Workforce Housing Community - 18% Per-Unit Material Cost Reduction
How Port2Site combined domestic Value Engineering (VE) with targeted factory-direct imports to reduce per-unit material costs by approximately 18% while improving durability and consistency.
Project Overview
| Project Type | Workforce Housing |
| Unit Count | 150 units |
| Location | Midwest U.S. |
| Scope | Full interiors + amenities |
| Categories | Flooring, lighting, plumbing, hardware |
| Services | Domestic VE + selective imports |
The Challenge
The developer faced an extremely tight per-unit budget with high durability requirements. Fragmented sourcing from past phases and vendor price increases during the project further complicated procurement.
Port2Site's Approach
Schedule Review
Reviewed full fixture/material schedules
VE Analysis
Conducted VE alternates for flooring, lighting, plumbing
Selective Imports
Used imports where tariffs did not increase cost
SKU Standardization
Standardized SKUs across all unit types
Goal: Improve durability while lowering cost.
The Solution
Flooring VE
- Upgraded wear layer for durability
- Reduced cost per SF
- Better long-term performance
Lighting VE
- CCT/lumen-matched alternates
- Reduced fixture count per unit
- Better warranty profile
Plumbing Optimization
- Imported select categories
- Domestic VE on others
- Verified finish, flow rates, certifications
Results
| Category | Savings | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring | 12% | VE upgrade + lower cost |
| Lighting | 15% | Spec-matched alternates |
| Plumbing | 10% | Mix of import + VE |
| Total | 18% per-unit reduction | Across 150 units |
What the Client Said
"Port2Site delivered huge savings and helped us standardize our entire property. VE + imports worked perfectly for our budget."
- Development Partner, Midwest Workforce Housing
Want to Lower Per-Unit Costs on Your Workforce Housing Project?
Let Port2Site review your fixture schedules and identify VE opportunities for your next affordable or workforce housing development.