| B2 Level 2 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
| B2 Level 3 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 3.9 |
| B2 Level 4 | 11.7 | 4.4 | 7.3 |
| B2 Level 5 | 11.7 | 4.4 | 7.3 |
Labor Reduction
Fewer hours, smaller crews, faster completion — in a market where finding framers is harder than ever.
Man-Hours Comparison
Crew Size & Labor Reality
1 Superintendent
1 Lead framer
4-5 Framers (skilled carpenters)
1-2 Laborers
1 Crane operator
1 Signal person
2-3 Installers (bolt/nail-up)
The Labor Shortage Reality
Finding 8 skilled framers who can commit to a multi-month project is increasingly difficult. Panel installation requires only 5 workers — and they finish 80% faster. In today's labor market, the crew you can't hire costs more than the panels.
Cost Breakdown
Panels shift cost from labor to material — but the total is lower. See where every dollar goes.
Cost Composition
Panels shift cost from labor to material — but the total is lower.
The Hidden Cost Most Comparisons Miss
Every day your project runs costs approximately $3,500/day in general conditions — superintendent salary, insurance, equipment rental, portable facilities, and project overhead. These costs don't show up in a framing bid, but they're very real.
This is on top of the $189,412 in direct cost savings — bringing your total project savings to $452,262
Beyond the Numbers
Cost and schedule aren't the only advantages. Panels deliver better quality, safety, and sustainability.
Factory-Controlled Quality
Every panel is built in a controlled facility with jigs, templates, and quality checks. No weather delays, no warped lumber from sitting in the rain, no layout errors from field measurements.
Safer Job Sites
Fewer worker-days at height means fewer opportunities for falls — the #1 cause of construction fatalities. Panel installation crews use crane-assisted lifts, not manual overhead framing.
Less Waste
Factory cutting optimizes every board foot. Stick framing generates 10% waste on average vs. 3% with panels. On a 250K SF project, that's 25 tons of lumber saved from the landfill.
Real-World Proof
See how NCC panels performed on an actual multi-family project.
251K SF Multi-Family Project
251,002 SF across 3 buildings — actual cost and schedule comparison between traditional stick framing and NCC prefabricated panels with floor cassettes.
“Nobles delivers a high-quality product centralized around front-end coordination and detailed execution through the project's lifespan. NCC has been the gold standard of floor cassette manufacturing for many years, prioritizing safety and efficiency for their clients.”
“NCC's prefabricated floor cassette system dramatically improved installation efficiency on the Fresno State Student Housing project. Compared to conventional framing on the lower floors, the cassette system allowed us to reduce install time by nearly 80% while maintaining the same structural design.”
A note on flexibility
Panel projects require finalized plans before manufacturing. Stick framing offers more field flexibility for design changes. Factor this into your decision based on your project's design maturity.
Full Comparison
Every metric, side by side.
Detailed Metrics Comparison
| Metric | Stick Framing | NCC Panels | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Days | 93.8 | 18.7 | |
| Man-Hours | 7,800 | 1,467 | |
| Total Cost | $2,374,594 | $2,185,182 | |
| Cost / SF | $15.83 | $14.57 | |
| Crew Size | 8 workers | 5 workers | |
| Waste | 10% (15 tons) | 3% (4.5 tons) | |
| Safety Exposure | 750 worker-days | 93 worker-days | |
| GC Overhead Savings | — | $262,850 | |
| Total Project Savings | — | $452,262 |
Common Questions
Answers to the objections we hear most from GCs and developers.
Ready to Build Smarter?
Get your custom comparison report or talk to our team about your next project.
Get your quote in 48 hours.