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Our Process

From drawings to walls up,
in weeks.

We turn your architect’s design into factory-built walls, partitions and roof and floor framing, then install them with our own crew. One team and one schedule, from the first drawing to the warranty.

~6 weeksFrom signed contract to delivery on site
5–7 daysTo install a 2,000–3,000 sq ft home
1 teamFrom shop drawings to warranty
The Schedule

The whole job, at a glance.

A typical single-family home, from signed contract to an installed envelope.

  1. Shop drawings & engineeringAbout 2 weeks
  2. Review & approvalAbout 1 week, by your architect, engineer and GC
  3. Materials, factory build & deliveryAbout 3 weeks
  4. Installation on site5–7 days
6–10 weeks from signed contract to an installed envelope, depending on the size of the project and how quickly the team signs off. Permit time isn’t included: it runs on your jurisdiction’s schedule, and we support plan check along the way.
Step by Step

Eight steps.
One accountable team.

Here’s what happens at each step, how long it takes, and who’s involved.

  1. Before we start4C with your architect

    Drawings review

    Send us your architectural drawings. We review the design, confirm which system fits, 4C SAFE™ steel or 4C ECO™ wood, and scope the components: exterior walls, interior partitions, and floor and roof framing.

  2. About 3 weeks4C, then your team signs off

    Shop drawings & engineering

    We model your design in Revit and turn it into shop drawings for every component, with openings and connections worked out in advance. That takes about two weeks. Your architect, engineer and general contractor then review and approve them, usually in about a week.

  3. Your jurisdiction’s scheduleYour architect or GC, with 4C support

    Permit support

    Your architect or general contractor submits the permit. We back up plan check with structural calculations, shop drawings and our ICC-ES listing, so reviewers have what they need.

  4. About 3 weeks, with delivery4C

    Manufacturing

    We buy the materials and build every component in our Hayward, California factory. Exterior wall panels arrive with framing, insulation, sheathing and weather barrier built in, and every piece is labeled to the shop drawings. See how we manufacture.

  5. End of week 64C

    Delivery

    Components are packed, protected and loaded in installation order, so the crew sets them in sequence as they come off the truck.

  6. 5–7 daysOur licensed install crew

    Installation

    Our own crew sets the exterior walls, interior partitions, and floor and roof framing. For a 2,000–3,000 sq ft single-family home, that typically takes five to seven days on site.

  7. Right after installYour general contractor’s trades

    Handoff to the trades

    With the envelope up, the general contractor’s plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades and finish crews take over, and they work on it much as they would on conventional framing. Their work can start weeks sooner than it would after a framing crew.

  8. After completion4C

    Warranty

    Our warranty and support cover the complete system we install, so you have one team to call, not a separate supplier and installer.

Who Does What

Clear roles from day one.

Your architect, engineer and general contractor keep their roles. We take the frame and envelope off their plate.

4C handles

  • Shop drawings and component engineering
  • Plan-check support: calculations, shop drawings, ICC-ES listing
  • Materials and factory manufacturing
  • Delivery, sequenced for installation
  • Installation of walls, partitions, and floor and roof framing
  • Warranty on the installed system

Your project team handles

  • Architectural design (your architect)
  • Engineer of record for the building
  • Permit submission (your architect or GC)
  • Foundation and site work (your GC)
  • Plumbing, electrical and mechanical
  • Roofing, finishes and everything after the envelope

Already have permits, your own engineer or a GC lined up? You don’t have to start at step one. Tell us where your project is and we’ll pick it up from there. For the full breakdown, read Who Does What in Off-Site Construction.

Built, Not Just Planned

Days on site, on real homes.

4C crew setting a factory-built 4C SAFE wall panel at the Borrego Springs home 4 days to assemble the 4C SAFE™ system on site in Borrego Springs. See the project A telehandler setting a 4C SAFE wall panel on the hillside Escondido Residence site 3 days to set the exterior wall package on a hillside site in Escondido. See the project
What We Manufacture

Two material options, one manufacturing standard.

Depending on your project, step four, Manufacturing, produces components under one of two systems.
Both are precision-engineered, factory-built, ICC-ES listed, and patent pending.

Certified Manufacturer — Made in California
Maximum Resilience

4C SAFE™

Steel-framed, fire-resistant, 1-HR and 2-HR fire-rated, WUI compliant, applicable to all construction types.

4C SAFE component assembly, steel roof truss and wall framing
  • Frame materialSteel
  • Fire rating1-HR & 2-HR, fire-resistant
  • Construction typesAll types
  • Best suited forWildfire / high-risk areas

Code Listed · Patent Pending

Full 4C SAFE™ Specs
Balanced Performance

4C ECO™

Wood-framed components optimized for Type V construction, balancing cost with thermal efficiency.

4C ECO component assembly, wood roof truss and wall framing
  • Frame materialWood
  • Construction typeType V
  • Performance focusThermal efficiency
  • Best suited forMultifamily / infill

Code Listed · Patent Pending

Full 4C ECO™ Specs
Shared Platform

What every 4C component has in common.

Regardless of which system your configuration calls for, every 4C component is manufactured to the same standard, reflecting the four pillars described on our About page.

Prefab exterior wall panels

Framing, insulation, sheathing, and a weather-resistant barrier arrive as a single, integrated prefabricated wall panel.

Prefabricated interior walls

Interior wall components are manufactured off-site and delivered ready to set in place.

Prefab roof & floor framing

Roof and floor framing components are pre-engineered and pre-cut, cutting hours of onsite layout work.

Every 4C component is precision-manufactured, pre-labeled, and delivered installation-ready. The coordinated system installs quickly, reducing costs, onsite labor, complexity, and schedule risk. See how this compares with other methods in Panelized vs. Modular vs. Stick-Built.

Not sure how your project fits this process?

Send us your plans and we'll walk you through configuration, certification, and manufacturing.

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