(Alan Jackson second from the right with his crew at the Nexus headquarters)
Alan ‘Al’ Jackson has been an active member of the entrepreneurial community in the Cowichan Valley for decades. He started Jackson Grills, a brand of quality barbeques whose market expanded across North America in the early aughts. After proudly raising his family in the Cowichan Valley, he became increasingly concerned about their challenges in finding homes in the region. Al sold Jackson Grills to a Lower Mainland-based buyer in 2011 and turned his sights to the housing sector.
Al’s worries about housing supply and affordability were not unwarranted. Like many communities across British Columbia, the Cowichan region is in a housing crisis. Research conducted by Economic Development Cowichan in partnership with Cowichan Housing Association shows that Cowichan does not have enough housing for everyone, and more people are moving to the region every year. This shortage has caused house prices and rent to rise significantly. The housing crisis is further compounded by the rise in short-term rentals, a labour shortage, and increases in the overall cost of living. To begin to tackle some of these problems, Al, along with a silent partner, founded Nexus Modular Solutions.
The Nexus headquarters is located in Cobble Hill. The company is classified as a volumetric modular manufacturer. This means the homes are built entirely in-house, all the way to turn-key status. Despite popular misconception, a modular home is not a mobile home. Nexus modular homes comply with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A277 building code. CSA A277 certification is a gold seal that ensures a reliable, quality product that is compliant with local municipal home building codes. Simply put, Nexus homes are built to the same rigorous standards and have the same home warranty as traditionally built houses.
“All the trades working under one roof also improves the efficiency of cost and time, as well as limiting waste.”
Environmentally friendly and efficient, a Nexus Modular project can go from inception to completion in 120 days, with only a few days of on-site time for delivery of the finished project. Compared to traditional home construction, a modular build requires very little foot and vehicle traffic, making installations less disruptive for neighbours. Nexus’ beautiful architectural designs and modern interiors push the conversation on modular housing. Noah Topp, Business Development Manager for Nexus, states, “All the trades working under one roof also improves the efficiency of cost and time, as well as limiting waste.” They recently participated in a circular economy accelerator program delivered by the Vancouver Island Coast Economic Developers Association (VICEDA) in partnership with Synergy Foundation, which found that the company produced 90% less waste than traditional construction methods.
Topp explains how the company also helps stimulate the local economy: “We get our lumber from Chemainus, our flooring from Duncan. Windows and cabinetry come from right down the street.” Nexus adheres to a “50 km diet” whereby all trades, materials, and as many supplies as possible are sourced between Victoria and Nanaimo. They employ 12 full-time workers (half a dozen on the shop floor and the others in accounting, marketing, design and engineering) and sub-contract out to 20-30 subtrades in the region, including New Power Electric, Higginson Consulting, Thermoproof, FBM Plumbing, and Blacksheep Painting to name a few.
Over its 7-year history, Nexus has worked on large community projects such as the Cowichan Tribes Rapid Housing Initiative, building three two-story, modular multi-plexes on Boys Road in Duncan. They also made temporary emergency shelter units in Duncan with Cowichan Housing Association. As the Province continues to address the housing crisis by introducing new housing legislation to deliver more small-scale housing on many lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use, Nexus hopes that the Cowichan community will embrace the potential of their product for garden suites and single-family homes.
“We’re pretty happy being a smaller, more agile company because it lets us work more hand-in-hand with our clients to provide more tailored solutions, as opposed to some of the larger manufacturers.”
When asked where Nexus will be in the next five years, Topp shares: “We’re pretty happy being a smaller, more agile company because it lets us work more hand-in-hand with our clients to provide more tailored solutions, as opposed to some of the larger manufacturers. We’ve recently brought in the capacity to do structural steel framing in-house, which has helped us be more efficient. We’re also working on building up our local partnerships. I’m happy with the trajectory we’re on. Where it will carry us”. He believes educating the public is one of the most significant pieces to pushing the modular housing conversation and welcomes anyone interested in checking out one of their show units to “come visit us at the factory”!
For more information, you can click the link below, contact Noah directly at noah@nexusmodular.ca, or visit their headquarters at 1317 Fairfield Road, Cobble Hill, B.C.
