Building a house takes time. Just consulting with an architect and finalizing the design can take more than three months, and on-site construction can easily exceed six months. Design costs are separate, and additional costs during construction must be covered. If weather or public complaints delay the construction period, the project can be delayed even further.
UnitLab, a startup in its second year of operation, is breaking down this barrier. Designs can be completed online in five minutes, and with civil engineering and manufacturing in parallel, occupancy is possible within six to eight weeks. Cost prediction accuracy is around 95%. This is a combination of AI-automated design and modular manufacturing, developed by UnitLab CEO Ha Sung-min (28).
"Solving the high cost problem while leveraging the advantages of modularity."
CEO Ha Sung-min majored in architecture at Pratt Institute in New York and joined a domestic modular construction startup as an early member. He gained extensive experience in design, research, business development, and strategic planning as the company grew from seed to Series A, reaching a team of 30. The impetus for starting the company stemmed from business limitations.
"At my previous job, I felt limited by targeting only the small-scale 'farm shed' (temporary structures used to support agricultural activities) market. I realized that for the modular market to expand, integrated business and technology solutions were essential. I needed to leverage modular's advantages of rapid turnaround and cost predictability while addressing the high costs associated with a lack of automation."
The company also differentiated its market strategy. It boldly abandoned the small-scale tent and container markets, which have low barriers to entry. Instead, the company is expanding into the mid- to low-rise market, starting with "unit houses" the size of single-family homes and then expanding into "unit-built" buildings ranging from three to 12 stories.
“This market has high technological barriers to entry and few significant players,” he said. “There are very few companies that provide integrated solutions and products.”
Since its launch in September 2023, Unit Lab has achieved rapid results. Sales are projected to reach approximately 1 billion won in 2024, and the backlog of orders is projected to reach approximately 8 billion won in 2025. Six projects were completed in 2024 and eight in 2025.
AI-automated design: Get quotes and design confirmations online in 5 minutes.
Current web design methods are primarily used by customers to review estimates and overall designs during the initial sales phase. Simply purchasing a product worth hundreds of millions of won online requires time, so a detailed consultation is conducted later to finalize the deal. The service's core competitive edge lies in its AI-automated design.
“We are approaching this with a two-pronged strategy to bridge the gap between the web and real-world space,” he explained.
The first is the use of internal automation tools. After completing detailed consultations with clients, internal tools are used to automate detailed modifications that aren't implemented on the web, such as adding outlets or moving parts of windows. The second is the advancement of the web platform. In the long term, consultants will support clients online, implementing designs on the front-end, and using this data to create a precise BIM model with a LOD of 400-500 or higher, ready for actual construction.
“The key is the technology to precisely create and modify BIM models using automated tools, without the need for separate design resources, not only for the building itself but also for modifications that occur during the on-site environment and permitting process.”
Cost prediction accuracy is 95%, and the actual cost is completed within 5%.
We achieved 95% cost forecast accuracy. Since securing seed funding in 2023, we've focused on maximizing the number of projects possible, rather than focusing on short-term profitability, to improve cost forecast accuracy. We've also improved accuracy by verifying actual construction costs, including material, labor, and transportation costs.
“Our competitive edge lies in not going through the complex traditional design/preliminary design/detailed design/quantity takeoff/quotation process.”
We precisely forecast costs based on BIM modeling and quantity data, then incorporate our own margins to calculate consumer prices. All projects we've actually completed have been completed within 5% of the estimated cost.
The project period is also shortened. For typical construction projects, a professional architect typically requires three months or more for the design alone, a month for the detailed design, and separate design fees. UnitLab, however, completes all consultations within a minimum of two weeks to one month, and there are no separate design fees beyond the administrative costs of permits and approvals.
Construction periods also vary. Conventional construction typically takes at least six months, starting with civil engineering and continuing with on-site construction. CEO Ha Sung-min stated, "Unitlab's construction is completed in parallel with civil engineering and manufacturing, enabling occupancy within an average of two to three months." He emphasized, "We can reduce the risk of construction delays due to complaints and weather by over 90%."
Customer satisfaction is also high. Excluding detailed finishing, the current rework and defect rate is close to 0%.
Mid- to low-rise projects, typically between 3 and 12 stories, are a niche that large construction companies have been reluctant to enter due to their large organizational size. While large construction companies have entered the modular market, Unitlab's strategy is one of collaboration, not competition.
“Even if they enter the market, our goal is to build an ecosystem rather than compete.”
When large construction companies prepare project bids, UnitLab provides automated solutions free of charge. This supports precise planning, detailed design, and quantity estimation. This helps construction companies secure projects at reasonable prices.
"However, we don't provide BIM modeling itself. Our strategy is to have customers outsource manufacturing services based on that data."
Due to the nature of the construction industry, most areas are subcontracted, and Unit Lab generates manufacturing sales by leveraging its strength in solutions.
We are also pursuing entry into the public procurement market. Preliminary discussions with the Public Procurement Service have been completed. The core concept is to conduct construction work separately and deliver the building components used in the project in modular units. We have applied for innovative product designation in the fourth round of competition in 2025, and registration with Venture Nara and the Multi-Agency Agreement (MAS) has been completed.
Establishing an overseas production base in just the second year of operation may seem like a bold move, but the strategy is meticulous. It's based on an asset-light strategy.
CEO Ha Sung-min stated, "Rather than directly investing capital, we provide manufacturing, sales, PM, and construction management solutions to local partners. These partners then establish a base and become our manufacturing partners." He added, "In the Philippines, we have secured partnerships with general construction companies operating in the region. The economic viability of the reverse import model has already been proven through the efforts of global modular companies."
Unitlab's solution utilizes Autodesk Revit tools, but also provides a separate package program specialized for modular construction and internal Revit plug-ins.
"Existing BIM tools are expensive and difficult to use, resulting in a very low domestic adoption rate. Our goal is to lower these barriers and provide a comprehensive solution that's easy for anyone to use and integrates with manufacturing."
Once the design is finalized by combining module blocks and material DBs in its own package, the data is automatically implemented as a precise BIM model at LOD 500 level through a plug-in.
The proprietary technology is patented. It divides modules into "BIM-datafied spatial objects," and uses a "combination review algorithm" to determine whether they can be automatically combined.
CEO Ha Sung-min's vision is clear: to lead the manufacturing of the construction industry and its AI Transformation (AX).
"In the age of AI, we are manufacturing the total value chain of the most traditional and conservative construction market, and we are translating complex data into a language that AI can understand."
Even after completing the design on the web, expert consulting is essential in various areas, including architectural quality and permitting processes. The long-term goal is to automate this consulting process using Agentic AI.
“We want to overcome the social issues of safety, environment, and productivity in the construction industry, and further contribute to resolving issues such as the domestic housing shortage, disaster relief housing, and regional extinction,” emphasized CEO Ha Seong-min.
Three months for design, six months for construction. A 28-year-old has broken that "six-month barrier." Combining AI-powered automated design with modular manufacturing, the design can be completed in five minutes, and the building can be occupied in six to eight weeks. Cost prediction accuracy is 95%, and the defect rate is nearly zero. Within two years of launch, the company secured a backlog of 8 billion won in sales. This innovation is proven by the numbers.
Unit Lab, led by CEO Ha Sung-min, has announced its ambition to address housing shortages, disaster relief, and even regional extinction through manufacturing and AI innovation in the construction industry. The 28-year-old's challenge to a conservative industry continues.
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